Mental health in the United States is really no laughing matter. That is why it is becoming more common for state medical marijuana programs to include mental health disorders as one of the qualifying conditions to apply for and obtain a medical marijuana card.
It is safe to say that there are a lot of mental health problems in the United States - in fact, there are an estimated 16 million adults in the United States that suffer from some type of depression. There are actually different forms of depression that one can struggle with, but each one is very serious and real. Depression, stress, and anxiety are running rampant in the United States.
While some people may not completely understand these sorts of mental health disorders, if you or someone you know struggles with depression, I am sure you know just how debilitating it can be. It’s true that medical marijuana can be used to treat and manage a variety of physical health conditions like cancer, glaucoma, MS, and many more. However, what about conditions of the brain, like mental health disorders? Can medical marijuana be used to effectively treat these conditions as well? We are going to be talking about that today, so buckle up and get ready to learn some more about cannabis.
The sad truth about medical marijuana in the United States is that there is a lack of research available for us to answer some of these harder questions. Since cannabis was considered a controlled substance for so long, there was never funding available for organizations to research its uses, benefits, and effects. However, with that being said there are still some clinical studies that have been done into the effectiveness of cannabis for treating mental health disorders. If you know much about depression, then I am sure you are aware of the terrible side effects that can come from using prescription antidepressants.
While some of these medications can be helpful, antidepressants are notorious for causing harmful side effects and can even worsen a patients mental health, sometimes leading to higher risk for suicide and self injury. In contrast, there is emerging research that suggests marijuana may have a similar impact on depression compared to these prescription medications without the other harmful side effects.
We all know that cannabis is used to treat mental health conditions like anxiety - but what about depression? Well, oftentimes anxiety and depression go hand in hand. In fact, it is very likely that a patient diagnosed with anxiety may also be diagnosed with depression as well. Many people have begun to use medical marijuana to treat their anxiety alongside their depression and have found great results. However, there still is not conclusive evidence into its effectiveness that suggests it should be used in every case of depression.
While marijuana is very natural and generally considered risk free, it is definitely necessary to get advice from a doctor when it comes to using cannabis to treat depression. Mental health disorders can be very dangerous and volatile, so you want to make sure that you are talking to your doctor about your options and if marijuana could be right for you.
If you are new to the world of cannabis and want to dip your toe in the marijauna pool, so to speak, I would recommend using CBD. CBD is still cannabis, but it does not produce that intoxicating high that many people associate with cannabis. This can be a great option for people wanting to try cannabis but also want to be careful of its effects. CBD can be ingested orally, topically, and in many other forms as well.
