Marijuana and drugs/antidepressants
Marijuana improves our mood, makes us happier and less stressed. People struggling with lowered mood or depression are becoming more supportive of the use of marijuana. Depression, anxiety or neurosis can be treated with dedicated medication and long-term therapy under the supervision of a specialist. The question arises then whether cannabis can be combined with standard medicines? Cannabis and medication - yes or no?
Insufficient information
Interestingly, despite years of research, to date no detailed results have been published on the relationship between cannabis use and antidepressant medication. Extensive and well-researched information sources such as Google Scholar and National Institutes of Health PubMed contain only a few meaningful search results. Even the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) does not provide more detailed information. Researchers at the University of Connecticut's Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry thoroughly researched the available publications and came across a report entitled Psychotropic Medications and Substances of Abuse Interactions in Youth. Among other things, the report mentioned that combining marijuana with medication could increase the chance of negative effects. To great surprise, the publication included several reports on this topic.
So what do we know?
The University of Connecticut explains that the modest amount of information available may be due to the small number of adverse effects. Current medications are much safer than they were a few decades ago. Additionally, patients who have experienced negative consequences from combining cannabis with medication may simply be afraid to speak out about it. Let us remember that cannabis remains illegal in many countries and states of America. Nevertheless, the undeniable fact is that the new drugs are safer. RxList - which is an online prescription drug database published by WebMD - recommends that marijuana patients "exercise caution.
Better to be vigilant
The main challenge for physicians when prescribing depression medications remains proper selection and dosage. More drugs are added to one drug to avoid exposing the patient to possible side effects. The situation is further complicated for marijuana users. The greater the amount of substances a patient takes, the more difficult it is to choose the right dose of the drug. Doctors advise impatient people to give traditional medicines time to work and to refrain from using cannabis straight away. Allan Schwartz, a psychotherapist and specialist who works in clinics in Colorado and New York, believes that patients struggling with severe depression should stop using cannabis. There is also evidence that people who suffer from anxiety or depression are much more likely to use marijuana more often and thus fall into addiction. These individuals are 2 to 8 times more likely to use cannabis than healthy individuals. Schwartz has also witnessed some patients combine drugs with marijuana, resulting in a hospital visit in much worse condition than before.
If marijuana is for high CBD content
If you're considering taking marijuana, it's a good idea to go for strains rich in CBD rather than THC. While low doses of THC can improve a patient's condition, too much THC can increase anxiety or cause panic attacks. CBD counteracts the negative effects caused by THC. There is a view that CBD combats anxiety, anxiety and depression. Researchers have conducted studies on lab mice specifically designed to test drugs to combat depression. The mice that were injected with CBD showed a marked improvement in their condition. Decreasing hyperactivity and anhedonia were observed 30 minutes after CBD injection. Additionally, CBD administration increased serotonin and glutamate levels in the prefrontal cortex.
To take or not to take?
It is difficult to clearly answer this question, because there are no reliable studies on this topic. There are voices for and against, but remember that we have only one health. High concentration of THC can actually affect negatively on the therapy. What's more every drug and every body is different, which further complicates the situation. For your own safety it is better not to experiment with any drugs and strains rich in psychoactive THC.
