Antidepressants and Cannabis: 6 Interactions You Need to Know
Combining antidepressants with cannabis can be dangerous. Discover 6 specific medications that may not work as expected when interacting with marijuana - or could even potentially harm your health.
Why Antidepressants as a Last Resort?
Antidepressants are among the strongest medications on the market - and come with serious side effects. This is why many doctors turn to alternative treatment paths. Strong antidepressants should always be the last option.
Problems arise when a patient uses medical cannabis with high THC content alongside antidepressants. Potential complications and adverse interactions can occur. Is it really that dangerous?
Cannabis vs. Antidepressants – What Does Science Say?
Surprisingly, there are very few studies examining this combination. Even large databases like Google Scholar or PubMed do not provide enough relevant results.
However, a study from the University of Connecticut, titled Psychotropic Medications and Substances of Abuse Interactions in Youth, revealed an interesting finding: The combination of psychoactive THC and psychotropic medications does not lead to as many problems as expected. Nevertheless, risks cannot be ignored.
Key Risk: Proper Dosage
The main problem is that cannabis can make it difficult for a doctor to correctly estimate the effectiveness of antidepressants. If you are considering new medications for depression or anxiety, consider temporarily stopping cannabis – only then will you know the true effect of treatment.
Important: People with depression use cannabis 2 to 8 times more often than the healthy population. There is also a higher risk of transitioning from occasional to chronic use.
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