Depression

  • Medical cannabis has great potential for treating depression
  • Studies prove that cannabis users have a much lower percentage of depression occurrence
  • Cannabis as an antidepressant comes without any negative side effects
  • Cannabis treatment brings improved appetite, helps with insomnia, and enhances mood

Depression

We usually hear about cannabis and its healing properties in connection with physical diseases like cancer (more in our article "Cancer"), AIDS or glaucoma. The use of cannabis for psychological conditions such as depression is less discussed, but as the taboo around this incredibly useful plant recedes, more people are sharing stories about how cannabis helped them with various mental disorders. Recently, doctors from different medical fields and scientific disciplines have been increasingly supportive of medical cannabis.

In the following article, we will explain the forms, causes, symptoms, and current treatment methods for depression. If you only want to know how cannabis can help with depression and which strains are most commonly used for this purpose, skip directly to the last paragraph.

Forms of Depression

Depression is a very complex mood disorder that leaves those suffering unable to work normally, eat, sleep (more in our article "Insomnia") or simply enjoy anything. Let's look at the most common forms of depression:

Major Depression: constant inability to enjoy life for 6 months or more.

Dysthymia: depression lasting at least two years, in stable periods.

Bipolar Disorder, Manic-Depressive Psychosis: depression accompanied by rapid mood swings, hyperactivity, rapid speech, and insomnia.

Seasonal Affective Disorder: depression triggered by changing seasons.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 350 million people of all age groups worldwide suffer from depression, making it one of the most common types of illness.

Most Common Causes of Depression

  • Abuse: emotional, sexual, physical
  • Conflict: with family, friends, or loved ones
  • Genetics
  • Isolation
  • Loss: e.g., loss of a loved one
  • Significant life changes or events
  • Serious illnesses
  • Stress - chronic stress is one of the most common causes of depression
  • Substance abuse

Depression Symptoms

Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person, but the most common are lethargy and feelings of hopelessness along with low self-esteem, self-deprecation, feelings of guilt or shame. These symptoms can psychologically exhaust the affected person and leave them unable to suppress negative thoughts, leading to mood swings and irritability. Affected individuals also often experience memory deterioration and an inability to make ordinary decisions. Depression can also result in reckless behavior, weight fluctuations, or sleep problems. Typically insignificant activities become enormously exhausting and take longer than usual.

Long-term depression can eventually lead to suicidal thoughts or suicide itself. In the Czech Republic, the number of suicides is higher than the European average.

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