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Pro's & Con's Of Medical Marijuana With Depression / Bipolar #1 (Of 12)
Posted by
TOMMY CHONG
,
17 August 2010
·
8 views
Is medical marijuana an effective treatment for depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety, and similar mood disorders?
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EXCERPTS ARE FROM THE WEB SITE http://medicalmariju...estionID=000226 AND THE CON SIDE OF THIS TOPIC IS FAR MORE VERBALIZED IN THIS ARTICLE THAN THE PROS, THEREFORE I HAVE INCLUDED LINKS AT THE END OF EACH PRO EXCERPT SO SERIOUS INQUIRERES CAN FREELY LOOK INTO MORE IN DEPTH RESEARCH ON THE PRO SIDE...IF YOUR SERIOUS ABOUT TALKING TO YOUR DR. OR USING MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR CONDITIONS STATED IN OR RELATED TO THE TOPICS OF MY POSTS YOU SHOULD KNOW THE REAL PROS AND CONS...I AM NOT IN ANY WAY LEADING ANYONE TO SELF MEDICATE FOR ANY DISORDERS IN MY POSTS, I AM ONLY RESEARCHING THE TOPICS IN THE HOPES THAT IT WILL HELP THOSE EFFECTED BY THESE CONDITIONS, USING MARUJUANA/OR NOT... AND FOREMOST EDUCATE US ALL.
PRO:
Frank Lucido, MD, a private practice physician, stated in his article "Implementation of the Compassionate Use Act in a Family Medical Practice: Seven Years Clinical Experience," available on his website (accessed June 2, 2006):
With appropriate use of medical cannabis, many of these patients have been able to reduce or eliminate the use of opiates and other pain pills, ritalin, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, anti-depressants and other psychiatric medicines... http://medicalmariju...sourceID=000628
June 2, 2006 - Frank Lucido, MD
CON:
Health Services at Columbia University (HSC), in the GoAskAlice section of their website, stated in a Feb. 4, 2005 response to a question from "a concerned boyfriend" who asked "She says smoking pot is like self-medicating — it is better than using anti-depressants. She also claims smoking pot helps with depression because of how it helps produce Seratonin in the body.... Does smoking pot really help with managing your anxiety, depression, etc.?":
Marijuana DOES NOT produce serotonin. However, it does affect a substance in the brain called anandamide. Anandamide causes a soothing sensation in the body when it reacts with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the active substance in marijuana. It is the anandamide that causes your girlfriend to relax when using marijuana in low to medium doses....
While marijuana use may seem like a soother to your girlfriend, she may need to know about the negative effects... Marijuana appears to increase the risk of developing depression and/or schizophrenia the more that one uses it....
[Y]our girlfriend believes that she is self-medicating, when she may be contributing to her depression. Her depression could manifest itself in the future, since marijuana users typically withdraw from social situations, adding to depression.
Also consider what it is about antidepressants that are so abhorrent to your girlfriend. Why would marijuana, an illegal substance, be preferable to a controlled medication taken under medical advisement to manage her stress and depression?...
[S]he may agree to see her medical or primary care provider for a medical exam and evaluation. If she then has a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety, or is referred to someone who specializes in working with people with these conditions, then chances are she will feel better than when she 'prescribes' marijuana for herself.
Feb. 4, 2005 - Health Services at Columbia University (HSC)
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EXCERPTS ARE FROM THE WEB SITE http://medicalmariju...estionID=000226 AND THE CON SIDE OF THIS TOPIC IS FAR MORE VERBALIZED IN THIS ARTICLE THAN THE PROS, THEREFORE I HAVE INCLUDED LINKS AT THE END OF EACH PRO EXCERPT SO SERIOUS INQUIRERES CAN FREELY LOOK INTO MORE IN DEPTH RESEARCH ON THE PRO SIDE...IF YOUR SERIOUS ABOUT TALKING TO YOUR DR. OR USING MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR CONDITIONS STATED IN OR RELATED TO THE TOPICS OF MY POSTS YOU SHOULD KNOW THE REAL PROS AND CONS...I AM NOT IN ANY WAY LEADING ANYONE TO SELF MEDICATE FOR ANY DISORDERS IN MY POSTS, I AM ONLY RESEARCHING THE TOPICS IN THE HOPES THAT IT WILL HELP THOSE EFFECTED BY THESE CONDITIONS, USING MARUJUANA/OR NOT... AND FOREMOST EDUCATE US ALL.
PRO:
Frank Lucido, MD, a private practice physician, stated in his article "Implementation of the Compassionate Use Act in a Family Medical Practice: Seven Years Clinical Experience," available on his website (accessed June 2, 2006):
With appropriate use of medical cannabis, many of these patients have been able to reduce or eliminate the use of opiates and other pain pills, ritalin, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, anti-depressants and other psychiatric medicines... http://medicalmariju...sourceID=000628
June 2, 2006 - Frank Lucido, MD
CON:
Health Services at Columbia University (HSC), in the GoAskAlice section of their website, stated in a Feb. 4, 2005 response to a question from "a concerned boyfriend" who asked "She says smoking pot is like self-medicating — it is better than using anti-depressants. She also claims smoking pot helps with depression because of how it helps produce Seratonin in the body.... Does smoking pot really help with managing your anxiety, depression, etc.?":
Marijuana DOES NOT produce serotonin. However, it does affect a substance in the brain called anandamide. Anandamide causes a soothing sensation in the body when it reacts with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the active substance in marijuana. It is the anandamide that causes your girlfriend to relax when using marijuana in low to medium doses....
While marijuana use may seem like a soother to your girlfriend, she may need to know about the negative effects... Marijuana appears to increase the risk of developing depression and/or schizophrenia the more that one uses it....
[Y]our girlfriend believes that she is self-medicating, when she may be contributing to her depression. Her depression could manifest itself in the future, since marijuana users typically withdraw from social situations, adding to depression.
Also consider what it is about antidepressants that are so abhorrent to your girlfriend. Why would marijuana, an illegal substance, be preferable to a controlled medication taken under medical advisement to manage her stress and depression?...
[S]he may agree to see her medical or primary care provider for a medical exam and evaluation. If she then has a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety, or is referred to someone who specializes in working with people with these conditions, then chances are she will feel better than when she 'prescribes' marijuana for herself.
Feb. 4, 2005 - Health Services at Columbia University (HSC)
