Use of MJ in Depression Therapy

Can MJ be the most effective remedy known to humanity for treating various forms of depression? Despite MJ’s worldwide popularity as a stimulating psychoactive substance, the lack of scientific research on this topic meant that, for a long time, scientists and doctors could not give a definitive answer. To this day, different studies and user reports provide conflicting conclusions: in some cases, MJ genuinely improves the user’s mood, helping them break out of cycles of sadness and apathy; in other cases, MJ seems to deepen the unpleasant disorder. So, what can medical professionals say about using MJ as an antidepressant after analyzing all available data? Is the plant’s stimulating effect hidden in just one of its active compounds, or is it the combination of several cannabinoids and terpenes?

Key Points

• Most recreational and therapeutic MJ users confirm that MJ has a noticeable uplifting effect when used in small or standard doses.
• Recreational users note that regular use helps effectively modulate mood, often preventing various forms of depression and mental disorders related to excessive stress.
• Available research on the human endocannabinoid system shows that imbalances in its functioning may be directly linked to acute manifestations of depression.
• Overall, private studies involving animals show that THC, CBD, and combinations of these compounds are equally effective in treating various forms of depression and stress. However, no country has yet conducted full-scale clinical studies on this topic.
• Experience from several U.S. regions that have opened access to therapeutic or recreational MJ shows that the overall suicide rate among the population dropped by about 5%, with the largest decrease seen in the 20–40 age group.

The Endocannabinoid System and Mood Regulation

Human mood is influenced by a wide range of often uncontrollable factors, from daily events to genetics and deficiencies in certain brain sectors. One study shows that a higher concentration of CB1 receptors correlates with a greater tendency to feel and remember positive emotions, but it’s not certain that this genetic variation alone drastically affects susceptibility to depression.

The endocannabinoid system, consisting of receptors throughout the body sensitive to various active MJ compounds, regulates not only physiological processes but also has a significant impact on emotional regulation. The role of the CB1 receptor in mood regulation was discovered accidentally during lab testing of a weight-loss drug called rimonabant. As a CB1 receptor blocker, it caused not only the desired weight loss but also a range of unforeseen psychological side effects, leading to its market withdrawal. Blocking these receptors resulted in increased nervousness, irritability, decreased mood, and deep apathy. Some test subjects, especially those prone to depression, reported that regular use of the drug worsened their emotional state so much that they began to experience classic symptoms of deep depression, including frequent thoughts of self-harm.

This experience clearly demonstrated the CB1 receptor’s role in mood modulation and the possible negative consequences of suppressing its function. Following these leads, MJ psychiatry specialists began to focus on how this receptor affects emotional background and the symptoms and course of various forms of depression.

What Is Chronic/Clinical Depression?

The latest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual lists the following symptoms for “chronic or clinical depression”:

• Depressed mood
• Loss of interest and motivation in any activity (e.g., work, socializing, hobbies)
• Appetite disturbances, leading to significant weight gain or loss
• Sleep disturbances (insomnia or excessive sleepiness)
• Tremors and/or muscle lethargy
• Constant physical and emotional fatigue
• Noticeable decrease in self-esteem; feelings of “hopelessness” and “worthlessness”
• Impaired ability to express emotions and think rationally or logically
• Frequent intrusive thoughts about death and/or suicide
• Ideation of leaving the world (the patient rationalizes that death would be a relief from their unpleasant state), including making plans for suicide

Formally, in addition to a depressed mood or anhedonia (inability to feel positive emotions), the manual states that to diagnose depression, symptoms must:

• Be present for at least two weeks
• Have a noticeable negative impact on personal life and employment
• Not be related to the use or withdrawal of psychoactive/narcotic substances
• Not be caused by other psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia spectrum disorders or bipolar disorder
• Not be triggered by a major emotional shock, such as the death of a family member or close friend

Can MJ Use Trigger Depression Symptoms?

A large survey conducted in Sweden with 45,000 participants of various ages, ethnicities, and social backgrounds found that “after accounting for other environmental factors and participants’ genetic predisposition to certain diseases, the study could not identify a significant effect of regular MJ use on the development of depressive symptoms, including among users aged 18–20.” Given the large sample size and similar results from studies in other countries, it can be confidently stated that MJ use does not cause depression.

Of course, some studies have reached the opposite conclusion, but these did not account for other factors such as social and family status or the use of other psychoactive substances, casting doubt on their results. To confidently confirm the lack of a link between MJ use and depression, more in-depth and long-term studies are needed, which have recently become possible thanks to broader MJ reforms in Europe and America.

MJ as a Treatment for Depression

As noted earlier, MJ can have a therapeutic effect on many symptoms of depressive disorders due to its ability to directly affect endocannabinoid receptors that modulate brain function and emotional regulation. However, most known studies on cannabinoids and depression have been conducted on laboratory animals, not human volunteers, making it difficult for doctors to say how applicable these findings are to human treatment.

For example, a 2014 study states: “Data from animal trials show that plant cannabinoids affect CB1 receptors, which in turn stimulate biochemical processes in brain sections responsible for emotion regulation, creating an effect comparable to widely used medical antidepressants. Additionally, similar therapeutic effects on animals’ emotional background were produced by endogenous cannabinoid compounds generated by the brain during certain conditions, such as high physical activity or displays of affection and care.” In other words, this study confirms not only the effectiveness of plant compounds as fast-acting antidepressants but also the ability of organic cannabinoids to improve the body’s emotional state.

In addition to scientists, thousands of therapeutic MJ users in the U.S. and Europe vouch for its effectiveness in fighting depression. Even more recreational users confirm that MJ’s active compounds reduce stress and help the mind better perceive positive emotions and view life’s challenges from a more productive perspective.

Historically, MJ has been noted for one universal effect: its ability to lift the user’s mood. Given that the plant does not cause physical dependence (with a very low risk of psychological dependence) and that most MJ users do not develop depression symptoms after abstaining, it can be said with some confidence that MJ has a therapeutic effect on depression rather than accelerating its symptoms.

On the other hand, it’s important not to ignore the possibility of negative effects from cannabinoids on the emotional state of people diagnosed with depression, especially if excessively high doses are used. For practical use of MJ in depression therapy, it is best to discuss this treatment with a qualified doctor or, if self-medicating, proceed with extreme caution—starting with small doses and increasing only as needed.

Impact on Suicide Rates and Limitations of Animal-Based Models

While various studies agree that a combination of cannabinoids can have a therapeutic effect on depression symptoms, most doctors believe that THC is the main component responsible for the plant’s healing effect, as it is the primary activator of CB1 receptors.

However, a Swiss study on laboratory mice found that CBD had an equally strong therapeutic effect on chronic depression symptoms, comparable to a large dose of the popular antidepressant imipramine. It’s important to note the limitations of this model, as the study was conducted on animals less sensitive to cannabinoids and only on males, ignoring the modulating effect of the “female hormone” estrogen on cannabinoid absorption.

Additionally, some medical statisticians have studied the potential positive effect of MJ on depression by analyzing suicide data before and after legalization in certain regions. Dr. Anderson’s team in the U.S. conducted a detailed analysis using data from the American Centers for Disease Control from 1990 to 2007. “Our cross-analysis found that, overall, MJ legalization in a region led to an average 5% drop in suicide rates within just one year,” the researchers note. “The largest decrease was seen in two age groups: 20–29-year-olds, where suicide rates dropped by 11% after access to therapeutic or recreational MJ, and 30–39-year-olds, where incidents decreased by 9%.”

Doctors in U.S. regions where MJ is legal confirm that MJ is quite effective in treating various forms of depression and moderate nervous disorders, while also warning potential users about safety measures, especially dosage regulation and the influence of other factors such as genetics and the use of other psychoactive medications during therapy.

Dr. Vincenzo Micale has described in detail the factors that can affect the effectiveness of MJ therapy for depression: “In addition to cannabinoid dosage, the method of administration (smoking, vaporizing, or ingesting), the patient’s baseline emotional state at the start of therapy, personality traits and individual genetics, as well as environmental conditions during use, can all influence the effect.”

Personalized Effects of Cannabinoids in Therapy

It’s important to remember that cannabinoids, as chemical compounds, can have highly personalized, unique effects on each person, depending on their body chemistry (from genetics to residual effects of other psychoactive substances and allergens in body tissues). In any case, clinical depression is a serious illness that should not be treated carelessly. Ideally, MJ should be used under the supervision of a qualified and knowledgeable doctor, possibly in combination with other substances and behavioral therapy.

If you do not have access to such a specialist, self-treatment should be approached with maximum caution. Specifically, therapy should be conducted with the support of close friends or family, using small doses of cannabinoids, and without combining them with any other medications or psychoactive substances to avoid unwanted entourage effects.