The largest review of medicinal cannabis to date found it doesn’t effectively treat anxiety, depression, or PTSD—despite millions using it for those reasons. Researchers warn it could even make mental health worse, raising risks like psychosis and addiction while delaying proven treatments. Some limited benefits were seen for conditions like insomnia and autism, but the evidence is weak. The findings are fueling calls for stricter oversight as cannabis use continues to rise.
It’s not a solution to the underlying problem, it’s a temporary reprieve from the symptoms. But escaping your depression for even just a few hours with no real catch (for most) can feel pretty liberating and allow you to process/ catch your breath. And unlike alcohol:
Studies have found adult cognitive issues from weed are 1) from extreme, daily use and 2) completely go away after quitting for a month or less. Compared to alcohol, where any amount does a small-to-moderate amount of permanent brain & organ damage that builds over time
I don’t think weed is particularly healthy or unhealthy, but if weed culture gets a bunch of depressed people to become stoners who’d otherwise become alcoholics, I see that as a huge win. Alcohol is genuinely as bad if not worse than half the illegal drugs out there. E.g. despite having higher risk of overdose, cocaine actually isn’t as harmful as alcohol to your long-term health
That said if you’re depressed and feel somewhat dependent on weed as a temporary fix, I’d recommend looking into research from the past few years on magic mushrooms. The FDA under Biden literally recognized shrooms as a “breakthrough therapy” treatment for depression. One of the safest (and least addictive) drugs we know of, with a couple states already legalizing shroom therapy for depression. Study after study is showing that just one or two trips (psychoactive doses in a safe, clinical setting, with a tripsitter therapist, relaxing music, and an eyemask) appear far more effective than years of SSRIs and talk therapy. Literally being shown to grow new neural networks and trigger rapid neuroplasticity in the brain
have they checked shrooms against shit life syndrome?
Well the bulk of these studies is in people with treatment-resistant major depression where nothing else worked, so pretty much. Also shown to help patients depressed from having severe debilitating cancer
I mean, if someone is depressed and dependent on weed, I’d be hesitant to suggest adding more psychoactive substances. The research on psilocybin and depression is promising (same with research on psilocybin and alcohol use), but AFAIK it is still untested if psilocybin helps with cannabis use disorders or depression+comorbid cannabis use
I wasn’t really talking about people will full on cannabis disorder, but even then I can’t imagine it making dependency any worse. Just obviously don’t be high on weed or take any other substance while tripping, and put time into creating the right set and setting for yourself. (And avoid if you have any history with schizophrenia or delusions)
One of the main reasons it’s so non-addictive is that the experience surfaces unpredictable, intense, mixed emotions, which can feel beautifully overwhelming but also definitely not something you’d go to for escape or want on a regular basis. Some people in the studies even had bad or terrifying trips that still somehow help their depression afterwards. Nobody trips on the regular, only maybe microdoses (which imo is a waste of time unless you’re starting low to work your way up)
Another reason is that unlike weed or alcohol, our neurochemistry makes it physically impossible to take psilocybin too often. Your tolerance spikes to 100% after just one dose and takes several days to a couple weeks to return to baseline. Meaning once you start tripping, any additional shroom will do absolutely nothing, and even 24 hours later will do next to nothing
I’ve “overdosed” on weed twice. Once with an oil tincture and another time by drink a whole 100mg soda in like half an hour.
The effects were weed paranoia reaching the level of fairly severe panic attack culminating in vomiting, then slowly starting to feel normal (still high though lol. The second time I felt like I rebooted. Oh and I was fine the next day if a bit groggy.
Wouldn’t recommend but still better than alcohol poisoning!
Yeah I’ve seen a couple friends really green out which isn’t fun in the moment, but they’re always completely normal after. I mean overdose as in fatal/injurious