From the Project CBD Archives:
Depression & Cannabis
Some say cannabis helps; a few say they feel a bit more depressed after they use it.
Cannabis, Mood & Depression
Excerpted from “Cannabinoids & the Brain” by Linda A. Parker.
Loneliness, Depression & Our “Inner Cannabis”
Among lonely seniors, more circulating endocannabinoids are associated with better adaptation to bereavement.
Gut Dysbiosis, Depression & the Endocannabinoid System
Can dietary or probiotic interventions improve our mental health?
From the Project CBD Patient Survey:
See the full survey here.
1,631 survey respondents reported taking CBD for mood disorders
70% Female | 28% Male | 2% Prefer not to say
Of the participants taking CBD for a mood disorder, most stated that they had anxiety, depression, or both. The most common types of anxiety were generalized anxiety disorder (50% of all participants taking CBD for anxiety), social anxiety (10%), and panic disorder (10%).
Most people with depression (58% of all participants taking CBD for depression) were not sure what type they had. Twelve percent of people taking CBD for depression said they had major depressive disorder, and seven percent said they had bipolar depression.
Most participants reported that their anxiety and/or depression were of moderate severity.
Types of Mood Disorders:
Severity of Anxiety:
Severity of Depression:
Survey participants were asked to rate how CBD impacted 11 common symptoms of mood disorders (see chart below), indicating whether the symptom was a “much better,” “little better,” “no change,” a “little worse,” or “lot worse.” CBD appeared to be quite effective as an anti-anxiety agent and anti-depressant. Participants reported that it performed especially well at mitigating feelings of nervousness. Ninety-two percent of people experienced some relief, and 68% reported that feelings of nervousness were “much better” with CBD. CBD also performed well at relieving panic attacks, mitigating mood swings, and quelling feelings of agitation, irritability, and sadness.
CBD was less effective at mitigating difficulties concentrating, lack of interest in activities, and digestive upset. While still somewhat helpful for most, seventeen percent of people reported no improvement in these symptoms. And, 3% of people reported that the ability to concentrate worsened with CBD.
Changes in Symptoms:
Scientific Research on CBD & Cannabis for Depression:
- Endocannabinoid system dysfunction in mood and related disorders
- Antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects of CBD
- The endocannabinoid system and the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders
- Endocannabinoid signaling in the etiology and treatment of major depressive illness
- Antidepressant-like effects of cannabidiol in mice: Possible involvement of 5-HT1A receptors
- >Putative role of endocannabinoid signaling in the etiology of depression and actions of antidepressants
- Antidepressant-like effect of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa
- Circulating endocannabinoids and N-acyl ethanolamines are differentially regulated in major depression and following exposure to social stress
- Serum contents of endocannabinoids are correlated with blood pressure in depressed women
- The therapeutic potential of the endocannabinoid system for the development of a novel class of antidepressants
- Antidepressants and changes in concentration of endocannabinoids and n-acylethanolamines in rat brain structures
- Cannabidiol induces rapid-acting antidepressant-like effects and enhances cortical 5-HT/glutamate neurotransmission: role of 5-HT1A receptors
- Prohedonic effect of CBD in a rat model of depression
- Antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects of CBD