I’ve been an avid weed smoker for almost 3 years now. I use it for tics from Tourettes as well as to help me sleep, as I have a severe case of insomnia. Well, it seems like marijuana may be causing depression and anxiety for me. I had to cut back from about 2-3g per day now down to just a hit here and there and a bowl before bed. I feel better, but still not the same as before I started marijuana. I’m wondering if the marijuana is worsening underlying depression/anxiety. So, despite all this, does anyone know of a GOOD strain that won’t increase anxiety or depression? Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I've heard this one a lot, not just online but in real life too. In most cases I think the issue is, 9 times out of 10, environmental and the cannabis is likely just exacerbating symptoms that are already there. The problem seems to be serotonin toxicity. When we get too much serotonin, it can cause the very same problems has too little serotonin can. However weed isn't like LSD, or some other powerful hallucinogenic. It doesn't cause a massive surge of serotonin to be released. So it's more likely you have chronically elevated levels of serotonin. The GABA receptors in our brains is a potent antagonist to serotonin. So the problem in most people's case is they have too much serotonin and not enough GABA. Whenever there's inflammation in the body there's an elevated level of serotonin to go along with it. Most people are chronically inflamed in today's world. Especially north Americans and western Europeans. Inflamed intestinal problems even shoots serotonin levels higher, much higher. 70% of the serotonin in our bodies is made in our guts. When there is a problem, like endotoxin, IBS, crohns, candida, SIBO, etc. one of the first things that happens is an increase in serotonin.
The only connection between Cannabis and your perceived condition is it's presence providing un-resolved doubt. You don't fully understand the drug, nor do you fully understand why you feel bad. So you connect the two for no real reason. Projecting your problem on Cannabis is like saying a home run comes from a baseball bat - not the person swinging it. That whole serotonin hypothesis is a red herring.
One, it's not a hypothesis it's sound science that's generally recognized as fact in most cases (granted, there is actually a few people who suffer from serotonin deficiency, but most people actually have a toxicity). There's a reason why over half the people suffering from depression and anxiety never get better with the standard conventional SSRI treatment. And secondly, to be a red herring would mean it has nothing to do with OP's problem. It very likely has everything to do with there problem. The only other outside factors are vitamin/mineral deficiencies and/or cannabis actually being the root cause of the issue. However if that were the case cannabis would've caused these problems when OP first started using.
Cannabis helps my anxiety and depression tremendously, helps put me in a better head space and think more positively.