Medicinal Cannabis: Alternative for Treating Depression and Anxiety

Medicinal cannabis is already a solution for thousands of Brazilians suffering from depression, as indicated by a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The study shows that the use of herbal medicine can provide a 60% reduction in symptoms of anxiety, 50% reduction in symptoms of depression, and 25% reduction in burnout. During the last yellow September, which served as a reminder of the importance of mental health in suicide prevention, it is also essential to remember that treatment with cannabis for medicinal purposes is a potential therapeutic option for patients who have not succeeded with conventional treatments, or those seeking alternatives with fewer side effects.

According to the WHO, Brazil is one of the most depressed and anxious countries in the world. Approximately 5.8% of the Brazilian population - 12.3 million people - suffer from depression, and 9.3% - 19.7 million people - have problems with anxiety. A reflection of this is that in the first semester of 2023, compared to the same period of the previous year, the sale of antidepressants in Brazilian pharmacies increased by 37%, according to Vidalink, a corporate wellness company. It is worth noting that antidepressants and allopathic anxiolytics need to be used with great care as some damages can be more intense than the benefits.

According to the Center for Studies in Public Health at the University of Brasília (CEAM/UnB), a study published in the journal JAMA Network shows the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, disorders that have been defined by the WHO as "the evil of the century." These studies concluded that cannabidiol (CBD) acts in reducing anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder by modulating serotonin levels, which regulate mood, sleep, and combat stress.

"The proper manipulation of the endocannabinoid system with Cannabis derivatives, for the treatment of mixed anxiety and depression disorder, shows good results continuously, safely, and with very few adverse effects," explains Dr. Leandro Ramires, scientific medical coordinator of the Brazilian Association of Medicinal Cannabis Patients (Ama-me), the first in the country focused on the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. In addition to being the father of Benício, a 16-year-old teenager with Dravet Syndrome, who uses medicinal cannabis to control recurrent seizures and autistic behavior, Leandro has been a cultivator, researcher, and prescriber of cannabis for over 10 years in Brazil.

The choice of medicinal cannabis for the treatment of anxious and depressive symptoms also avoids the side effects of antidepressants and possible drug interactions resulting from the combined use of medications, as traditional treatment rarely relies on a single substance.

Image consultant Lívia Barbosa Torres Queiroz, 29, received her first diagnosis of depression at the age of 14. Time passed, but the problem persisted, and she started using antidepressants and anxiolytics, whose side effects soon became apparent. With the medications, Lívia had difficulty getting out of bed, and her sleep was not restorative. About three months ago, she started treatment with medicinal cannabis. The herbal oil was introduced gradually, and today the image consultant has already managed to get rid of one of the two antidepressants and anxiolytics she was using.

"The oil restored my quality sleep. I wake up rested, without that morning weight caused by the medications," she celebrates. With the improved quality of life obtained from the use of medicinal cannabis, Lívia has resumed physical activities five times a week. "I can already say that I live without the rebound effect, I have a better quality of life, more energy and focus on my goals, my desires for leisure and professional life. The trend is to completely free myself from antidepressants," concludes Lívia.

With information from Ama+me