Cannabis may help in combating ‘treatment resistance depression’, says new study Are you battling depression for a longer period of time with absolutely no treatment working for you? Then you must be dealing with what is termed as treatment resistance depression. So, what is treatment resistance depression? Statistics reveal that around 40 million people suffer from depression in the United States, which has compounded manifold during the pandemic. More staggering is the statistics that mention around 3.2 million adolescents, aged between 12-17 years grapple with depression. Not just the adolescent population that is reeling under depression, 17.3 million young adults (aged between 18 and 26 years) are also in the grip of this malady. But, if we compare the treatment statistics with the suffering index, the data is quite unnerving. Almost 60% of the adolescent population and 30% of the adult population never receive treatment for depression. Out of the population receiving treatment, around two-third of them never respond to any treatment for depression or medication for depression, while third of the population do not respond to several attempts of treatment or combination of therapies. This condition is termed as treatment resistance depression, which affects around 30% of the overall population. Treatment resistance depression can leave you hopeless, alone and battered by repeated failure in depression treatment. Now, there is ray of hope from a very recent study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in March 2021, titled “Cannabis induced oceanic boundlessness”. This study focused on using large doses of cannabis to combat symptoms of treatment resistance depression, cancer and cigarette or alcohol dependency. The study was conducted inducing high dose of cannabis under medical supervision and controlled conditions on patients battling with chronic and ‘treatment resistance depression’. It showed 17-19% achieved a milestone of reigning over their prolonged treatment resistance depression. This experiment concluded that mystical experience induced by cannabis can
change brain chemistry and one’s mental health. The mystical experience was measured in context to around 11 dimensions of consciousness, developing insight of inner worth and spirituality. However this is not the only positive breakthrough achieved by using drugs for treating mental health. Previously also it was established that psilocybin revived 59% of patients suffering from depression. MDMA use in treating PTSD is already in its third trial phase. However, other studies also explored the effect of cannabis on mental health. In the past century, cannabis and its effects on mental health was widely criticized in the scientific community, mainly because clinical research on cannabis was banned. Restricted by the DEA, cannabis grown only in the laboratories was allowed to be used for experiments. However, research is still banned on cannabis sold on the legal market in the United States. As per the current laws in all the states of the US that allow the use of medical marijuana, no state lists depression as a condition that requires marijuana intervention. Several states have included anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as qualifying conditions for mental health. But there is no mention of depression in context to using marijuana for treatment since long. But one particular study in 2019 garnered a lot of attention— based on a smaller database than the other studies cited here—which linked cannabis to a higher incidence of psychosis. How We Can Help? Dealing with a condition like treatment resistance depression can be overwhelming. Continuous failure of treatment plans can leave people devastated, demoralized. However, in some cases depression may take its time to heal normally and multiple trial and error methods are required to achieve recovery. The mantra to defeat depression is never to give up and accept the symptoms of depression. Remember, the longer depression lasts, the more difficult it will be to treat. We at Depression treatment helpline can suggest a wide array of treatment programs in your vicinity. You can consider approaching inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. If you or a loved one is suffering from depression contact the Residential Depression Treatment Helpline Center and Inpatient Depression Treatment Helpline Center to avail proven treatment modalities like talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, equine therapy, group therapy, family therapy, biofeedback, etc. If you want to know more about our treatment options please contact us at our toll-free number 866-619-5591.
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