Depression – Ways to Manage it

With the world’s current climate, there has been a 25% increase in people who find themselves suffering from depression and looking for different ways to manage it. Medical cannabis for depression may be an alternative way to seek assistance. Luckily in recent years, awareness of mental illnesses like depression has increased and there is less stigma against those seeking treatment for the condition.

Lots of people suffering from depression will have tried multiple ways to find some relief from its symptoms with little success, for some it is as easy as taking antidepressants and some people are lucky enough to see recovery from therapy alone. This won’t be the case for everyone though, and this is where medical cannabis may be able to help.

What is Depression?

The first thing to know about depression is there is no one single cause. It comes about due to a combination of elements that often cannot be predicted or controlled. What triggers depression in one person may not be a problem for another. In general, depression is usually the result of a cocktail of social, psychological, and biological factors. This can include chemical imbalances in the brain, living conditions, other mental illnesses and of course, stress.

There is a lot of hard work in untangling exactly what causes depression along with how we can work to alleviate some of the difficulty that comes with living with the condition. So far though, it has been determined that the following factors are some of the most common depression triggers:

• Stressful events — for example, the coronavirus pandemic or losing a job
• Personality — this includes negative personal thoughts that may be linked to another mental illness
• Family history — there is thought to be some genetic link to depression.
• Giving birth — postpartum depression is one of the most common forms and effects women every day
• Loneliness — The Covid-19 pandemic was a perfect example of this.
• Alcohol and drugs
• Illness — a diagnosis of chronic or terminal illness can trigger depression.

Managing Depression

It takes a lot of work to decide on what the best treatment is for a person with depression. Every individual with this condition suffers in different ways and requires a different form of treatment. Because of this, there are multiple ways that depression is addressed, and in some cases the best results come from utilising a combination of these options.

Cognitive Behaviour Therap

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (or CBT) is a psychological treatment which acknowledges that the way we think (cognition) and act (behaviour) affects the way we feel. It is one of the most effective treatments for depression in all age groups and is becoming more and more common as the stigma around therapy becomes less prevalent in modern day society.

CBT involves working with a therapist to identify what possible thought processes or behaviour patterns could be causing depression, or preventing the affected individual from maintaining healthier habits. On many occasions, depression will still resurface after treatment and working on improving these thought processes is an important step to make sure they are able to overcome it again without falling into old habits.

It works to change your thoughts and behaviour by teaching you to think rationally about common difficulties, and helping you to avoid getting stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts that are difficult to overcome and often self-fulfilling.

Antidepressants

There are many different types of antidepressants on the market and this means deciding which antidepressant is best for each individual can be an involved process for both doctor and patient. Often there will be some trial and error with different medications to find out which one is having the best effect. The best way to help with the doctor’s is to provide them with as much information about the affected person as possible, including age, symptoms, medical conditions and any other medications you may already be taking.

The effectiveness of particular types of antidepressants will differ from person to person and it generally takes at least two weeks before they start to help, so it may take some time before you learn which medication is best for you and which dosage is most effective.

Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis has been prescribed for a wide variety of conditions after its legalisation in the UK back in 2018. Not all patients will be benefited by use of medical cannabis for depression, but if you have already tried multiple other ways to manage your condition without success, it is another option.

Medical cannabis is a highly regulated product that contains key active ingredients — including the major cannabinoids THC and CBD – which may be helpful in treating depression. It is also only able to be prescribed if the individual meets eligibility requirements and a medical cannabis specialist recommends proceeding with treatment.

So if you are suffering from depression and looking into ways you can manage your condition with no success so far. Consider medical cannabis as your next avenue. If you are living in the UK and have tried multiple other treatments that just weren’t right, speak to your doctor about a referral to a medical cannabis specialist who can assess if it might be worth trying.