While there are many tools that people can use to manage their mental health, for many, cannabis is a powerful tool in their arsenal. Finding the right cannabis strains for depression and anxiety is part of the equation. Fortunately, others have forged the way to help identify which strains are best for managing mental health issues.
Mental health issues are on the top of everyone’s minds
According to the CDC, 40% of U.S. adults are struggling with mental health issues and current events have pushed mental health issues like depression and anxiety to the top of everyone’s minds.
Whether it’s because of the recent discussions around Olympic athletes or the ongoing pandemic, mental health is something people are discussing more and more. And with good reason.
While the research is still ongoing, many find cannabis helps with depression and anxiety. Here are just a few accounts of how people have used cannabis to manage their mental health issues.
Using cannabis to manage anxiety
At Leafly, Bailey Rahn discussed her usage of cannabis to improve her anxiety symptoms. While at first she found all strains helpful, eventually she got more picky. She currently uses 5mg THC edibles, along with starting her day with a CBD tincture.
“Cannabis is complicated, and so is anxiety,” Rahn says. “Your ideal strain, product, dose, and regimen may not look like mine, and you should expect your relationship with cannabis as an anti-anxiety medicine to shift over the years.”
The research backs up her small doses approach, noting that while small doses of cannabis help anxiety, higher does can seem to worsen it. This is because of how cannabis reacts to the endocannabinoid system (ECS), or the receptors all through our bodies that help regulate our responses to stressful stimuli.
Terpenes are also an important part of using cannabis for anxiety. While the research is still ongoing, it’s suggested that the terpene limonene might be especially useful in combating anxiety.
Cannabis for depression
Weedmaps talked with multiple people who used cannabis for depression, and the responses were enlightening. One used a twice-daily sublingual cannabis tincture with a combination of THC and CBD, while another found gummies to be the most helpful.
Research suggests that cannabis can help depression. One study showed that CBD may relieve symptoms of depression through the action of serotonin in the central nervous system. Some strains like Strawberry Banana and Motorbreath have mood-boosting effects, and while we might not always carry these specific ones, we can always help you find similar ones.
While Weedmaps notes that a lot of the evidence is anecdotal, the use of cannabis to help with depression is at the very least worth a discussion and further study.
Cannabis strains for anxiety and depression
How do I find the strain that’s right for me?
Our budtenders are well-versed in the strains that might be helpful to you when it comes to treating anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. Visit our dispensary from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, or 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. We proudly serve Wayne county and surrounding Washtenaw and Oakland counties.
