Marijuana is the most often used substance in the United States. Almost 60% of individuals with bipolar disorder use cannabis at some point in their lives, but can marijuana be used to treat mental illnesses? Is medicinal marijuana therapy for bipolar disorder safe and effective?
Bipolar disorder is a mental disease that affects a person’s mood, energy, and behavior. Mania is having short bursts of solid energy and heightened mood, followed by episodes of sadness, oversleeping, and increased irritability in those with bipolar illness.
Why do some people use marijuana to treat their bipolar disorder?
Bipolar illness may be debilitating, yet it is curable, prompting the question, “Can marijuana help with bipolar disorder?” There are currently no clinical trials that show you can use marijuana to treat bipolar illness. Some individuals, however, continue to use this therapy approach.
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes extreme mood swings. It includes both low-level depressive and high-level manic episodes. These mood swings can be dramatic and unpredictable.
Psychotic symptoms can occur in people with bipolar disorder, including hallucinations or seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, and delusions or the belief in something that isn’t true. Bipolar disorder’s emotional highs and lows can significantly impact a person’s ability to function in daily life. Bipolar disorder has no cure, but treatments can help.
Prescription medications and therapy are common treatments that can help people manage their mood swings and other symptoms. Other treatment options, such as medical marijuana, are still being investigated by researchers.
Bipolar Disorder and Medical Marijuana
Anecdotal evidence suggests that marijuana may assist people with bipolar illness. Marijuana has the effect of slowing down the brain, which is why individuals with bipolar disease may use it to help with stress, anxiety, and manic episodes. Cannabis may seem to be a viable alternative to unsuccessful pharmaceutical medicines.
According to interviews done, many patients that avail weed delivery in Los Angeles said that cannabis helps them manage their everyday lives by reducing the frequency of mood swings, racing thoughts, and feelings of dread.
There is still a debate between the safety and efficacy of medicinal marijuana in the United States. Some argue that there isn’t enough evidence on the link between medicinal marijuana and bipolar illness. Others think that anecdotal evidence suffices as proof and that medicinal marijuana for bipolar illness is an effective therapeutic option.
Cannabis compounds known as cannabinoids shown in recent studies to have antidepressant and sedative effects on individuals with bipolar illness. These characteristics may make medical marijuana bipolar therapy seem to be a viable option. Some individuals believe marijuana may assist persons with bipolar illness in improving their emotions because it has anxiety-relieving properties.
Some studies have shown no negative consequences from marijuana usage, while others have discovered real advantages. Participants with bipolar illness reported improved moods after smoking marijuana, according to the research.
Marijuana usage improved mood and generated a more optimistic attitude in some individuals with bipolar illness. According to the research, people were more inclined to consume marijuana when they were already in a good mood than when their symptoms were more acute.
It is essential to remember that the study on the positive benefits of marijuana usage in bipolar illness is still in its early stages. Furthermore, since marijuana has varied effects on people, these findings do not imply that marijuana may help everyone with bipolar illness.
However, there have been many instances of individuals experiencing adverse side effects from marijuana, affecting bipolar disorder symptoms. In another research, marijuana usage in bipolar therapy has been studied and shown to be harmful.
Marijuana usage may induce panic, hallucinations, sadness, or delusions in individuals who have bipolar illness. Medical marijuana with bipolar disease may not be the safest combo since they are all symptoms of bipolar disorder. Additionally, marijuana’s THC component stimulates the amygdala, the fear-controlling portion of the brain. When a substance like marijuana harms the amygdala, the person may suffer anxiety and paranoia.
Certain studies have shown that marijuana usage may exacerbate the symptoms of bipolar illness in some individuals. Suicide attempts are more common, and the disease manifests itself earlier. Suicide attempt rates in individuals with bipolar illness were more significant in those who used marijuana than in those who did not, according to 2015 research.
The research also discovered that individuals who smoked marijuana were younger at the beginning of their bipolar disorder symptoms than those who did not. Physicians believe that beginning at a young age leads to severe symptoms later in life.
However, the impact of marijuana on early onset and suicide rates remained unclear, according to the researchers.
While marijuana benefits some individuals with bipolar illness, these studies indicate that it may create difficulties for others.
Genetics, Marijuana, and Bipolar Disorder
People who have specific gene types are more prone to develop psychosis, according to the NIDA. People with an uncommon variant of the AKT1 gene, for example, are more prone to develop psychosis.
If you have bipolar illness and are thinking about using marijuana delivery, speak to your doctor about having cannabis or other genetic variants tested.
Some individuals observed positive benefits, such as better mood. Others, on the other hand, have experienced side effects, including increased mania or suicidal ideation. Marijuana’s effects on bipolar illness and the long-term consequences of long-term usage need further study.
Doctors know that marijuana isn’t as helpful as prescription medicine and counseling in treating bipolar disorder symptoms. So, if you have this disease, make sure you follow your doctor’s treatment plan.
If you are thinking about taking medicinal marijuana, speak to your doctor first about the benefits and drawbacks. Then, if you decide to give it a go, keep your doctor updated on how it goes.
The general opinion on medicinal marijuana for bipolar therapy is it is not advisable to use marijuana to treat this illness without the supervision of a medical expert. Finally, there are too many unknown variables associated with marijuana usage and there is no scientific proof that it may help people with bipolar illness. Getting assistance from a doctor skilled in treating bipolar disease is one of the safest ways a person may take it.
You and your doctor may decide together whether it is a suitable fit for your treatment plan.
