It probably won’t come as a surprise, but there is a strong link between excessive cannabis use and the increase in depression in a weed user. If you ingest too much THC on an ongoing basis, it can lead to lethargy, lack of motivation, memory issues, and more, all of which are classic conditions related to clinical depression.
That said, there’s growing body of evidence that limited cannabis use can actually help combat depression in some people, by positively altering their endocannabinoid system. Some users report relief from the symptoms of depression when they use cannabis. Other studies have also shown that some of this relief is more short term, and not necessarily a realistic long term path for the treatment of depression when compared to some of other proven treatments available today.
However, all of these findings are very preliminary, and we still have a while to go before the medical community considers cannabis to be an antidepressant or not.
As a result, users need to be cautious and conservative when it comes to using weed to treat depression, as it seems it could go either way. Weed could either help lessen the symptoms, or it may exacerbate them.
And if you’re someone who does experience relief from the symptoms of depression after ingesting cannabis, it’s still a good idea to use in moderation only, the same as you would with any other form of medicine. Otherwise, the cannabis may cease to be effective at a certain point.
Sources: PubMed.gov, WebMD, VeryWellMind