Overview
Prescription drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are typically used to treat anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Research indicates that using marijuana in combination with SSRIs such as sertraline and es/citalopram may raise the body’s concentrations of these drugs, which may result in negative side effects like dry mouth, lightheadedness, and difficulty sleeping. THC and CBD have a moderate interaction with SSRIs such as sertraline, citalopram and escitalopram, according to Drug Bank Online.
It is always advised to consult with an MMJ doctor before you start consuming marijuana with SSRI’s. A doctor will advise you if it is safe for you to combine these both or not. Additionally, medical cannabis can be used to cut back on antidepressant use and treat its side effects, which include headaches, sleeplessness, and appetite loss. Medical cannabis can help manage anxiety and depression, which frequently coexist.
Understanding SSRIs: What You Need to Know
SSRIs are drugs that treat depression. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), serotonin antagonists and reuptake inhibitors (SARIs), serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are additional classes of antidepressant drugs.
SSRI examples include:
- Citalopram (Cipramil)
- Dapoxetine (Priligy)
- Escitalopram (Cipralex)
- Fluvoxamine (Faverin)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac or Oxactin)
- Sertraline (Lustral)
- Paroxetine (Seroxat)
- Vortioxetine (Brintellix)
Uses of SSRIs and Their Mechanism of Action
SSRIs are a class of antidepressant drugs that limit serotonin’s reabsorption (reuptake) into the presynaptic cell and raise its extracellular level. Serotonin levels in the brain rise as a result.
SSRIs only have a weak affinity for the dopamine and norepinephrine transporters, but they have a strong affinity for the serotonin transporter. When it comes to sigma (σ) receptors, different SSRIs work in different ways. Sertraline is an antagonist of the σ1 receptor, paroxetine has no discernible effect on the σ1 receptor, and fluvoxamine is an agonist.
Because mood disorders and brain chemistry are so complicated, there is no universally accepted mechanism of action for SSRIs and other antidepressants. A few weeks may pass before SSRIs start to work, and some people may need to try other antidepressants if they don’t work. It is believed that SSRIs prevent serotonin from being reabsorbed, allowing the neurotransmitter to remain in the synaptic gap—the space between presynaptic and postsynaptic cells—for extended periods of time. Over time, this helps elevate mood.
Social anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and mood disorders like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders are among the conditions for which SSRIs are frequently prescribed. Antidepressants can also be used to treat stroke recovery, premature ejaculation, and chronic pain.
Mixing Cannabis and SSRIs: Potential Benefits and Risks
Cannabis contains cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which inhibit the liver enzyme cytochrome P2C19 (CYP2C19). This inhibits the metabolism of CYP2C19 substrates, such as es/citalopram and sertraline. Serotonin receptors are also affected by cannabinoids; THC activates serotonin receptors and prevents serotonin reuptake, while CBD modifies serotonin transmission. This implies that there may be advantages and disadvantages to combining cannabis and SSRIs.
Potential Benefits
- According to some reports, cannabis can help with depression and its symptoms right away.
- THC and CBD both have the ability to raise serotonin levels in the brain, but CBD specifically affects 5-HT1A serotonin receptors.
- Headaches, nausea, appetite loss, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress are some of the adverse effects of antidepressant use that medical cannabis can help manage.
- Medical cannabis may help lower antidepressant intake, according to some evidence.
- Medical cannabis and CBD may help some patients who find antidepressants intolerable, and there is little chance of addiction.
- The effects of CBD are antipsychotic.
- Many terpenes found in cannabis, such as pinene, limonene, and linalool, have a calming and mood-enhancing effect.
Potential Risks
- Cannabis is a strong antidepressant at low dosages and can exacerbate depression at high dosages, as is the case with anxiety disorders. High THC dosages may deplete serotonin levels, which could help explain why using cannabis to treat depression yields erratic results, particularly given the numerous dosing misconceptions.
- SSRIs, TCAs, and MAOIs are among the antidepressants whose metabolization may be hampered by cannabis.
- Serotonin syndrome, or toxic serotonin levels in the brain, has been reported as a rare side effect of using cannabis and antidepressants together.
What to Consider When Using Both SSRIs and Marijuana
Certain SSRIs appear to interact with cannabis more than others. Although many people use both with little harm, it’s important to keep in mind that mixing the two can still have negative effects. To lower the risk of serious adverse side effects, many people may need to take fewer antidepressants, and some may need to completely stop using them.
How Combining Cannabis and SSRIs May Improve Your Well-Being
When taken in the right dosage, SSRIs and medical cannabis may provide the greatest alleviation of depression symptoms for some people. Additionally, some people may discover that cannabis helps lessen some of the negative effects of antidepressants.
Wrapping Up!
Terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavonoids found in medical cannabis have strong antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. To lessen the possibility of adverse side effects, people who use cannabis may want to cut back on or stop taking antidepressants. In order to better taper medications, people who plan to use medical cannabis for depression should ideally do so under a healthcare provider’s supervision, and he will provide you with a medical marijuana card in Yonkers that grants you legal access to marijuana in your state that will save you from legal repercussions.
