Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMarijuana as a DepressantMarijuana for Mental HealthEffects of Marijuana UseStimulant & Hallucinogenic Effects

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Marijuana as a Depressant

Marijuana for Mental Health

Effects of Marijuana Use

Stimulant & Hallucinogenic Effects

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that can act as a depressant for some people and as a stimulant for others.Learn more about marijuana’s short- and long-term effects.Most Important Things to Know About MarijuanaMarijuana affects people in different ways, making it impossible to predict how it will affect you.Research on its use in mental health treatment is still lacking.Marijuana as a DepressantDespite decades of research on marijuana’s effects, researchers still don’t fully understand exactly how it works. Marijuana can have a depressant effect, but it’s not technically or chemically a depressant. Some people might experiencedepressant effectswhile using marijuana, whereas others might not.The strain of marijuana also plays a role. Some strains are energizing; others are more sedating.What is a depressant?A depressant is a drug that slows brain activity. The most common depressants include benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and sleep medications.Like most other drugs, depressants are not without adverse effects. A depressant can cause side effects such as:Difficulty concentratingDizzinessConfusionHeadachesMemory problemsSlurred speechMarijuana contains many natural chemicals called cannabinoids. The two most recognizable cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is themain active ingredient in marijuanaand is responsible for its psychoactive effects.Marijuana Use for Mental Health ConditionsIt bears repeating that research on the use of marijuana for mental health is in its very early stages. Therefore, whether this drug is effective or safe to use for certain mental health disorders is still unclear.For example, a possible link between depression and marijuana is often discussed, whether as a cause or a treatment, but there’s no evidence to back either claim. Some research does indicate that the depressant effects of marijuana might worsendepression symptomsin some people.As for safety, studies show that combining marijuana with other drugs (whether prescribed, over the counter, or illicit) can be harmful, These include warfarin, clobazam, and central nervous system depressants such as alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.As of February 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any cannabis-containing drugs for use in the treatment of mental health issues.Can Marijuana Help Treat Depression?Effects of Marijuana UseThe most common short-term effects of marijuana use include:Altered senses, i.e., seeing colors more vividly or hearing music more loudlyDifficulty thinkingFeeling an altered sense of timeMemory impairmentMood swingsWhen smoked, the effects of marijuana are more immediate than when ingested. In the latter case, effects can take several minutes to hours to appear because the drug must pass through the digestive system first. Marijuana’s effects also last longer when ingested.Research is just beginning to uncover associations between brain health and long-term cannabis use. In a 2014 study, researchers found that marijuana use could affect neural connectivity in parts of the brain that carry out memory and learning functions.A 2022 study found that long-term use is connected to cognitive deficits and decreased hippocampal volume in midlife.If you use marijuana and experience worrying side effects, please visit your nearest emergency room.Can Marijuana Be a Stimulant or Hallucinogen?In addition to having depressant effects, marijuana can act as a stimulant or hallucinogen, depending on method, strain, and amount.Stimulant EffectsStimulants are psychoactive drugsthat increase brain activity, similar to what one would experience while in a manic state.They cause a disruption in the normal communication which typically occurs in the brain’s neurons and circuits.Marijuana sometimes has stimulant effects and research has found that the more a person anticipates these effects, the heavier and more frequent their marijuana use.This type of use can potentially lead tomarijuana dependency and addiction.If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.Stimulants are also associated with side effects such as increased anxiety, nausea, tremors, and seizures.Hallucinogenic EffectsHallucinogens are drugs that are capable of altering your view of reality. For example, whenusing a hallucinogen, a person might hear or see things that aren’t there. Although rare, marijuana can cause mild hallucinogenic effects.What Therapists Do and When to See One

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that can act as a depressant for some people and as a stimulant for others.Learn more about marijuana’s short- and long-term effects.

Most Important Things to Know About MarijuanaMarijuana affects people in different ways, making it impossible to predict how it will affect you.Research on its use in mental health treatment is still lacking.

Most Important Things to Know About Marijuana

Marijuana affects people in different ways, making it impossible to predict how it will affect you.Research on its use in mental health treatment is still lacking.

Despite decades of research on marijuana’s effects, researchers still don’t fully understand exactly how it works. Marijuana can have a depressant effect, but it’s not technically or chemically a depressant. Some people might experiencedepressant effectswhile using marijuana, whereas others might not.

The strain of marijuana also plays a role. Some strains are energizing; others are more sedating.

What is a depressant?A depressant is a drug that slows brain activity. The most common depressants include benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and sleep medications.Like most other drugs, depressants are not without adverse effects. A depressant can cause side effects such as:Difficulty concentratingDizzinessConfusionHeadachesMemory problemsSlurred speech

What is a depressant?

A depressant is a drug that slows brain activity. The most common depressants include benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and sleep medications.Like most other drugs, depressants are not without adverse effects. A depressant can cause side effects such as:Difficulty concentratingDizzinessConfusionHeadachesMemory problemsSlurred speech

A depressant is a drug that slows brain activity. The most common depressants include benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and sleep medications.

Like most other drugs, depressants are not without adverse effects. A depressant can cause side effects such as:

Marijuana contains many natural chemicals called cannabinoids. The two most recognizable cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is themain active ingredient in marijuanaand is responsible for its psychoactive effects.

Marijuana Use for Mental Health Conditions

It bears repeating that research on the use of marijuana for mental health is in its very early stages. Therefore, whether this drug is effective or safe to use for certain mental health disorders is still unclear.

For example, a possible link between depression and marijuana is often discussed, whether as a cause or a treatment, but there’s no evidence to back either claim. Some research does indicate that the depressant effects of marijuana might worsendepression symptomsin some people.

As for safety, studies show that combining marijuana with other drugs (whether prescribed, over the counter, or illicit) can be harmful, These include warfarin, clobazam, and central nervous system depressants such as alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.

As of February 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any cannabis-containing drugs for use in the treatment of mental health issues.

Can Marijuana Help Treat Depression?

The most common short-term effects of marijuana use include:

When smoked, the effects of marijuana are more immediate than when ingested. In the latter case, effects can take several minutes to hours to appear because the drug must pass through the digestive system first. Marijuana’s effects also last longer when ingested.

Research is just beginning to uncover associations between brain health and long-term cannabis use. In a 2014 study, researchers found that marijuana use could affect neural connectivity in parts of the brain that carry out memory and learning functions.A 2022 study found that long-term use is connected to cognitive deficits and decreased hippocampal volume in midlife.

If you use marijuana and experience worrying side effects, please visit your nearest emergency room.

Can Marijuana Be a Stimulant or Hallucinogen?

In addition to having depressant effects, marijuana can act as a stimulant or hallucinogen, depending on method, strain, and amount.

Stimulant Effects

Stimulants are psychoactive drugsthat increase brain activity, similar to what one would experience while in a manic state.They cause a disruption in the normal communication which typically occurs in the brain’s neurons and circuits.

Marijuana sometimes has stimulant effects and research has found that the more a person anticipates these effects, the heavier and more frequent their marijuana use.This type of use can potentially lead tomarijuana dependency and addiction.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Stimulants are also associated with side effects such as increased anxiety, nausea, tremors, and seizures.

Hallucinogenic Effects

Hallucinogens are drugs that are capable of altering your view of reality. For example, whenusing a hallucinogen, a person might hear or see things that aren’t there. Although rare, marijuana can cause mild hallucinogenic effects.

What Therapists Do and When to See One

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Luba R, Earleywine M, Farmer S, Slavin M, Mian M, Altman B.The role of impulsivity and expectancies in predicting marijuana use: An application of the acquired preparedness model.J Psychoact Drugs. 2018;50(5):411-419. doi:10.1080/02791072.2018.1511877National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are prescription CNS depressants?National Institute on Drug Abuse.What is marijuana?Gorfinkel LR, Stohl M, Hasin D.Association of depression with past-month cannabis use among us adults aged 20 to 59 years, 2005 to 2016.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(8):e2013802. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13802Government of The District of Columbia Department of Health.Medical cannabis adverse effects & drug interactions.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA and cannabis: Research and drug approval process.National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are marijuana’s effects?Filbey FM, Aslan S, Calhoun VD, et al.Long-term effects of marijuana use on the brain.PNAS. 2014;111(47):16913-16918. doi:10.1073/pnas.1415297111Meier MH, Caspi A, R. Knodt A, et al.Long-term cannabis use and cognitive reserves and hippocampal volume in midlife.Am J Psychiatry. 2022;179(5):362-374. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21060664Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Chapter 2—How stimulants affect the brain and behavior. In:Treatment for stimulant use disorders: Updated 2021 [Internet].Alcohol and Drug Foundation.What are stimulants?Barrett FS, Schlienz NJ, Lembeck N, Waqas M, Vandrey R.“Hallucinations” following acute cannabis dosing: a case report and comparison to other hallucinogenic drugs.Cann Cannabinoid Res. 2018;3(1):85-93. doi:10.1089/can.2017.0052

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Luba R, Earleywine M, Farmer S, Slavin M, Mian M, Altman B.The role of impulsivity and expectancies in predicting marijuana use: An application of the acquired preparedness model.J Psychoact Drugs. 2018;50(5):411-419. doi:10.1080/02791072.2018.1511877National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are prescription CNS depressants?National Institute on Drug Abuse.What is marijuana?Gorfinkel LR, Stohl M, Hasin D.Association of depression with past-month cannabis use among us adults aged 20 to 59 years, 2005 to 2016.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(8):e2013802. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13802Government of The District of Columbia Department of Health.Medical cannabis adverse effects & drug interactions.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA and cannabis: Research and drug approval process.National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are marijuana’s effects?Filbey FM, Aslan S, Calhoun VD, et al.Long-term effects of marijuana use on the brain.PNAS. 2014;111(47):16913-16918. doi:10.1073/pnas.1415297111Meier MH, Caspi A, R. Knodt A, et al.Long-term cannabis use and cognitive reserves and hippocampal volume in midlife.Am J Psychiatry. 2022;179(5):362-374. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21060664Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Chapter 2—How stimulants affect the brain and behavior. In:Treatment for stimulant use disorders: Updated 2021 [Internet].Alcohol and Drug Foundation.What are stimulants?Barrett FS, Schlienz NJ, Lembeck N, Waqas M, Vandrey R.“Hallucinations” following acute cannabis dosing: a case report and comparison to other hallucinogenic drugs.Cann Cannabinoid Res. 2018;3(1):85-93. doi:10.1089/can.2017.0052

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Luba R, Earleywine M, Farmer S, Slavin M, Mian M, Altman B.The role of impulsivity and expectancies in predicting marijuana use: An application of the acquired preparedness model.J Psychoact Drugs. 2018;50(5):411-419. doi:10.1080/02791072.2018.1511877National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are prescription CNS depressants?National Institute on Drug Abuse.What is marijuana?Gorfinkel LR, Stohl M, Hasin D.Association of depression with past-month cannabis use among us adults aged 20 to 59 years, 2005 to 2016.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(8):e2013802. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13802Government of The District of Columbia Department of Health.Medical cannabis adverse effects & drug interactions.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA and cannabis: Research and drug approval process.National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are marijuana’s effects?Filbey FM, Aslan S, Calhoun VD, et al.Long-term effects of marijuana use on the brain.PNAS. 2014;111(47):16913-16918. doi:10.1073/pnas.1415297111Meier MH, Caspi A, R. Knodt A, et al.Long-term cannabis use and cognitive reserves and hippocampal volume in midlife.Am J Psychiatry. 2022;179(5):362-374. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21060664Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Chapter 2—How stimulants affect the brain and behavior. In:Treatment for stimulant use disorders: Updated 2021 [Internet].Alcohol and Drug Foundation.What are stimulants?Barrett FS, Schlienz NJ, Lembeck N, Waqas M, Vandrey R.“Hallucinations” following acute cannabis dosing: a case report and comparison to other hallucinogenic drugs.Cann Cannabinoid Res. 2018;3(1):85-93. doi:10.1089/can.2017.0052

Luba R, Earleywine M, Farmer S, Slavin M, Mian M, Altman B.The role of impulsivity and expectancies in predicting marijuana use: An application of the acquired preparedness model.J Psychoact Drugs. 2018;50(5):411-419. doi:10.1080/02791072.2018.1511877

National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are prescription CNS depressants?

National Institute on Drug Abuse.What is marijuana?

Gorfinkel LR, Stohl M, Hasin D.Association of depression with past-month cannabis use among us adults aged 20 to 59 years, 2005 to 2016.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(8):e2013802. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13802

Government of The District of Columbia Department of Health.Medical cannabis adverse effects & drug interactions.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA and cannabis: Research and drug approval process.

National Institute on Drug Abuse.What are marijuana’s effects?

Filbey FM, Aslan S, Calhoun VD, et al.Long-term effects of marijuana use on the brain.PNAS. 2014;111(47):16913-16918. doi:10.1073/pnas.1415297111

Meier MH, Caspi A, R. Knodt A, et al.Long-term cannabis use and cognitive reserves and hippocampal volume in midlife.Am J Psychiatry. 2022;179(5):362-374. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21060664

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Chapter 2—How stimulants affect the brain and behavior. In:Treatment for stimulant use disorders: Updated 2021 [Internet].

Alcohol and Drug Foundation.What are stimulants?

Barrett FS, Schlienz NJ, Lembeck N, Waqas M, Vandrey R.“Hallucinations” following acute cannabis dosing: a case report and comparison to other hallucinogenic drugs.Cann Cannabinoid Res. 2018;3(1):85-93. doi:10.1089/can.2017.0052

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