Cannabis Vs. Ayahuasca: Cannabis Much Safer For Depression

Cannabis Vs. Ayahuasca: Why We Should Be Careful With Hallucinogenic Drugs

Cannabis Vs. Ayahuasca: Cannabis is Much Safer for Depression from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

Ayahuasca has been a buzzword for some time now, so much so that people even travel all the way to South America to try it. It’s estimated that the Amazonian plant mixture has been used for around 5,000 years by shamans of the region during healing ceremonies, during divination, and to heal themselves or other people of illnesses.

The brew is made up of stems from the Banisteriopsis caapi combined with the leaves of the Psychotria virdis. These plants aren’t hallucinogenic, although they do contain a chemical substance called N,N-Dimethyltryptamine, also known as DMT. The hallucinogenic effects come into play once the brew interacts with the enzymes in your stomach and BOOM you’re off on a 4-8 hour journey with your thoughts.The concoction is mainly used by shamans to communicate with unseen forces of nature and receive information from them.

It’s received a lot of attention from the Western world, with countless claiming that the experience is “life-changing” and “transformative”, and has provided them with relief from many psychological illnesses including depression, addictions, and healing from traumatic events. But the experience of taking ayahuasca isn’t by any means pleasurable. While those who have taken it can account for its healing properties, it’s far from the pleasurable high that you can get from pot. People tend to vomit and others will experience diarrhea while on an intense trance-like state. It’s become so popular that online ayahuasca tea kits are even being sold online. In the United States though, ayahuasca is illegal (it’s in the same category as marijuana as well as LSD) and just like with other kinds of hallucinogenic drugs it can become really dangerous if it’s used without supervision. I had a friend who tried it from her home by ordering a kit online. She wasn’t prepared for what she was about to experience: she didn’t leave her room for three full days, and couldn’t eat and drink for that entire time. It was THAT intense.

CANNABIS PLANTS

It definitely isn’t right for ayahuasca to be considered on the same level as marijuana, because unlike pot, ayahuasca can be downright dangerous and can turn into a trip to hell if you aren’t careful. While many people claim that it’s healed them from psychological issues, the same effect can be achieved through safer, more natural means such as using cannabis, meditating, and breath work.

Cannabis as a Safer Alternative for Depression

In other parts of the world, marijuana has been long valued for its spiritual healing properties. It’s been used in Indian and Ayurvedic medicine for more than 3,000 years as well as other parts of South Asia. Religious groups such as Shaivites, Buddhists, and Naths have used cannabis as part of their meditation practice. For them, cannabis was also a means of achieving peace of mind, a state that they referred to as Samadhi.

In present day, cannabis is still used by Tantric groups found in India, Tibet, and Nepal. In fact, the Mahayana tradition says that Buddha ate nothing but hemp seeds for 6 years. Many spiritual texts such as the Buddhist Tara Tantra mentions cannabis as an important tool to complement a meditation practice.

So while some prefer to go the risky route of taking Ayahuasca, cannabis is definitely a safer and more viable alternative. Not to mention, getting high off a joint sounds more appealing than vomiting and pooping your way to nirvana.

MARIJUANA DEPRESSION TREATMENT

If you’re feeling down in the dumps and need an emotional or spiritual boost, all you have to do is light up. Many studies show that marijuana can be the light at the end of the tunnel for those who are suffering from depression. A recent study in particular was conducted by the University of Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions discovered that the key to treating depression might lie in the endocannabinoids found in our body. The researchers studied rats and saw that when they were exposed to stress, their bodies lessened the production of endocannabinoids which are crucial to stablizing our emotions and have an effect on our cognition. The presence of endocannabinoids is crucial to decreasing anxiety and pain and experiencing feelings of well-being. Decreased endocannabinoid production is a risk factor that can lead to depression.

When the researchers exposed the rats to marijuana cannabinoids, they discovered that it was an effective way of restoring the endocannabinoid production in their brains, which could in turn provide possible relief from depression. According to lead researcher Dr. Samir Haj-Dahmane, Using compounds derived from cannabis — marijuana — to restore normal endocannabinoid function could potentially help stabilize moods and ease depression.”

There are many ways you can benefit from the emotional and spiritual properties of cannabis. It’s all about choosing the right strain for your own specific needs, and you can even choose from so many creative ways of consuming it - all of which are safe enough to do from the comforts of your own home, whenever you want.