Medical marijuana is an effective treatment for depression: True or False?

As any point of discussion, related to the medical marijuana use, the possibility to use cannabis for the clinical depression draws a lot of controversy both in the medical scientific world and among general population common views. As expected, different researchers come to the opposite conclusions on the subject. While I, personally, find the marijuana positive impact conclusions more scientifically supported by obtained results, I will provide both points of view to your consideration.Probably, the most logical conclusion has been made as result of the recent Canadian Study, which somehow balances the negative and positive view in regards...

Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale

The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a ten-item diagnostic questionnaire which psychiatrists use to measure the severity of depressive episodes in patients with mood disorders. It was designed by British and Swedish researchers as an adjunct to the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), which would be more sensitive to the changes brought on by antidepressants and other forms of treatment. There is, however, a high degree of statistical correlation between scores on the two measures. The rating should be based on a clinical interview moving from broadly phrased questions about symptoms to more detailed ones which...

Medications for Major Depression – Types, Effects, and Approaches

The first medication used to treat depression was "discovered" while researchers were studying another medical disorder. Iproniazid was originally developed as a treatment for tuberculosis in the 1950's. Once it became clear that antidepressant medications were possible, medical science focused attention towards researching and developing depression-specific medications (as well as many other medications useful for treating mental illness).Antidepressants are used most widely for serious depressions, but they can also be helpful for some milder depressions. Antidepressants, although they are not "uppers" or stimulants, take away or reduce the...

Evidence-Based and Other Treatments for Major Depression

Psychotherapy is a talk therapy in which people work with trained professional therapists to discuss their problems and learn new skills. Psychotherapy can help depressed individuals to talk about their experiences and feel listened to, gain insight into (and often some measure of control over) the thinking processes that lead to depressed moods, explore the contribution of past experiences to present day distress, and learn practical coping skills that can help decrease the likelihood of developing future depressive episodes.Мany different professions train their members as psychotherapists. Psychotherapists may be psychologists, social workers,...