One of the most common inquiries regarding marijuana is related to what type of drug it is. Many people wonder, “Is marijuana a depressant?” Depressants are just one category of drugs, with the others being stimulants, opiates, and hallucinogens. People often begin with the question, “Is marijuana a depressant?” because marijuana user stereotypes fit the depressant profile. The reality is much less clean-cut than that. In fact, marijuana can be classified as a depressant, stimulant, and hallucinogen. The only category of drug that marijuana does not fit into is opiate.
Contact 833.999.1941 to learn more about depression and marijuana addiction treatment in Murrieta, California.
What Type of Substance Is Marijuana?
Is marijuana a depressant? The introduction clarified that marijuana is a depressant. However, it is not solely considered a depressant by the medical community. Instead, it is one of those drugs that straddle multiple categories. Marijuana is a depressant, stimulant, and hallucinogen because its potential effects on users hail from each drug category. Each category that marijuana fits into is outlined in more detail below.
Marijuana as Depressant
The effects of smoking or ingesting marijuana fit nicely into the depressant category. Common effects of using marijuana include:
- Relaxation
- Sleepiness
- Short-term memory loss
- Slowed brain function
- Dizziness
- A mellow high
Drugs classified as depressants suppress nervous system function and slow down the brain. This often produces a sense of calm and relaxation. Some depressants are used as prescriptions to treat insomnia, anxiety, or muscle spasms.
Marijuana as Stimulant
Stimulants act in opposite ways to depressants. They elevate energy levels and boost mood and attention. Stimulants can have various adverse side effects, such as anxiety, increased heart rate, seizures, and high body temperature.
With the recognition that depressants and stimulants are at odds with the effects they produce, it may seem strange to classify marijuana as both a depressant and a stimulant. How can this be? This is explained by the fact that not everyone reacts to using marijuana similarly. Moreover, the active ingredients in marijuana can differ based on how it is grown and manufactured.
Marijuana as Hallucinogen
The substance most people think of first when it comes to hallucinogens is mushrooms. The hallmark of hallucinogens is that they produce disorientation from self and a natural sense of time and space. They may produce actual hallucinations, but this is not always necessary for a substance to be a hallucinogen. It is more about how these drugs alter perception and disorient the user. Actual hallucinations stemming from marijuana use are rare. But other reactions, such as an altered sense of time, detachment from self, or modified perceptions, are all common following marijuana use. Thus, marijuana is categorized as a hallucinogen.
Rehab for Marijuana and Depression Treatment in Murrieta, California
Having answered that marijuana is a depressant, it should not be surprising that marijuana use and depression sometimes overlap. Medical professionals are careful not to inflate the relationship between marijuana and depression. For starters, marijuana use does not conclusively lead to someone developing depression. Yet it is too common for people to self-medicate for their depression through marijuana use.
As a result, Solution Based Treatment & Detox addresses the question “Is marijuana a depressant?” in Murrieta, California, through comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment that affirms marijuana’s role as a depressant. Getting at the root cause of a mental health disorder or out-of-control substance abuse issue is critical. That’s what our treatment is designed to do.
Are you or someone you love in Murrieta, California, seeking rehab for marijuana and depression treatment? Contact 833.999.1941 to take advantage of Solution Based Treatment & Detox’s expert care.