Medical marijuana holds center stage as a treatment for depression these days. Just in the United States, the National Institute of Mental Health says that over 16 million adults succumbed to depression in 2012 alone. Globally, this figure sits at 350 million people. This is an overwhelming statistic, and depression is now the main cause of disability worldwide, more so among women than men.Sufferers turn to a variety of coping mechanisms, from alternative medicine to dangerous pharmaceutical drugs. Now, with cannabis a potential solution, there is hope. Science already finds marijuana effective at treating an array of mild to severe health issues, including anxiety, pain, nausea, insomnia, even the side effects of chemotherapy treatment, but what about depression?Before treating depression, it is imperative that you understand exactly what it is first. There is a big difference between feeling sad and depressed. According to WebMD, true depression will present itself in a number of clear physical symptoms that can have numerous repercussions on one’s health, in addition to feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and emptiness.Depression can cause severe fatigue. Sufferers often have trouble concentrating. Many find comfort in food, either under- or over-eating, frequently accompanied by gastrointestinal problems. Sleep is often difficult. Many cannot sit still. Headaches are incredibly common, as is physical pain. Most contemplate suicide at one time or another; some actually do it. Depression is serious. It requires immediate help.Because blood tests cannot measure depression, doctors rely heavily on qualitative tests to make formal diagnoses. Different tests exist, but they typically require some honest answers to questions of big life events that could be responsible for depressive episodes, along with physical health, emotional state, and mental wellbeing. Fortunately, pretests for depression are online, along with other resources.Depression varies in both severity and symptoms. Diagnosing and treating it is rather complicated. The most intense type is major depression. As its name says, this is completely debilitating, stopping people from getting out of bed, going to work, even participating in relationships with family and friends. This is undoubtedly the worst form of this illness, destroying many lives in the process.Dysthymia, or chronic depression, is not as severe. Although it can come with episodes of major depression, in its chronic form, sufferers endure extreme sadness and weight fluctuations, just to a lesser extent. Atypical depression often has none of the normal symptoms associated with depression, but sufferers cannot sleep and succumb to intense bouts of anxiety.Many types of depression relate to specific events, times, even mental health problems. For example, some mothers suffer postpartum depression after giving birth. Sudden physical changes can cause emotional and behavioral changes, even physical ones. Then, bipolar depression comes from imbalances within the brain and includes intense mood swings. Seasonal depression occurs from lack of sunlight.Treatment is as diverse as the many different types of depression. According to Mayo Clinic, doctors often prescribe antidepressants to stop the brain from short-circuiting. Among the most common antidepressants are SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These help to regulate serotonin in the brain, the happy hormone either used incorrectly or lacking in depressives.SSRIs are just one of many medications for treating depression, from Wellbutrin to Cymbalta, all of which rebalance irregular chemistry in the body. Although they do work to some degree for many patients, not all, they come with some truly horrible side effects that include anxiety, irritability, constipation, insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, and uncontrollable hunger. What is the alternative?With scientists discovering more about the medical properties of cannabis, society has become more accepting of it as a treatment option for a horde of ailments. Researchers have been studying the effects of marijuana on depression at length. One particular study by the Research Institute on Addictions at the University of Buffalo uncovered some interesting findings.It found that endocannabinoids, a compound produced naturally by the body, might play a crucial role in treating depression caused by chronic stress. Endocannabinoids affect all bodily functions, from behavior to emotional, cognition, motor control, sleep, and more. When you endure extreme stress, the body starts suppressing these important endocannabinoids.Because endocannabinoids are very similar to phytocannabinoids, those produced by cannabis plants, supplementing the endocannabinoid system with marijuana proves extremely helpful in treating depression. However, the researchers have yet to conduct clinical trials on humans, with animals being their only subject thus far.Despite this, the research team found that administering cannabis to animals produces a very similar effect to natural endocannabinoids, which effectively fights stress and related depression. Although there is no denying the need for further research, these results show promise in using cannabinoids to treat depression naturally long into the future. Scientists are still conducting studies into this.With plenty of anecdotal evidence and now promising research, it is clear that medical cannabis may well be the safest and most effective treatment for depression. What is more, because it is plant-based, it does not have any of the nasty side effects associated with common pharmacological drugs. Now, depressives have an alternative solution to treating their condition naturally.You can find medical cannabis at any marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles . If you have a recommendation letter from your doctor to treat your depression with weed, then you can order marijuana delivery direct to your doorstep, safely, easily, and without breaking any laws. If you or a loved one suffers depression, keep your eye on the news for more developments in this field of study.