A new study found that 44 percent of medical cannabis users stopped taking a pharmaceutical drug, or used less of one, or both, in favor of cannabis. They rated marijuana better than pharmaceutical drugs on effectiveness, side effects, availability and cost.

I think it really depends on the root of the disorder. When I started getting treatment, I had significant social anxiety (like regularly going the whole day without talking) and moderate recurrent depression (possibly bipolar). I was a Freshman in college.

Therapy did way more than medication for my social anxiety, which stemmed from an abusive childhood. After about a year of weekly therapy, and I could ask questions in class and function during group projects. After three years of therapy, I was the outgoing and friendly person I was back when I was little. I consider my social anxiety cured.

However, while therapy was clearly working, my depressive episodes kept coming and each time they were more severe. I changed jobs, therapists, colleges, dumped my boyfriend, healed from my childhood... Nothing helped. It was so bad that that I even ended up hospitalized.

Finally, I found the right medication. My life completely changed in a matter of weeks. Life had meaning, the sky was beautiful, I picked up my hobbies again, etc. After being stable for two years, I thought I was ready to wean off my medication. Nope. Three months later I was depressed all over again. Went back on medication and everything was good.

Mood disorders run heavily in my family; they've got every woman every generation since my great great grandmother. While I do thing most mental illnesses need therapy for treatment, I'm a firm believer that some are truely a brain disorder.

/r/science Thread Parent Link - news.umich.edu