Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD
Anxiety is defined as feelings of fear, worry, or tension with accompanying physical reactions as well. Depression is often characterized by feelings of extreme sadness and pessimism, lack of motivation or energy, and a general negative affect. PTSD results from experiencing a traumatic event (e.g., a threat to their life, witnessing the death of a friend or family member, etc.). Individuals with PTSD may experience painful flashbacks, avoid places that remind them of the traumatic event or even engage in emotional numbing. For all of these conditions, marijuana has been shown to have variable effects. Pertaining to anxiety, depression, and PTSD, it has been shown that effects vary depending on the individual.
Supporting Articles
Associations between marijuana use and anxious mood lability during adolescence
Rusby, J. C., Westling, E., Crowley, R., Mills, K. L., & Light, J. M. (2019). Associations between marijuana use and anxious mood lability during adolescence. Addictive Behaviors, 92, 89-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.12.029
Marijuana use motives and social anxiety among marijuana-using young adults
Buckner, J. D., Bonn-Miller, M. O., Zvolensky, M. J., & Schmidt, N. B. (2007). Marijuana use motives and social anxiety among marijuana-using young adults. Addictive Behaviors, 32(10), 2238-2252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.04.004
Medical and non-medical marijuana use in depression
Bahorik, A. L., Sterling, S. A., Campbell, C. I., Weisner, C., Ramo, D., & Satre, D. D. (2018). Medical and non-medical marijuana use in depression: Longitudinal associations with suicidal ideation, everyday functioning, and psychiatry service utilization. Journal of Affective Disorders, 241, 8-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.05.065
Marijuana use and depressive symptoms; Gender differences in African American adolescents.
Assari, S., Mistry, R., Caldwell, C. H., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2018). Marijuana use and depressive symptoms; Gender differences in African American adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02135
Post-traumatic stress and marijuana outcomes
Wilkinson, S. T., Stefanovics, E., & Rosenheck, R. A. (2015). Marijuana use is associated with worse outcomes in symptom severity and violent behavior in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. The Jounral of Clinical Psychiatry, 76(9), 1174-1180. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.14m09475
Jordan, H. R. Madson, M. B., Bravo, A. J., Pearson, M. R., & Protective Strategies Study Team. (2020). Post-traumatic stress and marijuana outcomes: The mediating role of marijuana protective behavioral strategies. Substance Abuse, 41(3), 375-381. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2019.1635965