Anxiety and Depression
Limited studies observe marijuana use and the treatment of anxiety, but many marijuana users have reported a decrease in pressure, especially social anxiety, due to marijuana. Further research is being conducted, but marijuana affects all users differently, making it more challenging to produce consistent results.
Supporting Articles
Coping Methods for Stress
al’Absi, M., & Allen, A. M. (2021). Impact of acute and chronic cannabis use on stress response regulation: Challenging the belief that cannabis is an effective method for coping. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687106
Effect of anxiety on treatment presentation and outcome
Buckner, J. D., & Carroll, K. M. (2010). Effect of anxiety on treatment presentation and outcome: Results from the Marijuana Treatment Project. Psychiatry Research, 178(3), 493-500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2009.10.010
Patterns of marijuana use among psychiatry patients with depression and its impact on recovery
Bahorik, A. L., Leibowitz, A., Sterling, S. A., Travis, A., Weisner, C., & Satre, D. D. (2017). Patterns of marijuana use among psychiatry patients with depression and its impact on recovery. Journal of Affective Disorders, 213, 168-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.02.016
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 association, everyday functioning, and psychiatry service utilization. Journal of Affective Disorders, 241, 8-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.05.065
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is caused by directly experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, learning about a traumatic event that occurred to a close friend or family, or experiencing repeated exposure to traumatic events. This can apply to personally experiencing a severe car accident or even first responders repeatedly being called to violent situations. Symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks of the traumatic event, severe emotional distress, anxiety and avoidance, trouble sleeping, and being emotionally numb. Furthermore, a lot of studies have suggested that marijuana can aid with hyperarousal which, in turn, causes/impacts sleep disturbances, pain sensitivity, depression, memory, cognitive impairments, emotional numbing, and suicidality. However, there are many individual differences with using marijuana, and the side effects of use on PTSD symptoms should be further researched.
Supporting Articles
Interactive effects of PTSD and substance use on suicidal ideation and behavior in military personne
Allan, N. P., Ashrafioun, L., Kolnogorova, K., Raines, A. M., Hoge, C. W., Stecker, T. (2019). Interactive effects of PTSD and substance use on suicidal ideation and behavior in military personnel: Increased risk from marijuana use. Depression and Anxiety, 36(11), 1072-1079. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22954
The use of medicinal marijuana for posttraumatic stress disorder
Yarnell, S. (2015). The use of medicinal marijuana for posttraumatic stress disorder: A review of the current literature. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 17(3), 27472. https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.15r01786