Weed: Yes Please or No Thanks
I know that some people swear by the benefits of marijuana for relieving their psychiatric symptoms. They find it calms their anxiety, lifts their depression, and helps them sleep. I know others who avoid it completely. It makes them dizzy and paranoid, which isn’t relaxing at all. Which group is right? Or is either side wholly right? Is marijuana a potential treatment or a potential setback? Or do both these views have their merits?
Let’s start with a look at medical cannabis. In 1850, cannabis was officially recognized as a treatment for a variety of conditions, including gout, snakebite, excessive menstrual bleeding, leprosy, rabies, and insanity, among others. It was inexpensive, widely available, and didn’t require a prescription. But its use declined because it was difficult to control the dosage, opiate-derived medications became popular, and cannabis couldn’t be administered by injection. Recreational use of cannabis was prohibited in all states, thanks in large part to scare campaigns. Fees and regulations made it less likely that doctors would prescribe it. By 1941, it was no longer considered a medical drug. Recreational use, of course, continued. By the 1970s, marijuana was prohibited in all contexts including medical, but investigation of its medical uses increased because it was reported to help cancer and AIDS patients with pain and nausea. It was also beneficial in treating glaucoma patients. State and federal laws differed, however, and in practical terms, marijuana might or might not be available legally.
By the 2000s and 2010s, many states permitted the sale of marijuana or CBD (which is not psychoactive) for medical use, including relieving seizures in children. CBD products are legal in some jurisdictions and not in others, and enforcement varies. Laws in some places are so liberal that there are legal commercial stores on many streets.
The conditions cannabis can be used for differ from state to state, and the restrictions change frequently. It’s hard to keep up with which states allow it for what conditions. PTSD is the psychiatric illness most likely to qualify for medical marijuana use. Some doctors believe that it’s also useful for anxiety, depression, Tourette’s syndrome, and anorexia. CBD and THC (the psychoactive component) are being studied for the treatment of bipolar disorder.
The medical community cautions people with psychiatric disorders about using marijuana. One study cited by the Psychiatric Times found “a strong increased risk of manic symptoms associated with cannabis … an earlier age of onset of bipolar disorder, greater overall illness severity, more rapid cycling, poorer life functioning, and poorer adherence with prescribed treatments.” On the other hand, Medical News Today has reported that users say marijuana use has reduced their anger, depression, and tension, and created higher energy levels.
Other studies have found that marijuana use had negative results on memory, decision-making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time, as well as an increased likelihood of disorientation, anxiety, and paranoia. Some reports suggest that marijuana use makes it more “likely” that psychiatric patients will develop schizophrenia and psychoses.
So, what are the takeaways? First, the results from all these studies are generally self-reported by the marijuana users and therefore subjective. Second, now that medical marijuana is in greater use and easier to get, there may be more thorough studies in the future (much of the cited studies were done 8–10 years ago, though they were still being reported as recently as 2024).
Bipolar patients have been using marijuana to alleviate both manic and depressive symptoms and report that it works better for them than conventional medications and also alleviates the side effects of those drugs. The drug’s calming effects may help with manic symptoms and the euphoric effects may explain the relief of depression reported. But heavy use has been associated with increased symptoms, thoughts of suicide, and the development of social anxiety disorder.
Perhaps the positive effects of marijuana for bipolar disorder are influenced by the expectations of the users: If they expect it to decrease anxiety or lighten their mood, it’s likely to. Still, heavy or daily use should likely be avoided because of possible negative side effects.
My own use of CBD has been confined to legal hemp-based gummies. I have found them to produce unhelpful, uncomfortable sensations, making me unbalanced and prone to falling, which I really don’t need. But that’s me, and it’s anecdotal evidence. Another person I know experiences relaxation and euphoria with no negative side effects.
To answer the question posed in the title, my personal answer is “No thanks,” but I’m not saying that should be the answer for everyone. It looks like a case of “Use at your own risk.”
