Mental health risks
If you find yourself turning to cannabis in social situations for relaxation or to cope with mental health challenges, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential long-term risks. Here are some ways that using cannabis daily or almost daily can impact your mental well-being:
Produce anxiety and depression
Over time, frequent use of cannabis on a daily or near-daily basis heightens the risk of developing anxiety and depression-related disorders. Continued long-term daily or near-daily use can also adversely affect the brain’s dopamine system, responsible for sensations of pleasure and happiness. Consequently, you may experience a sense of:
- fatigue
- Depression
- unmotivated
Worsening of anxiety and depression
While some individuals turn to cannabis to alleviate stress, anxiety, or depression, research indicates that cannabis use does not typically enhance long-term mental well-being. In fact, daily or near-daily cannabis consumption can contribute to deteriorating mental health. If you rely on cannabis at such a frequency, you might:
- dependence on cannabis
- have trouble regulating your emotions
- Experiencing anxiety and depression more frequently
You are more likely to recover from chronic anxiety and depression if you reduce or stop using cannabis.
Cannabis dependency
Over time, you can develop a dependence on cannabis, just like dependence on other drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Symptoms may include:
- craving cannabis
- finding it hard to stop or reduce use
- an increased tolerance to cannabis
- thinking a lot about cannabis
- feeling like you need to use cannabis
- feeling increasingly restless, moody or anxious when not using cannabis
Psychosis and schizophrenia
Psychosis refers to a transient mental state characterized by intense paranoia and hallucinations, where individuals perceive or hear things that aren’t real. Schizophrenia, on the other hand, represents a chronic form of psychosis necessitating lifelong management. Symptoms of schizophrenia include:
- paranoia
- hallucinations
- disordered thinking, speech and behaviour
In severe instances, frequent daily or near-daily cannabis use can heighten the risk of psychosis and schizophrenia. These occurrences are more prevalent among individuals with a personal or family history of mental health conditions, particularly male adolescents and young adults.
Risks to brain function
Frequent daily or near-daily cannabis use can impair both short- and long-term memory, cognitive function, concentration, and speech. This can lead to:
- Having trouble remembering what you just thought or said
- think unusual or abnormal thoughts
- Distraction or difficulty concentrating
- Unable to form sentences or speech delay
These effects can be particularly frustrating and distressing, especially when they impact:
- self-image
- performance at work or school
- relationships with family and friends
Cutting back or ceasing cannabis use can potentially reverse some or all of its effects, thereby enhancing long-term mental health and cognitive function. However, individual responses to cannabis and efforts to reduce or cease its use vary. Seeking support from loved ones or healthcare professionals can be beneficial.
Reduce risk
Here are some strategies to help minimize the impact of cannabis on your mental health and brain function over time:
- Limit Frequency: Avoid using cannabis daily or near-daily, as this frequency of use can have the greatest negative impact.
- Delay Use: Refrain from using cannabis until at least age 25, as it can interfere with brain development during adolescence and young adulthood.
- Choose Low-THC Products: Opt for cannabis products with lower THC content, as higher THC levels are associated with greater risks to mental health and brain function. Products with more than 10% or 10 milligrams of THC are considered high-THC.
- Avoid Mixing with Alcohol or Other Substances: Steer clear of combining cannabis with alcohol or other substances, as this can heighten the risks to mental health and brain function.
Implementing these strategies can help mitigate potential harm and promote better long-term mental well-being.
It’s advisable to refrain from using cannabis if you have a personal or family history of mental health disorders, as this places you at a higher risk for adverse effects. Specifically, you may be at increased risk if you have a family history of:
- psychosis
- schizophrenia
- substance dependence
Avoid breathing product. If you smoke or vape, you’re more likely to use cannabis and become dependent on it than if you use non-inhaled products:
- oils
- edibles
- capsules
Check it out yourself. Take some time to reflect on your cannabis use and evaluate your relationship with cannabis. Reducing or stopping daily or nearly daily use can be difficult to do on your own. If you need help, talk to someone you trust, such as:
- friend
- counsellor
- family member
- healthcare professional
