Cannabis and Mental Illness
Point to remember:
Cannabis has no clear evidence of a direct causal link to schizophrenia but rather of an association. This is an important distinction. Evidence has shown that people with a personal or family history of a mental illness are at greater risk of triggering or worsening that mental illness and are thus strongly advised not to use cannabis.
Cannabis and Mental Illness
- Cannabis has a range of effects on people’s mental health.
- There have been a number of studies that have explored the link between cannabis use and mental health symptoms.
- Strong associations are often found but this is not the same as a direct causal link (i.e. one always causes the other).
Does smoking cannabis cause schizophrenia?
- Cannabis may not cause schizophrenia, but rather, evidence has shown that it may trigger schizophrenia in those who are already at risk of developing the disorder.
- In high doses or in doses that are higher than usual, cannabis can cause confusion, delusions or hallucinations, however this is rare and the symptoms usually go away if use of cannabis is stopped.
- These short-term psychotic episodes can last from several hours, up to 2-3 days and are typically only seen in long-term, heavy cannabis users.
- Cannabis has been shown to make psychotic symptoms worse in those who already have a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia and is also associated with relapse to episodes of mania among those with bipolar affective disorder.
- Some people with mental illness report that they use cannabis to relieve their symptoms – however it typically worsens their condition overall.
Is cannabis linked to depression?
- The link between cannabis use and depression is not clear cut, however people who do use cannabis are more likely than others to experience depression.
- There is a substantial amount of evidence to suggest that cannabis use, particularly frequent or heavy use, predicts depression later in life with young women appearing to be more likely to experience this effect.
- Adolescent cannabis use in particular has been linked to a range of psychological and social problems including an increased risk of depression and suicide.
Is cannabis linked to anxiety?
- Anxiety and panic attacks are among the most common negative reactions to cannabis reported by users.
- The link between cannabis use and anxiety is complex, as cannabis is often used to relieve anxiety.
- There is no convincing evidence pointing to cannabis as an important risk factor for chronic, severe anxiety disorders.
Resources
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- Visit the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre’s website for comprehensive, evidence-based information on cannabis and its effects, cannabis information and resources, fact sheets and much more at: www.ncpic.org.au
- The Cannabis Information and Helpline provides a nationally available free call service for people using cannabis themselves or those concerned about the cannabis use of a friend or family member:
1800 30 40 50.
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Mental Health First Aid
www.mhfa.com.au
First Aid Guidelines for Problem Drug Use
First Aid Guidelines for Problem Cannabis Use
References:
