Is Cannabis Good or Bad For Your Mental Health?

The esteemed physicist Richard Feynman has been quoted as stating that If you are thinking that you can understand quantum mechanics, then you don’t. It may not be a quantum leap to make the same claim about cannabis. Its plant contains more than 500 identified chemical constituents and about 100 of these are cannabinoids and by intaking, they interact with the normal functioning network of our brain and body known as the endocannabinoid system. Changing the disposition and combined dose of marijuana can suddenly change your physical and psychological processes in different ways, including gastrointestinal function, appetite, pain, memory, exercise, immunity, inflammation, and mental health. 

There are two awesome things about cannabis that endures many outlooks as a potential medicine for many infirmities the second one that is the worrisome thing is that there is a gap between the hype and the evidence-based analysis promoting the hype. This worry is particularly true concerning the topic of mental health, somehow they have been admired in popular media as easy for a bunch of psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, psychosis, and addiction.

We can’t put cannabis into the irrespective helpful or harmful categories. The complex nature of it doesn’t allow us to determine the helpful benefits and harmful effects of nuanced consideration of the scientific literature coupled with a humble attitude. From a review of the International Review of Psychiatry, The American Journal on Addictions, and the Lancet Psychiatry — the relationship status between cannabis and mental health is especially twisted. 

Science affirmed that the endocannabinoid system plays a role in mood regulation. In a survey, some people experienced a positive impact on their depressive symptoms. Further, and perhaps counterintuitively to some people, the scientific data that does exist is mixed and tilted towards the idea that ingested cannabis plant material likely leads to the development and worsening of depressive symptoms. They suggest the possibility of the development of cannabis-based medicines for depression while simultaneously cautioning against the self-medicated use of cannabis for depression.

The scientific literature has painted a similar confusing picture for other psychiatric disorders. For example, two of the most well-known cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). It has been shown to induce anxiety and psychotic properties, especially at higher doses, while CBD has been shown to induce anti-anxiety and antipsychotic effects. However, many other variables affect whether a person experiences an increase or decrease in anxiety or psychotic symptoms while using marijuana, including the presence or absence of other marijuana-related chemicals, activity level and consumption, and how often a person consumes marijuana.

Cannabis experience, its ability to adjust doses, the possibility of comorbidities, and psychotic symptoms. Considering this complexity, the current scientific knowledge of using it to treat PTSD symptoms is also inconsistent, which shows that cannabis depends on multiple effects on cannabis and humans, with both beneficial and harmful effects.

Equally dramatic is the history of cannabis and drug addiction. A review of the scientific literature supports the idea that weed addiction is likely to occur in a significant minority of users, with the arousal effects of THC believed to be the cause of weed’s addictive ability. This means that while around 1 in 10 people who have tried weed at least once may become addicted to cannabis, this healthy percentage reflects an absolute number of users.

Over the last few years, the theme song for cannabis and addiction has changed, based on the fact that it has been discussed as a remedy for other substances, especially opioid addictions. If you want to reduce the target year of treatment, it is reasonable to provide cannabis as an alternative to opium analogues. However, there is the idea that cannabis treatments for addiction to other substances are not only reduced because of, but also promised treatments for the addiction symptoms themselves, such as withdrawal and craving.

Several studies performed have supported the rationale and funding for future studies on this topic. That’s horrible. It creates hope. But the addicted beast is much more complex than the cannabis itself. Therefore, it can play a role in treating cannabis-based drug addiction, but it is never a solution. The causes of addiction are multifaceted, and the solutions continue to be multifaceted.

As a consumer or healthcare professional, how can you overcome this turmoil? Well, if you’re not interested in telling the evidence Godspeed. However, if you believe in evidence-based scientific practice, you are most likely paralyzed by the indecisiveness of current procedures and are bound by the golden standards of current treatment. A recent review article by the Lancet Journal of Psychiatry concluded that: “Within the regulatory framework, there is insufficient evidence to guide the use of Khan choroid for the treatment of mental illness.” The related research status of very low quality is extremely challenging, emphasizing our notions and thresholds that can be considered evidence-based medicine. 

It is important to remember that weed is relatively safe for occasional use. Weeds can be made safer by following low-risk procedures developed by the research community. However, it can be a friend and enemy to people with mental health and addiction problems. If cannabis-based medications are used as part of a psychiatric treatment plan, it is an ethical obligation to develop this plan in consultation with a treatment team that provides evidence-based medicine. One risk of dosing for cannabis users is that other evidence-based treatments can be ignored and can exacerbate mental health and addiction symptoms.

Also, from a psychological point of view, human motivation and intention to use cannabis are important. Studies have shown that when people use it to get out of unpleasant emotions, they can experience problems related to cannabis use, as well as mental health and addiction issues. The cause of this phenomenon is not new and complicated. Terrible psycho-altering substances such as cannabis products with high THC can be positively enhanced and negatively enhanced in behavioural psychological languages.

Simply put, this means that weeds can be rewarding by intensifying positive emotions and can be reassured to the extent that the experience of unpleasant emotions can be eliminated almost immediately. Evidence-based psychotherapy for many mental conditions can help you confront difficult emotions and learn skills to resolve them, but you can’t avoid them. When cannabis is used to avoid unpleasant feelings, thoughts, and memories, it can lead to the onset or worsening of mental symptoms.

Cannabis mixed messages are no exception, they are now a rule. This is not surprising. These mixed messages reflect the reality and complexity of its plants and the complexity of conducting cannabis-related research. The irony of the cannabis debate is that it is often too emotionally and politically criticized and polarized to completely ignore the complexity and weight of the topic. About mental health and addiction, we cannot dazzle the relationship between ideology, lazy thinking, and deficiency in the cannabis culture war.