Does cannabis affect bipolar?

Hi, Meg!
Yes, no, or maybe so. Cannabis, as with any drug, will affect individuals differently. It may help with mood swings. It may induce paranoia and delusions. It may invoke euphoria. It may affect your cognitive function and memory.
However, all of that is true for cannabis use alone so if you choose to use do so carefully until you see how it affects you.
You might want to Google "does cannabis affect bipolar disorder". I saw a couple of pretty comprehensive articles there discussing various studies.
Regards, Wildcat
.

"Research supporting marijuana use in bipolar disorder treatment
Because marijuana can have anxiety-relieving effects, some people think it can help people with bipolar disorder to improve their moods.

Some research has found no harmful effects from marijuana use, while other research has found actual benefits. Examples include the following:

Low mental impairment and better moods
A pilot study published in 2016Trusted Source found that people with bipolar disorder didn’t experience significant mental impairment when using marijuana compared to people with bipolar disorder who didn’t use marijuana.

Critics of marijuana use for bipolar disorder say that it affects a person’s thinking and memory. This study didn’t find that to be true.

The study also found that after using marijuana, the participants with bipolar disorder reported better moods.

Mood enhancing and a positive outlook
A study published in 2015Trusted Source found that marijuana use in some people with bipolar disorder enhanced their mood and promoted a more positive outlook. However, the researchers found that people were more likely to use marijuana when they were already having a good day mood-wise and not when their symptoms were more severe.

It’s important to keep in mind that the research surrounding the beneficial effects of marijuana use in bipolar disorder is very preliminary. Also, marijuana can affect each person differently, so these results don’t suggest that marijuana can benefit everyone with bipolar disorder.

Research with negative findings regarding marijuana use in bipolar treatment
Some researchers have actually found that marijuana use can make symptoms of bipolar disorder worse in some people. Examples of their studies include:

Triggering manic episodes and worsening symptoms
A review published in early 2015 found that using marijuana could make manic symptoms worse in a person with bipolar disorder. They also found that marijuana use could trigger a manic episode.

In addition, the 2015 studyTrusted Source above touting benefits to marijuana use, also found that it worsened manic or depressive symptoms in some people.

Higher rates of attempted suicide and early onset
According to another study from 2015, suicide attempt rates in people with bipolar disorder were higher in those who used marijuana than in those who didn’t use marijuana.

The study also found that people who used marijuana were younger at bipolar disorder onset (when their symptoms first started) than those who didn’t use it. This is a concern, as doctors think that a younger age at onset causes worse symptoms throughout a person’s life.

The effect of marijuana on early onset and suicide rates wasn’t clear however, researchers said.

While marijuana may help some people with bipolar disorder, these studies show that it could also cause problems for others with the condition.

Marijuana, bipolar disorder, and genetics
Research has also shown that the use of marijuana can affect people differently based on their genetics.

According to the NIDATrusted Source, people who carry certain gene types are more likely to experience psychosis. For instance, people who have an unusual variation of the AKT1 gene are more likely to have psychosis, and the risk is higher if they use marijuana.

Also, psychosis risks from adolescent use of marijuana have been linked with a genetic variation in the gene that controls an enzyme called catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT).

If you have bipolar disorder and are considering using marijuana as a treatment, talk to your doctor about possibly testing for these or other genetic variations."

Source: Healthline
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Regards,masso