Skip to main content

Self-Medication With Cannabis Linked to Anxiety, Depression, Paranoia

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 5, 2025.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, Sept. 4, 2025 -- Initiating cannabis use for self-medication is associated with higher weekly use and increased anxiety, depression, and paranoia, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in BMJ Mental Health.

Edoardo Spinazzola, M.D., from King's College London, and colleagues examined reasons for first using cannabis (RFUCs) and their associations with reasons for continuing cannabis use, weekly consumption, and symptoms of paranoia, anxiety, and depressive symptoms using data from the Cannabis&Me survey, including 2,573 current and 816 past cannabis users aged 18 years or older.

The mean weekly consumption was 206 delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) units. The researchers found that weekly THC units were higher with initiation of cannabis for anxiety, for depression, or because family members were using it. Higher paranoia scores were seen in association with RFUC to relieve physical discomfort, anxiety, depression, and minor psychotic symptoms. Associations for anxiety and depression were similar. In contrast, lower paranoia and anxiety were seen for starting for fun or curiosity. Increased depression was seen in association with RFUC for boredom.

"This research suggests that using cannabis as a [means] to self-medicate physical or mental discomfort can have a negative impact on the levels of paranoia, anxiety, and depression," Spinazzola said in a statement. "Most of these subgroups had average scores of depression and anxiety which were above the threshold for referral to counselling."

Two authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Suicide Deaths by Firearms Increasing Among Older Women

THURSDAY, Sept. 4, 2025 -- Suicide deaths by firearms have increased among older women, according to a research letter published online Aug. 26 in JAMA Network Open. Ziming Xuan...

Chatbots Do Well Responding to Low- and High-Risk Suicide Questions

THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2025 -- Popular chatbots generally perform well in responding to very high-risk and very low-risk questions about suicide, according to a study published online...

Variables Associated With Heart Failure Compared for Men and Women

THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2025 -- Asthma, depression, anxiety, and hypothyroidism are associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.