Why Some People Turn to Cannabis for Mental Health
When it comes to those using cannabis for health reasons, people often tell me they turned to cannabis to help them sleep, unwind after a stressful day, or deal with feeling on edge. There are lots of reasons someone may feel on edge, including if they’re anxious, getting poor sleep, have an underlying mood disorder like depression, have symptoms related to trauma, or are experiencing burnout.
The experience I’ve had in my practice is consistent with existing research. One study published in 2022, which included more than 27,000 participants, found that 27 percent of respondents used cannabis for health reasons. The most common mental health reasons included:
Another study found that, in addition to specific mental health concerns, some people also turn to cannabis as a general coping tool to relax, unwind, or deal with stress. This same study emphasized that the overall view of cannabis as low-risk contributes to their motivation to use it. In other words, people turn to cannabis to help with mental health issues because they view it as relatively safe.
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