09/09/2025
🚨 Using cannabis to ease anxiety or cope with trauma? A major study just found it actually worsens paranoia and depression.
New research from King’s College London warns that self-medicating with cannabis to manage anxiety, depression, or physical pain may actually increase the risk of long-term mental health issues—including paranoia and heavier use. Drawing on data from the Cannabis & Me survey, the largest of its kind, two studies show that people who begin using cannabis for relief from emotional or physical distress tend to consume significantly more THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, and report much higher levels of paranoia. In contrast, those who started using cannabis recreationally or socially reported lower levels of anxiety and paranoia, suggesting that motives for initial use play a crucial role in later mental health outcomes.
The link between childhood trauma and cannabis-related mental health risks adds further concern. More than half of the survey’s 3,389 participants reported childhood trauma, and those with histories of emotional or physical abuse showed higher levels of THC consumption and paranoia. The research shows that trauma-related use not only increases cannabis dependency but may also intensify its psychological side effects. The findings have significant implications for mental health treatment and cannabis policy, particularly in regions moving toward legalization. Experts emphasize the need for better public education and mental health screening, especially for vulnerable groups using cannabis as a coping mechanism.
Source: “Are reasons for first using cannabis associated with subsequent cannabis consumption (standard THC units) and psychopathology?” BMJ Mental Health, August 26, 2025; “The impact of childhood trauma and cannabis use on paranoia,” Psychological Medicine, August 8, 2025
