Cannabis is the most consumed illegal drug in the world This is largely due to the widespread beliefs that it is a harmless drug (with zero or very few negative effects) and that it also provides a series of physical and mental benefits for people who regularly consume it.
In this article I discuss some of the false myths about marijuana and its “therapeutic use.” which often causes a false sense of security that causes many people to experience problems due to risky consumption.
The false myth of marijuana that helps combat anxiety
A large part of the population thinks that regular cannabis use is “good” for physical and mental health, as well as for combating problems such as anxiety, depression or irritability.
Nothing is further from reality. Both the latest scientific studies and the majority of experiences in clinical psychotherapy tell us that Continued and frequent use of marijuana not only does not usually help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety or depression… but it even worsens them
And it is very common that, while in consultation, the person mentions “in passing” that they regularly smoke joints. Then the alarm that most psychologists trained in addictions have, and we begin to ask more questions about habitual cannabis consumption (in any of its forms, marijuana, hashish, etc.).
And it is increasingly clear, at a scientific level and in the clinical field, that acute and excessive consumption of cannabis can worsen many problems of anxiety, anguish, apathy and irritability. And that most consumers are not aware that the joints they smoke weekly or even daily have anything to do with it. Let us not forget the great economic interests that revolve around this false myth
Recreational consumption vs therapeutic consumption
Many regular cannabis users (or people who make money selling cannabis paraphernalia) say they actually use it therapeutically. And that is a lie.
It is important that we make things clear. The vast majority of people who smoke cannabis use it recreationally to feel the high, or as a way to “self-medicate” the worries of everyday life.
Therapeutic consumption is when a doctor prescribes the consumption of some active ingredient of cannabis (for example CBD) with a specific intention, for a specific time, and with proper supervision. For example, for chronic pain problems. I insist, medical supervision.
Buying hashish from the neighborhood “dealer” has nothing therapeutic about it That’s just an excuse.
The cocktail of THC, CBD and many more things
Again, many companies take advantage of these false myths to make money at the expense of people’s health, when There is no scientific evidence that smoking joints really helps with mental health problems of any kind
The cannabis plant is simply too complicated and has thousands of different compounds. Some are beneficial, but others are very harmful. The ideal would be to be able to separate and synthesize them, so that we could consume only the substances that are beneficial, in chemically appropriate quantities.
Genetic time bomb for people with a family history
Let us not fall into reductionism and generalization either. Cannabis doesn’t cause problems for everyone
There is still much to be done in research on long-term effects, but more and more indicators are being found of the relationship between acute marijuana use and psychotic or paranoid symptoms, as well as anxiety.
Can this happen to everyone who smokes joint?
Absolutely not. But many people who have certain genes or family history are at risk of worsening problems, or of “activate” genetic switches that they would not have activated if it were not for their habitual cannabis use
In any case, if a person smokes very frequently, they are much more likely to suffer from the worst effects, such as:
As reports from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIH) state:
“Marijuana can generate an acute psychotic reaction in non-schizophrenic people who use it, especially at high doses, although this decreases as the drug is eliminated from the body.”
Calms anxiety in the short term, increases anxiety in the long term
The real problem for many people is the paradox of drug use. They feel good in the short term, and we only notice most of the negative effects in the long term That is precisely the trap for many people: they use joints as a way to cope with daily worries, and they think it helps them, when in reality it is making it difficult for them to get rid of anxiety as the years go by.
We call this tolerance: The longer the consumption of a certain substance, the more the body becomes accustomed to it and more quantities are needed to enjoy the same effects as at the beginning.
Then a gradual scale of consumption occurs, with all the problems that arise from it. We receive many cases in therapy of people who are consuming several joints a day, and still think that “they don’t smoke much” and do not suspect that they continue smoking such quantities out of pure dependence.
The importance of true psychological help
It is clear that there is still much to investigate about the effects of cannabis and how to get the most out of its active ingredients. It is also evident that there are many people who experience problems with excessive consumption, and who end up getting hooked.
When “willpower” is no longer enough to overcome an addictive behavior problem, The best solution is to contact a specialized professional to study the case and guide the person.
I am an addiction psychologist, and I have been helping people free themselves from the slavery of cannabis for years. Contact me and we will get to work on it as soon as possible.
