The use of marijuana to treat social anxiety disorder is a contentious issue. While marijuana is steadily heading toward legalization in several nations and has been legalized for medicinal use in Canada and medical and recreational use in several U.S. states, there is still a lot of misunderstanding regarding its usage in the treatment of anxiety.

While some evidence suggests that long-term studies on its efficacy are still needed to treat social anxiety disorder (SAD), you may be unsure if medical marijuana will assist if you have social anxiety disorder and consider it a therapy option.

Furthermore, if you’ve been a recreational marijuana user, you may be hesitant to tell your doctor about your drug usage and how it relates to your social anxiety. The following page contains some basic facts to assist you in making an educated choice about whether marijuana may be beneficial to you and the best ways to get the most out of it.

Marijuana Constituents

Understanding the components of marijuana may aid in determining if it is useful in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Cannabidiol (CBD) contains psychoactive properties as well. However, it does not cause a high. While recreational users want the high Delta 8 THC provides, those who take marijuana for mental health objectives may benefit more from the drug’s component that reduces anxiety. 

Can Marijuana Use Cause or Exacerbate Social Anxiety?

According to a 2009 review of research, regular cannabis users had a high incidence of anxiety disorders, while anxiety patients had a relatively high rate of cannabis usage. It was not established if cannabis usage increased the likelihood of long-term anxiety problems. It’s implied that we know there’s a link between marijuana use and social anxiety, but it’s unclear which comes first. 

Those already anxious about social situations may be more inclined to consume marijuana (see the next section on marijuana and avoidance). It’s also possible that using marijuana regularly increases your chances of getting diagnosed with an anxiety condition.

How Can CBD Help With Social Anxiety?

CBD has been demonstrated to operate as an anxiolytic or anxiety-reducing medicine, even though the neurology behind it is still being researched. Individuals with social anxiety had increased blood flow in the cingulate cortex, which evaluates other people’s emotions.

Cannabidiol (CBD) was shown to be effective as a therapy for social anxiety disorder (among other anxiety disorders) in a 2015 study (over a short period). However, we don’t know the long-term repercussions of marijuana consumption. 

They also had reduced blood flow to the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus (PAG), important for memory formation and recall. The inferior temporal gyrus aids in face perception. CBD has been demonstrated to lower aversion to stressful circumstances in rat studies. 

CBD is supposed to prevent anandamide from being taken up by the PAG. Anxiety may be reduced by substances that block the intake of anandamide. Furthermore, CB1 receptors are found in all brain regions implicated in anxiety, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and PAG, and are indirectly involved in CBD’s action.

Overall, we still don’t understand precisely how CBD works. However, it seems that consuming this medication improves your capacity to repress unpleasant memories of fear or shame and your ability to notice other people’s emotions.

Is It More Likely for People with Social Anxiety to Use Marijuana?

People with clinically significant social anxiety were more likely to use marijuana to deal with social circumstances and avoid social interactions if they couldn’t use marijuana, according to a 2012 questionnaire research. In addition, a 2011 research discovered that social avoidance was linked to marijuana difficulties and that males who avoided social situations the most had the most severe marijuana-related issues. 

These data imply that you are more likely to use marijuana as a recreational user if you have social anxiety, especially if you are male and avoid social interactions. You could find yourself requiring marijuana to get through a social gathering, or you might avoid going to situations where you won’t be able to get high to deal with your anxiety.

Marijuana for medical purposes

A doctor may recommend medicinal marijuana to treat various medical ailments, including chronic pain, cancer, and even anxiety.  In the United States, cannabis for medicinal reasons was permitted in 33 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico as of 2019.

Additionally, marijuana users have been demonstrated to have worse information processing speed, working memory, executive functioning, and visual and spatial perception. Neurocognitive impairments, psychosis, and respiratory problems are all possible long-term repercussions.

In addition, research suggests that ingesting marijuana or using a vaporizer may be safer than smoking it directly. As with any other drug for a mental health problem, starting with a low dosage is preferable. 

Better Alternatives

The best medical marijuana for social anxiety would have a high CBD content, and low THC levels since THC has been found to cause anxiety and panic. Safe access to marijuana kinds with this concentration combination would allow for positive benefits without negative consequences.

THC, CBD, and THC-CBD combos have also been proven to increase sleep quality and duration in anxiety disorders. These results suggest that marijuana might help you sleep better and lower social anxiety in the short run.

Alternative Medicine

If medical marijuana is not a possibility for you, there are many other options for relieving anxiety. Mindfulness and meditation are two techniques for relaxing the mind and reducing anxiety. These are tactics that you may use on your own as well. Social anxiety disorder responds well to standard medication and therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, if you are comfortable with it (CBT).

Conclusion

It might be a viable choice for reducing social anxiety. At the same time, this sort of therapy is still in its early stages, and additional study is required to validate marijuana’s efficacy and safety in this setting. If you decide to use marijuana to treat your social anxiety, make sure it has a greater percentage of CBD and a lower percentage of THC for the best results. Also, let your doctor know if you’re self-medicating with recreational marijuana since prescription medicinal marijuana may be a better alternative for you.