Quick answer
Cannabis-induced mental disorders are psychiatric conditions that start during cannabis use or soon after it stops. The DSM-5-TR lists several: cannabis-induced psychotic disorder, cannabis-induced anxiety disorder, cannabis-induced sleep disorder, cannabis intoxication, and cannabis withdrawal. Cannabis use disorder is a separate diagnosis. It describes a pattern of use that causes problems with health, work, school, or relationships.
cannabis induced mental disorders
What the DSM-5-TR lists
- Cannabis intoxication: problems with coordination, memory, judgment, and heart rate during or just after use.
- Cannabis withdrawal: irritability, sleep trouble, low appetite, and cravings that start within a week of stopping heavy use.
- Cannabis-induced psychotic disorder: delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech that appear within hours to days of use.
- Cannabis-induced anxiety disorder: panic, fear, or intense worry tied to use.
- Cannabis-induced sleep disorder: insomnia or disturbing dreams tied to use or withdrawal.
Symptoms of cannabis-induced psychosis
Signs include paranoia, hearing voices, seeing things that are not there, and beliefs that others are watching or harming the person. Symptoms start within hours to days of use. Most cases fade within days to weeks after the person stops using. If symptoms last more than one month after stopping, clinicians assess for schizophrenia and other conditions.
How common it is
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that about 3 in 10 people who use cannabis have cannabis use disorder. Risk is higher for people who start before age 18. The CDC reports that cannabis-related emergency department visits in the US rose in recent years, and that psychosis is one reason for those visits.
THC potency and psychosis risk
A 2019 study in The Lancet Psychiatry followed first-episode psychosis patients at 11 sites in Europe and Brazil. People who used high-potency cannabis, defined as 10% THC or more, every day had higher odds of psychosis than people who never used. In London, that pattern accounted for about 30% of new psychosis cases. In Amsterdam, the figure was about 50%. Product THC levels in the US market have climbed over the past two decades. Some flower and concentrates now test above 20% THC.
Who carries more risk
- People with a personal or family history of psychosis.
- People who start use before age 18.
- People who use high-THC products every day.
- People who use synthetic cannabinoids.
CBD and psychosis research
CBD is not approved by the FDA to treat cannabis-induced psychosis. The FDA approved one CBD drug, Epidiolex, for certain seizure types. A 2018 trial published in the American Journal of Psychiatry gave 88 people with schizophrenia either 1,000 mg of CBD per day or a placebo alongside standard antipsychotic treatment. The CBD group had lower positive symptom scores than the placebo group. Later trials have shown mixed results. No CBD product holds FDA approval for psychosis or schizophrenia.
What to do if symptoms appear
- Stop cannabis use. Symptoms of cannabis-induced psychosis often clear within days to weeks after stopping.
- See a doctor or psychiatrist for assessment. Persistent symptoms need evaluation for other disorders.
- In the US, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Label accuracy on CBD products
CBD sold online is not an FDA-approved drug. Lab tests of commercial products have found THC levels that differ from the label, including THC in products sold as THC-free. THC can trigger psychosis in people at risk. A certificate of analysis from an ISO 17025 lab shows the cannabinoid profile for a specific batch. Ask the seller for that document before buying.