Our Approach to Cannabis Use in Psychiatric Care
At M.I.N.D. Health and Wellness, we are committed to providing treatment plans that prioritize your long-term safety, clarity, and mental wellness. For that reason, we take marijuana (cannabis) use seriously when evaluating the role of certain medications in your care—particularly controlled substances like stimulants, benzodiazepines, and sleep aids.
How Cannabis Impacts Mental Health
While cannabis is increasingly viewed as a natural or harmless remedy, research tells a more complex story. Regular cannabis use is associated with worsening symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and sleep disturbance. Rather than calming or clarifying, it can impair attention, memory, and emotional regulation—making it harder to achieve the very goals we set in psychiatric treatment.
Cannabis has also been linked to decreased motivation, cognitive slowing, impulsivity, and in some cases, symptoms of psychosis—especially in young adults.
Why We May Not Prescribe Certain Medications
Because cannabis can interfere with brain function and emotional stability, we typically do not prescribe controlled substances—such as stimulants, benzodiazepines, or certain sleep medications—to patients who use cannabis regularly, whether for recreational or medical reasons.
These medications require clear mental baselines to monitor effectiveness and safety. When cannabis is present, it becomes difficult to determine what symptoms are being caused by a psychiatric condition versus substance effects. It also raises the risk of misuse, poor outcomes, and treatment failure.
Questions About Medical Cannabis
We recognize that some patients may be using cannabis under medical guidance. However, most cannabis products on the market are not FDA-approved, vary widely in potency, and often contain unregulated additives. Unlike prescription medications, cannabis is not standardized—meaning THC and CBD levels can vary even within the same product or plant.
Routes of use—such as smoking or ingesting—further complicate dosing, safety, and predictability.
Our position is not based on judgment, but on clinical responsibility. If you’re using cannabis and exploring psychiatric treatment, we’ll talk openly about the risks, how it may be affecting your symptoms, and whether it’s possible to move forward safely without controlled substances.
Our Commitment to You
At M.I.N.D. Health and Wellness, we’re here to support your wellness—not to punish, stereotype, or shame. But we are also honest about the limitations of combining certain treatments with active cannabis use. If stopping cannabis use is part of your journey, we’ll help you find supportive tools and a plan that works.
Our goal is always to deliver safe, effective, and sustainable care that supports your full potential.