Our Approach to Cannabis Use in Psychiatric Care
At M.I.N.D. Health and Wellness, we create treatment plans that protect your long-term safety, clarity, and mental wellness. Because cannabis can affect how the brain responds to medication, we take its use seriously when prescribing certain drugs. Especially controlled substances like stimulants, benzodiazepines, and sleep aids.
How Cannabis Impacts Mental Health
Although cannabis is often viewed as natural or harmless, research shows a more complicated picture. Regular use can worsen anxiety, depression, ADHD, and sleep problems. Instead of helping you relax or focus, it may reduce attention, memory, and emotional balance. This makes it harder to meet your mental health goals.
Cannabis use can also lead to lower motivation, slower thinking, and greater impulsivity. In some people, especially young adults, heavy or frequent use can trigger symptoms of psychosis.
Why We Limit Certain Prescriptions
Cannabis interferes with brain function and emotional stability. For that reason, our team usually avoids prescribing controlled substances. These include stimulants, benzodiazepines, or sedative medications to patients who use cannabis regularly.
These medications require a clear mental baseline to track effectiveness and safety. When cannabis is in the system, it’s difficult to tell whether a symptom comes from the medication, the condition itself, or the substance. This overlap increases the risk of side effects, poor outcomes, and misuse.
Understanding Medical Cannabis
We know some patients use cannabis under medical direction. Still, most cannabis products are not FDA-approved and vary widely in strength and purity. THC and CBD levels can differ even between products from the same source. In addition, how cannabis is used—smoked, vaped, or ingested—changes how quickly and intensely it affects the brain.
Our position is grounded in clinical responsibility, not judgment. If you use cannabis, we’ll discuss how it may be influencing your mood, focus, and sleep. We’ll also discuss whether it’s safe to combine with psychiatric medications.
Our Commitment to Your Wellness
At M.I.N.D. Health and Wellness, we aim to support—not shame—patients who are navigating cannabis use and mental health. We’re transparent about the limits of treatment when active cannabis use is present. We’ll work with you to find realistic ways forward.
If reducing or stopping cannabis is part of your recovery, we’ll help you create a plan and connect you with supportive resources. Our goal is to deliver care that is safe, effective, and sustainable. We aim to help you reach your full potential in both mind and wellness.