Does cannabis really make you paranoid?

A large proportion of regular cannabis users claim to use it to combat anxiety or depression (33% according to a recent survey by Maris Poll). Yet cannabis can induce paranoid and anxious episodes during which consumers experience, for example, irrational thoughts or the feeling that everyone is watching them, leading to anxiety attacks or tachycardia. What triggers this kind of paranoia?

A question of dosage

The relaxing effect of cannabis is linked to the fact that its active ingredients bind to the same receptors and mimic the action of the body's natural cannabinoids, whose action is notably to regulate moods. However, above a certain dose, phytocannabinoids can trigger what is known as a biphasic response, leading to anguish, anxiety and paranoia.

Researchers at the University of Chicago tested 42 consumers under stress with different doses of THC or a placebo. Some were given 7.5 mg THC. These showed lower stress levels than those who took the placebo. On the other hand, those who had ingested 12.5mg of THC experienced negative emotions during the test, and regarded it as stressful or threatening.

Researchers don't know exactly why THC can trigger an adverse response at higher doses, but according to Steven Kinsey, Professor of Psychology at West Virginia University, it probably has to do with different tolerance thresholds, as is the case with all substances. Individual factors also play a part in the body's response, such as genetics, the neuronal structure of the brain or previous consumption of the substance in question.

However, THC levels in cannabis have increased in recent years. According to Gregory Gerdeman, assistant professor of biology at Eckerd College, the average percentage of THC in cannabis in the 1970s was 7%, whereas it is now now easily reaches 20%. At the same time, regulations make it possible to measure the precise cannabinoid content of the products purchased, CBD, for example, prevents certain psychotic effects of THC, or actually micro-dosing your consumption.

Managing emotions

An accompanying study on paranoia between Oxford University, the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London and the University of Manchester investigated whether THC could induce paranoid feelings. The researchers subjected 121 volunteers who had taken a dose of THC or a placebo to virtual reality scenarios or real-life social situations, as well as questionnaires and interviews, and found that 50% of individuals under the influence of THC experienced paranoia, compared with 30% in the control group.

The researchers did, however, highlight the fact that paranoid thoughts persisted after the high had worn off. They concluded that THC did not directly cause paranoia, but that paranoid episodes occurred when the individual was worried and already anxious about something, or had reason to distrust someone. THC would probably have the effect of accentuating or revealing these episodes, but it is likely that the subject's prior mental health status would be a determining factor.

Gederman agrees. In his view, the subject's emotions and stress management have a strong influence on the anxiety-inducing effects of cannabis. He explains that there is a release of emotions associated with THC intake. So, if the subject is already having difficulty managing his or her emotions, he or she will quickly feel overwhelmed. On the contrary, some will benefit from letting themselves go. It all depends on personality.

The environment and the situation also have a major influence. If, for example, the individual finds himself in a situation that already makes him paranoid, such as being caught smoking, then cannabis can increase this sensation, or a stressful situation in general, tenfold. The paranoid symptoms associated with cannabis use dissipate after consumption, however, and eating or going out for a breath of fresh air may be all that's needed. passing on the effect of cannabis.