Cannabis and Anxiety: When Help Becomes the Problem

The Coffee Versus Espresso Conundrum

The cannabis available these days is nothing like the plant people smoked in the 1960s. Back then, marijuana carried about 2 to 4 percent THC. By the 1990s, levels edged up to 4 to 6 percent. Today, dispensary flower often reaches 15 to 25 percent, while oils, waxes, vape pens, and dabs can contain 60 to 90 percent THC.

Similar to the difference between sipping a cup of coffee and downing a double espresso; the name may be the same, but the concerntration and the effect on the body and mind is radically different.

Rise and Fall of Dopamine

THC activates the brain’s endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate stress, sleep, and mood. A major part of its effect comes from the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter tied to motivation and reward.

THC boosts dopamine in the brain’s reward center, creating short bursts of pleasure but often leading to a crash below baseline.

At first, a small amount can feel calming and pleasant. THC triggers a surge of dopamine, which is why the effect feels rewarding and worth repeating. But what goes up eventually comes down, and after the euphoric effect wears off, dopamine levels drop below their natural baseline. That drop can leave people feeling flat, restless, or more anxious than before. Over time the brain begins to depend on cannabis to restore balance, even though each cycle leaves the baseline a bit lower than the last. This is why the relief feels shorter and the lows in between feel heavier.Tolerance builds, doses climb, and the nervous system begins to swing between the artificial highs of cannabis and the restless lows that follow. Instead of steady calm, people often end up with irritability, poor sleep, and mounting anxiety.

With higher doses, especially from today’s potent concentrates, THC can tip the brain into overdrive. Instead of quieting the system, it fuels racing thoughts, panic attacks, or in severe cases psychosis.

The Edible Gamble

Smoked cannabis acts within minutes, but edibles follow a slower path. They are processed through the liver, which delays their effects for one to two hours. Many people assume the dose is not working, take more, and only later realize they have consumed far more than intended.

When the effects finally arrive, they can be overwhelming. Anxiety, paranoia, and disorientation are common. With the strength of modern edibles, the line between mild relaxation and a night of panic can be surprisingly thin.

Pens and Carts: Convenience That Fuels Overuse

One reason cannabis has become so easy to rely on is the rise of vape pens and cartridges. Unlike smoking flower, they leave little to no smell, are discreet, and can be used almost anywhere without drawing attention. This convenience makes it tempting to reach for them throughout the day, often far more often than someone would light up a joint or bowl=. The problem is that carts typically contain concentrated THC, so each pull delivers a stronger dose than traditional smoking. What feels harmless because it is odorless and convenient can quickly turn into a pattern of constant use, with higher risks for anxiety and dependence.

Vape pens and cartridges are discreet and odorless, which makes them easy to overuse compared to traditional smoking.

From Occasional Use to Daily Strain

With products like edibles, pens, and high potency concentrates, cannabis is no longer just an occasional choice. For more people than ever before, it has become a daily habit, taken in smaller but more frequent doses that add up quickly. What starts as a way to take the edge off, much like a glass of wine in the evening, can turn into something the brain begins to expect. With today’s THC levels, that regular use can have the opposite effect. The brain adapts quickly, and what once felt like relief becomes a cycle of dependence. Sleep grows lighter, mood less stable, and anxiety harder to manage without another hit.

The very substance meant to calm the mind can, over time, become the driver of the same symptoms it was meant to ease.

Harm Reduction

This conversation does not have to be about abstinence. Cannabis, like alcohol, is shaped by how and when it is used. A drink at a celebration is very different from drinking every night alone while doomscrolling, and the same principle applies to marijuana.

Harm reduction means adjusting habits so that cannabis use carries less risk. That might look like:

• Choosing lower THC and higher CBD flower instead of concentrates or oils

• Keeping use occasional or social rather than daily and solitary

• Avoiding cannabis as the only coping strategy for stress, insomnia, or anxiety

• Pairing occasional use with healthy supports such as exercise, mindfulness, sleep routines, therapy, or supplements that calm the nervous system without dependency

The focus is not on cannabis itself as positive or negative, but on the patterns around it. Context, frequency, and intention make the difference between casual enjoyment and chronic strain.

Emerging Therapies for Cutting Back

There are currently no FDA approved medications specifically for cannabis dependence. Treatment often relies on behavioral approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and structured support. However, research is beginning to explore possible pharmacologic supports. N-acetylcysteine has shown early promise in reducing cravings in younger populations, and gabapentin has been studied for its potential to ease withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and insomnia. These findings are not yet definitive, but they suggest that options may expand in the future.

Moving Toward Balance

Cannabis in 2025 is a very different drug than it was a generation ago. It is stronger, faster acting, and more likely to destabilize mood and anxiety when used every day. For people prone to anxiety, the goal is not judgment but awareness and balance.

Used occasionally and with intention, cannabis may not pose major harm. Relying on cannabis every night for stress usually ends up feeding the same problems it was meant to solve. Recognizing this shift allows people to move toward steadier, healthier ways of finding relief.