Cannabis Use Disorder

Cannabis Use Disorder Substance Use Disorders are severe mental conditions that affect an individual’s brain and behavior. These disorders lead to the inability to control the use of specific substances, medications, drugs, or alcohol. Addiction is the severest symptom of substance use disorder.

These disorders may co-occur with other mental health problems like depression, personality, and anxiety. Unfortunately, most patients do not recognize substance use as a mental health disorder. For instance, many people use cannabis without realizing how it subjects them to the risk of cannabis use disorder.

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This disorder is associated with excessive and incontrollable use of cannabis products, even when this behavior causes health and social problems. The CDC (2023) estimated that in every ten people that use cannabis, three develop cannabis use disorder, with the most significant risk among those who start using these substances during adolescence.

Screening Screening is the first assessment step that helps clinicians identify cannabis users at risk of severe outcomes, including addiction and comorbidities. The tools commonly used by clinicians to screen cannabis users are, “The Cannabis Use Problems Identification Test (CUPIT) and CAGE Adapted to Include Drug Use (CAGE-AID).” (Los Angeles County Government, 2018) These tools help clinicians determine if marijuana use is problematic. For instance, any positive response to the CAGE-AID questions reflects a cannabis use problem necessitating treatment. The CUPIT is a self-administered tool that informs clinicians of a person’s frequency of cannabis use over a specified period and the risk of dependence.

Assessment Clinicians assess patients to ascertain their risk level and severity of the disorder and identify relevant risk factors to guide the treatment course (Winters et al., 2018). During an assessment, the clinician identifies the symptoms of a cannabis use disorder, including restlessness, anxiety, sleep difficulty, depressed mood, irritability, and decreased appetite.

Healthcare providers use the DSM-V as a guide for the assessment process. Per the DSM-V, a person with problematic cannabis use must present at least two aspects of cannabis use within 12 months (Winters et al., 2018). The DSM-V clarifies that a person must demonstrate tolerance to cannabis and consume it in large quantities to be diagnosed with cannabis use disorder.

Further, the person must be unable to control cannabis use, typified by withdrawal symptoms. A person might continue taking cannabis despite awareness of its adverse social and health consequences (Winters et al., 2018). Also, an individual may give up social and recreational activities for cannabis use.

Evidence-based Treatment Therapists use detoxification, medications, and behavioral therapies to treat cannabis use disorder. They combine different interventions to achieve the anticipated treatment outcomes. Detoxification involves stopping cannabis to allow the body to regain control of its psychological faculties (Duncan, 2020). Detoxification is conducted gradually to avert the risk of withdrawal symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the typical therapy used for cannabis use disorder. It involves talking with the client to help them challenge inappropriate behavioral patterns. CBT focuses on the problem and breaks it down into pieces to assist the client in developing appropriate coping mechanisms (NIH. 2020). Therapists can also apply dialectical behavior therapy, which applies acceptance and mindfulness to teach self-control skills. This therapy enables the client to reduce self-destructive behaviors and improve relationships (NIH, 2020). Some psychotic medications such as sleep aid Zolpidem, antiepileptic gabapentin, and anti-anxiety medication Buspirone have shown promise in treating cannabis use disorder. However, the client should take minimal dosage due to the risk of adverse effects (NIH, 2020).

Conclusion Cannabis use disorder is a relatively common disorder affecting about three in every ten people that consume cannabis. Its symptoms include restlessness, anxiety, agitation, and depressive mood. Clinicians use the DSM-V criteria to diagnose this disorder. Treatment involves detoxification, psychotherapies, and psychotic medications.

References CDC (2023) Marijuana and public health. https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/health-effects/addiction.html Duncan, P. M. (2020). Substance use disorders: A biopsychosocial perspective. Cambridge University Press.

Los Angeles County Government (2018). Screening and Referral for Cannabis Misuse and Cannabis Use Disorders. http://rx.ph.lacounty.gov/RxScreenCannabis0918 NIH (2020). Available treatments for marijuana use disorders. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/available-treatmentsmarijuana-use-disorders Winters, K. C., Sabet, K., & Sabet-Sharghi, K., (2018). Contemporary health issues on marijuana. Oxford University Press.