There remains considerable room for improvement in the treatment of CUD, and future psychotherapy trials should continue to examine mechanisms of therapeutic change as well as alternative approaches. Given the limitations of behavioral interventions, pharmacological interventions have been actively researched over the past 20 years. The importance of treating comorbid conditions is often overlooked because of structural barriers in the mental health and behavioral health fields that often separate patients into treatment environments for either mental illness or substance use disorders. Although some outdated opinions suggest that drug use must cease before depression or anxiety can be effectively treated (such as with psychotherapy), patients with substantial comorbid psychiatric conditions often face the greatest obstacles to successful cannabis cessation if such conditions remain untreated. The critical role of simultaneous treatment of comorbid psychiatric conditions underscores the necessity of a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation when individuals with cannabis use disorder first enter treatment. Paradoxically, patients with substance use disorders are often hesitant to take new medications while attempting to reduce or stop drug use, likely for a variety of reasons related to a desire to be completely drug free, internalized stigma and shame, and unfamiliarity with the benefits of psychopharmacology.
What are the risk factors for cannabis use disorder?
At the end of treatment, RYU participants reported fewer days and quantity of use in the past month compared to the control group, and reduction in days of use was maintained at 3 months. A major limitation in this study was the attrition rate (84%), with only 206 of 1292 randomized participants completing the follow-up assessment, limiting interpretation of the findings. MET/CBT5 consisted of two individual MET sessions plus three group CBT sessions. The MET/CBT12 intervention was identical to MET/CBT5 but added an additional seven group CBT sessions. FSN extended MET/CBT12 further adding six parent group sessions, four home visits, and case management. Trial 2 compared the same MET/CBT5 with the adolescent community reinforcement approach (ACRA), and multidimensional family therapy (MDFT).
Recent Activity
Unfortunately, there has been little examination of the relative efficacy of these therapeutic interventions across different age groups. This increase is fueled by state-level legalization, decreased risk perception, and increased social acceptability. Cannabis and its active components, cannabinoids, have been studied for medical uses and marketed in many commercial forms. Cannabis can impair short-term memory, judgment, and coordination, and there is substantial evidence that it can adversely affect multiple organ systems. Cannabinoids have potential adverse drug interactions with commonly prescribed analgesic, psychotropic, and cardiovascular medications. Current evidence supports cannabinoid use only for a limited number of conditions (chemotherapy-induced nausea Sobriety and vomiting, specific pain and spasticity syndromes, and certain forms of childhood epilepsy); thus, physicians recommending cannabinoids need to weigh the potential harms vs. perceived benefits.
Clinical Trials and Research Studies
Walukevich-Dienst et al. evaluated an online personalized feedback program aimed at reducing problems related to cannabis use among college students. Although no overall effects on use frequency were found, gender-specific analyses revealed that women receiving the personalized feedback intervention reported significantly fewer cannabis-related problems at one-month follow-up compared to female controls. However, no differences between intervention and control groups were observed for men. This indicates that web-based personalized normative and risk feedback may confer greater benefits for female versus male young adults regarding problematic use indicators.
This can create an unhealthy drive to seek more pleasure from marijuana and less from healthy experiences. When you spend time with a loved one or eat a delicious meal, your body releases a chemical called dopamine, which makes you feel pleasure. It becomes a cycle; you seek out these experiences because they reward you with good feelings.
- In 11 controlled trials, two assessed pharmacological intervention (vilazodone and topiramate) 30,43, while the others examined non-pharmacological interventions 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,31,32 to determine the most effective interventions for cannabis use in young adults.
- At 4 months, the 9-session and 2-session participants showed greater reductions in percentage of use days compared to DTC, and abstinence rates were significantly higher in the 9-session treatment group compared with the 2-session and DTC groups, which did not significantly differ from each other.
Database searches were conducted for randomized controlled trials of CUD interventions reporting outcomes such as cannabis use, abstinence, withdrawal symptoms, and treatment retention. For adolescents, interventions such as contingent rewards and family engagement have shown promise, while young adults benefit from technology-based platforms and peer support. In older adults, pharmacological adjuncts combined with counseling have shown promise in enhancing treatment outcomes. However, optimal treatment combinations remain uncertain, highlighting the need for further research. Addressing CUD requires tailored interventions that acknowledge developmental stages and challenges across the lifespan. Although promising interventions exist, further comparative effectiveness research is needed to delineate the most efficacious approaches.
Pharmacotherapy for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder: A Systematic Review
This type of group session is geared towards learning actionable coping skills to use to improve your overall mental health, deal with stressors and difficult emotions without using cannabis, and prevent relapse. CBT will also address any underlying mental health conditions that may contribute to your CUD, like anxiety or depression. This is done through cognitive restructuring, which involves identifying negative thought patterns and then challenging these thoughts. Your therapist will help you create healthier, more helpful thought patterns to promote overall well-being.
Medical cannabis seeds
- The family’s involvement is integrated as a key support system within the sample treatment plan for cannabis use disorder, making recovery a collective effort that benefits all parties involved.
- Cannabidiol has also been tested alone for CUD and appeared to be superior to placebo in a phase II study (149) (Figure 2C).
- Such suggestions are empirically supported, for example, by the large multisite trials among cannabis smokers with CUD reported by Babor and colleagues (112) and Hoch et al. (120, 121).
Cannabis withdrawal symptoms (Table 2) often appear 1 day after abstinence; they peak on days 2 to 6 and remit at around 2 weeks. Most cannabis withdrawal symptoms are mild and resolve without treatment or with conservative interventions like exercise, relaxation techniques, and over-the-counter analgesics. MET is an empathetic approach, focusing on individualized goals and psychoeducation.
Enhancing endogenous brain levels of kynurenic acid has a similar promising profile (62). It is likely that more targets will be identified as preclinical models become more widely used and with enhanced interest on this topic. These may include choosing products with low THC, avoiding daily use, reducing inhalation (to one puff every 15 minutes), purchasing from legal dispensaries (which have to comply with state regulations for contaminant testing, labeling, and dosing), and gradual tapering. Tapering should include education about cannabis withdrawal syndrome and a treatment plan for symptoms. To date, no medications have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the cannabis use disorder treatment of cannabis use disorder—and evidenced-based behavioral therapies have shown limited benefits. In a Phase 2a clinical trial, led by Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Aelis Farma, a French biopharmaceutical company, researchers found that the candidate drug, AEFO117, significantly reduced the effects of cannabis in daily cannabis smokers.
Millions more adults now meet criteria for cannabis use disorder in a given year, and psychiatrists and other mental health professionals have a vital role to play in improving clinical management of patients with cannabis use disorder. Despite a lack of FDA-approved medications, several evidence-based pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments are available to practitioners in all care settings. Treatments for CUD have evolved over the past 15 years, yet more efficacious and durable treatments are needed.
Clear Skin, Clear Mind: Integrating Mental Health into Psoriasis Care
Whether you’re a first-time grower or a seasoned cultivator, my mission is to provide you with insights and strategies to grow exceptional cannabis while staying true to sustainable practices. Cannabidiol has also been tested alone for CUD and appeared to be superior to placebo in a phase II study (149) (Figure 2C). This natural brain mechanism was discovered by the research group of Aelis Farma Chief Executive Officer Pier Vincenzo Piazza, MD, when he was the director of the Neurocentre Magendie of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Bordeaux. M.G., A.Z.D. and S.C.d.C. were involved in data collection, curation, and interpretation.
Detailed results for these as well as other included studies are https://kilispasaji.com/my-journey-to-sobriety-how-quitting-alcohol/ provided in the Supplementary File. However, due to the challenge in precisely categorizing their age range, they were not included in the main table. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to substantial heterogeneity across studies in interventions, comparators, and outcome measures. The severity of these effects correlates directly with the frequency of use and the potency of cannabis products consumed. Users who maintain regular consumption patterns face heightened risks of experiencing these long-term consequences. The potency of modern cannabis products has increased dramatically, with THC concentrations rising from 4% in the 1990s to upwards of 15-20% today.