What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is the most regularly used illegal drug in the UK. It comes in many forms and many differing potencies, including leaves and resins. It can be eaten or smoked, and this changes how it affects the user. Cannabis use is most prevalent in young people aged between 16 & 24. Young people are also most at risk of experiencing negative long-term effects from cannabis use.
Short-term Effects of Cannabis Use
When you take cannabis it can make you:
- Happy.
- Relaxed.
- Chilled-out.
- Laugh a lot
- Think time is passing more slowly/quickly.
There are also some negative effects that you can experience as well, such as:
- Feeling very hungry.
- Feeling paranoid.
- Worrying a lot.
- Panic.
- Anxiety.
- Feeling dizzy or sick.
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, or tasting things that aren't real).
- Vomiting.
- Fainting.
Long-term Effects of Cannabis Use
While the effects listed above happen when you are taking the drug, cannabis has also bee associated with long-term problems, even when you have stopped taking the drug. These include:
- Paranoia & Suspicion.
- Psychosis.
- Schizophrenia.
- Depression.
- Worsening of existing mental health problems.
Using Cannabis to Help with Other Problems, such as Anxiety, Stress or Depression
Because the short-term effects of cannabis use include feeling happier and more relaxed, young people experiencing stress or anxiety, or those suffering from a mental illness, may turn to the drug to offer some temporary relief from their symptoms. This is understandable because mental distress can be a terrible thing to live with day in and day out, and cannabis is widely available, especially amongst student populations. However, cannabis itself can actually cause stress, anxiety and depression, and the long-term consequences of using cannabis are often far worse than the original distress that it was used to alleviate, such as psychosis, severe depression, and even schizophrenia, and these consequences can continue throughout a persons life.
If you are thinking about using cannabis, or have already used cannabis to help alleviate stress, anxiety, or other problems, think about talking to someone.