Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry, or fear that can range from mild to severe. It’s a normal human emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and interferes with daily life, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
In some cases, medical cannabis may be considered for patients with unmanaged symptoms related to anxiety such as disrupted sleep, persistent worry, rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, fatigue. Any decision to prescribe medical cannabis is made by a specialist following a full clinical assessment.
Anxiety disorders do not have a single cause. They develop through a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Research suggests that the following may increase a person’s risk:
Anxiety can affect the body in several ways and each person may experience anxiety differently. Common symptoms of anxiety include:
In order to understand and help patients who are struggling with symptoms of anxiety, specialist doctors will often categorise their experiences as one of several anxiety disorders.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterised by frequent and uncontrollable worry over a combination of issues and situations. There are both physical and psychological symptoms associated with GAD, and it affects the daily lives of those who suffer due to the frequency of the anxious thoughts. It is one of the most diagnosed anxiety disorders in adults.
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder which leads to frequent and unexpected surges of uncontrollable panic, often resulting in a panic attack. The feeling of panic often has no obvious cause or trigger and can occur at any given time. Those who suffer with panic disorder may also experience anxiety around having panic attacks themselves.
Social anxiety disorder is an uncontrollable fear of social settings. Also known as a social phobia, people who suffer with social anxiety disorder often experience extreme feelings of worry before, during or after a social event.
A phobia is characterised by the feeling of an extreme sense of danger stemming from a situation or object. Phobias often lead to physical side effects, including sweating and dizziness. People who suffer with phobias tend to take measures to avoid the situation or object the phobia stems from.
Separation anxiety disorder is an extreme fear of being away from a person or attachment figure. This includes worrying about what could happen during separation as well as fear of events which may lead to the separation. Often triggered by experiences during childhood, separation anxiety disorder is most common in children but can also occur in adults.
Agoraphobia is an extreme fear of settings which don’t have a clear and easily accessible escape route as well as settings where help isn’t readily available should it be needed. People who suffer with agoraphobia often avoid anxiety-inducing settings as being in that situation may cause a panic attack.
Anxiety is typically diagnosed through a detailed discussion between a clinician and a patient to understand the nature, duration, and impact of symptoms.
Because several other conditions can produce similar symptoms, clinicians may also consider additional tests to rule out alternative causes.
Standardised questionnaires are often used to support diagnosis. These tools can also help clinicians track symptom changes over time and monitor how well someone is responding to treatment.
Medication may be considered for anxiety when other approaches have not provided enough relief. Common options include:
Medical cannabis is not a first-line option for anxiety disorders, but it may be considered in certain circumstances.
Specialist doctors might explore it as a potential treatment when symptoms remain difficult to manage despite trying conventional approaches such as psychological therapies, lifestyle adjustments, or other prescribed medications.
Suitability is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account a patient’s full medical history and previous treatments.
View our FAQ’s section and learn more about all the conditions that can be treatable with medical cannabis.
