Cannabis & OCD: Can It Help or Make Symptoms Worse?

Can Weed Help With OCD?

Initial research seems to suggest that cannabis, or weed, has the potential to reduce OCD symptoms. For example, one recent small study showed that when individuals who self-reported having OCD consumed weed, they experienced a 60% decrease in compulsions and a 49% decrease in intrusive thoughts.² Additionally, the participants also had a 52% decrease in anxiety, which commonly co-occurs with OCD. The researchers found that higher concentrations of CBD and higher doses predicted larger reported reductions in compulsions.³

However, another study found that some individuals’ OCD compulsions got worse after consuming weed. Furthermore, the researchers found that the weed did not reduce a person’s OCD symptoms any more than taking the placebo during the experiment.³ Overall, the research on weed for OCD is very limited, so it is important to consider that personal experiences may differ on whether weed helps or worsens one’s OCD symptoms.

Weed for Disorders That Coexist With OCD

Aside from treating OCD intrusive thoughts and compulsions, cannabis has shown promise in treating disorders that often coexist with OCD. For example, research shows that weed can decrease depression and PTSD, which often co-occur with OCD.⁴ Reducing a coexisting disorder can help to reduce a person’s overall distress and give them more mental energy to focus on reducing their OCD.

Risks & Concerns of Using Weed for OCD

There are a few risks and concerns regarding using weed for OCD. First, if a person consumes too much weed, the weed can actually make the person’s OCD symptoms worse.⁴ Additionally, researchers also found that a person can develop a tolerance to weed over time, which decreases its medicinal effects. Finally, while weed may help OCD symptoms in the short term, it can make people less likely to seek therapy for their OCD, which is what can help them in the long term.¹

Other Ways to Cope With OCD

Living a vibrant and fulfilling life with OCD is possible once a person develops coping skills for OCD. Coping skills will reduce the frequency and intensity of their intrusive thoughts and compulsions. There are many different types of coping skills: some are more scientific, such as cognitive behavior therapy, while others may be more spiritual or creative. Every person needs to find what works for them.

Here are some other ways to cope with OCD include:

• Meditation: Meditation for OCD helps by calming the mind and allowing for increased impulse control.
• Spiritual practice: Spiritual practice can be beneficial in finding support from a higher power to help lessen obsessions and compulsions.
• Journaling: Journaling is a form of self-expression that can help to process OCD intrusive thoughts in a non-judgmental manner. It can also assist in slowing down thoughts and working them into more healthy ones.
• Reframing: Cognitive reframing, or cognitive restructuring, can be beneficial in finding replacement thoughts for obsessions.
• Deep breathing: Deep breathing techniques can decrease the parasympathetic nervous system and promote relaxation of the mind and body, therefore decreasing obsessions and compulsions.
• Support groups: Finding a support group of others who struggle with OCD symptoms can provide a person with a community of people who understand the unique struggles, as well as offer an opportunity to learn what is working for others.

When to Seek Professional Help

It is important to know when to seek help for symptoms related to OCD. Weed and other coping skills can reduce symptoms, but many people need more than these at-home treatments. It is important to seek professional help if a person struggles to function at work, at home, or within their relationships.

The first step in finding professional help is finding a therapist to meet your specific needs. An online therapist directory or online therapy platform can be a great place to start. These resources can show a therapist’s specialties, areas of expertise, accepted insurance, and locations with contact information. Additionally, if one is seeking medical intervention in conjunction with therapy, online psychiatrist options can provide great resources.

Treatment Options for OCD

There are several evidence-based treatments for OCD that are recommended. While marijuana can be a useful tool in treating the symptoms, when working with mental health disorders, it is important to utilize therapy and, at times, medication for OCD as well.

Therapy options for OCD include:

• Exposure response prevention (ERP): ERP for OCD is an evidence-based approach for treating irrational fears, and often, obsessions are based on strong fears, therefore prompting compulsions. It is considered the gold standard treatment for OCD.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT for OCD helps a person to identify irrational thoughts when they arise and replace them with rational thoughts.
• Acceptance commitment therapy (ACT): ACT for OCD helps a person to understand a thought is simply a thought, and we can allow ourselves to have thoughts without acting on them and performing a compulsion.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR for OCD is appropriate for individuals who have PTSD along with OCD. It helps a person to process and make sense of their trauma, therefore promoting healing.