WHAT COULD BE THE IMPACT OF MARIJUANA ON MY COUNSELING?

Chemistry is a correlate of wellbeing and one that is rightly appreciated by psychiatrists and mental health professionals at large. Marijuana affects one’s mental chemical states in ways that have been studied extensively and the correlation between these effects and mental and emotional wellbeing are generally speaking not positive.

While some individuals may use marijuana for medical purposes, or without experiencing significant mental health issues, there is evidence to suggest that cannabis use can have both short and long-term effects on mental health. This can vary depending on factors such as frequency of use, dose, individual differences, and the age of use. Long-term or heavy use of marijuana can lead to the development of cannabis use disorder (CUD), which is characterized by difficulties controlling or stopping cannabis use. CUD can have a significant impact on a person's mental and emotional well-being, including depression and anxiety, cognitive impairment and the development of anti-social states, and risk of other substance use.

Having said this, here are some key points to consider when wondering what marijuana might do to your therapeutic process in the short-term:

Many individuals use marijuana for its immediate mood-enhancing effects, which can include feelings of euphoria and relaxation. While both euphoria and relaxation are desirable states, these are also the states that a talk-therapist tries to stabilise in the client. Because of this, marijuana becomes a confounding variable in the analysis of the client’s processes, meaning that the therapist and the client will find it really hard to closely identify whether these states are the result of better psychological health or simply the effect of chemical modifications brought about by the marijuana.

Besides this confounding effect, short-term use of marijuana can impair cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and decision-making, all of which are fundamental attributes of talk-therapy work, as well as increase anxiety, paranoia, or panic attacks, particularly with high doses or in people prone to anxiety disorders. All of these are reasons for which talk-therapists will often check with their clients whether it would be possible for them to abstain from consuming marijuana during the therapeutic process. These considerations extend to most other recreational drugs.

It's important to emphasize that not everyone who uses marijuana will experience these negative effects, and some individuals may use it for medicinal purposes under the guidance of a healthcare professional. However, healthcare providers and researchers alike are increasingly recognizing the need for caution, particularly with regard to heavy or frequent use, high-potency products, and use by populations that already have a history of mental and emotional dysregulation.

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