What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is the feeling of worry, panic or nervousness that occurs as a reaction to fear or stress, often over an impending event. However, anxiety becomes a problem when this reaction is out of proportion to the stress of a situation and starts to impact daily life.
Symptoms of anxiety disorders range from mild to severe with severe anxiety sufferers struggling with day-to-day living. Anxiety is a very common psychological disorder, affecting one in four people during their lives.
Anxiety and Medical Cannabis: The Facts
1 in 4
experience an anxiety disorder in their lifetime [1]
1 in 2
people with an anxiety disorder have multiple anxiety disorders [1]
What Causes Anxiety?
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:
- A family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions
- Being female
- Childhood adversity
- Living with a chronic illness
- Environmental stressors such as trauma (physical or emotional), unemployment, or financial strain
What are the Symptoms of Anxiety?
Anxiety can affect the body in several ways and each person may experience anxiety differently. Common symptoms of anxiety include:
- A feeling of being detached from one’s body
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep disturbance or insomnia
- Headaches and nausea
- Muscle tension
- Chest pain
What are the Different Types of Anxiety Disorders?
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
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
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
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.
Phobias
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
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
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.
How is Anxiety Diagnosed?
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.
How does Anxiety Affect People?
Anxiety can affect people in many ways, both emotionally and physically. Some may experience fatigue, restlessness, or difficulty concentrating, while others may find that anxiety impacts sleep, daily routines, or their ability to socialise. For some individuals, these symptoms can make it harder to build or maintain relationships or take part in activities they might otherwise enjoy.
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What Treatment Options are Available for Anxiety?
Treatment for anxiety depends on the type of anxiety disorder and how much it affects daily life. Many people benefit from simple supportive approaches such as exercise, relaxation techniques, improving sleep routines, identifying stressors, and drawing on support from family or friends.
Psychological therapies can also be an important part of treatment. These may include counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or exposure-based therapies, depending on a person’s needs and circumstances.
What Medication is Prescribed for Anxiety?
Is Medical Cannabis appropriate for anxiety?
Medication may be considered for anxiety when other approaches have not provided enough relief. Common options include:
- Antidepressants, these are often the first medicines considered for anxiety disorders and include several subclasses:
- SSRIs
- SNRIs
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Tetracyclic antidepressants
- Beta-blockers, which may help with physical symptoms like a racing heart
- Medical cannabis, which may be considered in the UK for some patients when psychological therapies or conventional medications have not been effective or suitable
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.
Research Regarding Medical Cannabis and Anxiety
Emerging research, including findings from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry are helping build a clearer picture of how medical cannabis is used and how patients describe its effects on their anxiety symptoms.
What current research shows
Research into medical cannabis and anxiety includes both early scientific studies and real-world patient data. Laboratory and preclinical studies have explored how cannabinoids interact with pathways linked to stress and anxiety [2,3]. While these findings are early-stage, they have informed interest in how different cannabinoids might influence anxiety-related symptoms.
Real-world evidence from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry adds further context. Recent observational studies following patients with generalised anxiety disorder reported patient-reported improvements in anxiety scores, sleep quality, and overall quality of life over time when prescribed cannabis-based medicines [4,5]. Although these studies cannot confirm cause and effect, they help illustrate how medical cannabis is being used in clinical practice and the kinds of outcomes patients report.
THC and CBD for Anxiety
Medical cannabis products prescribed in the UK will often contain a range of different cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
Studies show that cannabinoids can affect anxiety differently depending on the dose. Too low a dose may not provide any effect, while higher doses may increase anxiety for some people [2].
This highlights the importance of carefully controlled dosing overseen by a healthcare professional. In medical settings, clinicians typically prescribe low starting doses, titrate gradually, and tailor formulations to the individual. This structured approach differs significantly from the unregulated use of cannabis which also carries risk of adulteration, contamination, and engaging in illegal activity.
Real-world evidence from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry shows that many patients prescribed medical cannabis report changes in anxiety symptoms, sleep, and overall quality of life over time [3–5]. These findings help inform prescribing decisions and contribute to our understanding alongside six years of clinical experience. However, responses vary between individuals.
We hope that future clinical trials will build on this work to give patients and clinicians clearer guidance on when medical cannabis may be appropriate.
Can I be Prescribed Medical Cannabis for Anxiety?
Medical cannabis may be considered for anxiety when other treatments haven’t provided enough relief or have caused difficult side effects. NHS access for this purpose is very limited, so most patients who use medical cannabis for anxiety do so through private clinics. In the UK, only specialist doctors on the GMC’s Specialist Register can start a patient on medical cannabis.
If you would like to understand if medical cannabis is suitable for you, you can complete an initial eligibility assessment with Curaleaf Clinic. We will review your health and specialist records and, if appropriate, invite you to meet with a consultant psychiatrist.