Does using cannabis to relieve stress become a problem?

Some people reach for cannabis after a demanding day to switch off. An online survey of over 800 people with cannabis experience shows that stressful life events are linked to cannabis-related problems. It becomes a problem when use turns into the main strategy against stress. Then the strain does not go away, and the way you deal with it changes. Anyone who notices this early can change course.

What stress has to do with use

Stress is a physical and emotional reaction to demanding situations. Stressful life events, such as separation, job loss or conflict in the family, trigger stress. People react to them very differently. The way someone deals with feelings often decides whether they reach for a substance.

An online survey among more than 800 people with cannabis experience examined this link. The analysis shows that people with more stressful life events more often reported problems related to cannabis, for example conflicts, job loss or lack of drive. The link was stronger when respondents reported difficulties in dealing with their feelings. The study does not establish cause and effect.

Numbing or working through

The researchers interpret cannabis use under stress as a way of numbing feelings, which leaves them unprocessed. This interpretation rests on the link the survey shows. It does not describe a directly measured cause. From the researchers’ view, using cannabis as a response to stress or anger is not a healthy way of dealing with emotions.

The physical side

The researchers also suspect that long-term use can affect stress-related hormonal processes. Users would then react less appropriately to stress. The survey itself does not test this mechanism. The suspicion does show, however, why stress and use could be linked.

Whether use is cause or consequence

An important question is whether cannabis causes stress or whether people under stress reach for cannabis more often. The study cannot answer this question. Both directions are possible. A simple explanation would therefore be misleading. In everyday life, what counts is whether use causes problems, and that can be observed yourself.

Anyone who wants to observe this can watch for changes: more use on stressful days, withdrawal, sleep problems or conflicts with the people around them. Such signs are a reason to take your own situation seriously.

Why psychological dependence plays a role here

Psychological dependence shows mainly in strong cravings for cannabis. The Swiss organisation Sucht Schweiz describes this craving as a central feature. The craving can help make reaching for cannabis under stress a habit.

The article Does cannabis cause psychological dependence? explains these mechanisms in more detail.

Other ways of dealing with stress

Anyone who wants to cope with stress better can start with small steps. A fixed end to the working day, a walk, a conversation with a trusted person or writing down your thoughts are examples. Which method works has to be tried out. What matters is that the substitute does not stay on paper but works in everyday life.

1. Note stress triggers: when and where does the pressure arise?
2. Set an alternative that is possible immediately in that situation.
3. After a week, check which alternative helped.
4. If the pressure persists, plan counselling.

Stress in the body and in the mind

Stress shows in the body: heartbeat, sleep and tension change. Anyone who reaches for cannabis under stress should therefore also take physical warning signs seriously. If complaints persist or increase, a medical check is the right step.

In the mind, use can become linked with the feeling of relief. Then reaching for cannabis under stress can become automatic. Anyone who recognises this can interrupt it deliberately, for example by pausing before using and asking which feeling is there at that moment.

It is also important to plan breaks from use deliberately. A week without use shows how strong the craving is when the cannabis is missing. This experience is revealing, even if it can be uncomfortable.

When help makes sense

If use increases under stress and other ways no longer help, a conversation with a specialist is worthwhile. According to its own information, DigiSucht offers anonymous, free contact with counsellors. The Sucht & Drogen Hotline can be reached on 01806 313031 (daily from 8:00 to 24:00, charged). More on the threshold for counselling is in the article When is professional help for cannabis use worthwhile?