Cannabis Use Disorder: What It Is, Symptoms & Treatment
Table 1 summarizes common types of cannabis products and methods of use.10,11 Smoking involves a bud or resin plus a device such as rolled paper, a pipe, or a bong. As cannabis use becomes increasingly mainstream—with 38 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia legalizing the drug for medicinal and/or recreational use—consumption is on the rise, along with problematic use, which encompasses addiction. The search strategies were customized for each database using applicable controlled vocabularies and search syntax. The full electronic search strategies utilized for all databases are presented in Appendix A file in Supplementary Materials. EndNote X20 reference management software was utilized to collate records retrieved from the literature search (Table 1). A highly effective psychological service that can be integrated into the recovery process is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which has shown significant success in treating substance abuse.
The core components include behavioral therapies, counseling sessions, and supportive medical interventions. These elements are designed to help individuals break free from dependency and build a foundation for long-term recovery. Each part of the plan plays a specific part in guiding patients toward healthier living and sustained improvement in their lives. Furthermore, for adolescents, involving parents in standard clinic-based treatment significantly improved abstinence outcomes (Stanger 2015), highlighting the vital role of family engagement when targeting youth substance issues 16.
The plan incorporates strategies such as ongoing counseling, routine check-ins, and stress management techniques to help patients maintain their progress. This sample treatment plan for cannabis use disorder is designed to prepare individuals for potential setbacks, offering practical methods to deal with triggers and maintain a balanced lifestyle. Psychotherapeutic treatments for CUD have evolved significantly since the first clinical trials in the mid-1990s. Antagonist PharmacotherapiesWhereas the goal of agonist therapies to treat CUD is to mimic some effects of THC, antagonist pharmacotherapies aim at “blocking” the CB1 receptor to prevent the action of THC. Naltrexone (and naloxone) for example bind to and block the mu opioid receptor, preventing opiates from having their effect on the brain.
- Blocking FAAH enzyme would enhance anandamide levels, while blocking MAGL enzyme would enhance 2-G levels.
- Although young adults have greater self-regulation capacities, honing emotional and impulse control skills remains a key developmental task.
- Additionally, even brief counseling approaches exploring internal motivations and self-efficacy show efficacy for this population.
- Psychotherapeutic treatments for CUD have evolved significantly since the first clinical trials in the mid-1990s.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
In the initial phase, professionals conduct a thorough review of the patient’s history and current challenges. This background check helps to identify patterns of use and any underlying conditions. The sample treatment plan for cannabis use disorder begins with collecting detailed information to form a baseline, ensuring that all relevant aspects of the patient’s life are considered before moving into active treatment stages. In summary, despite a relatively small evidence base, psychological interventions for CUD appear to be moderately effective, and combination treatments that both strengthen initial resolve to quit and support continued abstinence appear to be particularly helpful. However, helping individuals with CUD to achieve sustained abstinence remains problematic, and features of the intervention and characteristics of the population that are important for predicting treatment success remain poorly understood.
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This underscores the potential utility of pharmaceuticals to help stabilize acute cessation in older individuals by alleviating withdrawal and cravings 36. Hence, for older adults, an integrative approach blending medication relief from protracted withdrawal with counseling focused on building psychological resilience and social supports appears most effective. Additionally, extended monitoring and booster sessions prove vital for preventing slips from evolving into full relapse across aging. Walker et al. demonstrated that incorporating brief maintenance check-up sessions into standard psychosocial care improved short-term abstinence rates 34. Currently, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of CM for CUD specifically.
Treatment of cannabis-related withdrawal.
You’ll collaborate to set goals to stop marijuana use and create plans to meet them. Without treatment, CUD can lead to increased impairment in all aspects of life along with potential adverse mental health and physical health outcomes. Read on to learn about the available treatment options for cannabis use disorder, information on withdrawal, and more. In summary, involving family and community through diverse engagement strategies significantly enhances the overall treatment process. This additional support reinforces the sample treatment plan for cannabis use disorder, ensuring a comprehensive and connected approach to lasting recovery for all patients. By engaging with local initiatives, patients receive continuous encouragement and practical advice outside clinical settings.
Enhancing Engagement Through Family and Community Involvement
“It is likely that the combination of behavioral and pharmacological approaches will be superior to either alone.” The following medications have been approved by the FDA for alternative indications and may have efficacy in reducing cannabis use. They are listed in order of likelihood of clinical use (determined by a subjective mix of provider familiarity, treatment of comorbidities, safety/tolerability, and strength of preliminary evidence of https://www.futureconsultants.co.uk/understanding-addiction-genetic-vs-environmental/ efficacy) rather than by evidence of efficacy. For example, gabapentin is ranked highly and listed first because it is commonly used, is well tolerated, and can reduce cooccurring anxiety/insomnia symptoms,11 despite the fact that it has relatively less evidence for efficacy in reducing cannabis use. This ordering prioritizes minimization of iatrogenic harm, given that the clinical benefits of all listed medications are yet to be verified for CUD. Medications that have shown no benefit over placebo include the antidepressants, antipsychotics, baclofen, or rimonabant.
- The interventions tested included various psychotherapy modalities, contingency management, and brief motivational enhancement.
- Only 37% of poor responders completed the full 17-week treatment compared to 78% of those who achieved abstinence with initial MET/CBT (good responders) and required no extra treatment.
- By engaging with local initiatives, patients receive continuous encouragement and practical advice outside clinical settings.
- Aelis Farma is currently sponsoring a multi-site, placebo-controlled phase 2b study in collaboration with Columbia’s medical center.
These preliminary findings highlight the need to better understand variables moderating treatment response—such as biological sex, psychosocial characteristics, and mechanisms maintaining use—that can enable further individualization of interventions by gender and other individual factors 29. A human laboratory study of mirtazapine demonstrated that it improved some symptoms of withdrawal, but did not reduce cannabis self-administration. Escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, was studied in a clinical trial, and failed to address the symptoms of depression or anxiety in cannabis-induced withdrawal and did not improve abstinence over placebo. A clinical trial with buspirone, a partial serotonin receptor antagonist, showed no significant effect on anxiety, withdrawal, or craving compared to placebo, and patients dropped out at a higher rate. Our compassionate clinicians meet you where you are on your marijuana addiction recovery journey and create personalized treatment plans to help you heal. They will investigate the underlying causes of your addiction, provide empathetic support, and teach you effective coping skills to prevent relapse.
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Depending on the severity of the CUD, a healthcare provider may recommend tapering it off to lessen the effects of withdrawal. Treatment depends on the severity of the disorder and is highly individualized — you may need different types of treatment at different times. Cannabis (marijuana) use disorder is a mental health condition in which you have a problematic pattern of cannabis/marijuana cannabis use disorder use that causes distress and/or impairs your life.
What are the pharmacological treatments for cannabis use disorder (CUD)?
Participants are advised to consult prescribing information for any products discussed. The information provided in this accredited CE activity is for continuing medical education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent clinical judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic or treatment options for a specific patient’s medical condition. The opinions expressed in the content are solely those of the individual faculty members and do not reflect those of Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC.
- CBT can help you identify and change maladaptive (unhealthy, unhelpful) thought patterns and behaviors linked to cannabis use, Dr. Muhrer says.
- There are currently no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmacological treatments for CUD.5 However, in clinical studies, some medications show promise for treating CUD.
- This neuroadaptation explains why attempts to stop using cannabis can trigger significant physical and psychological distress.
- Active participation from family members can provide motivation and practical help during challenging times.
Although psychosocial interventions offer personalized strategies, age-specific Alcoholics Anonymous pharmacological recommendations lack adequate evidence. Given the considerable variability among age groups, age-specific treatments need to be further explored. Additionally, even brief counseling approaches exploring internal motivations and self-efficacy show efficacy for this population. The Mason et al. brief motivational interview session focused on eliciting adolescents’ personal reasons for and confidence in abstaining 18.
