Anxiety is one of the most common conditions treated with cannabis-based medicines in the UK*. However, these alternative treatments can also improve conditions such as PTSD, depression, eating disorders and OCD when applied appropriately. As a CQC-regulated clinic, our team of expert doctors are well-versed in the importance of mental health and wellbeing, and are here to give personalised care and support to each individual.
Mental Health
For those facing challenges with conditions like anxiety, PTSD, depression, or insomnia, conventional medicines may not be having the desired clinical outcomes, cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) offer an alternative path for patients who have found traditional treatments ineffective.
How Can Cannabis-Based Treatments Help?
Our clinicians are experts in prescribing our alternative medicines for mental health patients, and your condition must be treated under clinical supervision. Cannabinoids can interact with your brain’s serotonin production, which is responsible for balancing and stabilising mood, and have been shown to alter anxiety and fear responses. THC, the other major component in cannabis, can also be therapeutically applied to help treat or manage secondary symptoms of depression, like poor sleep and low appetite.
1/3
of those in the UK’s largest medical cannabis study were treating anxiety in 2021.
8 million
million people have an anxiety disorder, and 18% experience anxiety at work.
58%
of patients reported a reduction in anxiety and stress following medical cannabis use
50%
reduction in depression scores noted in large-scale study after 3 months of CBPM treatment
17. 05. 2024
Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 highlights growing pressure on mental health services across the UK. As more people search for effective treatment options, medical cannabis is gaining attention as a prescribed alternative. This article brings together clinician insight and real patient experiences, alongside the latest UK evidence, to explain how it fits into modern mental health care.
17. 05. 2024
Lucy MacKinnon
06. 07. 2023
Anxiety disorders come in many forms, and they all share one thing in common. That is, they are on the rise. With one in six adults in the United Kingdom now diagnosed with some form of anxiety, the need for additional treatment options has never been more pronounced. Below, we will look at what anxiety is exactly, how it can affect you, and the possible ways medical cannabis may be able to help.
06. 07. 2023
Sam North
12. 07. 2023
With rates of depression in the UK steadily rising, and only boosted by the recent pandemic, finding treatment solutions can be a daunting task. Now more than ever, it is important to understand all the potential symptom-reducing options available. One of those options may include adding medicinal cannabis as part of your therapeutic plan.
12. 07. 2023
Sam North
"Many patients have reported that medical cannabis may provide excellent mood uplifting effects, while at the same time reducing the crippling effects of anxiety.
When prescribed in a controlled manner in a clinical setting such as here at Releaf, patients have a clinical touchpoint with a consultant so that, should their mental health change whilst in receipt of a prescription, their condition may be expertly managed without undue delay."
Dr. Imran Ali
Psychiatry
Common symptoms of psychiatric conditions
Anhedonia
Confusion
Excessive worrying
Fatigue
Hallucinations
Insomnia
Irritability
Loss of appetite
Obsessive thoughts
Panic attacks
Social withdrawal
Traumatic flashbacks
It's important to note that these symptoms are general and may not be exclusive to any specific psychiatric condition. Consulting with a healthcare professional is crucial for accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plans based on individual needs.
Common psychiatric conditions
Being prescribed medical cannabis for a mental health condition may offer certain benefits to eligible patients.
For instance, it may help make it easier to manage sleep, anxious thoughts and stress, while providing an alternative option to take alongside conventional treatments.
Taking medical cannabis for mental health works by interacting with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex cell-signalling network responsible for regulating many important bodily processes.
Whether that’s our ability to sleep, control our internal body temperature or manage our mood, the ECS is made up of specific receptors, endocannabinoids and enzymes that work closely with our nervous system to keep us in balance.
The two main receptors involved here are known as CB1 and CB2, which are important to know about when looking to understand how medical cannabis works in the body.
Medical cannabis contains two well-known cannabinoids, known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which both target the same CB1 and CB2 receptors involved as part of the ECS.
By mimicking or blocking the natural endocannabinoids produced by our bodies, both THC and CBD can alter how signals are sent throughout the nervous system and around our body.
CBD is best known for its calming, anti-inflammatory effects, for instance, and is often associated with easing symptoms like stress and anxiety.
Meanwhile, THC is psychoactive and associated with a “high” sensation. It may also increase anxiety in certain patients, which is why understanding the cannabinoid profile of each medical cannabis cultivar is so important.
For patients diagnosed with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression or an eating disorder like anorexia, finding the right ratio of CBD: THC may help to alleviate certain associated symptoms.
Mental health disorders can be experienced in a wide variety of ways, with the symptoms they’re associated with often making it difficult to enjoy day-to-day life.
From sleep-related disturbances like insomnia to eating disorder issues like appetite loss, medical cannabis may help certain eligible patients to reduce the burden that living with symptoms like these can cause.
Since becoming legalised for certain qualifying conditions back in November 2018, medical cannabis may also be recommended by specialists as an alternative treatment for mental health disorders like:
anxiety
depression
borderline personality disorder
eating disorders, such as anorexia
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
For those facing challenges with conditions connected to these, where conventional medicines haven’t had the intended result, medical cannabis may offer an alternative path.
The relationship between medical cannabis and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression has been the subject of clinical research for quite some time.
For example, you may have recently seen major tabloids reporting that there is “no evidence” for medical cannabis and mental health disorders. But this isn’t necessarily the case.
In fact, these headlines have all stemmed from one recent study published in The Lancet, which actually concluded by saying:
“There was some evidence that cannabinoids can reduce symptoms of cannabis use disorder, insomnia, tic or Tourette's syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder, but the quality of this evidence was generally low…
Overall, there is a crucial need for more high-quality research.”
In other words, the full picture remains to be seen, with larger trials needed to fully understand the relationship.
Current research into medical cannabis and anxiety and depression remains fairly limited. But recent studies by the UK Medical Cannabis Registry have shown some interesting findings.
Earlier this year, research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that taking cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) were associated with statistically and clinically significant improvements in depression, anxiety, sleep quality and health-related quality of life over a two-year period.
This echoed the findings of similar research from 2023, which looked at the impact of medical cannabis on generalised anxiety disorder specifically.
Published in Psychopharmacology, this study showed that medical cannabis products may again help to improve anxiety, sleep quality and quality of life, with researchers citing the need for further, larger trials.
However, it’s important to be clear that medical cannabis should never be a direct replacement for the treatment you are taking already.
It should only ever be prescribed alongside your existing treatment plan, with any relevant changes made by a relevant medical professional.
Having a medical cannabis prescription can affect one patient differently to another, and its overall effects will vary depending on your exact condition, symptoms and lifestyle.
While it won’t be suitable for everyone, for the eligible patients it is available for, a medical cannabis prescription may help to provide the symptom relief that other conventional treatments can’t.
In fact, we often hear this first-hand from our own patients, who regularly mention the positive impact that their treatment has had on their mental health.
Take Natalie’s story, for example.
After trying several treatments to combat her anxiety levels over the years, she struggled to find one that worked without resulting in debilitating side effects.
But since being prescribed medical cannabis, she’s now able to think more clearly, which has only benefitted her work and relationships.
Head to our patient stories page to discover more stories like Natalie’s.
To better understand the impact of our treatments, we performed the largest survey of active UK medical cannabis patients back in 2025, with 1,669 respondents participating in our research.
Of this number, over one-third (672 respondents) had been prescribed medical cannabis to support a specific mental health-related condition, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or a combination of all three.
Here’s what we found:
94% of patients described their medical cannabis treatment as moderately, very or extremely effective
98% of patients felt their quality of life had improved, with 2 in 3 patients reporting a significant improvement
87% of respondents reported improved day-to-day functioning
~70% reported an improved ability to work or study
So, do these results mean that the current evidence for anxiety and mental health is being misinterpreted? You can discover our team’s thoughts on this and a full breakdown of the survey’s results in our dedicated article.
Medical cannabis prescriptions are legally available to patients with qualifying mental health conditions who have been unable to find relief from symptoms from at least 2 conventional treatment options.
They are also only available from private, CQC-regulated and UK-based clinics, such as Releaf.
In order to qualify for treatment, you will need to meet strict eligibility criteria and be recommended for a prescription by a medical specialist.
After reviewing factors like your mental health diagnosis, full medical history, lifestyle choices and any pre-existing medications you take, they will be able to determine whether medical cannabis may be a suitable addition to your treatment plan.
For a full breakdown of the eligibility criteria you’ll need to meet, take a look at our guide on how to get a private cannabis prescription in the UK or visit the specific condition page related to your personal diagnosis.
You can always use our handy medical cannabis eligibility checker for a quick answer as well. This is completely free to use, takes less than 30 seconds to fill in and could help you find the mental health support you’re looking for.
Releaf - redefining healthcare
