- The number of people reporting generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive episode nearly doubled, increasing to 5.2 per cent and 7.6 per cent, respectively.
- Suicidality didn’t change much in adults but increased by 44 per cent among youth. Younger Canadians also saw some of the strongest cannabis–mental health connections.
- The number of people using cannabis multiple times a week more than doubled, while the number of people who reported using cannabis in the last year increased to 20.7 per cent.
- Canadians who used cannabis at any level, compared to those who did not, were more likely to meet criteria for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive episode and report suicidality. The connection between cannabis use and these mental health problems strengthened over time.
- In 2022, Canadians who used cannabis regularly (two or more times a week) were about five times more likely to report anxiety, depression, or suicidality than those who did not use cannabis.
I think I had anxiety when I was young, for sure as a teen. I was actually diagnosed by a psychiatrist with depression when I was 16, but I didn’t put much weight on that. I saw him two times and didn’t continue to take the imapramine he’d prescribed.
So, I was already there by the time I started smoking pot.
Adolescence is an increadibly anxious time. Not a child, but not an adult. Powerless, but rapidly developing a sophisticated understanding of the world around you. Then add romantic dynamics. It’s amazing our kids survive as well as they do.
Drugs will fix anything tho, right? I mean medication, not the illegal kind. We need to lock up illegal drug users. \s