Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD • Hacker News Board

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#91

Post by roywiggins » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 10:56 PM UTC

zug_zug wrote: post #53

Edit: Okay, I've read the meta-study now and I think the summary article isn't representing the picture very well. In particular they found for anxiety there actually seems to be evidence in this exact data set that does help. What they are doing is saying "there isn't 95% evidence it reduces anxiety" therefore "no evidence" even though they mean "some evidence, just not at the statistical significance level" -- it's…

The data being all over the place on benefits, but pretty clear on harms, is about as good a reason you could want for experts not to recommend something as treatment. That's what it often looks like when something doesn't work, or doesn't work very well. "The error bars are too big to say it works, so we shouldn't tell people it works" is a pretty good thing to inform people about if that's the case.

It's really easy to convince yourself that something works when it doesn't, that's the whole reason why people have to take statistical significance seriously. Maybe it really does work and a really good study could shrink the error bars but that's more hope than anything.

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#92

Post by sillywabbit » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:02 PM UTC

landl0rd wrote: post #86

sillywabbit wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Meth causes brain damage. Dex doesn't.

Well, it's not that simple. It's reasonable to expect that you could see some increased level of oxidative and excitotoxicity. It's harder to draw a bright line around the dopaminergic system specifically because some level of neuronal death is expected over the course of a lifetime. We lose 5-10% starting with middle age yet don't tend to show parkinsonian symptoms until 60-80% are gone. It's pretty reasonable to ex…

Could you point me to your research?

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#93

Post by psyclobe » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:06 PM UTC

It certainly helps with boredom but quickly losses it's effect after repeated use.

I am calling it quits for now it's been making m a little crazy and I want to see what life is like without it for a while.

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#94

Post by dpark » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:07 PM UTC

johnisgood wrote: post #88

Aurornis wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The point Im making is this is true for a ton of psychiatric or even non psychatric treatments That point wasn't intended to be taken in isolation. I was making statements about how long-term treatment of an underlying condition is not the same as taking a drug which temporarily masks a problem or induces altered mood states. The fact that a drug has acute effects, good or bad, is separate from any conversation abo…

You keep ignoring the fact that what you just said applies to current medications used to treat depression and anxiety. They do not treat the underlying issue long-term, and if you stop them, you are worse off than before due to rebound effects, and even if those effects subdue, your depression and anxiety returns. And just to add to this for clarification, antidepressants may treat depression, but it does not cure i…

This is a fair point but there’s also truth to the fact that “I feel better” does not automatically mean it’s an effective/good treatment.

Lots of depressed people turn to alcohol to provide a mood lift. But you can’t be drunk all the time and function, and when the alcohol wears off you feel even worse. So it’s a terrible treatment.

People talk a lot about cannabis like it’s a great treatment for all kinds of stuff. But is it closer to a drug you can take on a schedule that boosts your mood essentially all of the time with acceptable side effects? Or is it closer to a drug that lifts mood very short term and then makes it worse?

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#95

Post by cluckindan » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:09 PM UTC

”The findings are based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 54 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted worldwide over a 45 year period (1980-2025).”

This review seems dubious considering the huge gap in motivations and scientific rigor between 1980 and 2025.

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#96

Post by johnisgood » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:10 PM UTC

dpark wrote: post #94

johnisgood wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You keep ignoring the fact that what you just said applies to current medications used to treat depression and anxiety. They do not treat the underlying issue long-term, and if you stop them, you are worse off than before due to rebound effects, and even if those effects subdue, your depression and anxiety returns. And just to add to this for clarification, antidepressants may treat depression, but it does not cure i…

This is a fair point but there’s also truth to the fact that “I feel better” does not automatically mean it’s an effective/good treatment. Lots of depressed people turn to alcohol to provide a mood lift. But you can’t be drunk all the time and function, and when the alcohol wears off you feel even worse. So it’s a terrible treatment. People talk a lot about cannabis like it’s a great treatment for all kinds of stuff.…

> “I feel better” does not automatically mean it’s an effective treatment.

Of course, I agree with that.

I also agree that you cannot be drunk to function, but there are many other "drugs" that people would oppose that do not make you dysfunctional.

Personally I would not use cannabis because I know that it makes me dysfunctional, but it may not be the case for some people for all I know.

FWIW I take opioids for my chronic condition, and it also helps with my emotional volatility, depression, and anxiety, too. I have not experienced any side-effects either.

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#97

Post by cluckindan » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:11 PM UTC

jzb wrote: post #57

andoando wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This point of view makes no sense to me. If you take it and you feel your anxiety is lessened, that's the greatest proof you can ask for. All the psychiatric studies are already based on self assessment. Second, a lot of psychatric treatments are temporary, ending whenever the medication is stopped or wears off so I dont see how this would be any different

There’s a difference between intoxication and treating the chemical imbalance behind depression or anxiety. For one thing, treatments for anxiety only target the anxiety: they don’t impair the person the way that weed or alcohol does. (They can have other side effects, of course.) Drugs for anxiety treatment do wear off, but not the same way that weed or alcohol does: something like Celexa takes a few weeks to build…

”There’s a difference between intoxication and treating the chemical imbalance behind depression or anxiety.”

There is no significant, rigorous evidence that depression or anxiety are caused by an inherent ”chemical imbalance”.

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#98

Post by econ » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:12 PM UTC

Not entirely on topic: If pot is illegal people will grow extremely potent variaties. If it's normal you get very tasty variaties that give a mild buzz even if you smoke pure joints all day.

It's like comparing a casual light beer with the 90% moonshine or 45% bathtub gin sold during prohibition.

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#99

Post by epolanski » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:15 PM UTC

I have been a smoker for more than a decade and I don't think it has any good impact on any of those.

In fact, it's quite the contrary.

The only times when it's really enjoyable is when you're with someone and you chill out and lightens the mood.

But overall it's a drug which I haven't seen bringing any good effect on people's mental health.

Re: Study finds no evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD

#100

Post by cluckindan » Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 11:16 PM UTC

olyjohn wrote: post #37

andoando wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This point of view makes no sense to me. If you take it and you feel your anxiety is lessened, that's the greatest proof you can ask for. All the psychiatric studies are already based on self assessment. Second, a lot of psychatric treatments are temporary, ending whenever the medication is stopped or wears off so I dont see how this would be any different

I think the problem is that, at least in my experience, you end up with more anxiety once the initial high wears off. Paranoia is an extremely common side effect of Marijuana, and so are nightmares with prolonged use. And once you kinda get into a routine with it, you have a hard time quitting, because your overall anxiety is raised, and you need it just to get back to a normal functioning level. My guess is that thi…

THC cannot both ”cause nightmares” and ”block REM sleep”, because nightmares happen during REM sleep.

People who suffer from nightmares may benefit from less REM sleep. It’s much more refreshing to sleep in a non-REM state and wake up normally than it is to repeatedly wake up in cold sweat and be afraid to go to sleep again.