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Of patients had lower anxiety scores after the first month in a large CBD case series. The Permanente Journal
Average anxiety and stress ratings fell after inhaled cannabis use in a large app-based observational study. Journal of Cannabis Research
People worldwide were living with an anxiety disorder in 2021. World Health Organization
People worldwide are estimated to have depression. World Health Organization
Could treatment be suitable?
A specialist may assess you if:
- You have a diagnosed condition or an established clinical history.
- Standard treatments have not helped enough or were unsuitable.
- You are 18 or over and live in the UK.
- Your records allow a doctor to review previous care and current medicines.
Overview
When mental health symptoms persist despite treatment
Most people with a mental health condition are helped by talking therapies, medication or a combination of the two. For some, however, symptoms continue to affect daily life despite trying recognised treatments.
Where standard options have been explored and have not provided enough relief, a specialist may consider whether prescription medical cannabis could play a role as part of a wider care plan. Every decision follows a full clinical assessment, with your diagnosis, goals and current medicines reviewed carefully.
Our GMC-registered specialists assess each person individually, review your history and current medicines, and keep your GP informed where you wish. The aim is safe, considered care that fits alongside the support you already have.
Symptoms
Common mental health symptoms
Mental health conditions can affect mood, sleep, focus and daily life in different ways. Common features across these conditions include:
- Low mood or loss of interest
- Persistent anxiety, worry or feeling on edge
- Trouble sleeping or concentrating
- Intrusive or distressing thoughts
- Low energy or motivation
- Withdrawing from work, study or relationships
Evidence
What does the evidence say?
Developing evidence; careful individual risk review
The relationship between cannabis and mental health needs careful context because the balance of benefit and risk can differ by person and diagnosis. Evidence differs across anxiety, depression and PTSD and is still developing. The effects of cannabis on mental health are not the same for everyone, so THC-related mood risk must be reviewed individually.
- Talking therapies and recognised medicines are used first.
- THC can worsen anxiety or mood in some people, so screening matters.
- Any decision follows a full psychiatric and medicines review.
Conditions
Mental health conditions we can assess
Suitability depends on your diagnosis, medical history, previous treatments and a specialist review. Listing a condition is not a promise that medical cannabis will be prescribed.
Anxiety
Persistent worry, unease or dread that affects everyday life, where standard treatment has not helped enough.
Depression
Ongoing low mood, loss of interest and fatigue that continue despite conventional therapies.
PTSD
Trauma-related symptoms such as flashbacks, hypervigilance and disrupted sleep following a distressing event.
OCD
Unwanted obsessive thoughts and repetitive compulsions that persist despite recognised treatment.
Why CannaRelief
What CannaRelief offers
Specialist-led, NICE-aligned assessment from the comfort of home, with your GP kept informed where you wish.
- GMC-registered specialists with experience in mental health
- Online consultations, with no GP referral required
- NICE-aligned clinical standards and careful monitoring
- NHS shared-care ready — we keep your GP informed where you wish
- Private, data-protected care built around your needs
- Seen 7 days a week, from the comfort of home
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers on eligibility, suitability and legal prescribing in the UK.
Is medical cannabis a first-line treatment for mental health conditions?
No. Recognised treatments such as talking therapies and prescribed medication are tried first. A specialist may only consider medical cannabis where these have not provided enough benefit, and after a full assessment of your history and current medicines.
Do I need a GP referral to be assessed?
No GP referral is needed. You can complete a short online eligibility check yourself, and we will keep your GP informed where you would like us to.
Is an online assessment as reliable as in person?
Yes. Our structured video assessments follow the same recognised diagnostic standards used in face-to-face appointments, with the added convenience of being seen from home.
Will medical cannabis be prescribed if I am eligible?
Not necessarily. Passing the eligibility check means a specialist can assess you. A prescribing decision is only made after a full clinical consultation, and treatment is not suitable for everyone.
Find out whether a specialist assessment may be suitable
Complete a short eligibility check. A prescribing decision can only be made after a full clinical assessment.