humulene and Phobic-Disorders

African American/Black individuals experience significant health disparities, particularly as it relates to cannabis use. As such, there is a need to identify intrapersonal factors related to more severe patterns of use among this subpopulation. Worry about quitting or reducing cannabis as a result of the anticipated anxiety-related states during deprivation (i.e., abstinence phobia) is one factor that is theoretically important in the context of cannabis-related disparities.. Cannabis abstinence phobia was associated with greater severity of cannabis use problems, more perceived barriers for quitting cannabis use, and more severe cannabis withdrawal symptoms.. Abstinence phobia may represent an underrecognized intervention target for addressing cannabis use problems and quit success.

Topics: Adult; Analgesics; Black or African American; Cannabis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hallucinogens; Humans; Male; Marijuana Abuse; Phobic Disorders; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome

Topics: Cannabinoids; Cannabis; Humans; Medical Marijuana; Phobic Disorders; Virtues

Cannabis is among the most widely used psychoactive substances in the United States, and rates of cannabis use and cannabis-related problems are increasing. Anxiety sensitivity, or the fear of aversive interoceptive sensations, may be relevant to better understanding cannabis use problems and other significant cannabis use processes (e.g., beliefs about quitting). Previous research has primarily focused on the global anxiety sensitivity construct; however, anxiety sensitivity lower-order facets (Cognitive Concerns, Physical Concerns, and Social Concerns) tend to be differentially related to substance use processes in non-cannabis specific studies. The current study therefore explored anxiety sensitivity lower-order facets in relation to cannabis use problems, perceived barriers for cannabis cessation, and abstinence phobia (fear of not using cannabis) among a community sample of 203 cannabis-using adults. Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity Cognitive Concerns were significantly associated with each of the dependent measures and these effects were not explained by shared variance with the other lower-order factors or a range of other covariates (e.g., tobacco use). The present findings suggest future work may benefit from focusing on the role of anxiety sensitivity Cognitive Concerns in the maintenance of cannabis use.

Topics: Adult; Anxiety; Cannabis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fear; Female; Humans; Male; Marijuana Smoking; Marijuana Use; Middle Aged; Perception; Phobic Disorders

Social anxiety disorder appears to be a risk factor for cannabis-related problems. Although it is presumed that increases in cannabis craving during elevated social anxiety reflect an intent to cope with greater negative affectivity, it is unclear whether increases in physiological arousal during social stress are related to cannabis craving, especially among those with social anxiety disorder. Similarly, no studies have assessed motivational reasons for cannabis use during elevated social stress. Thus, the current study tested whether increases in state social anxiety (measured subjectively and via physiological arousal) were related to greater cannabis craving among 126 current cannabis users (88.9% with cannabis use disorder, 31.7% with social anxiety disorder, 54.0% non-Hispanic Caucasian) randomly assigned to either a social interaction or reading task. As predicted, cannabis users in the social interaction condition reported greater cannabis craving than those in the reading condition. This effect was particularly evident among those with social anxiety disorder. Although physiological arousal did not moderate the relationship between condition and craving, coping motives were the most common reasons cited for wanting to use cannabis and were reported more among those in the social interaction task. These experimental results uniquely add to a growing literature suggesting the importance of elevated state social anxiety (especially among those with social anxiety disorder) in cannabis use vulnerability processes.

Topics: Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Cannabis; Craving; Female; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Marijuana Abuse; Marijuana Smoking; Motivation; Phobia, Social; Phobic Disorders; Stress, Psychological; Substance-Related Disorders; Young Adult

This paper examines the role of uncontrolled depersonalization associated with marijuana use in the development of agoraphobia. Cases of six people are described, all of whom reported first experiencing depersonalization while using marijuana, and subsequently experiencing depersonalization while not using the drug. A fear of this 'uncontrolled' depersonalization resulted in considerable anticipatory anxiety and panic attacks. Patients ultimately presented for treatment of agoraphobia. A temporal relationship between marijuana use, uncontrolled depersonalization, panic attacks and agoraphobia does not imply causality. Comparison of these cases with other agoraphobia clinic patients provides tentative evidence for a difference between the two types of patients. There were no systematic patterns of stressors in the cases prior to the onset of symptoms. Data obtained before and after treatment indicated the cases were slightly more severe than clinic patients. Males and females were represented equally in the cases, whereas there was a higher incidence of females in the clinic patients. The cases' age of onset was younger than that of the clinic patients. Our standard cognitive-behavioural treatment programme required modification to account for the intensity of the fear of depersonalization in the cases.

Topics: Adult; Agoraphobia; Behavior Therapy; Cannabis; Depersonalization; Female; Humans; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; Male; Marijuana Abuse; Panic; Phobic Disorders; Risk