Cannabis dependence treatment (Treatment for cannabis use disorder (cannabis dependence))
Support and treatment to help you cut down or stop cannabis when it has become hard to control, using talking therapy, practical help and care for your mental health.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- It helps you cut down or stop cannabis using talking therapy and practical support — dependence is a treatable health condition, not a weakness.
- There is no licensed 'anti-cannabis' medicine; the core treatment is psychological, with care for any linked anxiety, low mood or sleep problems.
- Free, confidential help is available on the NHS and through charities such as We Are With You, Turning Point and FRANK — you do not have to pay.
- Withdrawal (irritability, poor sleep, low appetite, low mood) is uncomfortable but not usually dangerous; tell someone if your mood drops or you feel unsafe.
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your psychiatrist will give you advice for your situation.
Helps you cut down or stop in a way that fits your own goals and life
Talking therapy alone may not be enough if you have severe mental illness, marked psychosis or high suicide risk — these need urgent or specialist...
Withdrawal often peaks now: irritability, poor sleep, vivid dreams, low appetite and restlessness. This is your body adjusting and it usually eases.
A named keyworker and an easy, low-barrier way to get back in touch
Withdrawal often peaks now: irritability, poor sleep, vivid dreams, low appetite and restlessness. This is your...
Sleep, appetite and mood start to settle for many people. Cravings can be strong around old triggers; your worker...
Many people notice clearer thinking, more energy and steadier mood. Ongoing sessions help you stay on track and...
New routines become more natural. You and your worker review progress, address any lingering anxiety or low mood...
What is cannabis dependence treatment?
Cannabis dependence treatment is support to help you cut down or stop cannabis when it has started to control you rather than the other way around. Dependence means you find it hard to stop even when it is harming your sleep, mood, relationships, studies, work or money, and you may get cravings or withdrawal when you go without.
Most treatment is talking-based. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), motivational support and structured key-working help you understand your use, handle cravings and triggers, and build a life that does not revolve around cannabis. There is no licensed medicine that 'cures' cannabis dependence, though your clinician may treat linked problems such as anxiety, low mood or poor sleep.
Dependence is a health condition, not a moral failing or a lack of willpower. It is common, it is treatable, and recovery is realistic — many people stop or cut down successfully, often after more than one attempt.
Treatment helps you make and keep your own decision to change. It cannot force change on you, and it works best when paired with honest support around the rest of your life.
Types, options & approaches
There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.
Options at a glance
These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.
Assessment and key-working
A worker helps you look honestly at your use, set your own goals (cutting down or stopping), and builds a plan. They stay alongside you throughout treatment.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Structured talking therapy that helps you spot triggers and cravings, change unhelpful thinking, and find other ways to cope and relax.
Motivational support
Conversations that help you weigh up the good and bad of your use and strengthen your own reasons to change, without judgement or pressure.
Mutual-aid and peer support
Groups such as SMART Recovery or Marijuana Anonymous, where people support each other to stay on track. Helpful for some, not essential for all.
Preparing for your treatment
- Think about your own goal — cutting down or stopping completely — and be honest about how much and how often you use; there is no judgement.
- Keep a short diary of when, where and why you use, and what it costs you; this helps you and your worker see patterns.
- Write down any worries about your mood, anxiety, sleep, memory or unusual experiences so these can be assessed.
- Bring a list of any other medicines or substances you use, including alcohol, vapes and prescription medicines.
- Tell your worker about your home, work or study situation and who supports you, as this shapes the plan.
- Know that NHS and charity services are free and confidential, and that information is only shared outside the team in limited safety situations.
What happens
Most people start with a free, confidential assessment, either through their GP, a local drug and alcohol service, or a charity such as We Are With You or Turning Point. A worker asks about your cannabis use, your physical and mental health, and what you want to change. There are no tests you can 'fail'.
You then agree a plan together — for example weekly talking sessions, support to handle cravings, and goals you set yourself. You are usually given a named keyworker who stays with you through treatment. Sessions can be in person, by phone or online.
If you also use alcohol or other drugs, or have significant mental-health symptoms, the team will take this into account and may involve a doctor or other specialists. The aim is steady, realistic progress, not a quick fix.
Is this treatment right for me?
A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.
May not be suitable if…
- Talking therapy alone may not be enough if you have severe mental illness, marked psychosis or high suicide risk — these need urgent or specialist mental-health care first.
- If alcohol or benzodiazepine dependence is also present, stopping those abruptly can be dangerous and must be managed medically, not left to a cannabis programme alone.
- A standard community programme may not suit you if your home environment makes change unsafe and a different setting is needed.
- Treatment cannot help if it is forced; it works when you are part of the decision, even if your motivation is mixed at the start.
Delay or rearrange if…
- You are in immediate mental-health crisis or having thoughts of suicide — get urgent help first (999, or Samaritans 116 123).
- You are also dependent on alcohol or benzodiazepines and have not yet had a medical plan for those.
- You have new or worsening psychosis symptoms that need urgent assessment.
- Your living situation is currently unsafe and needs sorting before structured treatment can work.
Alternatives to discuss
- Cutting down yourself with self-help tools, a use diary and support from trusted people, for milder problems
- Free NHS or charity drug services instead of, or before, private care
- Peer-support and mutual-aid groups such as SMART Recovery or Marijuana Anonymous
- Treating underlying anxiety, low mood, trauma or sleep problems that drive use
- Watchful waiting with a clear plan if you are not ready to change yet
Before you decide
Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Benefits
- Helps you cut down or stop in a way that fits your own goals and life
- Clearer thinking, better sleep, steadier mood and more energy for many people over time
- Practical tools to handle cravings, triggers and difficult feelings without cannabis
- A chance to spot and treat linked anxiety, low mood or psychosis risk
- More money, and better relationships, work or study for many people
- Confidential, non-judgemental support from people who do this every day
Risks & complications
- Withdrawal in the first days to weeks: irritability, poor sleep, vivid dreams, low appetite, restlessness and low mood
- Cravings and the pull to use again, especially around old triggers
- Temporary dip in mood or anxiety as your body and routine adjust
- Setbacks and lapses, which are common and not a sign of failure
- Anxiety or low mood that lingers and needs its own treatment
- Sleep problems that take several weeks to settle
- Finding that you also need help with alcohol, nicotine or other drugs
- Worsening of, or first appearance of, distressing experiences such as paranoia or psychosis in people who are vulnerable
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide, which need urgent help
The main risks are emotional rather than physical: low mood, anxiety and poor sleep as you adjust, and the pull of cravings. Cannabis can also worsen or unmask psychosis in vulnerable people. Ask your clinician how withdrawal will be supported, how your mood will be monitored, and exactly who to contact if you feel unsafe or your mental health gets worse.
Published figures to discuss
Outcomes vary a lot from person to person and depend on how heavily and how long you have used, your mental health, your support and your own goals. Reliable success rates for any single programme are hard to quote because studies use different measures and populations, lapses are common, and many people improve over several attempts rather than one. We therefore describe risk in plain words rather than precise percentages.
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Withdrawal symptoms | Common in dependent use | Irritability, sleep disturbance, anxiety, low mood and cravings can last days to weeks. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Psychosis or severe anxiety worsens | Higher with high-potency cannabis and vulnerable individuals | Paranoia, hallucinations or severe panic need urgent mental-health review. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Motivation, education or work impact underestimated | Common reason for treatment | Assessment should look beyond frequency to functioning, relationships, driving and finances. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| No licensed anti-cannabis medication | Current treatment reality | Psychological and behavioural support are central; detox claims should not promise a tablet cure. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.
What happens afterwards
There is no physical procedure to recover from. 'Afterwards' means the days, weeks and months as you cut down or stop, your body adjusts, and you build new routines. Withdrawal is uncomfortable for most people but not usually dangerous.
- Disturbed sleep and vivid or strange dreams for a couple of weeks
- Feeling more irritable, anxious or flat than usual at first
- Strong cravings that come and go, often triggered by people, places or stress
- Lapses or a return to use — common, and a reason to get back in touch, not to give up
Aftercare
- Keep your agreed sessions and stay in contact with your keyworker, especially in the first weeks.
- Plan ahead for triggers — people, places, times of day and stress — and have other things ready to do.
- Look after sleep, eating, exercise and daylight, which all help mood and cravings.
- Reduce easy access: avoid carrying cannabis, and let trusted people know you are cutting down.
- Treat a lapse as information, not failure — tell your worker and adjust the plan.
- Get linked mental-health problems looked at; do not just 'wait them out' if they persist.
- Know who to contact, and how, if your mood drops or you feel unsafe.
- Keyworker or service contact number saved
- Your own goal written down (cut down or stop)
- List of personal triggers and a plan for each
- Healthy routines planned: sleep, meals, activity
- Trusted person told and on board
- Crisis numbers saved (Samaritans 116 123; FRANK 0300 123 6600; 999 in emergency)
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or feeling you cannot keep yourself safe — get urgent help now
- Hearing or seeing things others do not, strong paranoia, or feeling people are out to harm you
- Severe or worsening anxiety, panic or low mood that does not settle
- Not eating or drinking, or being unable to function day to day
- Heavy use of alcohol or other drugs to cope with stopping cannabis
- Feeling completely unable to cope on your own
Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your psychiatrist gives you.
Results & realistic expectations
A good outcome is using less or not at all, with better sleep, mood, thinking and day-to-day life, and a plan to keep those gains. Many people get there, though often after more than one attempt — relapse is part of the picture for many and does not mean treatment has failed.
Treatment cannot guarantee you will never use again, and it cannot undo every effect on its own. It gives you skills, support and a plan. If linked anxiety, low mood or psychosis risk is present, treating those alongside gives the best chance of lasting change.
Staying well is an ongoing process rather than a one-off event. Many people need follow-up support, and some have further courses of help over time. Triggers, stress and life changes can bring cravings back even after a long break, so a simple relapse-prevention plan and knowing how to re-access help matter for the long term.
Related tests, treatments or support
Cannabis dependence treatment is often combined with help for other substances (alcohol, nicotine, other drugs) and with mental-health treatment for anxiety, low mood, trauma or psychosis. Tackling these together, rather than one at a time in isolation, usually works better.
Follow-up & long-term care
You will usually have regular reviews with your keyworker to check progress, adjust the plan and pick up any lapses early. If your mood or mental health is a concern, follow-up may involve a doctor or mental-health specialist. Good services make it easy to come back if things slip, without you having to start from scratch.
- A written relapse-prevention plan you can use if cravings return
- Ongoing peer support (such as SMART Recovery) if it helps you
- Routine attention to sleep, mood, stress and other substance use
- A clear, low-barrier way to re-access the service if you need it
Repeat, follow-on and what comes next
- Many people need more than one attempt before stopping or cutting down for good — this is expected, not a failure.
- Plans are often adjusted along the way, for example adding mental-health support or changing the goal.
- Re-accessing help after a lapse is a normal part of recovery, and good services make this easy.
Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.
What good aftercare looks like
- A named keyworker and an easy, low-barrier way to get back in touch
- Regular reviews of progress, mood and any other substance use
- A written relapse-prevention plan and clear crisis instructions
- Joined-up care with mental-health services where anxiety, low mood or psychosis is involved
- Support that treats lapses as part of recovery, without shame or being discharged for slipping
What affects the cost
Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:
- Whether you use free NHS or charity services, or pay for private care
- The type and amount of therapy (one-to-one CBT, group work, length of programme)
- Whether mental-health assessment or treatment for anxiety, low mood or psychosis risk is included
- Whether help with other substances (alcohol, nicotine, other drugs) is needed alongside
- Involvement of a doctor or specialist as well as a therapist or keyworker
- Number and length of follow-up reviews and ongoing support
- Who you will see (keyworker, therapist, doctor) and their relevant experience
- Number, length and type of sessions included, and what extra sessions cost
- Whether mental-health assessment and treatment of linked problems is included
- What follow-up and relapse support is included after the main treatment
- How urgent concerns or a mental-health crisis are handled
- The cancellation policy and what happens if you need more support than planned
On the NHS? Cannabis dependence treatment is available free and confidentially on the NHS and through charities; people may use private services for speed, privacy or choice, but they do not have to pay to get help.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.
Consent traps and marketing red flags
These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.
Consent traps
- Being promised a 'cure' or guaranteed success — no honest service can promise this.
- Not being told that the main treatment is talking-based and that there is no licensed anti-cannabis medicine.
- No discussion of how withdrawal, low mood or psychosis risk will be supported and monitored.
- No clear plan for what to do, or who to contact, in a mental-health crisis.
- Not being told that free NHS and charity help exists, so you feel you must pay.
Marketing red flags
- Claims of a 'guaranteed cure' or a quick, permanent fix for cannabis dependence
- A medicine or supplement sold as making cravings disappear
- Pressure to commit to expensive packages before a proper assessment
- Playing down withdrawal, mental-health risks or the chance of relapse
- Implying you must pay privately when free NHS and charity help is available
Choosing a specialist safely
- Check the psychiatrist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
- Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
- You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the psychiatrist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
- Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
- You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good psychiatrist will welcome every one of these.
- What treatment do you offer for cannabis specifically, and how is it delivered?
- How will you support me through withdrawal and cravings in the first weeks?
- How will my mood and mental health be checked, given cannabis can affect these?
- What is your approach if I also use alcohol, nicotine or other drugs?
- What exactly should I do, and who do I contact, if I feel unsafe or things get worse?
- How easy is it to come back if I have a setback after finishing?
- Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
- Will you be the psychiatrist who carries out my treatment, and who looks after me afterwards?
- What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
- What does a realistic result look like — and what can this treatment not achieve?
- What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
- Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
- What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?
Frequently asked questions
Can I get help for cannabis on the NHS?
Is there a medicine to stop cannabis cravings?
Is cannabis withdrawal dangerous?
Do I have to stop completely, or can I just cut down?
Will it be confidential?
What if I have a setback?
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How we made this page
Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →
Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.
Sources & standards: NHS — Drug addiction: getting help FRANK — Cannabis Royal College of Psychiatrists — Cannabis and mental health We Are With You — drug and alcohol support Turning Point — drug and alcohol services NHS inform — Cannabis
Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.
Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.
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