Social Anxiety and Marijuana Use

Social Anxiety and Marijuana Use
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Abstract
Social anxiety is a common risk factor for cannabis –related impairment. Particularly, it is a form of stress associated with high rate of problematic marijuana use. Studies indicate that there a causal relation between social anxiety and the use of Marijuana. However, the relationship is not reliant on the frequency of marijuana use. This study investigates this relation through the review of various studies on the topic. Notably, few studies have tried to explain this kind of relationship between social anxiety and the use of marijuana. Consequently, the individuals with social anxiety continue to be are significant vulnerability to conform to social pressures such as using the substance to avoid public ridicule. In some cases, they use marijuana to do away with some of the emotional conditions that seem to distress them. Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance Uncertainty, are just but some of the mechanisms through which, the social anxiety related to using marijuana manifest. Nonetheless, the study remains unconvincing due to various limitations including the population the results are drawn from, and the methodology. There is a need to conduct a controlled comprehensive study to ascertain the indications of a causal relation between social anxiety and the use of marijuana.
Marijuana remains a popular global drug easily obtained around the world. Indeed, there are increasing efforts to legalize cannabis due to various studies that have affirmed its medicinal benefits and the intense euphoria it produces (Buckner, Mallott, Schmidt, & Taylor, 2006, 1090).

Whichever the impression, cannabis remains a controversial drug. Notably, the illegal status puts it in conflict with the general notion that it is a harmless drug. According to Grant, Beck, & Davila (2007), the media and Hollywood personalities have promoted the concept of marijuana being trendy and cool. Nonetheless, Cannabis remains prohibited in most countries including the United States; except some states that have legalized it only for medical use (Donald, Elizabeth, Megan, & Joav, 2013, 5). Given the controversies and the societal challenges brought about by the use of marijuana, studies indicate that there is a casual association of social anxiety and the use of Marijuana; although, further studies are required to ascertain these findings
Social anxiety is a common risk factor for cannabis –related impairment. According to Buckner Et al (2007), Social anxiety is linked to increased use of marijuana, and it is experienced when the Grant, Beck, & Davila (2007) notes that the use of marijuana is associated with increased levels of social anxiety. A study by the U.S For example, the U.S National Comorbidity Study (NCS) reported that those with social anxiety are more likely to end up with impairments related to the use of marijuana. Besides, the report observed that the association at the worst may lead to Social Anxiety (Buckner et al., 2007, 2240).
Notably, there are mixed findings of the association between social and the frequency of cannabis use. Nonetheless, there is a clear relationship between social anxiety, and marijuana-related problems (Buckner & Schmidt, 2009, 866). The connotation that the social anxiety on a marijuana user is not directly linked to its use does not amount to general depression. However, Grant, Beck, & Davila (2007) notes that even after controlling these variables, there is still evidence suggesting the link between social anxiety and the use of the substance among non-clinical samples.
Moreover, the transition from being a first user of marijuana among adolescent boys and men to the point of experiencing post-withdrawal syndromes is a linked to social anxiety. Indeed, Donald, Elizabeth, Megan, & Joav, (2013) notes that the general marijuana dependency, has a close connection to social anxiety, than even its abuse; thereby indicating that persons with social anxiety are more vulnerable to server problems associated with the use of the substance.
In spite of the problem being acute among the users, there is yet to be a comprehensive empirical study to shed more light on this relation. Tension reduction theory postulates that individuals in most cases use various substances to reduce the pressure they experience. In this line, marijuana users equally increase in the utilization of the drug with the aim of reducing social anxiety.
However, this only increases their anxiety to a constant level, thereby subjecting them to marijuana-related problems (Buckner, Mallott, Schmidt, & Taylor, 2006, 1100). Therefore, the youths who experience social anxiety use marijuana to deal with its negative impacts, and this illustrates the relation between social anxiety and the use of marijuana.
According to Buckner et al., (2007), social anxiety pushes individuals to use marijuana especially while in social places, or they may prefer avoiding such locations in the absences of marijuana. Indeed, the use of marijuana in places of social life can be traced to the association between social anxiety and marijuana-related problems. Undoubtedly, this is affirmed by Donald, Elizabeth, Megan, & Joav, (2013), that during public debates, those with high social anxiety reportedly develop a high craving for marijuana.
Notably, socially anxious persons fear public’s ridicule. To avoid public rebuke and ridicule, the troubled social individuals they conform to using marijuana. In a bid to illustrate the association, Buckner et al. (2007) notes that socially anxious individuals fear scrutiny from the peers who do not use marijuana. Therefore, they regularly use marijuana, to cope with the adverse effects of social anxiety. But because of the fear, they seek out their marijuana using a friend to find favorable accommodation. On the other hand, there are cased where those peers using the substance may mock the individual who does not use it. To avoid this mockery, the anxious social persons may choose to use marijuana as a way of conformity.
Nonetheless, Buckner, Mallott, Schmidt, & Taylor (2006) observes that dependency on the substance to avoid negative criticism by peers has the capacity preventing the adaptive measures of managing one’s moods, in particular among the users. Understandably, the use of marijuana among the anxious social individuals is to live with some of the disturbing emotional symptoms. Certainly, they are more likely to rely on marijuana to participate in social places, specifically to manage their anxiety and demeanor while in those locations. Conversely, they may avoid interactions and in these areas by using marijuana instead of forgoing those public situations.
But, provided the user finds the pattern of the behavior effective in reducing the adverse effects associated with the use of marijuana, the will continue to use it and eventually will be vulnerable to the negative effects of using the substance. Imperatively, it best to get an overview of the various mechanism through, which using marijuana affects social anxiety. According to Grant, Beck, & Davila (2007), the first mechanism is Anxiety Sensitivity (AS), which is a relatively stable risk factor that reflects fear of anxiety-related sensations. The principle induces anxiety sensitivity that the effect has negative physical, psychological and or social repercussions. For example, an individual with high AS may experience a fast heartbeat, and misinterpret that to mean a possibility of heart failure (Buckner et al., 2007, 2250). Conversely, a person with low anxiety sensitivity may think of it to be distasteful. Consequently, these individuals get anxious about a feared feeling and anxiety thereby increasing their reactions to actual anxiety.
Moreover, anxiety manifest as Intolerance of Uncertainty. Conceptually, it is related to AS, except that it is somewhat distinct. Specifically, it is related to cognitive vulnerability dynamics that influence individual’s perception, interpretation, and response to unfamiliar scenarios (Donald, Elizabeth, Megan, & Joav, 2013, 7). Understandably, persons who are intolerant uncertain scenarios tend to assume that they are stressful and should be avoided.
Certainly, it is related to anxiety and seen as a precursor to worry (Grant, Beck, & Davila, 2007, 2250). Furthermore, manipulation of IU affects anxiety, thereby suggesting that IU is casually associated with social anxiety. However, there are limitations to this research. For instance, the qualitative nature of the study makes casual references partially reliable. Conversely, the self-report data is a subject of memory bias. Consequently, the young college students are susceptible to marijuana-related injury.
In summary, the causal link between social anxiety and marijuana is undeniable. Nonetheless, it is not necessarily based on the number of times one uses marijuana. On the other hand, socially anxious persons are likely to be susceptible to conformity intentions such as using marijuana to prevent social condemnation. Further, such people use the drug to manage stressful emotional symptoms. Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance Uncertainty, are just but some of the mechanisms through which, the social anxiety related to using marijuana manifest. Nonetheless, the study remains unconvincing due to various limitations including the population the results are drawn from, and the methodology.
References
Buckner, J. D., & Schmidt, N. B. (2009). Social Anxiety Disorder and Marijuana Use Problems: The Mediating Role of Marijuana Effect Expectancies. Depression and Anxiety, 26(9), 864–870. http://doi.org/10.1002/da.20567.
Buckner, J. D., Bonn-Miller, M. O., Zvolensky, M. J., & Schmidt, N. B. (2007). Marijuana Use Motives and Social Anxiety among Marijuana Using Young Adults. Addictive Behaviors, 32(10), 2238–2252. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.04.004.
Buckner, J. D., Mallott, M. A., Schmidt, N. B., & Taylor, J. (2006). Peer influence and gender differences in problematic cannabis use among individuals with social anxiety. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 20(8), 1087-1102. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.03.002 .
Donald. E., Elizabeth .K., Megan .M. & Joav. M. (2013). Marijuana: current concepts. Frontiers in Public Health. 42(1), 2-10.
Grant, D. M., Beck, J. G., & Davila, J. (2007). Does anxiety sensitivity predict symptoms of panic, depression, and social anxiety? Behavior Research and Therapy, 45(9), 2247-2255. doi: http://dx.doi.org.libezp.lib.lsu.edu/10.1016/j.brat.2007.02.008 .