6 Signs You May Need Mental Health Help
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Cannabis: The Heart and Brain Risks No One Warned You About
New studies link cannabis use to heart attack, stroke, poor blood flow, and increased risk for mental health disorders.
As more states enact legalization and usage increases among the American public, cannabis is often considered a “natural remedy” or a “soft drug.” But its negative impacts on the human body shouldn’t be taken lightly.
An increasing number of studies show that marijuana is far from harmless. In recent years, researchers have even drawn links between marijuana use and increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. And because cardiovascular health is inextricably linked with brain health, that’s bad news for mental health, too.
Cannabis use boosts the risk for mental health issues. These include psychosis and schizophrenia, as well as mood disorders, such as clinical depression and anxiety disorders.
CANNABIS AND HEART HEALTH
In March 2025, findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session that linked cannabis use with heart attacks. This presentation combined a study with more than 4.6 million participants and a meta-analysis of 12 previous studies that, in total, involved 75 million-plus people.
The study found that cannabis users under the age of 50 were more than six times likelier to have a heart attack, compared to non-users. And the meta-analysis showed that users had a 50% increased risk of heart attack.
The study also noted cannabis users had a fourfold risk of ischemic stroke, double the risk of heart failure, and a threefold risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke. Participants had no “significant cardiovascular comorbidities,” such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, diabetes, tobacco use, or preexisting coronary artery disease.
These findings supported a previous study that was presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in 2023. It found that daily marijuana users were one-third more likely to develop coronary artery disease, compared with those who’d never used the drug.
Similarly, in 2024, the Journal of the American Heart Association reported research that found any use of cannabis (smoking, vaping, or eating) was correlated with an increased risk for stroke and heart attack. Again, this held true even without other underlying cardiovascular risk factors present, including smoking tobacco.
This study analyzed survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tracking 434,104 U.S. adults from 2016 to 2020. It found that “any marijuana use was linked to a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes, but people who used it most frequently had the highest odds.”
Daily users had 25% higher odds of having a heart attack and 42% higher odds of stroke than non-users. Among men under age 55 and women under age 65, marijuana use created 36% higher combined odds for coronary heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.
HOW MARIJUANA AFFECTS YOUR HEART AND BRAIN
It’s no surprise that cardiovascular issues are associated with negative effects on overall cognitive function and mental health. What’s bad for the heart is bad for the brain. Marijuana and brain health don’t mix.
Amen Clinics founder Dr. Daniel Amen wrote in The End of Mental Illness about his early experience witnessing the connection between cardiovascular disease and depression. After his grandfather, Daniel Ara, had a heart attack at age 69, his personality drastically changed.
Once a happy and positive man, after the heart attack he cried easily, suffered from sleeping troubles, and lost his usual joyful attitude. Eventually, he was diagnosed with major depression and prescribed antidepressant medication.
“He’s one of the main reasons why I fell in love with helping people who are suffering from brain health/mental health issues,” Dr. Amen wrote. “I wish I had known then what I know now about sugar, blood flow, heart disease, and depression.”
Blood flow is critical for the human body—transporting nutrients, including oxygen, to cells while flushing toxins. And the brain especially needs blood flow to function. Though it makes up only 2% of a human’s body weight, it uses 20% of the body’s oxygen and blood flow.
Related: 11 Ways You’re Lowering Blood Flow to Your Brain (and Why You Should Care)
That’s one reason why marijuana, and anything else that inhibits blood flow, will damage the heart and blood vessels—and inevitably harm the brain. Conversely, maintaining heart health helps promote optimal brain health. The link between cardiovascular and mental health has been firmly established in the field of study known as psychocardiology.
Research in this field has shown that those with mental health conditions (including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia) are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases, even at young ages. And the relationship is bidirectional: People with cardiovascular disease are more likely to suffer from conditions like depression and dementia.
Therefore, protecting the blood vessels that feed the body’s neurons will boost not only heart health, but brain health. The result is a sharper mind as well as improved mental health.
On the other hand, low blood flow has been observed through SPECT brain scans to accompany numerous mental health conditions and symptoms. These include depression, suicide, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, and more. Studies have shown that using marijuana is associated with lower cerebral blood flow.
The effects over time can be devastating. A study of more than 7,700 brain images found that vascular dysregulation within the brain was a key signal in the early development of Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, low blood flow (detectable by SPECT scan) is the #1 predictor that a person will develop this condition.
CANNABIS AND MENTAL HEALTH RISKS
Clearly, the potential mental health effects of cannabis are alarming. Numerous studies have examined the links between marijuana use and brain health, with dangerous implications for mental health.
These effects are particularly insidious for young users (adolescents, teens, and young adults), whose brains are still developing. Studies have found numerous dangers of using cannabis during neurodevelopment, including:
- Disruption of the endocannabinoid system
- Interference with crucial brain processes, including synaptic pruning and neuroplasticity
- Reduced hippocampal neurogenesis, leading to memory deficits and cognitive decline
- Effects on neurotransmitter systems, including the dopaminergic, glutaminergic, and GABAergic systems
- Structural and functional brain changes in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus
- Decline in cognitive performance, attention, and memory
- Risk for developing dependence, known as marijuana use disorder
In addition, cannabis use boosts the risk for mental health issues. These include psychosis and schizophrenia, as well as mood disorders, such as clinical depression and anxiety disorders. Users may also experience emotional dysregulation.
Related: Scary Ways Cannabis Impacts the Developing Brain
Finally, cannabis inhibits normal functioning, interfering with everyday tasks. The World Health Organization warns that the drug impairs psychomotor skills, affecting coordination and attention.
For example, cannabis can interfere with safe machinery operation for as long as 24 hours after smoking it, raising the risk of dangers like car accidents. Accidents can lead to concussion and traumatic brain injury, which trigger their own negative impacts on the brain and mental health.
Press Play to Discover More About Cannabis and Mental Health
In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen reveal the darker side of marijuana no one’s talking about. Discover what brain SPECT scans show about its effects on brain health, mental well-being, and mood regulation—and learn why it’s important to know the full story before you decide if it’s right for you.
QUITTING CANNABIS FOR BETTER HEART AND BRAIN HEALTH
Legal drugs like marijuana are often construed as safe or low-consequence. But we know that legal drugs, such as nicotine and alcohol, can be just as unsafe as many so-called hard drugs.
Despite its medical uses and widespread legalization, don’t be fooled by marijuana’s “health halo.” With a long list of negative side effects, and with varieties sold now more dangerously potent than ever, avoiding or quitting cannabis is a must to maintain optimal heart and brain health.
We're Here To Help
Addiction, depression, and other mental health conditions can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we provide personalized, science-backed treatment plans designed to target the root causes of your symptoms. Our 360-approach includes brain SPECT imaging, clinical evaluations, innovative therapeutic techniques, medications (when necessary), and holistic lifestyle recommendations to promote the health of your brain, body, and mind. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
Amen Clinics
Founded in 1989 by double-board certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist Daniel G. Amen, MD, Amen Clinics Inc. (ACI) is known as the best brain and mental health company in the world. Our clinical staff includes over 50 healthcare specialists, including adult and child psychiatrists, integrative (functional) medicine physicians, naturopaths, addiction specialists, forensic psychiatrists, geriatric psychiatrists, nutritionists, licensed therapists, and more. Our clinicians have all been hand-selected and personally trained by Dr. Amen, whose mission is to end mental illness by creating a revolution in brain health. Over the last 35-plus years, ACI has built the world’s largest database of functional brain scans—over 250,000 SPECT scans on patients from 155 countries—related to how people think, feel, and behave.
American College of Cardiology, Cannabis Users Face Substantially Higher Risk of Heart Attack. Mar 18, 2025. https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2025/03/17/15/35/Cannabis-Users-Face-Substantially-Higher-Risk
American College of Cardiology, Frequent Marijuana Use Linked to Heart Disease. Feb 24, 2023. https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2023/02/23/18/53/Frequent-Marijuana-Use-Linked-to-Heart-Disease
American Heart Association, Marijuana use linked to higher risk of heart attack and stroke, by American Heart Association News. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/02/28/marijuana-use-linked-to-higher-risk-of-heart-attack-and-stroke
Amen DG, Darmal B, Raji CA, Bao W, Jorandby L, Meysami S, Raghavendra CS (2017) Discriminative Properties of Hippocampal Hypoperfusion in Marijuana Users Compared to Healthy Controls: Implications for Marijuana Administration in Alzheimer’s Dementia. J Alzheimers Dis, doi: 10.3233/JAD-160833.
CVD and mental health disorders: Link established, more research needed, by Erik Swain. Cardiology Today, November 2015. https://www.healio.com/news/cardiology/20151105/cvd-and-mental-health-disorders-link-established-more-research-needed
Iturria-Medina Y, Sotero RC, Toussaint PJ, Matteos-Perez JM, Evans AC. The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Early role of vascular dysregulation on late-onset Alzheimer’s disease based on multifactorial data-driven analysis. Nature Comm 2016; 7: 11934. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms11934.pdf
World Health Organization. Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours: Cannabis. https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/alcohol-drugs-and-addictive-behaviours/drugs-psychoactive/cannabis
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Can’t Put Your Phone Down? The Neuroscience of Nomophobia
Nomophobia is the fear of being without your phone. Learn how it impacts your brain, emotions, and mental health—and what you can do.
Do you feel a sense of anxiety or panic when you’re away from your tech devices? Do you have a fear of being without your phone or online access? Has excessive use of smartphones interfered with your daily responsibilities or your relationships?
As modern life increasingly incorporates technology, young people today have grown up in a world where not being connected is almost unimaginable. However, we also know that too much tech can have negative effects—from increased risk of ADHD and digital dementia to changes in brain development and addiction.
In recent years, researchers have also been exploring another way smartphone dependency can impact mental health. It’s called nomophobia: a fear of being away from or disconnected from mobile devices.
Researchers believe that nomophobia-related stress stems from smartphone users feeling socially threatened without online connectivity. Ironically, those who have nomophobia are also likely to report loneliness.
WHAT IS NOMOPHOBIA?
According to a systematic review in a 2021 issue of PloS One, the term nomophobia was coined by the U.K. Post Office in 2008, when it worked with research organization YouGov to examine mobile phone-related anxiety. It combines the words “no mobile phone phobia.”
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In that study, nearly 13 million people (53% of survey respondents) reported being anxious about their phones. Losing or forgetting their phone, running out of battery or network coverage, and not receiving calls, texts, or emails for a while were all reported sources of anxiety.
A 2019 study in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care notes that nomophobia is a type of “over-connection syndrome,” wherein face-to-face interactions are reduced to accommodate virtual ones. It also relates to the term “techno-stress,” which refers to avoiding face-to-face socialization in favor of technology, leading to withdrawal and possibly depression.
The study authors outlined numerous nomophobia symptoms, including:
- Anxiety when faced with loss of a cell phone, loss of signal, or a drained phone battery
- Using the smartphone impulsively or as a protective mechanism to avoid social communication
- Carrying multiple mobile phones and/or battery chargers to avoid disconnection
- Preferring virtual over face-to-face social interactions
- Keeping the phone in reach and powered on at all times, even during sleep
- Frequently looking at the phone to avoid missing a notification (also called “ringxiety”)
- Respiratory changes, trembling, perspiration, agitation, disorientation, or rapid heartbeat induced by phone-related anxiety
In addition, nomophobia can lead to larger problems in life. These include financial distress due to mobile phone charges, compromised face-to-face relationships, or physical problems like pain in the body (such as in the hands or neck) due to constant smartphone use.
NOMOPHOBIA AND MENTAL HEALTH
A 2021 systematic review study in Addiction & Health explained that recent studies pointed to certain psychological characteristics as being associated with smartphone addiction. These include:
- Stress
- Extroversion (greater need for socialization and communication)
- Lack of self-responsibility (because online communication has no limitations and rules)
- Emotional instability (indirect communication like messaging reduces neurotic or stressful incidents)
- Low self-esteem
- Lack of self-discipline
Does phone addiction cause anxiety or depression? According to this review, nomophobia and excess phone usage were found in various studies to be linked to traits like depression, anxiety, perfectionism, aggressiveness, impulsiveness, and neuroticism.
Press Play to Discover How Your Phone Habits Can Affect Your Mood
In this video, Dr. Daniel Amen explores how excessive use of digital devices can impact your energy and outlook.
Click below to tune in:
Nomophobia can also co-occur with other mental health conditions, such as social anxiety disorder. And it may interfere with sleep, which can create its own devastating impacts on mental health.
Generally, younger populations, females, and individuals with anxiety are more likely to experience nomophobia. According to a study published in 2023, the increased risk for mobile phone dependence among females and participants with anxiety problems was 15% and 75%, respectively.
Researchers believe that nomophobia-related stress stems from smartphone users feeling socially threatened without online connectivity. Ironically, those who have nomophobia are also likely to report loneliness.
These findings are supported by a 2022 study that used questionnaires to assess nomophobia with variables like depression, anxiety, stress, social and emotional loneliness, and emotional skills. This study determined that other factors (in addition to being female and younger in age) played a role in developing the condition.
Nomophobia was associated with:
- Owning a smart device from an early age
- More time spent on devices (several hours of smartphone use, frequent checking of messages and notifications, long periods of time on social networks, etc.)
- Prolonged use of smart devices before bedtime
- More pronounced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress
- Lower emotional skills and competencies
The researchers concluded that “nomophobia and emotional skills and competence act as significant predictors in expression of distress factors.” The variance in the severity of symptoms of depression reached 30%, with the variance 24% for anxiety symptoms and 26% for stress symptoms.
IS NOMOPHOBIA AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSIS?
Authors of the above-mentioned systematic review study in Addiction & Health explained that, in some cases, nomophobia is considered a “situational phobia.” This designation would categorize it with other phobias, like agoraphobia.
In other cases, nomophobia is considered a behavioral addiction—that is, an addiction to using smartphones—which manifests through symptoms of psychosocial and physical dependency. Let’s look closer at the neuroscience of nomophobia and the brain changes associated with phobias and behavioral addictions.
Related: Behavioral Addiction in the Brain: Types and Treatment
SPECT brain imaging studies at Amen Clinics have shown that phobic brains work differently. Understanding how phones affect brain health is a critical part of coping with nomophobia.
When an individual is faced with their phobia, abnormal activity affects several brain regions. There is increased activation in the:
- Prefrontal cortex (PFC)—involved in focus, judgment, and decision-making
- Insula—involved in emotions, self-awareness, and perception
- Posterior cingulate cortex—involved in emotional salience and memory
Behavioral addictions have also been shown in SPECT scans to involve multiple areas of the brain:
- PFC—lower activity here is associated with impulsive behavior
- Anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG)—the brain’s “gear shifter”
- Nucleus accumbens—plays a role in experiencing rewards and happiness
- Amygdala—involved in emotions and fear responses
- Hippocampus—helps memories move into long-term storage
Ultimately, numerous brain changes can occur alongside nomophobia symptoms, and additional mental health conditions often co-exist with it. Because of these complexities, a SPECT scan can be helpful to pinpoint root causes and create a personalized treatment plan.
THE FUTURE OF NOMOPHOBIA
Researchers have been advocating for nomophobia to be entered into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for well over a decade. Currently, it is categorized under the umbrella designation of “specific phobia” in the subcategory of “other.”
As technological devices become ever more commonplace—and required for more functions in our day-to-day life—it is likely that this widespread issue will continue to attract more attention in the medical community.
We're Here To Help
Phobias, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we provide personalized, science-backed treatment plans designed to target the root causes of your symptoms. Our 360-approach includes brain SPECT imaging, clinical evaluations, innovative therapeutic techniques, medications (when necessary), and holistic lifestyle recommendations to promote the health of your brain, body, and mind. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
Amen Clinics
Founded in 1989 by double-board certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist Daniel G. Amen, MD, Amen Clinics Inc. (ACI) is known as the best brain and mental health company in the world. Our clinical staff includes over 50 healthcare specialists, including adult and child psychiatrists, integrative (functional) medicine physicians, naturopaths, addiction specialists, forensic psychiatrists, geriatric psychiatrists, nutritionists, licensed therapists, and more. Our clinicians have all been hand-selected and personally trained by Dr. Amen, whose mission is to end mental illness by creating a revolution in brain health. Over the last 35-plus years, ACI has built the world’s largest database of functional brain scans—over 250,000 SPECT scans on patients from 155 countries—related to how people think, feel, and behave.
León-Mejía AC, Gutiérrez-Ortega M, Serrano-Pintado I, González-Cabrera J. A systematic review on nomophobia prevalence: Surfacing results and standard guidelines for future research. PLoS One. 2021 May 18;16(5):e0250509. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250509. PMID: 34003860; PMCID: PMC8130950.
Bhattacharya S, Bashar MA, Srivastava A, Singh A. NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019 Apr;8(4):1297-1300. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19. PMID: 31143710; PMCID: PMC6510111.
Notara V, Vagka E, Gnardellis C, Lagiou A. The Emerging Phenomenon of Nomophobia in Young Adults: A Systematic Review Study. Addict Health. 2021 Apr;13(2):120-136. doi: 10.22122/ahj.v13i2.309. PMID: 34703533; PMCID: PMC8519611.
Naser, A.Y., Alwafi, H., Itani, R. et al. Nomophobia among university students in five Arab countries in the Middle East: prevalence and risk factors. BMC Psychiatry 23, 541 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05049-4
Santl L, Brajkovic L, Kopilaš V. Relationship between Nomophobia, Various Emotional Difficulties, and Distress Factors among Students. Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ. 2022 Jul 5;12(7):716-730. doi: 10.3390/ejihpe12070053. PMID: 35877453; PMCID: PMC9316259.
Bragazzi NL, Del Puente G. A proposal for including nomophobia in the new DSM-V. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2014 May 16;7:155-60. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S41386. PMID: 24876797; PMCID: PMC4036142.
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