How Cannabis-Based Medicines May Help Adults with ADHD and Anxiety

For many adults living with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), day-to-day life can be challenging, particularly when anxiety, depression, or sensory sensitivities are also present.

Traditional stimulant medication can help some people, but others find that side effects such as appetite loss, mood changes, or sleep disruption make treatment difficult to sustain. In recent years, some patients have explored medical cannabis treatment under specialist supervision.

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Angeliki Papastefanou, who has prescribed Cannabis-Based Products for Medicinal Use (CBPM) for over five years, offers her perspective on one patient’s experience and what she has observed in clinical practice.

Disclaimer: The information below is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. CBPM should only be prescribed by a qualified specialist in accordance with UK regulations.

Understanding ADHD and Comorbid Anxiety

ADHD often coexists with anxiety or depression, creating a cycle of restlessness, worry, and difficulty concentrating. While stimulants can be effective, not everyone tolerates them well. Some patients report appetite suppression or poor sleep, especially early in treatment.

For more background on CBPM applications, see our page on Medical Cannabis for ADHD.

Dr Papastefanou explains that for one of her patients:

“stimulants also work very well for some ADHD patients, but in James’s case, they did not have much chance given his sensory issues and the fact he did not eat well.”

Because stimulants can reduce appetite, his treatment was “compromised from its onset.”

James’s Story: A Journey from Struggle to Stability

James, an adult with ADHD, ASD, anxiety, and depression, had long struggled with side effects from traditional medicines. Dr Papastefanou acknowledges

“his struggle of battling the everyday anxiety, inherent in the neurodevelopment conditions… of tolerating their side effects… [and] gradually deteriorating in his physical health given his unhealthy and very limited diet due to severe sensory issues.”

After starting prescribed CBPM, James noticed dramatic changes: improved well-being, better mood stability, and a healthier lifestyle. As Dr Papastefanou notes:

“James has seen a dramatic change in his symptoms that finally led to him feeling well in himself… minimising GP prescriptions, and overall, this whole improvement transformed this case into a success story.”

From Street Cannabis to Controlled Medicine

James had previously used cannabis recreationally without benefit. Dr Papastefanou highlights the key difference between unregulated use and medical prescription:

“James also mentioned that he had been using street cannabis since his adolescence without any positive effects, though, and he stressed the improvement he saw when he started the treatment with CBPM from a clinic, in a legal prescription that meant he knew what he was taking and in what doses he should take it.”

What Dr Papastefanou Observed

Drawing from years of clinical experience, Dr Papastefanou reports that she has:

“come across many success stories after treatment with these controlled medicines (oils, flowers, pastilles, vape cartridges).”

In this case, she believes that:

“CBPM targeted the patient’s anxiety and stabilised his mood, while they also ‘tamed’ his impulsivity and boosted his ability to notice, interpret, retain and lastly use information efficiently.”

She also observed an unexpected benefit:

“The fact that James started experimenting with different food textures was another unexpected benefit that freed him from other personal, social and cultural burdens that had shaped his personality before.”

If you’re exploring complementary or natural ADHD treatments, it’s important to discuss options with a qualified specialist.

Managing Stimulant ‘Crashes’ and Mood Rebounds

Many ADHD patients use both stimulants and CBPM under supervision. Dr Papastefanou writes:

“Quite many patients have also reported over the years that they have found their ADHD symptoms managed beautifully with certain stimulants and CBPM, and they explain eloquently that they use the former during the day… while the CBPM come later in the day, and usually after work, to manage the rebound effect of the stimulants when they wear off.”

She explains that when stimulants wear off, symptoms can worsen, a period often referred to as a “crash.” For some, CBPM helps ease irritability and emotional dysregulation:

“Patients who suffer with comorbid disorders… highlight that the CBPM help them to deal with the heightened anxiety and the low mood, preventing them from any kind of destructive behaviour.”

Benefits Reported by Experienced Patients

Over time, patients have described a consistent pattern of benefits:

• Better mood and emotional control during stimulant rebound periods

• Reduced anxiety and impulsivity

• Improved sleep quality, as

“patients who have seen great benefits from stimulants and do not want to stop them also come from CBPM prescriptions… and they have reported great benefits (less insomnia, fewer breaks during the night).”

Dr Papastefanou adds that these observations come from

“adults who have been experienced CBPM patients and have also used various stimulants throughout their lives.” Importantly, they are assessed as having “low risk for psychosis (almost like the rest of the population does).”

CBPM as a Controlled Medicine

Dr Papastefanou stresses the importance of regulation and appropriate use:

“I still see patients who are not aware that CBPM is a controlled drug, and therefore, the last resort.”

She clarifies that assessments review GP notes and previous treatments:

“The CBPM assessments consider the GP notes and whether the patient has a disorder that has approval for CBPM treatment in the U.K. and that they have tried other unsuccessful treatments.”

Readers can explore related conditions we treat to understand where CBPM may be considered.

While ADHD can be treated with CBPM, she notes that

“ASD has no such indication. Anxiety, though, has, and this is the reason that many ASD patients with comorbid anxiety seek CBPM treatment as the last resort.”

Who Can Access CBPM in the UK?

In the UK, CBPM is a controlled medicine and considered a last-resort treatment. It can only be prescribed by a specialist doctor following an in-depth assessment.

Conditions eligible for consideration include:

• ADHD with significant anxiety or depression

• Anxiety disorders

• Chronic pain and certain neurological conditions

Find out Do I qualify for medical cannabis? to learn more about the UK’s assessment process.

A Balanced Clinical View

Dr Papastefanou remains measured in her perspective:

“Stimulants for the treatment of ADHD are also great, and I have seen them working. They have side effects, though, but some patients decide to put up with them given their improvement on them, and it would be a one-sided view to write that they have not helped patients.”

Her commentary reflects the nuance required in modern ADHD care, recognising both the value of traditional pharmacology and the emerging evidence for CBPM as a potential adjunctive therapy.

Key Takeaways

• CBPM may support adults with ADHD who also experience anxiety, sleep issues, or stimulant-related side effects.

• It should only be prescribed legally and monitored by a qualified specialist.

• Stimulants remain effective for many; CBPM is typically a last-resort option when other treatments fail or cause intolerable effects.

About Dr Angeliki Papastefanou

Dr Angeliki Papastefanou contributes to this article as an independent medical expert and guest commentator. She is a Consultant Psychiatrist with extensive experience in both NHS and private healthcare settings and has prescribed Cannabis-Based Products for Medicinal Use (CBPM) for over five years.

The views and clinical opinions expressed are her own, based on her professional experience and medical judgment. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Lyphe Clinic or its affiliates.

If you would like to read the interview with James, you can find it here:

How Medical Cannabis Supports My ADHD & Autism: A Patient’s Journey

Or read more about Medical Cannabis for Anxiety in the UK