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Innovations in treatment
Case report
Treatment of social anxiety disorder and attenuated psychotic symptoms with cannabidiol
  1. Maximus Berger1,2,
  2. Emily Li1,2 and
  3. Günter Paul Amminger1,2
  1. 1Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  2. 2Orygen, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Maximus Berger; maximus.berger{at}orygen.org.au

Abstract

Anxiety disorders in young people are frequently comorbid with other mental disorders and respond unsatisfactorily to first-line treatment in many cases. Here, we report the case of a 20-year-old man with severe social anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, insomnia and attenuated psychotic symptoms despite ongoing treatment with cognitive behavioural therapy and mirtazapine who was treated with adjunctive cannabidiol (CBD) in doses between 200 and 800 mg/day for 6 months. During treatment with CBD, he experienced subjective benefits to his anxiety, depression and positive symptoms during treatment that were confirmed by clinicians and by standardised research instruments. Findings from this case study add to existing evidence in support of the safety of CBD and suggest that it may be useful for young people with treatment refractory anxiety and for attenuated psychotic symptoms.

  • anxiety disorders (including OCD and PTSD)
  • psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia)
  • psychiatry (drugs and medicines)

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-235307

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MB, EL and GPA planned the case report. MB drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the final version of the case report.

    • Funding This case report was supported by a grant from the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.