Survey finds 86% of patients with psychosis willing to try CBD as treatment

Among 70 patients with psychotic disorders, 86% were willing to try CBD as a treatment, 69% believed it would improve their symptoms, and 64% expected fewer side effects than current antipsychotic medications.

Chesney, Edward et al.·Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology·2022·Preliminary EvidenceCross-Sectional
RTHC-03756Cross SectionalPreliminary Evidence2022RETHINKTHC RESEARCH DATABASErethinkthc.com/research

Quick Facts

Study Type
Cross-Sectional
Evidence
Preliminary Evidence
Sample
N=70

What This Study Found

86% of patients were willing to try CBD. 69% believed CBD would improve their psychotic symptoms. 64% expected CBD to have fewer side effects than their current medications (mainly antipsychotics). Only 10% were concerned CBD might worsen psychosis, and this appeared to reflect confusion between CBD and cannabis.

Key Numbers

70 patients surveyed; 86% willing to try CBD; 69% expected symptom improvement; 64% expected fewer side effects; 10% concerned about worsening psychosis.

How They Did This

Survey of 70 patients with psychotic disorders assessing expectations about CBD efficacy and side effects.

Why This Research Matters

Patient acceptability is crucial for treatment success, especially in psychosis where medication adherence is a major challenge. The high willingness to try CBD, combined with its emerging evidence and low side effect profile, makes it a promising candidate.

The Bigger Picture

The high acceptability of CBD among psychosis patients reflects broader public awareness of cannabis-derived compounds. If clinical trials confirm efficacy, CBD could improve adherence rates that plague antipsychotic treatment.

What This Study Doesn't Tell Us

Small sample (n=70). Patients may conflate expectations with hopes. Acceptability does not predict efficacy. No assessment of patient understanding of the difference between CBD and THC. Selection bias toward patients open to novel treatments.

Questions This Raises

  • ?Would the 10% who feared worsening change their minds with proper education about CBD vs. THC?
  • ?Does high acceptability translate to better adherence if CBD is prescribed?
  • ?What dose would be needed for antipsychotic effects?

Trust & Context

Key Stat:
86% of psychosis patients willing to try CBD treatment
Evidence Grade:
Small cross-sectional survey assessing acceptability, not efficacy.
Study Age:
Published in 2022.
Original Title:
Acceptability of cannabidiol in patients with psychosis.
Published In:
Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 12, 20451253221128445 (2022)
Database ID:
RTHC-03756

Evidence Hierarchy

Meta-Analysis / Systematic Review
Randomized Controlled Trial
Cohort / Case-Control
Cross-Sectional / ObservationalSnapshot without intervening
This study
Case Report / Animal Study

A snapshot of a population at one point in time.

What do these levels mean? →

Frequently Asked Questions

Would patients with psychosis accept CBD treatment?

Yes, based on this survey. 86% of patients were willing to try CBD, driven by expectations of symptom improvement and fewer side effects than their current antipsychotic medications.

Were patients concerned CBD might worsen psychosis?

Only 10% expressed this concern, and the researchers noted this appeared to stem from confusion between CBD (which has potential antipsychotic properties) and cannabis (which contains THC that can worsen psychosis).

Read More on RethinkTHC

Cite This Study

RTHC-03756·https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03756

APA

Chesney, Edward; Lamper, Doga; Lloyd, Millie; Oliver, Dominic; Hird, Emily; McGuire, Philip. (2022). Acceptability of cannabidiol in patients with psychosis.. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 12, 20451253221128445. https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253221128445

MLA

Chesney, Edward, et al. "Acceptability of cannabidiol in patients with psychosis.." Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253221128445

RethinkTHC

RethinkTHC Research Database. "Acceptability of cannabidiol in patients with psychosis." RTHC-03756. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/chesney-2022-acceptability-of-cannabidiol-in

Access the Original Study

Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.