Does marijuana make OCD symptoms better or worse?

Depends on the person but it usually makes side effects worse since it can cause paranoia for lots of people.

I can only speak from my recent experience, but I noticed it made it WORST for me! I was a heavy smoker from 2020- until December 2025 where I had my first panic attack. After being over a month sober I'm realizing how much clearer my head is and how I can control my thought pattern. Before I would worry and let the intrusive thoughts get the best of me with no end but having my compulsive action begin avoiding things like intimacy etc. I am trying to work on this now which I felt like i never could before. Hope this helps! I know everyone is different

I can say, as someone with OCD and a chronic user for almost a decade (smoking daily) it could cause me to ruminate more and feel more anxious. Once you start doing it regularly it can be hard to even realize that the weed is helping putting you in that state. Today's weed is very potent and strong and therefore has more potentially bad side effects. It causes lack of REM sleep, leading to memory loss and irregular moods. It was my relief in the moment but in the long term it always prevented my brain from growing and earning the healthy ways to work with my OCD. I'm no doctor, and if you quit you should expect to experience increased anxiety/OCD the first month, but once you work past that IMHO it's worth not doing anymore. Your brain chemistry is more balanced, you sleep better, and once you regain motivation you learn how to combat OCD in healthier ways. Much less general anxiety too. If you want to quit/take a break, I definitely recommend downloading an app like Clear30 and learning how to meditate.

I just got diagnosed with OCD but I smoke a lot of weed and have for many years. I am very curious if it makes it better or not.

I think it personally depends on the person, because I don’t think it directly affects OCD in that way but can heighten anxiety and cause temporary paranoid thoughts in some people who’s brains are more sensitive to the effects of weed, but from what you’ve said try to be a little careful knowing you’ve had a panic attack from it before, you know? let me know if you need anything!!! we can navigate this together :)

I was a heavy pot smoker from the ages of 20-29! Oh, it was once my favorite thing! I thought it helped my OCD - I swear at the beginning it did! Then it didn’t but I didn’t realize. I had gotten so comfortable smoking I didn’t realize how bad my OCD was when I was high. I was a paranoid fool so I’d smoke more and repeat the cycle. I’ve been sober 3 years and my OCD is better. It was hard the first 6 months but I haven’t ever went back even for a night because my brain feels calmer! I still have OCD but I am less paranoid. It’s always worth trying anything to help your mental health! :)

My OCD got worse when I increased my weed smoking to cope with life. I was a non-frequent, social stoner 2003 - 2014. Then around 2015 I smoked more often and my OCD began (I didn’t know it was OCD at the time). In 2018 I had a head injury and started having PTSD-induced panic attacks. I had to stop smoking weed in 2019 because I would get way too anxious while high.