Why people reach for them
A glass of wine after a tense day or an edible to get to sleep can feel like a reasonable fix. For many adults it is a small habit. For others it slowly becomes the main way to manage anxiety, loneliness or low mood, and it starts to cause the problems it was meant to solve.
The overlap is well established. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) notes that alcohol use disorder often occurs alongside depression, anxiety disorders, trauma-related conditions and sleep disorders, and that the conditions can develop together or one after the other.
How alcohol affects anxiety and mood
Alcohol relaxes you at first. The rebound comes later. NIAAA notes that anxiety-like symptoms can follow even a single heavy drinking episode, something the popular press calls "hangxiety", and can build between drinking episodes, peaking during withdrawal. The relief at 7 p.m. and the dread at 3 a.m. are often connected.
Sleep is part of this. NIAAA explains that even moderate amounts of alcohol can change sleep, for example by reducing REM sleep, and that in people who drink heavily, sleep can take 30 or more days without alcohol to recover. Poor sleep then feeds anxiety and low mood. Sleep, Insomnia and Mood: How They Feed Each Other explains that loop.
Because alcohol can cause anxiety and low mood on its own, NIAAA describes clinicians building a timeline with patients: when did the anxiety start, when did the drinking start, and what happens to mood during stretches without alcohol? That helps separate symptoms caused by drinking from an anxiety or depressive disorder that needs its own treatment.
How cannabis affects anxiety and mood
Cannabis effects vary widely with the product and the person. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) notes that some people feel relaxed, while others experience anxiety, fear, distrust or panic. Those reactions are more common with large amounts, high-THC products, or little experience. NIDA reports that dispensary concentrates can contain more than 40% THC, and that higher THC is associated with a greater chance of developing cannabis use disorder.
NIDA also reports research linking cannabis use in adolescence to a higher risk of depression, and notes that cannabis has been linked to earlier onset of psychosis in people with genetic risk factors.
Cannabis can also be habit-forming. MedlinePlus notes that it can be addictive, especially with daily use, and that stopping can bring mild withdrawal, including irritability, trouble sleeping, anxiety and cravings. That withdrawal can feel like proof that you "need" cannabis for anxiety, when part of what you feel is the withdrawal itself.
What Michigan law says about cannabis
As the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) explains, Michigan voters legalized marijuana for adults 21 and older in 2018 through the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act. Medical marijuana has been legal under a separate 2008 act, and medical cards are available at 18. The CRA licenses and regulates both adult-use and medical businesses.
Under section 5 of the act (MCL 333.27955), as of November 2026 adults 21 and older may:
- Possess, use, buy or transport up to 2.5 ounces, with no more than 15 grams as concentrate
- Keep up to 10 ounces at home, and grow up to 12 plants there for personal use
- Give up to 2.5 ounces to another adult 21 or older, as long as no payment is involved
Section 4 of the act (MCL 333.27954) lists what the law does not allow, including:
- Driving or operating a car, boat, snowmobile or off-road vehicle while under the influence
- Consuming cannabis in a public place
- Use by anyone under 21
Section 4 also says the law does not require employers to allow cannabis use, and that employers may discipline employees who violate a workplace drug policy or work under the influence. MedlinePlus notes that, as of its August 2026 update, recreational cannabis is still illegal under federal law. If you are unsure how this affects your job, check your employer's written policy; Your Rights at Work With Anxiety or Depression in Michigan covers mental health protections at work.
The CRA's consumer pages also let you verify that a dispensary is licensed. Legal, licensed products still carry the mood effects described above.
Questions worth asking yourself
- Do I drink or use mostly to manage anxiety, sleep or sadness, rather than for enjoyment?
- Is my anxiety worse the morning after, or on days I do not use?
- Have I tried to cut back and found it harder than expected?
- Has anyone close to me raised it?
- Am I using more than I used to for the same effect?
These are not a diagnosis. They are a way to notice whether the coping tool has become part of the problem.
Getting help
NIAAA notes that recovery is more likely when alcohol use disorder and a co-occurring mental health condition are both treated. Your primary care doctor is a good place to start; tell them honestly how much and how often you drink or use. NIAAA notes that withdrawal from heavy drinking can bring serious complications, so if you drink heavily, talk with a doctor before stopping. The SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free and confidential and can point you to treatment.
Therapy can help with the anxiety or low mood underneath the habit. If substance use itself has become hard to control, ask any therapist directly whether they treat substance use, or whether working alongside a specialist makes sense. Dr. Lehmann, a licensed clinical psychologist in Franklin, offers anxiety therapy and depression therapy for adults in Michigan.