The Relationship Between Dissociative Experiences and Cannabis Use: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Purpose of Review This systematic review aimed to investigate the relation between cannabis use and dissociation. Recent Findings Four analytical and 14 descriptive cross-sectional studies were included. There is no variation in the rates of cannabis use among individuals with dissociative experiences compared with the general population. In addition, the prevalence of dissociative disorders in subjects using cannabis is not different from those not using cannabis. The majority of the studies employed inadequate sampling procedures and a concurrent or retrospective assessment of the two variables, which might have increased the risk of bias, and only a few of them controlled for potential confounders. Summary The limited number of eligible studies, combined with the heterogeneity of study design and methodological limitations, do not support the association between cannabis and dissociative experiences and prevent from any inference about the direction of causality.