Preclinical and experimental research suggests medicinal cannabis may help treat posttraumatic stress disorder, but integrating it into routine clinical therapies poses clinical, practical, and safety challenges, especially when combined with trauma-focused psychotherapy. Key issues include dose timing and titration, addiction potential, product formulation, windows of intervention, and route of administration. Exposure therapy for PTSD involves recalling intense emotions, and the interaction between cannabis use and reliving trauma memories requires exploration for patient safety and therapeutic outcomes.
Neuroscientific methods have heavily shaped public perception of clinical psychology, but their contribution to understanding human psychology and the self is limited. This article reviews the shortcomings of a psychopharmacological approach to mental disorders and proposes a psychological model where current neuroscientific research describes symptoms, not causes. The model aligns with network theories of disorders and emphasizes the Pattern Theory of the Self, arguing that disruptions to the psychological self are central to mental disorders. The author calls for reconsidering the philosophical foundations of clinical psychology and neuroscience to develop more effective interventions.