Synthetic cannabinoid-induced anxiety disorder

Essential (Required) Features:

• The presentation is characterized by anxiety symptoms (e.g., apprehension or worry, fear, physiological symptoms of excessive autonomic arousal, panic attacks, avoidance behaviour) that develop during or soon after intoxication with or withdrawal from synthetic cannabinoids.
• The intensity or duration of the anxiety symptoms is substantially in excess of anxiety symptoms that are characteristic of Synthetic Cannabinoid Intoxication or Synthetic Cannabinoid Withdrawal.
• The symptoms are not better accounted for by another mental disorder such as an Anxiety or Fear-Related Disorder, a Depressive Disorder with prominent anxiety symptoms, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Evidence supporting a diagnosis of another mental disorder would include anxiety symptoms preceding the onset of synthetic cannabinoid use, the symptoms persisting for a substantial period of time after cessation of synthetic cannabinoids or withdrawal (e.g., 1 month or more), or other evidence of a pre-existing mental disorder with anxiety symptoms (e.g., a history of prior episodes not associated with synthetic cannabinoid use).
• The symptoms are not a manifestation of another medical condition.
• The symptoms cause significant distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

When making a diagnosis of Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder, an additional diagnosis indicating the related pattern of synthetic cannabinoid use should also be assigned. These include Episode of Harmful Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, Harmful Pattern of Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, and Synthetic Cannabinoid Dependence. A diagnosis of Synthetic Cannabinoid Intoxication or Synthetic Cannabinoid Withdrawal may also be assigned if applicable.

Additional Clinical Features:

• Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder may present with varying patterns of symptoms that vary according to the characteristics of the user (e.g., genetics, metabolism, personality factors). Synthetic Cannabinoids use in higher amounts or over longer period of time is more likely to be associated with the development of a Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder.
• Symptoms of Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder usually resolve or improve after sustained cessation of synthetic cannabinoid use.
• The duration of Substance Withdrawal for some substances can be protracted. For substances with more protracted withdrawal periods, the onset of symptoms of Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder can occur up to several weeks after the cessation of substance use. Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder symptoms related to substances with more protracted withdrawal periods may also last for correspondingly longer periods of time.
• In cases in which multiple psychoactive substance are used, it is often challenging to distinguish which substance is the cause of the Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder. When the specific etiological substance cannot be determined, a diagnosis of Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder Due to Multiple Specified Psychoactive Substances including Medications may assigned. In cases of multiple psychoactive substance use in which more than one specific substance can be identified as a cause of the Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder, the corresponding specific Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder diagnoses should be given instead.

Boundary with Normality (Threshold):

• Symptoms of Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorders should be differentiated from transient physiological aftereffects of intoxication (‘hangover effect’). The duration or severity of the symptoms in Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorders must be in excess of ‘hangover effects’ (e.g., transient low mood following alcohol use) of Synthetic Cannabinoids and result in significant distress or impairment of functioning.

Boundaries with Other Disorders and Conditions (Differential Diagnosis):

• Boundary with Synthetic Cannabinoid Intoxication and Synthetic Cannabinoid Withdrawal: Mental or behavioural symptoms that occur during Synthetic Cannabinoid Intoxication or Synthetic Cannabinoid Withdrawal should only be used as a basis for diagnosing a Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder if the intensity or duration of the symptoms is substantially in excess of those that are characteristic of Synthetic Cannabinoid Intoxication or Synthetic Cannabinoid Withdrawal and the symptoms are sufficiently severe to warrant specific clinical attention.
• Boundary with Episode of Harmful Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, Harmful Pattern of Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, or Synthetic Cannabinoid Dependence: The impact of repeated or continuous use of synthetic cannabinoids characteristic of Harmful Pattern of Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids and Synthetic Cannabinoids Dependence may include Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder. Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorders can also be associated with a single episode of synthetic cannabinoid use. In such cases, a Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder should be diagnosed together with a primary diagnosis of Episode of Harmful Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, Harmful Pattern of Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, or Synthetic Cannabinoid Dependence.
• Boundary with mental disorders not induced by synthetic cannabinoids: Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorders are differentiated from mental disorders with similar features that are not induced by synthetic cannabinoids on the basis of their onset, course and clinical features. A diagnosis of Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder requires evidence from history, physical or mental examination, or laboratory findings of recent synthetic cannabinoid use, intoxication or withdrawal. Most Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Mental Disorders resolve or improve within several weeks of cessation of synthetic cannabinoid use. Mental disorders not induced by synthetic cannabinoids may precede the onset of synthetic cannabinoid use or may continue to be symptomatic during periods of sustained abstinence. The co-occurrence of synthetic cannabinoid use or withdrawal and onset of symptoms of mental disorders should not be taken as evidence for a presumptive diagnosis of a Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder. Some people use substances to suppress symptoms of mental disorders (e.g., Schizophrenia and Other Primary Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Anxiety and Fear-Related Disorders, Personality Disorders) and full symptomatic presentations only emerge upon cessation or reduction in substance use. Furthermore, synthetic cannabinoid use can exacerbate symptoms or precipitate an episode of a pre-existing mental disorder. Finally, synthetic cannabinoid use may be associated with but not aetiologic for new onset of symptoms of a mental disorder. Although a diagnosis of a Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Anxiety Disorder should not be assigned under these circumstances, an additional diagnosis of Episode of Harmful Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, Harmful Pattern of Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids, or Synthetic Cannabinoid Dependence may still be appropriate.