Marijuana users are more likely to get stuck in bad relationships, here’s why

Through Jelena Martinovic

Cannabis may have more to do with your love life than you think, according to a new study that explored its associations with how couples work.

Researchers from Rutgers University and Mount Holyoke College may be onto something. They found that marijuana users appear to exhibit more negative behavior when approaching conflict resolution with their partners.

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Additionally, those who use cannabis appeared to be less aware of an unhealthy relationship, according to findings published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

“We looked at several indicators of relationship functioning: how satisfied and engaged people felt about their relationship, behavior, and physiology during a laboratory-based conflict interaction, and their perceptions about their conflict discussion and relationship afterwards,” said study author Jessica Salvatore. an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

The study

Researchers asked 145 couples in whom at least one partner used cannabis how regularly they used it and how satisfied they were with their relationship.

A 10-minute conversation between the partners on a topic that usually causes conflict followed, and was videotaped to capture their physiological stress responses by measuring their heart rate and respiration.

A five-minute discussion followed on a topic agreed upon by the couples. The videos were then reviewed by two groups of trained raters, who found that cannabis users exhibited less parasympathetic withdrawal during conversations with their partners, leading them to be less flexible in responding to stress.

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While a recent study conducted by the University of New Mexico found that marijuana can induce changes in self-centered concepts and increase a sense of selflessness, participants in the Rutgers University study who used marijuana were more critical and demanding, and demonstrated less discussion and debate skills see the positive aspects of their relationships as they try to avoid conflict.

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Interestingly, they reported greater satisfaction with the course of the conflict discussion.

“It’s important to note that the results of this study do not imply that overall cannabis use is good or bad for relationships,” Salvatore said. “Rather, it gives an insight into how couples can better deal with conflicts and find a solution. If you don’t see problems, you can’t solve them.”

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.