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cannabis-induced psychosis?

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Before there's a lot of defending mary jane, let me say that I am loyal to my green, I sweat n bleed THC.. but. I remember one time I read (not that I believe everything I read...) that chronic use of marijuana can cause many mental disorders from depression to schizophrenia. At first I was like hell nah it cures depression! I've done a lot of research on what THC does to your physical brain after long term use... One important thing to know is that you do get physically addicted, it just seems mental. It won't kill ya and prolly won't give ya shakes either even, but after chronic use it stops your brain from producing a satisfaction hormone called anandimide. I'm pretty reliant on it...but I was wondering if anyone has been able to see a change in their mental stability because of it. Ill do psychedelics or a few uppers occasionally but the only thing I regularly use is pot. Nature vs nurture discussion. Please, no comments on how weed is all you need and it grows from the dirt so it can't hurt. Lookin fer perspective...
 
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I used to smoke a bit in highschool and have dabbled over the years. I have a strong mind when I'm not puffing it. When I have smoked weed (or for some time after), I notice short-term memory issues, confusion and the beloved paranoia. I don't have anxiety issues and can't see any medical benefit for myself. Perhaps, if I were throwing up from chemo (I'm quite aware of the anti-emetic and munchie inducing properties of the herb) I could find a use.

I have seen some who are frequent/heavy users who claim to suffer none of the negative effects I mention, perhaps they don't or maybe they don't know what it is like to be off of the drug.

I've noticed plenty of seemingly healthy college students in their early twenties with a chronic cough from what I would guess is smoking a lot of pot. For me, college would be difficult enough without weed.

Btw: your brain doesn't stop developing until the mid to late twenties.
 
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Yes! Those side effects are all very common indeed. But I mean the heavier types...schizophrenia? I feel as though while weed has helped me, acted as a personal therapist, allows me to be more introspective and accepting, I also feel like it'd drawn me inside my head. I become increasingly more self-centered, but I didnt realize it because it also makes me more compassionate to others. Its weird. I know all drugs abused are known to stunt growth emotionally and whatnot.. they say you stay in that mindset.. I've been a chronic smoker for five years now. I wonder if I keep smoking, once my brain stops growing, will I permanently lose my anandimide? Will it reach full growth with a stunted emotional outlook? The changes are subtle. weed is tough to argue against at times because it satisfies all four regions of our existence for lack of better wording.. physically you feel relaxed, mental you feel awesome, emotionally you feel happy, thus you feel good spiritually... Its hard to say for sure because we all have our stresses and traumas, usually dealt with my sparkin it up... iunno late night thoughts.
 
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Komjaunimas

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Skit

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I can concur with long-term use induces depression. Sure the withdrawals are nothing compared to some other drugs but it took several weeks of constant mild-moderate depression to finally not have the urge to smoke. It's shitty when you don't smoke to get high, but smoke to not have the urge to smoke.
I love the plant but people defend it unnecessarily, saying it has no negative side affects whatsoever. Just because it isn't the worst for you doesn't mean it can't be bad for you, and just like any drug moderation is the key.
Time to go light up.
 
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i used to smoke a ton and started having schizo type thoughts and would go into catatonic states contemplating some insane horrible shit, then again i was employed and generally hated my life. it opened up a lot of pathways into lower vibes and messages for me. i like to smoke it every once in a while now, less than once a week when i even have it to smoke... nowadays when i smoke it's a peaceful high usually. don't know what would happen if i was smoking on the regular, if my environment would make any difference
 
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kaichulita

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Before there's a lot of defending mary jane, let me say that I am loyal to my green, I sweat n bleed THC.. but. I remember one time I read (not that I believe everything I read...) that chronic use of marijuana can cause many mental disorders from depression to schizophrenia. At first I was like hell nah it cures depression! I've done a lot of research on what THC does to your physical brain after long term use... One important thing to know is that you do get physically addicted, it just seems mental. It won't kill ya and prolly won't give ya shakes either even, but after chronic use it stops your brain from producing a satisfaction hormone called anandimide. I'm pretty reliant on it...but I was wondering if anyone has been able to see a change in their mental stability because of it. Ill do psychedelics or a few uppers occasionally but the only thing I regularly use is pot. Nature vs nurture discussion. Please, no comments on how weed is all you need and it grows from the dirt so it can't hurt. Lookin fer perspective...


I used to smoke every day, all day in high school as well. I noticed that I became less motivated to do things and that, in turn, worsened my tendency towards depression. I was doing a lot of other drugs as well (not as frequently as weed), but speaking about weed by itself, I realized it just made me not want to do or care about anything and I was, like mmmmmmmichael mentioned, having little episodes of paranoia and confusion-- to the point where I would have delusional, depressive thoughts. Well anyway, that was then but now this is not the case. I just don't smoke every day like I used to and only smoke when I'm about to go to sleep to help me relax. Weed is a drug, and like any drug, it changes the chemistry in your brain. If you do a drug enough, it can permanently affect the way your brain works. I am not completely against smoking weed, but I don't think people should be smoking it like taking their daily vitamins-- especially young people from the mid twenties down. Your brain isn't fully developed until about the mid twenties, so it's probably not a good idea to do drugs while your brain is still growing (not that I'm one to talk). My cousin is schizophrenic now and he was smoking a crazy amount of weed when he was young, but then again, he also began doing other drugs too so it's probably the combination of all of it. There is a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia, among other mental disorders/illnesses so that's another thing to think about. Some people are more prone to depression or schizophrenia and weed or other drugs can trigger that in someone. Well, that's just my two cents.
 
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Dameon

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There's just not enough good, unbiased research about the effects of weed, physically and mentally, and especially long term.

Personally, I think that weed can exacerbate problems that already exist, or can bring them to the front, but I don't think it causes them. It definitely isn't going to make somebody schizophrenic.

I'm not sure where you got the bit about physical addiction; nothing I could find about anandamide said anything about the body no longer making it after smoking weed.
 

kaichulita

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There's just not enough good, unbiased research about the effects of weed, physically and mentally, and especially long term.

Personally, I think that weed can exacerbate problems that already exist, or can bring them to the front, but I don't think it causes them. It definitely isn't going to make somebody schizophrenic.

I'm not sure where you got the bit about physical addiction; nothing I could find about anandamide said anything about the body no longer making it after smoking weed.

I agree that weed can make existing problems worse and that it may not cause someone to be schizophrenic, but can trigger a dormant gene for schizophrenia that a person may carry.
 
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Very good points!! I'm not sure about any links, I'm on my phone, but maybe I'm spelling the a-mide wrong. Its roughly the same size as THC and is received by the cannabidnoid receptors as well. It works like any man-made anti-depressant in this aspect. Your brain registers the chemical as natural so it cuts down on production, except it can only stop the actual hormones. Chronic use of any drug will confuse your brain..
Dormant schizo, I can agree to that hell yeah. Is schizo always genetic? I mean technically everything is at some level I reckon.. I'm wondering if it induces disorders that would have always stayed dormant otherwise.
 

kaichulita

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Very good points!! I'm not sure about any links, I'm on my phone, but maybe I'm spelling the a-mide wrong. Its roughly the same size as THC and is received by the cannabidnoid receptors as well. It works like any man-made anti-depressant in this aspect. Your brain registers the chemical as natural so it cuts down on production, except it can only stop the actual hormones. Chronic use of any drug will confuse your brain..
Dormant schizo, I can agree to that hell yeah. Is schizo always genetic? I mean technically everything is at some level I reckon.. I'm wondering if it induces disorders that would have always stayed dormant otherwise.


Well, I'm not a scientific researcher so I can't say much with credibility. I do think it's possible that it can induce disorders that would have stayed dormant otherwise. Drugs cause an imbalance in your chemistry, which is why people feel "high". With repeated use (or maybe even just once, depending on the person), this can put enough stress on your brain to trigger the dormant gene which normal stimulus from every day life would otherwise not be able to do so. You can argue that some people become schizophrenic without ever doing drugs, but I also think there is an explanation for that as well. People who experience traumatic events, such as the death of a loved one, repeated abuse, etc. also tend to have mental disorders/illnesses because these events cause stress. Sometimes, the stress can even be self induced, by obsessive, cyclical thinking that the person just was born with. It all depends on the person and their circumstance. However, I think there is a high enough correlation between stress on the brain and mental disorders/illnesses to safely say that that is what triggers the dormant gene. Then again, I could be wrong; this is just my opinion on the matter.
 
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Dameon

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You spelled the name right, I just couldn't find anything about THC affecting the chemical production. Doesn't mean you're wrong, but I couldn't find any good research backing it up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_schizophrenia#Cannabis

Essentially, the answer is probably not. Weed use has gone up, but schizophrenia rates are the same as ever. It might be that it can trigger it, but as I understand it, if you have the genetic problems that lead to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, it's just going to manifest at some point.

I think that use of weed can be good for people with psychotic disorders, if it's used judiciously and medically. Different strains have different effects, and different mixtures of THC and CBD content, and I've definitely seen it calm down people who were in the middle of a psychotic episode and help them look at things rationally.
 
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AdmiralBean

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I've been living with schizophrenia for 7 years, so I do have a bit of personal experience when it comes to this.

I smoked weed for the first time about 3 years ago, and I found that it helped deal with the symptoms in a different way than medications I'd been prescribed. I wouldn't necessarily say it stopped the voices, but it certainly pushed them to the back of my mind.

Imagine having someone sitting next to you saying annoying things all day, then imagine the same thing but you're high. It mellowed me out, and helped me ignore my symptoms without the awful side effects of anti-psychotics.

I haven't smoked in about 8 months, mostly due to my financial limitations, but I do miss it. It made it much easier to cope. I'm sure it doesn't work for everyone, but there aren't a ton of better options out there.
 

kaichulita

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I've been living with schizophrenia for 7 years, so I do have a bit of personal experience when it comes to this.

I smoked weed for the first time about 3 years ago, and I found that it helped deal with the symptoms in a different way than medications I'd been prescribed. I wouldn't necessarily say it stopped the voices, but it certainly pushed them to the back of my mind.

Imagine having someone sitting next to you saying annoying things all day, then imagine the same thing but you're high. It mellowed me out, and helped me ignore my symptoms without the awful side effects of anti-psychotics.

I haven't smoked in about 8 months, mostly due to my financial limitations, but I do miss it. It made it much easier to cope. I'm sure it doesn't work for everyone, but there aren't a ton of better options out there.


Thanks for sharing; I'm glad to hear about your experience. It definitely makes me look at weed in a different light. I think it's different for everybody and I don't know too much about all the strains of weed so I never really took that into consideration either.
 

Ristoncor

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I've read about it too, but I think that it can cause schizophrenia or at least awaken latent schizophrenia in the brain; but you have to already have a predisposition to that disease or a significant history of mental illness in your family. As for me, I remember getting really high once and starting to dissociate. It wasn't the same as a body high or just a weird perception, it seemed exactly like what I'd read in my psychology books for school.

I could see myself from the ceiling, my whole body laying down on the floor; but I was on the ceiling. Everywhere I went I felt like I wasn't really there, that I was a statue or something, I felt out of my body and disconnected. What happened that time lasted for about 30 minutes, and it's only happened once again after that but for like 3 minutes. Then again, I have anxiety, a predisposition for OCPD; and my family has some weird history, so it could be that too.

Other than those two times, the only things that I notice aren't great are my lung capacity and memory. They get better if I stop for a while, but not while I'm actively using.
 
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drewski

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I was a hardcore pothead for 7 years and started having really bad highs towards the end. I was at the point where I realized it wasn't doing any good for my mental state anymore so I quit. It's been over a year now and I've noticed many things about being sober that rule. However, I truly believe that anxiety and depression has manifested from all the years of marijuana and psychedelic use. It sucks and I've been seeing a therapist and have come to the conclusion that I can't just chill out on my own. Sorry yogaheads, but medication and yoga doesn't do jack shit. So the next step will probably be medication. It really bothers me how it's come to this point especially because I was a passionate herb smoker and truly believed in the positive benefits marijuana and psychedelics have to offer.

But I've learned that to think of marijuana or psychedelics as "safer" or whatever because they're natural is pure nonsense. I say this because I used to think this way, and a lot of other people think this way too. The fact is that these "mind expanding" and "sacred" drugs have gotten me to the point where I will probably need to rely on "evil" pharmaceutical drugs to some degree. So really, the whole picking sides and labeling drugs as good or bad based on whether they grow from the ground or are derived from a natural source is bullshit in my opinion. Pharmaceuticals save lives for many, and for some people like me they help with being able to function without crippling anxiety and unemployment (Benzos). I'm not by any means saying I love pharmaceuticals or that they're better or worse. I'm just offering some perspective.
 
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kaichulita

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I was a hardcore pothead for 7 years and started having really bad highs towards the end. I was at the point where I realized it wasn't doing any good for my mental state anymore so I quit. It's been over a year now and I've noticed many things about being sober that rule. However, I truly believe that anxiety and depression has manifested from all the years of marijuana and psychedelic use. It sucks and I've been seeing a therapist and have come to the conclusion that I can't just chill out on my own. Sorry yogaheads, but medication and yoga doesn't do jack shit. So the next step will probably be medication. It really bothers me how it's come to this point especially because I was a passionate herb smoker and truly believed in the positive benefits marijuana and psychedelics have to offer.

But I've learned that to think of marijuana or psychedelics as "safer" or whatever because they're natural is pure nonsense. I say this because I used to think this way, and a lot of other people think this way too. The fact is that these "mind expanding" and "sacred" drugs have gotten me to the point where I will probably need to rely on "evil" pharmaceutical drugs to some degree. So really, the whole picking sides and labeling drugs as good or bad based on whether they grow from the ground or are derived from a natural source is bullshit in my opinion. Pharmaceuticals save lives for many, and for some people like me they help with being able to function without crippling anxiety and unemployment (Benzos). I'm not by any means saying I love pharmaceuticals or that they're better or worse. I'm just offering some perspective.
Yeah, I hate this, "It's natural so it's better/healthier." excuse people use to defend drugs like weed and shrooms. I do love drugs, but I accept they're not good for me. Poison ivy is natural but would you rub it all over yourself? I think certain things like organic foods are good for you but just because something is natural to the earth, doesn't mean it's natural to humans.
 
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Odin

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Just my experience with it... but mary jane does nothing but mostly good things for me. One im calmer... two... I eat healthier... veggies start tasting like candy.... I uh... don't drink when I smoke... I have more energy... and I'm contemplative and just... chill. Actually the only negative is that sometimes heart beat paranoia... that I have come to realize is just a psychological effect of heightened awareness .. and if anything... once you kinda sync with it your good. Not that the worst of it is not a bit ... eh... troublesome... but I would rather smoke a joint... or make a cup of canna butter tea... than drink... and I do drink... unfortunately... sigh... but the bright side... drinking makes me a jolly fool sometimes too.

Hehe. ;)
 
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Dameon

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I was a hardcore pothead for 7 years and started having really bad highs towards the end. I was at thedepression. Itre I mrealized it wasn't doing any good for my mental state anymore so I quit. It's been over a year now and I've noticed many things about being sober that rule. However, I truly believe that anxiety and depression has manifested from all the years of marijuana and psychedelic use. It sucks and I've been seeing a therapist and have come to the conclusion that I can't just chill out on my own. Sorry yogaheads, but medication and yoga doesn't do jack shit. So the next step will probably be medication. It really bothers me how it's come to this point especially because I was a passionate herb smoker and truly believed in the positive benefits marijuana and psychedelics have to offer.

But I've learned that to think of marijuana or psychedelics as "safer" or whatever because they're natural is pure nonsense. I say this because I used to think this way, and a lot of other people think this way too. The fact is that these "mind expanding" and "sacred" drugs have gotten me to the point where I will probably need to rely on "evil" pharmaceutical drugs to some degree. So really, the whole picking sides and labeling drugs as good or bad based on whether they grow from the ground or are derived from a natural source is bullshit in my opinion. Pharmaceuticals save lives for many, and for some people like me they help with being able to function without crippling anxiety and unemployment (Benzos). I'm not by any means saying I love pharmaceuticals or that they're better or worse. I'm just offering some perspective.

No offense, but I'm curious why you're so sure that the weed brought on your anxiety and depression. It seems equally possible that you developed anxiety and depression for other reasons, and they affected the way weed affects you. Just saying this because approaching those problems with the wrong assumptions about their source could be a big deal in treating them.

Personally, I've been struggling with dysthymia, a constant low level depression, since long before I started smoking weed, and weed has been the only effective treatment.

I don't argue weed is better because it's natural, but most pharmaceuticals used for mental problems are just plain fucked up. More expensive than coke, about as addictive, and misused nearly as much.
 

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