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Q: Marijuana And Psychotic Illness
asked by: Birch on June 15th, 2007
Extremely eHealthy
This was published in the peer reviewed "Current Psychiatry" 2/07. I cannot post the article in full b/c of publishing issues, but here is a summary:

"Mj can cause psychotic illness, particularily in persons at risk. Treat both the psychosis and substance abuse. Psychoeducation might be as effective as cannabis-specific treatments. Patients with a psychotic illness who use mj have a worse prognosis than nonusers."

The persons at risk are adolescents whose brains are still developing and have a genetic predisposition to psychotic illnesses, such as the schizophrenic spectrum of disorders.

Patients who have psychotic illnesses and use mj, compared to nonusers, tend to have earlier onset of schizophrenia, more psychotic symptoms, worse prognosis b/c of poorer treatment adherence, increased symptom severity and persistence, and higher relaspse rate.
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sillyakchick
replied on June 15th, 2007
Extremely eHealthy
I agree with you on this, .Birch. There are definitely people who should not use mj as a medication or recreationally. My psychiatrist cautioned me against using it when I was being treated for anxiety, as it can heighten this feeling, and i certainly agree that it can. As with any drug, I think users should have caution and not treat it so cavalier-ly as it is.
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Tylanas
replied on June 19th, 2007
Especially eHealthy
Responsibility must be taken with any drug, natural or not.
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HappyHappy
replied on June 22nd, 2007
New User
Yep.
I'm schizophrenic I believe and I have smoked it before. It isn't fun nor relaxing for us, it is a frightening experience. Strange things happen to us when we smoke it, even stranger than normal. I can't understand why it is relaxing for some to smoke it, and it does the complete opposite to us. Question It really sucks because we need something to do like everybody else, well, some of us anyway, not the bad ones. And to be honest before I became ill i loved to party. But after your psychotic breakdown there is no drinking, no smoking, no fun, no relief.

So what are we supposed to do for fun?
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Tylanas
replied on June 22nd, 2007
Especially eHealthy
You can't party without drinking or smoking pot? Sorry if that sounds callous, but I'm generally straigtedge aside from a few special occasions, and even then, I don't have a need to drink. I've never smoked. Why can't you go to a dance club and not drink, and just dance and have a good time sober, making fun of the dumb drunk people?

Don't you have hobbies? Swim? Draw? Meditate? Hang out and just talk? Explore museums? Go to an amusement park?

I just find it totally silly that you think you can't have fun sober and off drugs. I don't feel this huge "need" to get drunk. I've never actually been totally drunk.

I relax laying in the sun, taking a long walk in autumn. I play games with my friends. We hang out. But we hang out in a public place on a college, so there isn't even any alcohol within a mile of us.
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Willa Weintraub
replied on June 22nd, 2007
Extremely eHealthy
Eiri wrote:
You can't party without drinking or smoking pot? Sorry if that sounds callous, but I'm generally straigtedge aside from a few special occasions, and even then, I don't have a need to drink. I've never smoked. Why can't you go to a dance club and not drink, and just dance and have a good time sober, making fun of the dumb drunk people?

Don't you have hobbies? Swim? Draw? Meditate? Hang out and just talk? Explore museums? Go to an amusement park?

I just find it totally silly that you think you can't have fun sober and off drugs. I don't feel this huge "need" to get drunk. I've never actually been totally drunk.

I relax laying in the sun, taking a long walk in autumn. I play games with my friends. We hang out. But we hang out in a public place on a college, so there isn't even any alcohol within a mile of us.
to most people that is fun.it's a way to really let loose and not give a dang about hwat people think.It's like its your time and no one else matters.It's not for everyone.
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Tylanas
replied on June 22nd, 2007
Especially eHealthy
I suppose it's not, but I let loose during many of the non-drug non-alcohol activities I listed... I guess I don't hide who I really am, so I have no need to "let loose" because I'm loose all the time... So I don't needs drugs or alcohol to help me feel better about myself.

I'm sure there are many of you guys on here who don't do marijuanna just to "let loose" and be someone you can't be during the day. I'm sure many of you use it more like I use meditation.

I think (my opinion is) that it is unhealthy to live a life where you cannot have fun or let go or relax unless you're under the influence. Not being able to have that skill in a normal state of mind seems detrimental to me... I can relax just about anywhere. I don't need weed too do it.

Again, this is all just my opinion, but I am a rather opinionated person Wink With a very odd mix of conservative and liberal ideals.
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Willa Weintraub
replied on June 25th, 2007
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Eiri wrote:
I suppose it's not, but I let loose during many of the non-drug non-alcohol activities I listed... I guess I don't hide who I really am, so I have no need to "let loose" because I'm loose all the time... So I don't needs drugs or alcohol to help me feel better about myself.
Its not about hiding who you are.I'm a very laid back person myself but drinking sometimes does make things more fun and interesting.I don't need it to feel better about myself either.Thats what its about for some but not all.It's just a way to have fun!

Eiri wrote:
I'm sure there are many of you guys on here who don't do marijuanna just to "let loose" and be someone you can't be during the day. I'm sure many of you use it more like I use meditation.
again, its not about not being yourself its about fun on a different level!

Eiri wrote:
I think (my opinion is) that it is unhealthy to live a life where you cannot have fun or let go or relax unless you're under the influence. Not being able to have that skill in a normal state of mind seems detrimental to me... I can relax just about anywhere. I don't need weed too do it.
Again. . .I know this is your opinion but the fact is not everyone is like that.read above statements.Some people just don't understand.

Eiri wrote:
Again, this is all just my opinion, but I am a rather opinionated person Wink With a very odd mix of conservative and liberal ideals.
I am too! Laughing
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HappyHappy
replied on June 26th, 2007
New User
Woops.
I got off of the subject.
Marijuana and psychotic illness.
I shouldn't smoke it is pretty much all that I can say.
It makes me to sensitive and to aware. Much to aware. Yes awareness can be a bad thing.
And it does seem to increase the symptoms of my disease.
Other mentally ill people may be able to do it though, I don't know.
But if they are anything like me I hope that they do not, especially the murderous ones, ya know?
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Birch
replied on June 27th, 2007
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Re: Woops.
gudazdead wrote:
I got off of the subject.
Marijuana and psychotic illness.
I shouldn't smoke it is pretty much all that I can say.
It makes me to sensitive and to aware. Much to aware. Yes awareness can be a bad thing.
And it does seem to increase the symptoms of my disease.
Other mentally ill people may be able to do it though, I don't know.
But if they are anything like me I hope that they do not, especially the murderous ones, ya know?


Well, my point was more that adolescents smoking mj may have an increased chance of earlier onset of sz, and they may also have a worse prognosis.

I hope that you fin another way to find relief.
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ma3n0ia
replied on January 12th, 2008
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I am 19 years old and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 4 years ago. I take 3 different meds for it and this could have something to do with the effect of my marijuana experience. But i also noticed that while i smoke i feel COMPLETELY insane .. don't get me wrong most of the time i am chill and fine but every so often i completely go crazy and hallucinate, auditory and visual, speak dyslexically (sense made that if), and feel like im going to die. At times ive even talked to myself in my head wondering if i were still alive or not. For days after i smoke i still feel not quite myself for a while and generally more depressed and irritable. Of course i am an idiotic teenager tho and risk still smoking for the possible enjoyable experience. Smile
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Tylanas
replied on January 12th, 2008
Especially eHealthy
Why would you do something you don't enjoy? If this happens to you every single time yet you repeat the activity expecting something different... that's actually a sign of insanity, isn't it? I'd say you need to lay of the smoking before it really does kill you.
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ma3n0ia
replied on January 12th, 2008
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" don't get me wrong most of the time i am chill and fine but EVERY SO OFTEN i am completely insane .. "

It doesn't happen everytime just occassionally. I'd say 40 percent of the time.
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Tylanas
replied on January 12th, 2008
Especially eHealthy
That's one to many times for me. If something that horrible happened to me more than even once, I'd never touch the stuff again.
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Birch
replied on January 12th, 2008
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Your brain is still developing. As an individual diagnosed with bipolar disorder and taking medications for it, you need to stay away from harmful substances like mj, nicotine, caffiene, and alcohol. These things are going to effect you differently than the average user and have potentially deadly interactions with your medications.

I used to work in a psych unit of a hospital and saw many young adults w/ bipolar disorder who were high on only marijuana but who were a bloody mess.
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homerx
replied on January 28th, 2008
Moderator
Birch wrote:
Your brain is still developing. As an individual diagnosed with bipolar disorder and taking medications for it, you need to stay away from harmful substances like mj, nicotine, caffiene, and alcohol. These things are going to effect you differently than the average user and have potentially deadly interactions with your medications.

I used to work in a psych unit of a hospital and saw many young adults w/ bipolar disorder who were high on only marijuana but who were a bloody mess.


I worked at a psych unit also and have never heard of that but with psych patients anything is possible.. Patients on a psych ward should never do any kind of mind altering drugs, coffee,herbs,cigs, liquor, etc...they are on a psych ward...HELLO..no nothing except prescribed meds from there physicians. If some one is psychotic then anything is likely to send them on an episode so you really cant blame the pot. It was the person. They could go psychotic over a TV show, a song, a memory, anything..I think the person you are referring to as a bloody mess would have been a mess with or without the pot. It does not help to smoke pot if you are mentally unstable...it doesn't help to do drugs and drink either..but that is an entirely different subject all together.
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Lotus Pod
replied on December 13th, 2008
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bipolar, and still have the urge to get high
I have to disagree with most of what i read. smoking pot helps me feel mre like my "old" self.. Im new to this bipolar disorder.. i get so down and out, and by smoking and having a drink here and there really help me.. although, its for a short period of time.. it still helps. without smoking, i loose my appitite all together. not to metion that i dont sleep very well w/o it. but to tell the truth, i dont sleep very well either way.. no matter what i do. the urge to get high is so strong.. all i keep thinking about is how to buy my next bag of pot. no one can or will ever convince me otherwise.. pot has always helped me cope! I know that there r others out there who feel the same as i do, they just dont want to addmit it online.
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homerx
replied on December 13th, 2008
Moderator
Re: bipolar, and still have the urge to get high
Lotus Pod wrote:
I know that there r others out there who feel the same as i do, they just dont want to addmit it online.
true
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homerx
replied on December 13th, 2008
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GreyWolf
replied on December 20th, 2008
Experienced User
Alcohol can also cause mental and psychological disorders, such as depression.

I agree with Tylenas, that MJ can be used to relax, but you should still be able to have a great time at a party without having to resort to taking drugs, be they legal or illegal. I rarely drink at parties and I don't rely on it for a good time, I can have a good time without resorting to drugs.
At the same time I recognise that other people like to use alcohol or MJ to help them have a good time, but you shouldn't feel like you HAVE to take something to have a good time.
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