Cannabis and Psychosis

Cannabis has been used as a medicine since the 1850s. Anything that's used as a medicine has risks. Side effects and benefits are two sides of the same coin. Since the 1850s, physicians have described psychosis as a side effect of cannabis. With higher doses and/or prolonged use, persons may develop what looks like a psychosis that evolves into a permanent state, as well as cognitive impairments and other side effects.

Dr. Messamore asked the question "To what extent is cannabis use helping my patients, and to what extent is cannabis use causing them to be my patients?" He reports a lot of cases where "cannabis was associated with some kind of psychiatric presentation: anxiety, depression, panic attacks, psychosis."

Some persons who smoke cannabis experience acute side effects. Within minute to hours, they develop paranoia and/or occasionally hallucinations. Others experience a prolonged, persistent psychosis which may never fully subside. When persons discontinue marijuana use, it usually goes away, but those with prior psychosis who resume cannabis often experience a psychosis which does not subside and generally responds poorly to treatments.

The highest risk of persistent psychosis is in adolescents who regularly use cannabis. The more a person has been exposed to cannabis, the higher their later risk for schizophrenia. Some studies of high potency, high frequency use beginning in adolescence indicate that the risk of schizophrenia rockets by about 700% over baseline.

Find us online!
curesz.org
Facebook:   / cureszorg  
Twitter:   / cureszorg  
Instagram:   / cureszfoundation  
Youtube:    / @cureszfoundation7671