schizophrenia and marijuana: True story!

[nodestiny]

A friend of mine from high school was a big pot head. Every day for lunch he and some of his stoner buddies would go get high. Never did any other drugs, just weed. Anywho, one night he did it with his friends and went bowling at the local bowling ally for a senior "going away" party. As they were leaving, he heard "Jump him" and "were going to get you" stuff like that. He kept looking over his shoulder thinking somebody was behind him and nobody was there. Later, he came home and his parents were fighting, and somewhere down the line, he slit his wrists.

A week later i heard about it (this was like 6-8 months ago, by the way) and he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He swore the weed was laced with something, but everybody else was perfectly stoned (nothing more, nothing less). lately, i have been hanging out with him because he has nothing to do anymore. Talking to him, he said he has not heard voices since he quite smoking weed. But he was always curious: Was it only when stoned that his schizo kicked in? He wanted to find out, and i happened to have a small bad with me.

I stayed sober for this one. It was my friend (travis, the schizo) me and my Fiance' Steph. They smoked a bowl from a decent bong and instantly travis started to just kinda space. He didnt move, just stared off. I asked him if he was OK and he freaked out and asked "What was that stuff i just smoked?!" Only weed is what i told him. This is when the voices started talking again. Throughout the entire night, we kept a sharp eye on him because he was acting VERY strange, non communicative, and only responded to repeditive, short questions. I was able to find out the voices told him "Steph is here", "Go home immediatly" and at one point in time, the voices told him to say no to a question i asked him (cant remember the question exactly). He got up to start to leave, but i would not let him. Then, he started acting like he was writing on the wall in circles. Very strange, but i assured him many times that he would be OK and that it will pass soon.

I know there is some talk of marijuana causing schizophrenia. Im not saying its entirely true, but just so you know, this friend of mine was an entirely diferant person at one point in time. Be careful guys, thats all im really trying to put out.

JW

[stoned_soldier]

i can get pretty paranoid, but never full blown, but when i was, i had all the symptoms of schizophrenia.. but they're never there when i'm sober.. that's only sometimes when i some weed.. not very often at all.. it's usually when i've had too much and i'm in public cuz i think that people are watching me, and since my motor ability is pretty shot these thoughts are multiplied.. sometimes when i smoke alone i hear voices that i know aren't real, but i shape the noises to whatever i think is being said.. usually it only happens when other people are in the house talking or if i leave a radio on in a different room..

however, i'm not that much different personality-wise when i'm stoned, but it does bring out my character a bit more, at least throught my stony eyes.. there have been times when i thought that i was schizo even without the weed, but really only during my teen years.. man they were weird..

anyhoo, i've heard of studies where people were given lsd and they were turned into schizos.. and they even tried to medicate schizos with lsd with the intention that it would help out.. with weed, i think it's the same deal with some people but in high doses i'd say.. i dunno, maybe someone else with more experience can help you out here.. what was your question again? lol

[Crossbreed]

dude that is pretty fuckin scary!!

[Mr Skinner]

Don't quote me on this...but I think this resembles more a paranoid psychosis than regular schizophreia...I have seen sooo many of those before. Yeah, possiblly weed related...nothing new...

Talking to a psychotic person isn't very different from talking to a non-psychotic person...you just gotta accept that he's talking to more persons than are actually in the room with you...tell him you know he hears stuff but you don't, so it's gotta be part of his imagination...I do it all the time at work

As for him smoking weed...he oughtta quit for some time...

As for you smoking weed...as long as you don't hear real voices, just the regular paranoia stuff...you're fine...


And if you wonder if you'd notice the difference??? Belive me, you'd notice...you hear voices, you answer and get no answer back, you're fine...that's just paranoia...

[AimedForDeath]

Ah yeah man, one of my friends had this. Here's what he needs to do, go to a psycatrist (sp?) and talk to him about his problems. He will more then likley prescribe Xanax or Ativan. Tell him to ALWAYS take it no matter what, and when he's on it, he should feel normal while smoking weed.

[Mr Skinner]

I wouldn't reccomend antipsychotics to be able to continue smoking. If your brain reacts badly to some halucinogene, you stop using it! Don't alter your body chemistry to be able to alter it a bit more...

[nodestiny]

i pulled out the ol psy book and found his symptoms to be dilusional, or they called it paranoid schizophrenia. He lost his job and many friends over the whole ordeal, and the only reason he did it last night is because he had to know if it was the weed that did this to him. Guess marijuana isnt for everybody!

[s0ad05]

i would of bitched slapped him and told him to pass the blunt

** LMFAO SORRY **