Can marijuana use actually cause psychosis?

From what I understand any psychedelic substance can cause temporary or rarely long lasting psychosis in vulnerable individuals. (Those who have a predisposition to mental illness such as schizophrenia or psychosis)

That being said, people without a predisposition to schizophrenia or mental illness can still become psychotic. It can be caused by stress, traumatic experiences.. Etc.

Essentially, in my non-doctor opinion, weed doesn't pose that much extra risk in becoming psychotic. There are just too many other factors involved. Although, if your close family has schizophrenia it would probably not be in your best interest to smoke cannabis or do any drugs at all.

 

[quote name='"GimpyKush"']Well put, I would also imagine that 10% of most chronic pot smokers also do hallucinogenics and other drugs that could possibly cause permanent impairment on the mind, which could lead to psychosis.[/quote]

Yeah the hallucins need arent something people need to do every week they are too powerful

But i also dont know anyone who got psychosis from bud

 

It's possible but i'm guessing it's pretty rare.

 

I had a friend who smoked andddd kinda broke. The chemical reaction that was supposed to happen didn't so he had a type of anxiety attack which has caused long term damage to his mental state. Its not like he's in a mental ward but he has had to see a therapist from what I understand. (I believe his brain didn't produce serotonin so instead of geting high and enjoying it he got high and freeked out) Idk what actual psychosis is, but this is an instance in which weed harmed someones psychy.

 

yeah extremely rare i personally wouldnt even believe weed would do it. If it did it would probably be because of some prescriptions that you have/ are taking etc. there are so many variables as already said. now hallucinogens one in particular can cause it if you have predisposition for it. if you have a bad trip that can screw you up too heard many stories of that happening. So when i do im gonna be in a good mood thats for sure.

 

This happens to me alot.. what did they do to him?

 

Friendly note, don't talk about other drugs on the forums!

 

What did who do to him? It's not like he's on meds or anything, he just needed therapy to cope with what happened, he essentially had a "bad trip" from the bud because there was a chemical imbalance in his brain. (FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND) If you in general have bad high experiences I'd say stop smoking, if its not doing what its supposed to then why do it.

 

It can't cause it directly.
But it can contribute to some symptoms in vulnerable people.

So no.

 

yes, anyone can have a pot induced psychosis, although it is very, very rare. Personally, my family has experienced it. Mainly if you have a family history of mental disease etc, then you have a predisposition for a psychosis. It is something that happens almost out of the blue for some, or can can come out of nowhere. and yes people that only smoke weed can get a psychosis if their family history is bad enough.

 

Insane in da membrane! Insane ain't got no brain! Lol sry

 

Yes, my friend has really bad anxiety and thinking that pot would calm her, it actually made her anxiety 10x worse. She literally sat in the corner of the room in a fetal position because she thought she was dying. Then when her high was wearing off she said she didn't even know what she was doing, it was like the fear overcame her and she couldn't control herself. Another interesting point to add: once the high started wearing off she started being happy and giggly and more relaxed. So maybe she just had too much? Idk, all I know is that if you already have a mental illness it can trigger a bad reaction in the brain.

 

A friend of mind had psychosis, it was before I met her and i don't know the whole story but she was vaping and didn't think she was getting high so kept going and it hit her and she had medically diagnosed psychosis for a few months and still doing counselling and taking medication almost a year later.

She has smoked since and has been fine.

 

The term psychosis, or psychoses, is a very broad generalization, for a wide ranges of mental disorders. It can include anything from Schizophrenia, Dissociative Personality Disorder, ADD and ADHD, Depression, Mania, Anxiety, etc. And this, inherently makes the studies flawed, because any percent of a general population can have any of those diseases. I mean, about 21 million adults in the US have a "mood disorder" which is thrown under the psychosis label, and that's' independent of any pot smoking studies. That's 5.5% of the general population right there. (Out of about 380 million US citizens).

Now, if you look at these studies about "Psychoses" linked to marijuana use, there's arguments, both compelling for both sides. BUT, most trained psychologists and psychiatrists will argue that weed does actually, in fact, help people cope with mental illnesses. They argue that the studies are flawed, due to people with a genetic pre-disposition for any type of psychoses. In order for Marijuana to bring out the symptoms of say, Schizophrenia, the user must have a family history of the illness. And here's the catch 22. Does he use it in order to self-medicate his Schizophrenia, or did the use in fact cause schizophrenia at all? We don't know. But down the line, he would have developed it either way.

By the way, here's an interesting read:

Mental Health in the General US population

NIMH · The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America

 

Idk. Sometimes I feel pycho with or without it. I guess it's just part of my experience

 

From reading into studies, I've always come to the conclusion that cannabis can cause psychosis in people who are already susceptible to it, i.e. people with an underlying mental health condition.

 

The only confusing part about that is people who use pot to cope with psychosis, sounds like we need to do some more research. Here's to our narrow minded corrupt government for suppressing our right to knowing our bodies and the things we ingest!!!!!!