Marijuana May Cause Psychosis
Pot is a controversial subject. However, anti-marijuana activists may have new evidence that marijuana is, in fact, more than a way to relax.
Using marijuana may do the opposite, actually. In fact, marijuana may speed up the development of psychosis for those who are predisposed to the mental illness. Here is what the new study claims:"This finding is an important breakthrough in our understanding of the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis. It raises the question of whether those substance users would still have gone on to develop psychosis a few years later."
Patients with psychosis tend to lose touch with reality through delusions and/or hallucinations. This is mostly linked to patients with Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia.
While few marijuana users experience psychosis, those who do can expect future episodes. In general, marijuana-induced psychosis is short-lived and can go into remission. However, there is mounting evidence to show that marijuana-induced psychosis can be an indicant of a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder.
In a Danish study, they found that 77 percent of users had subsequent psychosis and 45 percent were later diagnosed with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder. The diagnosis usually came within three to eight years.
So, if you smoke marijuana and have a history of mental illness in your family, be careful. While I know people who are very fond of "Mary Jane", it is not for everyone. In all honesty, it may not be for you.
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