Cannabis and Schizophrenia, Cure or Cause?

As a kid, you may have heard of the guy in the neighborhood who hears voices in his head. And you also know that his illness – schizophrenia (at least according to DARE) was likely the result of the myriad joints he took as a teenager.

Well, some medical professionals dared to disagree. They take the position that certain cannabis-related compounds, especially CBD, could help reverse some of the damage caused by THC, which is actually psychoactive. This article will keep you posted about it and present the positions of proponents and anti-cannabis advocates. Let’s start with the conventional view:

There’s an established link between the two – cause

According to the results of an analysis of many individual studies, cannabis is the most typical substance that is consumed by schizophrenia patients. In addition, teenagers are more likely to consume cannabis than alcohol. However, the link confuses experts. Some experts believe that the temporary relief of the symptoms of the disease, while others suggest that there is more to it.

However, schizophrenia and cannabis have been linked to psychosis. Please keep in mind that the latter is not a mental illness, but a symptom. People with psychosis see reality differently, and it is actually one of the symptoms of schizophrenia.

According to medical studies, the high from cannabis can sometimes cause mild psychotic symptoms that subside with the high. According to experts, the main culprit behind such an effect is likely the cannabis component THC. Remember, cannabis isn’t the only drug that can cause psychotic symptoms. Many drugs that are used therapeutically or in other ways also carry this risk.

However, symptoms of schizophrenia worsen beyond the temporary high with substance use and may require hospitalization. In addition, people with certain genes like COMT and AKT1 are more prone to developing schizophrenia from cannabis use. There’s also a genetic predisposition to the disease, and drug use in general can help trigger an early onset of the disease.

Photo of Julia Avamotive, courtesy of Pexels

The different results – healing

On the other hand, there are studies that suggest the opposite. According to the work of European researchers, CBD is more effective than traditional drugs in treating schizophrenia. Patrick McGorry, 2010 winner of the Australian of the Year and a leading psychiatrist and psychologist, said that CBD could be a potent antipsychotic drug. CBD appears to have positive effects on mental health problems like depression, psychosis, and anxiety.

Current antipsychotic drugs, while constantly improving, are notorious for their side effects. McGorry is investigating whether CBD could help treat early signs of psychosis. As he put it in The Age in 2014, “There have been a lot more concerns about antipsychotic drugs recently. Obviously it’s really effective, but the longer term side effects are worrying people, especially weight gain and metabolic problems. ”With this in mind, more and more patients are open to experimental treatments, and CBD is one of the leading alternatives.

McGorry is just one of the growing number of mental health experts who believe in the tremendous therapeutic potential of CBD.

The most important lesson to learn from using drugs is to arm yourself with knowledge. If you have an underlying mental health disorder or have a family history of psychosis, use caution when taking medications that have the risk of potentially causing them. Stimulants, cannabis, alcohol, and hallucinogens should be looked out for, especially when mixed with or mixed with other drugs.

Resources like Erowid, TripSafe, and RollSafe can help you learn how to reduce damage as much as possible.