Pot smoking can worsen schizophrenia

Marijuana gives people with schizophrenia a quick rush but worsens their psychotic symptoms within a few hours, a new study reveals. Researchers in the Netherlands recruited 48 psychiatric patients and 47 healthy people to record what they were doing and how they felt 12 times a day for six days. All the study participants were regular pot smokers. The results showed that schizophrenia sufferers were more sensitive than healthy individuals to both the positive and negative effects of marijuana, or cannabis.

"People feel better when they use cannabis, and that's logical, because otherwise they wouldn't use cannabis," said study researcher Cecile Henquet of Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands. "In spite of that, in the long run it's not so good for their psychotic symptoms."

Researchers have long wondered whether the mentally ill are using reefer to alleviate the classic symptoms of the disease: delusions, hallucinations and jumbled thoughts.

The new studies turn that reasoning on its head, said Deepak Cyril D'Souza, a psychiatrist at Yale University who was not involved in the study. "What the data clearly show are that, if anything, the core symptoms of schizophrenia actually get worse after using cannabis," he said.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37779968/ns/health-addictions/

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to the psych ward. My family member is pot free and as such hospital free, has been for ten years.

Seems like common sense.

It helps me, so I smoke it. Period.

From experience I know that pot smoking can worsen schizophrenia. However, that will be denied to the heavens here at DU.

Pot isn't a panacea, although it comes remarkably close for a majority of people and should be legalized. Now.

Not only have I seen schizophrenics and untreated bipolars worsen on it, I've also seen what it does to conservatives, make them paranoid to an extreme. Not everyone will find it useful, which is the case for all the other drugs out there.

all.

have seen the detrimental effects and don't share the same mentality. ;)

The sad and hard experience.

From my own experience, people who had other than a mild euphoric reaction to marijuana usually did not continue using it. Same with the other psychoactive recreational drugs.

hallucinogen?

Makes sense to me.



:shrug:

to doing so, should not use pot. I think those with bipolar may be especially vulnerable to tipping the scale.

The fact that it is still illegal in many places is the most dangerous aspect of it, period.

This information does not necessarily underscore anything but a precaution to a segment of the population. Heck, you can inform people or even put it on the label as is done with other substances.

One thing that should be made absolutely clear is that people have different reactions and effects from most substances. Cannabis is very, very low on the list when it comes to any toxicity or adverse results. In fact, it leans towards a more medicinal result for many.

Studies that the msm doesn't push.

Pot use is up, schizophrenia is down. Hard to see a link, unless it's that increased pot use actually diminishes schizophrenia.

Google it yourself - it's a pita with an iPhone.

Studies that have been done do indicate that alcohol can lead to more violent behavior in people with schizophrenia.

Nonetheless, none of that has anything to do with legalization. Yes, marijuana should be legalized. But we should also study its effects on people, including those dealing with mental illness.

If you have a medical condition that requires marijuana, then go for it. Otherwise, quit being a douchebag. Anybody who needs to get stoned in order to have fun is obviously too boring to enjoy life.

Wow, did you read what you posted?
Are you saying I am a douchebag and boring because I smoke a joint now and again?

What might I expect from one who calls pot a 'drug'?

The nannystaters, teh hurt...oh, fuck off.

They smoke, they feel better, it wears off, and they are back where they were. Duh.

Underneath all the weasel words, that's all this "study" "shows".