Marijuana helps with my schizophrenia

71% Normal
22 Comments

There probably aren't many people who can tell me if this is normal, but here goes. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia several years ago, and it's gotten worse with time and my psychiatrist has had me try pretty much everything. Nothing helped, at best. A lot of the medications made me feel ill along with other side effects even at very low "baby doses" as my doctor calls them.

Then I started smoking pot. Finally, something that eases the torment, right? I get high about three or four times a week, and one 'high' will almost completely kill my schizophrenia. I use much much less than recreational uses, and I seek the relief more than the high.

Every substance effects every person differently, but a different doctor took the time to print up an entire dossier of the effects of marijuana, and the biggest point he tried to make to me was that marijuana triggers latent schizophrenia and makes present schizophrenia symptoms worse.

He was not a psychiatrist, actually a foot doctor. I read what he'd printed out for me simply because I appreciated his good intentions. But I only started partaking in the good plant AFTER my schizophrenia began to manifest, and I really don't believe that it does trigger the disease.

In summary, is there anyone else with a mental illness, especially anything in the schizoid class, that use marijuana therapeutically?

Voting Results
71% Normal
Based on 41 votes (29 yes)
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Comments ( 22 )
  • Doktor_Hildred_Von_Steinmann
    9 years ago

    I assure you sir, that there is a definite link between marijuana and mental illnesses.

    There are many cases where smokers have developed mental illnesses from smoking marijuana over a long period, but there hasn't been many (or none that I can remember) cases of people already suffering mental illnesses and using medicinal marijuana as a form of relief.

    It's all a bit of a grey area at the moment. If it provides you relief then excellent. As Darkoil mentioned in the comments above its not a "cure" per se. Please do try other medicines before just hammering down the mj as it could lead to other mental illnesses.

    Good luck.

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    • Walterbasherdinger
      9 years ago

      Eh, I'm forced to try every new antipsychotic that comes out. I'd need three sets of hands to count the various medications I've been on. I see no difference between the negative side effects of pharmaceuticals and the -possible- side effects of long term light marijuana use. I'll keep trying the chemicals as they pump them out, but my optimism towards them is almost non existent. And if it's all just the placebo effect, then I'll just keep sugar pilling on.

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  • Ellenna
    9 years ago

    Schizophrenia has many causes, some unknown, and while there's some evidence cannabis can trigger it in some people,it's not accurate to say that "marijuana is the reason why people have schizophrenia."

    Lots of dope smokers don't develop schizophrenia and lots of people with schizophrenia haven't smoked dope

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    • Walterbasherdinger
      9 years ago

      I'm glad my post has sparked some discussion on this topic. While I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia, I haven't responded well to ANY of the medications I've tried, which at this point is pretty much all of them.

      I've suggested to my psychiatrist that it may be a disorder that mimics schizophrenia, but has different root causes than textbook schiz. She said it was very possible.

      I think the bigger picture here though, is that in cases where marijuana or one or more of it's derivatives has a therapeutic effect on someone when traditional treatment paths have been exhausted, it should be an option. I know marijuana is basically half legal in the United States, but I really wish the big conversation would happen so that it could become a legitimate medicinal option. I'm tired of doing shady deals in parking lots and having to put up with drug dealers. 9/10 of them are total shitheads.

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  • ScooterNyne
    9 years ago

    I'm the opposite. normally composed but after a few puffs i am a nervous paranoid wreck. at least my last two sessions have happened that way.

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  • [Old Memory]
    9 years ago

    I am diagnosed schizoaffective and aspergers and smoke weed sometimes. Honestly I just do it for fun and it does not help my symptoms. It actually often makes me hallucinate and disorganized, but it effects everybody differently.

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    • Walterbasherdinger
      9 years ago

      I have to say that's kind of scary if it CAUSES hallucinations and mind clutter. Sheesh, I'd never touch the stuff if it didn't help. Be safe brother.

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      • [Old Memory]
        9 years ago

        I'm not too distressed by my symptoms. The only reason I even medicate them is because I don't get anything done otherwise.

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  • Darkoil
    9 years ago

    THC is thought to decrease the onset of psychosis in people who are at risk of such a condition. I believe this to be partly true however a lot of psychiatry is a load of bullshit and it should be taken with a pinch of salt. I have no problem with cannabis but it isn't a miracle drug and in the long run you are probably doing yourself more harm than good.

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  • Anime8
    9 years ago

    I know a girl who's schizoaffective and she says that smoking helps. So I don't think you're alone.

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    • Walterbasherdinger
      9 years ago

      That's cool. Technically I'm schizoaffective too, not just schizophrenic, but not many people know the difference. Thanks!

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      • Anime8
        9 years ago

        Sure thing bro, I hope nothing but the best.

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  • handsignals
    9 years ago

    http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/46376102.jpg

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  • RainbowDischarge
    9 years ago

    I smoke pot every night after work, been with this routine for a few years. I think it helps with my supposedly "borderline personality disorder". Really, it just makes me less of a bitch and less over reactive and emotional about nonsense. I toke for recreational purposes, it just also happens to ease my irrational thinking.

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    • Walterbasherdinger
      9 years ago

      I've got borderline as a secondary condition as well as the schiz, so I know how it feels to just be all over the place. The weed keeps everything in balance for me, but it's illegal here, so if my hookup can't come through it's brutal. Thanks for the constructive sharing, helps us know we're not alone.

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      • RainbowDischarge
        9 years ago

        Its also illegal here in NJ lol. Have you ever reflected back on a situation that happend and thought, "man, if only i was high at the time i wouldve handled it a lot better"? I do all the time.

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  • peterr2
    8 years ago

    Roses are red,
    Violets are blue.
    I am a schizophrenic,
    And so am I...

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  • Sweetbird
    9 years ago

    science has just proven weed helps sz. Look it up on the internet. It is a medicine, and the relief is real, though for some people it can make things worse. If this works for you than do it. I would be careful talking to my pdoc about it because they are pretty antiquated, and drug use on your record can prevent you from getting what you need for legitimate problems if the medicine involved is a controlled substance. In a few years it will be legal and all these crap concerns we are met with will be over. Yay! I use it for my bipolar. I have psychosis, and it does not appear to make that appear, though it can make it more uncomfortable if it is already there. Best thing I have found for psychosis is to sleep, and get off that thought train, kind of like shutting down a crashed computer. Weed can help you get to sleep, but you might want to use something that doesn't have a pyschelelic component in this case.

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  • dupledav
    9 years ago

    Studies show that weed causes skitzophrenia? http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/24/5836762/the-link-between-weed-and-schizophrenia-is-way-more-complicated-than

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  • Outsider21
    9 years ago

    Not sure. I don't have a diagnosis of schizophrenia luckily, but I do often have fairly benign auditory hallucinations (e.g. voices in my head) and I can comment that weed definitely does not decrease this (sometimes it really trips me out actually) but it does allow me to think more rationally and understand myself and the world much better. I don't smoke much though, just occasionally.

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  • OtherSide
    9 years ago

    LEGALIZE CRYSTAL WEED!!!!

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  • WeirdMe
    9 years ago

    acutally marijuana is the reason why people have schizophrenia.
    so somking it should even increase it when you smoke for a long time like one year

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