420 Use and Health

[Skell18]

I wouldn't called her ****ed up, I'd call her ill.

Sounds like her mother is ****ed up for knowingly allowing her to take mushrooms!

[Reynard]

Which part, the part about the girlfriend? Yah it was weird, she had started acting funny for about a month prior to this, but I figured it was just normal teenage girl acting crazy stuff, then I caught her mom telling her to take some medication at some point but she wouldn't tell me what it was. Then we did shrooms (which her mother approved off since we asked her first) and about a week after that she started getting really crazy to the point where we broke up. Then she immediately was admitted to a mental institution where she ultimately became a lesbian and is pretty ****ed up to this day. I was young at the time, but looking back on it, I don't understand why her mom would not have been like "lol NO YOU CAN NOT DO SHROOMS WITH YOUR TEENAGE BOYFRIEND, you are a schizophrenic!". Apparently she had been giving my gf the medication for it and so she was obviously aware of her mental issues, I just can't fathom as a father ever telling my daughter "Oh yah that's cool, go do some drugs with your teenage boyfriend that's totally legit". ESPECIALLY if I knew she had an underlying mental condition.

I wouldn't called her ****ed up, I'd call her ill.

[sgreger1]

That's a bit glib mate

Which part, the part about the girlfriend? Yah it was weird, she had started acting funny for about a month prior to this, but I figured it was just normal teenage girl acting crazy stuff, then I caught her mom telling her to take some medication at some point but she wouldn't tell me what it was. Then we did shrooms (which her mother approved off since we asked her first) and about a week after that she started getting really crazy to the point where we broke up. Then she immediately was admitted to a mental institution where she ultimately became a lesbian and is pretty ****ed up to this day. I was young at the time, but looking back on it, I don't understand why her mom would not have been like "lol NO YOU CAN NOT DO SHROOMS WITH YOUR TEENAGE BOYFRIEND, you are a schizophrenic!". Apparently she had been giving my gf the medication for it and so she was obviously aware of her mental issues, I just can't fathom as a father ever telling my daughter "Oh yah that's cool, go do some drugs with your teenage boyfriend that's totally legit". ESPECIALLY if I knew she had an underlying mental condition.

[Reynard]

I wish more people would understand the beauty of snus!

You and me both! Spread the word! Hehe

[sgreger1]

I will concede that you have to be susceptible to severe mental illness, ie you need to have the schizophrenic gene, to develop the disease. You need the right (wrong..) type of brain, scans have shown that the structure of people's brains with the disease (note not before) is different to the typical brain. Causality is a whole section of Philosophy, and I won't bore you with it. Sufficed to say that cannabis may have been a Sufficient (but maybe not Necessary) cause of my disease (meaning it would constitute a trigger). I gather that using cannabis whilst the brain is developing - even up to your teens or early twenties - can change its structure permenantly.

Well I can't really argue with any of that. There is research showing that smoking it in your early teens can cause structural changes, though we aren't entirely sure what the ramifications of those changes are, and I agree that cannabis could easily be catagorized as a trigger for those already predisposed to having episodes of acute psychosis, schizophrenia etc. The thing that sucks about TRUE schizophrenics too is that they are unaware that they are schizophrenics, they literally lack the ability to recognize their own condition and this leads to them seeking destructive behavior in an attempt to self medicate. My wife's brother is a SERIOUS schizo and he has gone so downhill in recent years. He just self medicates with cannabis and smokes cigs like a freaking chimney, but also got into crystal meth and is mainly living on the street now since we can't keep him chained to the house.

I am glad that you don't have anything that severe vulpes, as I have seen first hand how much suffering something like schizophrenia or psychosis can cause.

PSA: If anyone here is younger and thinks they may have any sort of mental issues, definately do not smoke cannabis or drink alcohol for that matter, it only makes it worse.

Tobacco however, is very good for schizophrenia. I won't post all the research links, cos I've done it on several occasions. Probably nicotine specifically, improves cognition, attention and memory, sensory gating (being able to filter out all the background noise (that non-schizophrenics do naturally)), and improves negative symptoms like mood and apathy.

And snus is a safe way of getting my dose

Yah tobacco (nicotene really) is definately great for people with any level of schizophrenia. My wife's brother smokes like a damn chimmney, chain smoking packs and packs of smokes each day. I tell the guy to use snus, I even bought him an ecig once but he refuses. I just think of that much smoke in the lungs and want to throw up, I wish more people would understand the beauty of snus!

[Reynard]

Vulpes, I am sorry to hear that you've had these issues burdening you for so long, but I must point out that thing like schizeophrenia usually do not present themselves until roughly 18 years of age (right after or during high school), and it is extremely common (as Extreme mentioned, 1:100), so to attribute it to the cannabis is a bit premature, especially considering the significant body of research showing that it does not cause schizophrenia. I had a girlfriend who turned schizophrenic shortly after taking mushrooms, but turns out it ran in her family and we had just turned 17 I think, so it is more likely that if the drug had any effect at all, it was an exacerbation of an issue rather than the creation of one.

That's a bit glib mate

[sgreger1]

1998 I was perfectly normal, just finished my A-Levels (graduated from high school). No mental problems, perfectly adjusted. Then I went to University, and spent 6 months smoking very potent cannabis. In April I came back home (from London) to spend Easter with my folks. One night whilst I was home, like a lightswitch, I was plunged into what I later learned was 'acute psychosis' and the beginning phase of paranoid schizophrenia, something I still have and struggle with 13 years later. I have been admitted to an acute psychiatric ward 3 times, and I wouldn't wish this on the devil himself.

I know personally of several other people who have experienced the same set of events.

Vulpes, I am sorry to hear that you've had these issues burdening you for so long, but I must point out that thing like schizeophrenia usually do not present themselves until roughly 18 years of age (right after or during high school), and it is extremely common (as Extreme mentioned, 1:100), so to attribute it to the cannabis is a bit premature, especially considering the significant body of research showing that it does not cause schizophrenia. I had a girlfriend who turned schizophrenic shortly after taking mushrooms, but turns out it ran in her family and we had just turned 17 I think, so it is more likely that if the drug had any effect at all, it was an exacerbation of an issue rather than the creation of one.

[Reynard]

If I get a chance later Vulpes, can I PM you about this? I'll need some advice as coincidentally things have come to a head for my family member at exactly the same time as we're talking about this. I never new he had schizophrenia even though his behaviour was sometimes bizarre....it only becomes bizarre when under the influence of cannabis or alcohol. I love this guy and need to support him if I can at this difficult time.

Of course you can mate.

[Frosted]

If I get a chance later Vulpes, can I PM you about this? I'll need some advice as coincidentally things have come to a head for my family member at exactly the same time as we're talking about this. I never new he had schizophrenia even though his behaviour was sometimes bizarre....it only becomes bizarre when under the influence of cannabis or alcohol. I love this guy and need to support him if I can at this difficult time.

[Supervape]

yes it may be more carnicogenic BUT one smokes cigarettes much mmore than when one smokes weed.. basically when it comes down to it when i was smoking I had one every 30 or so minutes.. but when I smoke marijuana it is more few and farther in between.. (NOTE: I live in Michigan and legally prescribed it thanks)

[Reynard]

That kind of should be obvious [cannabis] does not however CAUSE those disorders

I will concede that you have to be susceptible to severe mental illness, ie you need to have the schizophrenic gene, to develop the disease. You need the right (wrong..) type of brain, scans have shown that the structure of people's brains with the disease (note not before) is different to the typical brain. Causality is a whole section of Philosophy, and I won't bore you with it. Sufficed to say that cannabis may have been a Sufficient (but maybe not Necessary) cause of my disease (meaning it would constitute a trigger). I gather that using cannabis whilst the brain is developing - even up to your teens or early twenties - can change its structure permenantly.

It took me years to stop going back to cannabis, as, people with my illness tend to self medicate with this and similar drugs. I obviously don't touch the stuff now.

My feelings go out to you Vulpes....its a terrible illness that affects a close member of my family.
Schizophrenia, I think, affects 1 in100 people, most not knowing they have it. That's a LOT of people to unwittingly go on a bad trip through cannabis.
Having said that, alcohol is just as bad for sufferers.

Thanks mate. To talk to me face to face you wouldn't know I had anything wrong with me, which goes to show that this 1% (that are blatantly not proportionately represented in society) often just fit in, and the rest 'are schizos', or 'mentally ill'

I avoid alcohol, or try my very best to. I experience depression as part of my illness, and alcohol makes it worse

Tobacco however, is very good for schizophrenia. I won't post all the research links, cos I've done it on several occasions. Probably nicotine specifically, improves cognition, attention and memory, sensory gating (being able to filter out all the background noise (that non-schizophrenics do naturally)), and improves negative symptoms like mood and apathy.

And snus is a safe way of getting my dose

[Skell18]

I personally think cannabis is evil for the above reasons, I will never touch it again (tbh didn't do much for me, can get the same way via drink, which I enjoy more!). However as stated previously I don;t judge anyone who does use it, its their choice who am I to criticise. However I do think it has massive benefits for chronic pain and other uses, when the bit that gets you high is removed, what is left can be utilised to great effect as sgreger1 said earlier.

[Roo]

Weird, I would think alcohol would "quiet the voices". I was not aware that booze and schizophrenia are less than an ideal combination, except for the obvious conclusion that a paranoid schizophrenic is likely to be far less tolerable to those around him or her when hammered. But that's the case with most of us. Seems like a drink or two, ie very moderate consumption, would calm a person down, schizophrenics included. Admittedly I know very little about the disease however, and have no first-hand experience with anyone I personally know.

[Frosted]

My feelings go out to you Vulpes....its a terrible illness that affects a close member of my family.
Schizophrenia, I think, affects 1 in100 people, most not knowing they have it. That's a LOT of people to unwittingly go on a bad trip through cannabis.
Having said that, alcohol is just as bad for sufferers.

[Reynard]

As for the schitzo thing, yes if you have schizophrenia or certain other mental health issues, doing drugs like alcohol or marijuana will likely exacerbate your issues. That kind of should be obvious to anyone. It does not however CAUSE those disorders

1998 I was perfectly normal, just finished my A-Levels (graduated from high school). No mental problems, perfectly adjusted. Then I went to University, and spent 6 months smoking very potent cannabis. In April I came back home (from London) to spend Easter with my folks. One night whilst I was home, like a lightswitch, I was plunged into what I later learned was 'acute psychosis' and the beginning phase of paranoid schizophrenia, something I still have and struggle with 13 years later. I have been admitted to an acute psychiatric ward 3 times, and I wouldn't wish this on the devil himself.

I know personally of several other people who have experienced the same set of events.