The hidden mental health danger in today’s high-THC cannabis : science

[–] lIlIlIlIlIlIl@lemmy.world 62 points 2 weeks ago (12 children)

This is fear mongering disguised as “science”

A population-based retrospective cohort study of 9.8 million people in Ontario, Canada, found that people with an emergency department visit for cannabis use or cannabis-induced psychosis were at a 14.3-fold and 241.6-fold higher risk of developing a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder within 3 years than the general population, respectively.4

So another way to state this: people who are prone to mental health disorder are likely to LEARN ABOUT IT with cannabis, but it’s not causing healthy people to go crazy

Some prohibitionist jumped on this to spin it as propaganda

[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

It sure sounds like they’re just saying that cannabis helped people detect schizophrenia earlier than they normally would have. Which would strike me as a good thing…

[–] kibiz0r@midwest.social 11 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Yall are sayin stuff like “learn about” and “detect” as if they got to just add that to their notes and continue on their day.

Going from “might develop schizophrenia some day” to “inpatient for an episode right now” is a big difference.

[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Schizophrenia is better treated the earlier it is diagnosed. We are not talking about people who “might develop schizophrenia one day” but those who found out they had it as a result of this process perhaps earlier than they would have otherwise.

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 weeks ago

I'm not sure that finding out by having an episode triggered that results in hospitalization is a good thing.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

The earlier its diagnosed, the more severe it tends to be. If someone has schizophrenia triggered under the age of 25, the massive shift in the balance of neurotransmitters has a significant effect on the continuing development of the brain. The frontal cortex (the executive function, intelligence/wisdom, and common sense part of the brain) is the last part to finish developing. That's why you can have teenagers and college-aged kids that are extremely smart academically, but absolute morons when it comes to decision making and self-restraint.

Schizophrenia is characterized by massive overloading of dopamine to the point that the brain malfunctions, and the medications used to treat it (anti-psychotics) mostly work by dulling the effects of dopamine and limiting its production. Finding the right anti-psychotic and right dose of that drug can take a lot of trial and error, and that's all time lost for ongoing development of that person's brain. Dopamine is a very important neurotransmitter, so if someone has severe schizophrenia requiring strong dopamine inhibition, they can end up with a lot of nasty side effects.

The medications have long term effects too and there's kind of a maximum amount of time you can be on an anti-psychotic before you start having a form of medication-induced Parkinsonism. If someone's schizophrenia gets triggered then diagnosed and treated earlier, it means they are going to start having those Parkinson's symptoms that much earlier.

[–] ushmel@piefed.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Every time you experience psychosis, it increases your chance of experiencing it again, independent of your previous risk. Each episode makes it more likely. Unfortunately drug induced can make it worse.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 8 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that can be triggered by psychoactive substances, trauma, or other significant events/life changes. Not everyone who has schizophrenia was guaranteed to get it, it's just that some people have the potential for it. A psychotic episode (whether substance-induced or organic) is a common trigger to cause schizophrenia in someone that had the potential to develop the disorder.

If you have a family history of mental illnesses (particularly Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder), significant THC use and substance-induced psychotic episodes can be the grain that tips the scale towards developing the disorder that may have otherwise been avoided.

(TL;DR: if Schizophrenia runs in your family, be exceedingly careful about what psychoactive substances you use.)

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yep. I had a close friend that accepted a grip of shrooms from some random chicks at a house party, only to find out the hard way that night that his estranged (since ~birth) father's side of the family had a high risk for schizophrenia... Be careful, friends. Knowledge is power. Use your damn brains, please.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 5 points 2 weeks ago

I work in medicine (mostly emergency medicine), and I have seen a lot of people end up with their lives completely torn apart because of permanent effects of psychotropic drugs. CBD has a lot of benefits and some real clinical evidence backing it up, but there really aren't any non-recreational uses for THC and the people who want to use marijuana for calming effects can get CBD on its own these days.

[–] bathing_in_bismuth@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Someone has to be the first so your descendants can say it runs in the family.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

Given that, as a species, we have only just recently figured out how to diagnose any of these things, it is highly unlikely that these conditions are nowhere in your family lineage. There is always the possibility of de novo mutations that can shake things up, but people with schizophrenia used to just be called generically insane...or they were prophets or cult leaders if they rolled high on Charisma.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 8 points 2 weeks ago

Copied from another reply:

Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that can be triggered by psychoactive substances, trauma, or other significant events/life changes. Not everyone who has schizophrenia was guaranteed to get it, it’s just that some people have the potential for it. A psychotic episode (whether substance-induced or organic) is a common trigger to cause schizophrenia in someone that had the potential to develop the disorder.

If you have a family history of mental illnesses (particularly Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder), significant THC use and substance-induced psychotic episodes can be the grain that tips the scale towards developing the disorder that may have otherwise been avoided.

(TL;DR: if Schizophrenia runs in your family, be exceedingly careful about what psychoactive substances you use.)

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[–] ABetterTomorrow@sh.itjust.works 21 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I was using pretty hard after my mom died. Numbing myself every night for two years, it really messed myself up and my partners life. After taking a break for 4 months I saw and felt what it was doing to me and decided to reduce and use a different form for more control if needed. I take a gummy on fridays and Saturdays now, finally found the best option for me and sticking to it for almost 7 months. Be safe everyone.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 13 points 2 weeks ago

Too much of any mind-altering substance will cause mental debilitation at some point. Moderation in all things. I say this as someone who has gone hard on a few different drugs (including alcohol) throughout my life.

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 12 points 2 weeks ago

This isn't hidden this is well known stuff

[–] vala@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

I get that this is fear mongering propaganda but also, I kinda hate that you can't buy any old school pot anymore.

28% THC with no CBD just isn't very enjoyable to me tbh.

I miss that stuff that was like 18% THC and at least 0.5% CBD.

[–] Honytawk@feddit.nl 5 points 2 weeks ago

You can also just buy straight up CBD and mix until your hearts content.

You don't have to fill it to the brim with high grade pot if you don't want to.

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

1.) It's stupid easy to grow your own for next to nothing, in "stealth" containers ranging from 5gal buckets to full-on multi-plant gargants. (See: "space buckets" — and check your local laws)

2.) It's called weed for a reason. Set a reminder on your phone to water, prune, tend to your buddy. Spend as little or as much as you feel like, depending on how into the new, meditative hobby you've embarked on.

3.) Realize you've been spending far too much on something you can set & (mostly) forget.

4.) Enjoy!

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[–] Zamboni_Driver@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago

This article brought to you by Budweiser

[–] bathing_in_bismuth@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The "but alcohol is worse and its legal" crowd really rustles my jimmies in a bad way. I propose any reader to go trough every comment and post the best arguments for this being "fearmongering propaganda" under this reply.

[–] Killer57@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Man it almost like there is a known correlation between alcohol and violence or something.

[–] bathing_in_bismuth@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Yeah there is sociatal harm and personal harm. Both alcohol and THC can be damaging in their own ways. Your point?

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[–] LustyArgonianMana@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Willie Nelson looks great and sounds great for his age, with a case study like that I'm not putting down the cannabis

[–] Honytawk@feddit.nl 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean, outliers always exist. Don't think those are the norm.

[–] LustyArgonianMana@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

By definition of what a norm is, no, an outlier wouldn't be the norm. But who's to say Willie's physical reaction to cannabis is an outlier?

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