As drug and alcohol counselors, we often witness the effects of chronic marijuana use on young people in the form of cannabis or “weed” psychosis. It is unfortunate to see these consequences take place in individuals who previously would have regarded marijuana use to be relatively risk-free. Marijuana-induced psychosis is one of the unfortunate side effects of marijuana use in some individuals. Substance-induced psychotic disorders are recognized by the DSM-5 on the schizophrenia spectrum.
What is Psychosis?
Psychosis is a term used to describe when an individual perceives reality in a way that others around them do not. This can include perceiving visual or auditory stimuli that are not actually there, such as seeing things / people or hearing voices or sounds. Psychosis can also come in the form of extremely disorganized thinking, believing one has special powers, or being irrationally paranoid about being watched or sent special messages through the radio or internet. People experiencing psychosis can come across as distracted or confused, and they will often pause before responding to statements made to them.
Is there a link between marijuana use and occurrence of psychosis?
The truth is that there is quite a lot of study on marijuana use being a risk factor for psychotic episodes, going back to the 1970’s up until recent years. What follows is a selection of studies linking marijuana use with occurrence of psychosis. For a deeper dive on what the studies show, we recommend you check out the following research reviews:
- Gone to pot – a review of the association between cannabis and psychosis
- Marijuana Research Report: Is there a link between marijuana and psychiatric disorders?
An overview of some of the research:
- A 2019 study of over 900 patients with first-episode psychosis found that users of cannabis were more likely to experience a psychotic disorder than those who did not use cannabis. It was found that the odds increased among daily users, who were around five times more likely to experience a psychotic disorder.
- One 2012 study by Di Forti et al found that people who carry a specific variant of the AKT1 gene who use marijuana are at an increased risk of developing psychosis.
- This 2011 study of 2000 teenagers found that teenagers who smoke marijuana five times weekly are twice as likely to develop psychosis over a 10 year period.
- A longitudinal study of 45,570 Swedish conscripts showed that those who had used marijuana more than 50 times in their lifetime were six times more likely to develop schizophrenia over a 15 year period.
How Long Does Cannabis-Induced Psychosis Last?
Cannabis-induced psychosis can take three distinct forms: acute psychosis during intoxication, acute psychosis after the intoxicative effects of the drug have worn off, and long-term persistent psychosis. While some psychotic effects are somewhat common during intoxication (hearing or seeing things), some users will continue to experience bouts of psychosis after the drug has worn off. These symptoms tend to resolve within a month or so. However, this poses an obvious problem for chronic or regular users of marijuana, especially high-potency marijuana.
Where long-term persistent psychosis is concerned, it has been found that cannabis use is not sufficient to cause a long-term psychotic disorder. In cases where this occurs, it is more likely that cannabis use is simply one of a number of factors causing acute symptoms. As discussed above, there may be other genetic factors at play.
Unsurprisingly, then, an obvious course of action for someone experiencing psychotic symptoms is to discontinue use of marijuana and seek the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Marijuana-Induced Psychosis Symptoms and Next Steps
The debate continues as to whether marijuana causes schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other mental health conditions in otherwise healthy individuals. However, as discussed above, there is a large body of evidence demonstrating a clear link between the two. As a substance abuse program working with cannabis / marijuana use disorder, we have seen a noticeable uptick in cases among the youth and young adult populations we work with over the past few years. The most common symptoms include:
- Auditory hallucinations
- Persistent paranoid feelings of being persecuted
- Grandiosity
- Depersonalization & derealization (feelings of observing oneself from outside one’s body or being disconnected from reality)
- Persistent confusion and inability to put thoughts into words
These symptoms are unpleasant for the user and scary for a family. As noted above, we recommend that if you or a family member are experiencing an episode of psychosis or any of the symptoms above in combination with marijuana use, that you discontinue use and seek professional help. If you are anywhere near the Phoenix or Sacramento areas, call us to set up a consultation. If not, seek the guidance of a healthcare professional or treatment program in your area.