Adult son and wanting to smoke pot

Smoking MJ causes psychotic episodes in my 23 year old sz son. His last episode was 14 months ago and it took about a year for his recovery. During his recovery he has been med compliant, Invega. Just at the point where he seemed most recovered he went out and scored MJ again. I have now imposed additional requirements for him to be able to live at home, including attending dual diagnosis group therapy, and I have taken his phone away temporarily. He understands that if he continues to use MJ he will be homeless.

I have had therapy to help me cease being an enabler. Best thing I did for myself besides taking the NAMI classes.

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POT is a disaster for my adult son but he thinks it is fine. I have outlawed it here but not always successful. Itā€™s a work in progress.

Donā€™t need anything that lightens the grasp on reality.

In Christ strength,

TM

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Cannabis causes my son to have episodes, he uses it as medication to shrink his cyst!?!

The cannabis gradually makes him unwell. When heā€™s been in hospital and off the cannabis heā€™s recovered quite well.

Vicious circle.

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How would you get him to leave the house? Mine is bunkered in.

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I serve an eviction notice, myself (as opposed to law enforcement serving it; you donā€™t need to have them serve it). A form used in my state can be downloaded. If you have lived in the dwelling less than one year, a 30 day notice can be served. If you have lived in the dwelling more than one year, a 60 day notice is served. You need to be familiar with the eviction process.

The first time I served a 30 day notice my son took advantage of the 30 days and basically went just short of hog wild until the 30th day and left. The second time I told him Iā€™d serve the formal notice but based on the last experience heā€™d have 48 hours to leave, or Iā€™d take him to the homeless shelter, or Iā€™d call the police - his choice. (I did this knowing that thereā€™d be little the police could do regarding forcing him to leave without following eviction procedures). Anyway, thereā€™s enough rational thinking in him that heā€™d rather avoid the police, so he left within the 48 hours.

Of course, within 4 hours on the streets, his Dad, feeling sorry for him, picked him up to stay at his house. In the past Iā€™d have been spitting mad. But nowadays I have a little bit more understanding for a father who canā€™t bear the thought of his son on the streets. This stuff is tough.

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Good to know. Thank you for this information. Are you in the States?

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Iā€™m in California. I never thought Iā€™d have to closely understand eviction procedures and apply them to my own son. Sigh. But knowing the ins and outs of eviction is just the legal, procedural part. The much harder aspect was getting to a place in my psyche and heart where I knew this was the only way forward.

Though he doesnā€™t live with me anymore, I see my son often, and for that Iā€™m thankful.

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My son has never smoked pot in his life. This meant that when he first experienced psychosis, he had some insight and could not pass it off as the effects of drugs. Over five years, after an initial period of denial (not anosognosia) he has engaged voluntarily with treatment, takes his monthly AP shots without being forced by me, made a complete recovery and nobody would ever guess he has schizophrenia if they hadnā€™t been told. I sometimes read these boards and ask myself whether my son really has sz because our experience is so different from everyone elseā€™s. Then I realize that everyone elseā€™s experience has the ā€˜pot factorā€™. Yes, I think pot is very, very bad for the recovery of people with sz. However, itā€™s such a cultural/social problem in some communities, I donā€™t know how you solve it.

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@Hatty, its always good to have a reminder that there are people who take meds for their scz and have good enough results that they do get back on with their lives.

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That must have been a REALY tough decision. Is your son living with his father now?

It is hopeful to hear 0f a full recovery. Is your son working and does he have friends and a significant other?

He has a few friends (but wants more). He doesnā€™t have a good work history, which bothers him a lot, so he has applied to go to university in the autumn (heā€™s in his early thirties now). He has been given a place so I am hoping and praying that he finds a nice girl while heā€™s there!

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It does also mean that although pot and sz are often correlated, it is unlikely that pot actually CAUSES sz. I donā€™t believe it does cause it, just that it makes sz harder to treat successfully. And since itā€™s so common in society itā€™s hard to convince people with sz that it is a danger to them

I think a lot of the folks who have family members that medicated successfully arenā€™t as frequently found on our forum. I have noticed we tend to get many people in crisis or in transition to a new, new normal. Makes sense, we need more support in the difficult times.

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@DianeR, yes, my son now lives with his father. My son has more freedom with him and some increased responsibilities. However, his dad tolerates him smoking pot and being med non-compliant.

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