MJ is really not okay for a person with sz if there is high THC. The studies are everywhere in every nation, double blind, replicated again and again. All the science is in on this.
Your son might have had some with high CBD; CBD is the chemical element of cannabis being researched for possible anti-psychotic use and is not the chemical factor (THC) that provides the “high” along with hugely increased amounts of psychosis in all genetically vulnerable people that use it.
It’s an incredible risk to use street drugs for anyone, esp people with psychotic disorders.
For preventing seizures and anti-psychotic properties, CBD is being investigated. I don’t know whether THC has any theoretical or proposed medical uses.
I would just stay 100% away from all of it until the real science has been done.
The pro-marijuana lobby has zero interest in being honest or responsible about marijuana’s immense contribution to the increased rates of psychosis. It’s disturbing that they pretend pot is harmless. But there’s so much money for them to make, why would they care what they do to people with genetic predisposition to psychotic disorders?
Since it’s not regulated, who’s to know just how much THC or cbd or other chemicals are in the marijuana, same with any of the street drugs, I trust there’s 40 mg of medication in my pill I buy from a pharmacy.
I don’t understand why they can legalize the pot say in Colorado yet skip the rest of the regulations.
My son cycled in and out of depression for years before he had a psychotic break. He told me right after his 18th birthday that he used marijuana. When I talked to the family doctor he said it probably did help depression. He never mentioned the increased risk of psychosis. Later had an endocrinologist tell him a little every now and then didn’t hurt anything. I knew he felt happier with it and was very ambivalent, but in hindsight can see that was possibly a trigger for his first break. He has not used since then, but still supports organizations that lobby for legalization. My personal theory (no scientific evidence to back it up) is that when it grew wild all of the different chemicals balanced each other. Now “the good stuff” is bred to have very high THC. That is probably what causes the hallucinations. The other chemicals may calm the brain. God’s creation is very complex.
My son has tried numerous prescriptions. Some of them did not work. Others caused frightening side effects such as rage, sleeplessness, threatening voices, etc. Truthfully, a lot of legal drugs have the possibility to cause much more harm than marijuana. Clozaril dropped his white blood count and neutrophils to dangerously low level in one week! Then 8 treatments of ECT were tried. Afterwards he became so psychotic that his speech was disorganized to the point that it was hard to even know what he was saying. When he was hospitalized at that point, the doctor agreed to try lithium. In USA people think of lithium as a bipolar drug. It is not prescribed as much because it is an old med, not as profitable, and also requires blood tests. Besides stopping mania it can work for people with treatment resistant depression AND IT HELPS PSYCHOSIS. My son still takes Zyprexa and Prozac as well, but lithium is the only med I’ve ever heard him say makes him “feel” better. It is also the only mood stabilizer that is clinically proven to reduce suicide attempts!
He is not accepting medicine at present and didn’t keep his last appointment with psychiatrist. It’s been about three months now since his last shot. He did see his GP. He is sleeping and eating and did get out of the house today. His mood is even for now but I realize that can change.
When my son discontinued his Invega Sustenna injections in 2015, it took three months before symptoms were present and interfering with his daily functioning. I pray that your son becomes receptive to medication.