Cannabis Is Linked to Mental Illness

[SBFNews]

Cannabis Is Linked to Mental Illness​

A major new study shows that people who abuse the drug are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder​

By
Susan Pinker
July 6, 2023 9:57 am ET

ILLUSTRATION: TOMASZ WALENTA

Several studies have shown that chronic cannabis use is linked to a higher incidence of schizophrenia among men in their early 20s, the age when the disease is usually diagnosed. The first paper on the topic, a Swedish study published in 1997, found that heavy cannabis use was associated with a sixfold increase in schizophrenia risk. In the decades since, social scientists have unearthed a strong link between heavy cannabis use and other severe psychological illnesses, including clinical depression and bipolar disorder.

Now a new longitudinal study has examined the medical records of all citizens of Denmark over the age of 16, some 6.5 million people in all, for patterns of diagnosis, hospitalization and treatment for substance use between 1995 and 2021. In the paper, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry in May, Dr. Oskar Hougaard Jefsen of Aarhus University and colleagues showed that people who had previously been diagnosed with cannabis use disorder were almost twice as likely to be diagnosed later with clinical depression. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cannabis use disorder is characterized by craving marijuana, using it more often than intended, spending a lot of time using it, and having it interfere with friends, family and work.

Even more dramatically, the paper also found that people with cannabis use disorder were up to four times as likely to be diagnosed later with bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms. As is true of many psychological disorders, the increased risk was higher in men than in women, and the more a person consumed, the greater the risk. The study did not distinguish between different forms and concentrations of cannabis.

Though the association was strong, the authors note that they can’t say for certain whether chronic and heavy cannabis use induces psychosis, or whether people prone to mental illness are more likely to be heavy users. It makes sense that people who feel the symptoms of incapacitating depression or mania, or who sense apparitions or voices only they can hear, might try to self-medicate with cannabis. Without a randomized controlled trial, which would be unethical in the extreme, it’s hard to untangle these strands definitively.

But the study is still eye-opening due to its sheer magnitude. With so many people over so many years, there is very little statistical “noise.” And because the information was gathered from the national Danish Health Registry, there were few dropouts—often a big problem in longitudinal studies. As much as possible, the researchers confirmed that the symptoms of a person’s psychiatric disorder emerged after their chronic cannabis use and diagnosis, not before, and that they compared people who were alike in all ways except the frequency of their use.

Cannabis Is Linked to Mental Illness​

A major new study shows that people who abuse the drug are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder.

www.wsj.com

Source:https://www.wsj.com/articles/cannabis-is-linked-to-mental-illness-e8d1db54

 

[nirvarq]

The Schizophrenia Connection​

The link between marijuana and psychosis goes beyond a short-lived high. If you already have schizophrenia and use the drug, your symptoms may get worse. You may have more psychotic episodes and spend more time in the hospital.
Researchers also have found that if you carry certain types of specific genes that affect brain chemistry, marijuana use can raise the chance you’ll have schizophrenia. One of those genes is called AKT1. Another is called COMT.
Cannabis may cause schizophrenia symptoms to start earlier in life, too. Typically, men show signs of the disorder in their late teens to early 20s, and women in their late 20s to early 30s. Using marijuana may make symptoms show up as much as 3 years earlier.
The age at which you start using marijuana also might make a difference. Earlier use, especially during the teen years, may mean a greater chance of having schizophrenia, perhaps because your brain is still developing during this time.
If you have a parent or sibling with schizophrenia, you already have a higher chance of getting the disease. Using cannabis can make your odds even worse, taking them from one in 10 to one in five.

A Therapeutic Effect?​

Although the marijuana ingredient THC is thought to trigger psychosis, another component, cannabidiol (CBD), seems to fight it.

In one study, people with schizophrenia who were treated with CBD saw their symptoms improve and had fewer side effects than those who took traditional antipsychotic medications.

It’s important to note, though, that these people were treated with a medical product in a supervised, clinical setting. That’s not the same thing as smoking weed on your own at home.
https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-marijuana-link

 

[tobelightlight]

cannabis is a plant, it is not a drug or substance. The cabal is so afraid people use cannabis to heal and (may) get heightened senses (3rd eye) to access the higher dimension. which lead to more info downloads of our real reality.

The doctor of this article in question might not even know what really cannabis can do and treat it with unfounded fear and caution and spread his or her fear onto others. expert my ass.

 

[JakeWade]

Thanks for sharing this interesting study. Nevertheless, it's important to mention that while cannabis can have potential side effects, it also offers valuable therapeutic benefits. It's widely known for its pain relief capabilities, and I recently found a great article discussing the positive impact of CBD for pain relief at https://releaf.co.uk/education/medical/pain/back-pain-sciatica/can-cbd-offer-relief-from-back-pain. Speaking from personal experience, medical cannabis has indeed helped me alleviate pain and improve my overall well-being. I'd also like to highlight that using THC-free products can help reduce the likelihood of side effects, so it's all about finding the right balance for your specific needs.

 

[syed putra]

cannabis is a plant, it is not a drug or substance. The cabal is so afraid people use cannabis to heal and (may) get heightened senses (3rd eye) to access the higher dimension. which lead to more info downloads of our real reality.

The doctor of this article in question might not even know what really cannabis can do and treat it with unfounded fear and caution and spread his or her fear onto others. expert my ass.

Was that how the beatles got their music?
Malays and natives of sabah and sarawak consume air ketum( kraton) but now its been designated as a dangerous drug and users will face similar criminal consequences as other drugs.

 

[tobelightlight]

Was that how the beatles got their music?
Malays and natives of sabah and sarawak consume air ketum( kraton) but now its been designated as a dangerous drug and users will face similar criminal consequences as other drugs.

The cabal do not want human beings to have the ability to access the 3rd eye power, so they create lies to say this is dangerous. Danger my ass. And then infkucesnthebgivt to place ban on such substances.

And cannibals has very powerful healing abilities so the cabal dun want humans to find that out. Just focus on their pharma toxic medicine that can actually kill you.