Can Marijuana Cause Psychosis?

 Psychosis is a symptom that involves a disconnection from reality. When people experience psychosis, they may have symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking. This article discusses the ways marijuana is associated with the risk of developing psychosis and some of the treatments for marijuana-induced psychosis.

Can Marijuana Cause Psychosis?

• A variety of substances and medications can cause a condition known as substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder.
• After taking a drug or medicine, some people may experience psychosis within a month of using the substance or when they are withdrawing from the drug.

Marijuana and Psychiatric Disorders

• Marijuana use has also been linked to an increased risk for developing a number of psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders.
• Researchers are still not sure if marijuana can cause psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in healthy individuals, but it is known as a known risk factor for schizophrenia.

Symptoms of Marijuana-Induced Psychosis

• Hallucinations: These are characterized by sensory experiences that are not real including seeing, hearing, or feeling things that don’t exist in reality
• Paranoia: This is a type of thinking that causes people to feel suspicious and distrustful of other people
• Depersonalization: This happens when a person feels detached from their own thoughts, identity, feelings, emotions, and memories
• Derealization
• Grandiosity: This involves having an exaggerated sense of power and importance
• People may also experience other symptoms during a psychotic episode including irritability, anxiety, or racing thoughts.

Use During Adolescence

• Teens who use marijuana have a higher risk of experiencing psychosis
• Some researchers have suggested that this might be due to the emotional challenges that sometimes contribute to marijuana use.
• Regular marijuana use by teens can also affect the brain in a variety of ways and may impact cognition, learning, and development

Gene Variations

• People who use marijuana and have a certain variation of the AKT1 gene, which is responsible for coding for an enzyme affecting dopamine signaling in a specific region of the brain called the striatum, are at a greater risk for experiencing psychosis.
• Studies have found another gene variant of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme can play a role in increasing the risk of developing psychosis in adults who used marijuana as teens.

Treatment

• The most effective treatment option for marijuana-induced psychosis is to stop using the drug.
• Depending on the cause of the psychosis, a doctor or mental health professional may recommend additional treatments including antipsychotic medications, antidepressants, psychotherapy, and lifestyle modifications.

CBD and Psychosis

• Some research suggests that cannabidiol (CBD), another compound found in marijuana, may be helpful for reducing the risk of psychosis associated with marijuana.
• Reduced psychotic symptoms
• Decreased risk of marijuana-induced psychosis
• Fewer side effects
• While CBD shows some promise as a potential adjunctive treatment for psychosis, further research is needed to determine the effect it may have.

A Word From Verywell

• As more states legalize medical and recreational marijuana, it is important to be aware of the potential adverse consequences of marijuana use, including an increased risk for psychosis.
• Understanding your potential risks-which include how long you've used marijuana, how much you use, and whether you are predisposed to experiencing psychosis-can all play a role in determining your individual risk for experiencing this negative side effect.
• Practicing harm reduction strategies such as using the drug less frequently and only using lower-potency formulations may help.

https://www.verywellmind.com/can-marijuana-cause-psychosis-5200547