For some people using cannabis can cause unusual experiences, some of which doctors refer to as psychotic symptoms. These include hallucinations, strange ideas, confused thinking and acute mood swings. Although these effects tend to pass in a few hours, scientists believe that heavy use of cannabis, especially in teenagers and young adults, increases the risk of developing a continuing psychosis, like schizophrenia.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Community Mental Health Teams ( CMHTs ) across East Sussex are working with a number of teenagers and young adults who’ve developed mental health problems as a result of smoking cannabis.
For some people using cannabis can cause unusual experiences, some of which doctors refer to as psychotic symptoms. These include hallucinations, strange ideas, confused thinking and acute mood swings. Although these effects tend to pass in a few hours, scientists believe that heavy use of cannabis, especially in teenagers and young adults, increases the risk of developing a continuing psychosis, like schizophrenia.
Oliver Beatson, member of the East Sussex Youth Cabinet explained,
“I think that using cannabis starts off as a social recreation. People try it for a new experience either unaware of the risks, or prepared to pay the consequences, thinking what’s the chance of it going wrong for me?
This risk is admittedly fairly low – but it rises considerably if stronger forms of cannabis, such as skunk, are used. In East Sussex, skunk has become the ‘cannabis of choice’ for many people, as opposed to less concentrated forms. There are many different strengths and variations, such as resin and herbal options, and it’s easy to under or overestimate their effects.
Councillor Bill Bentley, Lead Member for Adult Social Care, explains:
“The chemical in cannabis which makes people feel ‘high’ or ‘stoned’ is called tetra-hydro-cannabinol ( THC ). Skunk has a much higher level of THC – and as a result is far more dangerous to your mental health. In young adults and teenagers, when the brain is still developing, the risk is that this class C drug will have serious long-term effects on your mental health, requiring medical treatment and possibly even admission to hospital. We need to get the message out there that for some young people heavy use of skunk can mess up your life.”
It’s not always obvious when people are developing a psychosis. Some of the warning signs may be losing contact with friends, not wanting to go out or do anything, being suspicious of people, having panic attacks, saying strange things or getting distracted easily.
Nick Yeo, Chief Executive of East Sussex Downs & Weald and Hastings & Rother Primary Care Trusts, says:
“If you think you, your son or daughter, friend or partner may be developing mental health problems, it’s important to get help early on, to stop things becoming more serious. This means talking to your doctor for advice. Then, if a serious mental illness is diagnosed, your doctor will call in one of the community mental health teams – made up of nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, doctors, occupational therapists and psychologists. These professionals work with the patient to find the best route back to recovery.”
Families also play a strong role in recovery. With a family’s support behind them, a person is more likely to continue with their treatment. Nevertheless, before this happen, the family has to come to terms with the person’s illness.
Community Mental Health Teams understand this, and part of their role is to involve the family; to help them understand the situation and their role within it. In this way, they can offer vital support and stop the deterioration of family relationships which are so important to a person’s long-term recovery.
Notes to editors Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in Britain.
The use of super-strength 'skunk' cannabis has soared five-fold over the past six years, a Home Office study has found. The powerful strain of cannabis now accounts for 80 per cent of all street seizures of the drug by police.
A growing body of evidence suggests cannabis may be a causal factor in the development of psychosis. Zammit et al ( 2002 ) looked at 50,000 Swedish conscripts from 1970 to 1996. Teenage cannabis users doubled their chance of developing schizophrenia. Those who had used cannabis more than 50 times had 6 times the usual risk of developing schizophrenia. The authors estimated that 13% of schizophrenia could be averted if all cannabis use were prevented.
Further Dutch, German and New Zealand studies have all found a relationship between regular cannabis use and psychosis, with cannabis users doubling or tripling their risk of psychosis, even after controlling for confounding variables.
Dual diagnosis It is generally accepted that between 30–50% of people with a serious mental illness also have problems with substances.
There is a general consensus that cannabis use worsens psychotic symptoms among people with schizophrenia and people with bipolar affective disorder ( manic depression ) who experience psychotic symptoms.
Slang Street names for drugs vary around the country. Bhang, black, blast, blow, blunts, Bob Hope, bush, dope, draw, ganja, gear, grass, hash, hashish, hemp, herb, marijuana, pot, puff, Northern Lights, resin, sensi, sinsemilla, shit, skunk, smoke, soap, spliff, wacky backy, weed, zero. Some names are based on where it comes from… Afghan, homegrown, Moroccan etc.
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