My Son and Cannabis
There is a good story in this morning's BBC News site on one man's story of his son's development of schizophrenia, believed to have been brought on by cannabis use:
My son and cannabis
"In 1999 Terry Hammond's son, Steve, developed schizophrenia. Terry believes that Steve's condition was brought on by his cannabis use.
Panorama interviewed him as part of "Cannabis: what every teenager should know" which explores the issues surrounding the drug and its role in the often complicated and confusing issue of the development of mental illness.
Terry has worked for rethink the largest severe mental illness charity in the UK for 16 years. Since steve developed schizophrenia he has been campaigning for greater public education on the risks of cannabis use - especially for the young."
Click on following link for full story: My son and cannabis
For More information see: The Cannabis link to Schizophrenia
Posted by szadmin at June 23, 2005 05:22 PM
More Information on
Schizophrenia Causes, Risk Factors & Prevention
I think that cannabis is bad for schizophrenics but to blame it use for this mental disorder is a sham. The fact that there is no credible research proving this link leads me to believe it is another form of anti-marijuana propaganda.
Posted by: Scott Lalonde at June 23, 2005 02:57 PM
Actually - there is a lot of good, credible research from top universities on the link between cannabis use and development of schizophrenia. In fact there are over 30 research studies on the topic. I recommend you read up at the following link:
http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevent2.htm#street
Posted by: Sz Administrator at June 26, 2005 08:44 AM
I would further add that perhaps the reason a high per centage of schizophrenics smoke pot is simply self medication. Psychosis is hell both physically and mentally, and from my own subjective experience nothing gives relief from both like pot, if only for the short term. It is no substitute for an effective anti-psychotic, but it certainly is helpful in relieving suffering without one. This simple explanation for the high per centage of schizophrenics who smoke pot seems to elude these researchers, but that is the way of the opioniated science of the rabid right all across the board on every issue.
Posted by: Gilthoron at June 26, 2005 05:28 PM
My blog didn't post so here it is:
http://gilthoronthestareagle.blogspot.com/
I have been writing poetry since I was a kid so let me know what you think of some of it I have put on my blog.
Posted by: Gilthoron at June 26, 2005 05:51 PM
My son Jason is 25. He had his frist catatonic episode at age 14. His achievement test scores dropped from the 90th percentile to the 10th percentile. He lost his sense of smell soon after that. He was sprayed by a skunk and didn't know it! He was homeschooled so there was always supervision. We lived way out in the country. He had a very rocky adolescense and we couldn't understand what was happening. He began to draw graphically violent pictures. He hated himself with a hatred that I could not fathom. It was not until age 15 or 16 that he started smoking pot. He was not diagnosed with Schizophrenia until age 20 when he began to pursue suicide as a way of escape. From our experience the symptoms were there BEFORE the first drug use. I believe that kids start doing drugs BECAUSE they are experiencing mental illness. They need relief from the confusion and the constant barrage. They don't know what is wrong they just want to escape! And who wouldn't want to escape a world of unimaginable emotional pain and suffering. Where everyone around you was making fun of you, describing your every move, denigrating and cursing you telling you that ALL the pain and misery in the world is because YOU exhist! My son is an extrodinary person who was addicted to cocaine, homeless and a thief. Jason has been clean of cocaine, marijuanna and ciggarettes for one year! I am soooo proud of him! This is a huge accompolishment!! I don't know what we will have to go through on this journey but I am waiting for the day when he will be healed. On that day when Jesus comes, the voices and people who torment him will be silenced and he will hear the voice of Jesus say "Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the foundation of the world." There will be no more pain or sickness and God Himself will wipe away their tears.
Posted by: Jason's Mom at June 29, 2005 09:43 AM
One of the reasons i started smoking pot is because it helped with my schizophrenia. I don't even smoke cigarettes because they don't do anything for me. It really does help. Before i started smoking, I was suicidal and was extremely withdrawn. Now it isn't as much as a struggle. Weed has been more positive than negative for me and almost everything has negative effects if you went and pointed out every one. If you thought like i do(ideas racing 24/7), you would know how different your mind works when you're high. I have never done any other drug nor want to. I figured I was going to kill myself anyway, might as well smoke before i die. Best decision i ever made. And if it's that bad for you, hey, it kept me in this world i have no problem letting it take me out.
Posted by: Jim at August 28, 2005 11:55 AM
i know i didnt get schizophrenia from weed or anything esles....i started smoking after i found out about my illness years after. it made my anger about being sick go away...but now i see the down side...the negative effects of schizophrenia are so visible to me now. i need to stop smoking which i will. but im still going to be sick my medication Aripiprazole 30 mg has been a god send ..but it only helps at home...when im around people or out side the voices start again..not as loud as before i was on the meds but they are there.....do i want to zone out on weed ...or be awake as i panic through life.
this is some lame choice i have been given in life. i wish god would tell me why...sounds stupid ...but why me! is always on my mind.
Posted by: comic at May 18, 2007 02:07 PM
I think that cannabis is bad for schizophrenics but to blame it use for this mental disorder is a sham. The fact that there is no credible research proving this link leads me to believe it is another form of anti-marijuana propaganda.
Posted by: Scott Lalonde at June 23, 2005 02:57 PM
Actually - there is a lot of good, credible research from top universities on the link between cannabis use and development of schizophrenia. In fact there are over 30 research studies on the topic. I recommend you read up at the following link:
http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevent2.htm#street
Posted by: Sz Administrator at June 26, 2005 08:44 AM
I would further add that perhaps the reason a high per centage of schizophrenics smoke pot is simply self medication. Psychosis is hell both physically and mentally, and from my own subjective experience nothing gives relief from both like pot, if only for the short term. It is no substitute for an effective anti-psychotic, but it certainly is helpful in relieving suffering without one. This simple explanation for the high per centage of schizophrenics who smoke pot seems to elude these researchers, but that is the way of the opioniated science of the rabid right all across the board on every issue.
Posted by: Gilthoron at June 26, 2005 05:28 PM
My blog didn't post so here it is:
http://gilthoronthestareagle.blogspot.com/
I have been writing poetry since I was a kid so let me know what you think of some of it I have put on my blog.
Posted by: Gilthoron at June 26, 2005 05:51 PM
My son Jason is 25. He had his frist catatonic episode at age 14. His achievement test scores dropped from the 90th percentile to the 10th percentile. He lost his sense of smell soon after that. He was sprayed by a skunk and didn't know it! He was homeschooled so there was always supervision. We lived way out in the country. He had a very rocky adolescense and we couldn't understand what was happening. He began to draw graphically violent pictures. He hated himself with a hatred that I could not fathom. It was not until age 15 or 16 that he started smoking pot. He was not diagnosed with Schizophrenia until age 20 when he began to pursue suicide as a way of escape. From our experience the symptoms were there BEFORE the first drug use. I believe that kids start doing drugs BECAUSE they are experiencing mental illness. They need relief from the confusion and the constant barrage. They don't know what is wrong they just want to escape! And who wouldn't want to escape a world of unimaginable emotional pain and suffering. Where everyone around you was making fun of you, describing your every move, denigrating and cursing you telling you that ALL the pain and misery in the world is because YOU exhist! My son is an extrodinary person who was addicted to cocaine, homeless and a thief. Jason has been clean of cocaine, marijuanna and ciggarettes for one year! I am soooo proud of him! This is a huge accompolishment!! I don't know what we will have to go through on this journey but I am waiting for the day when he will be healed. On that day when Jesus comes, the voices and people who torment him will be silenced and he will hear the voice of Jesus say "Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you from the foundation of the world." There will be no more pain or sickness and God Himself will wipe away their tears.
Posted by: Jason's Mom at June 29, 2005 09:43 AM
One of the reasons i started smoking pot is because it helped with my schizophrenia. I don't even smoke cigarettes because they don't do anything for me. It really does help. Before i started smoking, I was suicidal and was extremely withdrawn. Now it isn't as much as a struggle. Weed has been more positive than negative for me and almost everything has negative effects if you went and pointed out every one. If you thought like i do(ideas racing 24/7), you would know how different your mind works when you're high. I have never done any other drug nor want to. I figured I was going to kill myself anyway, might as well smoke before i die. Best decision i ever made. And if it's that bad for you, hey, it kept me in this world i have no problem letting it take me out.
Posted by: Jim at August 28, 2005 11:55 AM
i know i didnt get schizophrenia from weed or anything esles....i started smoking after i found out about my illness years after. it made my anger about being sick go away...but now i see the down side...the negative effects of schizophrenia are so visible to me now. i need to stop smoking which i will. but im still going to be sick my medication Aripiprazole 30 mg has been a god send ..but it only helps at home...when im around people or out side the voices start again..not as loud as before i was on the meds but they are there.....do i want to zone out on weed ...or be awake as i panic through life.
this is some lame choice i have been given in life. i wish god would tell me why...sounds stupid ...but why me! is always on my mind.
Posted by: comic at May 18, 2007 02:07 PM