Quote Originally Posted by El Horno View Post
Cannabis is used to treat mental health issues not create them.
You reckon?




4. Can cannabis affect my mental health?
Regular cannabis use can be linked to an increased risk of anxiety and
depression.22 But most research seems to have a focus on the link
between psychosis and cannabis.
Using cannabis can increase the risk of developing psychotic illness,
including schizophrenia.2324 There is a lot of reliable evidence to show a
link between the use of stronger cannabis and psychotic illnesses,
25
including schizophrenia.
26 But the link is not fully understood. 27
Cannabis can increase the chance of developing schizophrenia at an
earlier age. This is due to the THC levels having an effect on
schizophrenia.28
Cannabis may be one of the causes of developing a mental illness, but it
isn’t the only cause for many people.
5
Not everyone who uses cannabis will develop psychosis or schizophrenia.
And not everyone who has psychosis or schizophrenia has used cannabis.
But you are more likely to develop a psychotic illness if you smoke
cannabis. And you are ‘genetically vulnerable’ to mental health problems.
29
‘Genetically vulnerable’ means that you are naturally more likely to
develop a mental health problem. For example, if people in your family
have a mental illness, you may be more likely to develop a mental health
problem. If someone in your family has depression or schizophrenia, you
are at higher risk of getting these illnesses when you use cannabis.
Cannabis can have the following effects.
• Long term use can have a small but permanent effect on how well
you think and concentrate.
30
• Smoking cannabis can cause a serious relapse if you have a
psychotic illness.31
• Regular cannabis use can lead to an increased risk of later
developing mental illness. Especially if you use cannabis when you
are young.
32 33
You can find more information about, ‘Does mental illness run in
families’ at www.rethink.org. Or call our General Enquiries team on 0121
522 7007 and ask them to send you a copy of our factsheet.
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5. What is the difference between psychosis and schizophrenia?
Psychosis and schizophrenia aren’t the same illness.
Psychosis is the name given to symptoms or experiences, which include
hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations make someone experience
things differently to other people. This might be seeing things or hearing
voices. Delusions are when people have unusual beliefs that other people
don’t have.
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Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects how someone thinks or feels.
Symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations and delusions. But
often it will have other symptoms like feeling flat or emotionless, or
withdrawing from other people.
You can find more information about:
• Psychosis
• Schizophrenia
at www.rethink.org. Or call our General Enquiries team on 0121 522 7007
and ask them to send you a copy of our factsheet.