Since a few people have mentioned schizophrenia "labelling", medication, and
"medication compliance", I would like to relate the experience of the son of a
good friend of mine...

He joined a social group where smoking "pot" was the norm and joined
in. As his use of marijuana increased he started to hear voices and
became paranoid and delusional. He was hospitalised and diagnosed as
schizophrenia and told he would need (and was put on) lifelong
medication.

Over the next year he suffered some very unpleasant side-effects of
medication and became quite changed in appearance (especially bloated
and to some extent zombie-fied).

He felt that his illness had been primarily triggered by the pot
smoking and vowed never to touch it again. He approached his NHS
psychiatrist and said that he wanted to come off the medication.

The psychiatrist told him that this was unthinkable and that if her
did he would be "on his own" - i.e. no further treatment or support.
His mother supported him in his brave decision to try living without
the side-effects of medication and was enraged at the unsupportive
attitude of the psychiatrist.

Well, that was 3 years ago. After a few months off medication he had
returned to his old self and has managed fine since - studying at a
local college and living in a flat on his own and enjoying a circle
of friends.

Let me add that I do not personally approve of anyone coming off
medication without support, supervision and continuing help to heal,
mature, re-pattern lifestyle and perceptions etc. I am shocked at the
dogmatic and heartless attitude of the psychiatrist in this case in
just abandoning this vulnerable young man.

A recent TV documentary highlighted the large and growing number of
people who are being precipitated into mental health problems and
sometimes mislabelling as "schizophrenic" as a result of pot smoking.

Bipolar Problem from Pot Smoking
--------------------------------
Interestingly, this guy's sister separately took to self-medicating
herself with marijuana when she became depressed after a relationship
break-up.

The pot smoking triggered her into a full-blow bipolar psychosis.

His other (elder) sister has not taken to pot and has not suffered
any mental health problems.



Mike