Psychosis is a mental condition in which the affected person loses touch with reality and may exhibit symptoms like delusion, hallucination, paranoia, muddled thinking, slurred speech, loss of motivation, despair, anxiety & insomnia. 3 out of every 100 people experience a psychotic episode at least once in their lives*. During the initial Prodromal Phase of psychosis, subtle changes reflect in thinking, perception and behavior. During the Acute Phase, full blown symptoms occur which may affect the individual’s daily routine and hamper functioning. Later on, the Recovery Phase commences.
Cannabis (also known as marijuana) is the most commonly used illicit recreational drug.
Cannabis has pain-relieving & stimulating effects. There are 400 chemical compounds in the cannabis plant. The effects occur instantaneously when inhaled & after an hour when consumed orally.
Prominent symptoms associated with cannabis use include auditory hallucinations, paranoid feelings of being persecuted, depersonalization, anxiety, grandiosity, irritability, feeling of relaxation, loss of inhibition, increased talkativeness, confused perception of space and time, sedation; reduced ability to concentrate & remember.
Psychosis associated with Cannabis has been explained by various hypotheses:
Behavioral treatments include Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Contingency management & Motivational enhancement therapy. For some cases, it requires long-term rehabilitation for management and relapse prevention.
If you or someone you care for is struggling with addiction to cannabis/cannabis-induced psychosis, please feel free to reach out to our experts using the following coordinates: _________
*Source:https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/raise/fact-sheet-first-episode-psychosis.shtml
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