Drug-induced psychosis through cannabis? The five most important questions

Can the use of cannabis cause psychosis??
Currently, the release of cannabis is also required for non-medical use. But how dangerous is the drug cannabis really? Is it true that with prolonged use can lead to delusions or even mental illness? We have summarized the 5 most important questions on this topic.

Is there a form of schizophrenia that is particularly common in cannabis?
Cannabis use can trigger a drug-induced psychosis in some people. The connections between drug use and illness are well documented today. Substance-induced psychosis, according to the vulnerability-stress model, can lead to psychosis in some vulnerable individuals even at low levels of consumption. The disease can be reversible or persist forever. The proportion of vulnerable people who are most vulnerable is given as 1.2 percent. So one in every hundred cannabis smokes, can get sick. Particularly at risk are young people who are in the adolescent phase. It is enough to be just "occasional consumer". (Archives of General Psychiatry (2008; 65: 772-784)

How dangerous is the smoking of cannabis? Picture: portishead5 - fotolia

You always get a psychotherapy in addition to a drug treatment?
The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis or in crisis situations in a clinic. The treatment concept always involves medication and therapy. Therapy goal is above all the consistent renouncement of the drugs. Only then can a recovery be achieved. In cannabis psychosis, patients have the greatest chance of being completely cured if they renounce consumption. For many, however, a life without care will no longer be possible. They then live, for example, in special therapeutic residential groups. Social educators, educators and therapists accompany and support those affected in everyday life.

Which medications are available? You become dependent on them? 
The drug treatment is the same as in regular psychosis. Medications such as neuroleptics are used to reduce psychotic symptoms such as delusions. Sedatives can relieve anxiety and sleep disorders. With the latter, an addiction may arise, so these should be taken according to information from doctors only temporarily and only when needed. The medicines are generally well tolerated.

What kind of schizophrenia is cannabis? A social factor? 
Some consumers are very vulnerable to drug-induced psychosis. In the "Vulnerability Stress Model", physicians assume that every person has different inputs to get psychiatric or mental illnesses. In the model, the individual vulnerability is described with a barrel that can be overrun at different speeds. The water with which the keg is filled should represent professional and private stress as well as social stress. Each person therefore has a different capacity and therefore different load capacity. If the barrel has a higher ground, this indicates a higher ability of a person not to fall ill. Unfortunately, you do not know how your own personality is. Therefore, many doctors are against cannabis release. Especially children and adolescents are at risk.

Does cannabis schizophrenia in a few people or consume it for the self-therapy of their schizophrenia? So what is there first??
There is a presumption that mentally ill cannabis use as self-medication and thus the proportion of sufferers is relatively high. However, the vulnerability-stress model has generally prevailed and is supported by numerous studies. Accordingly, drugs such as cannabis as well as alcohol or cocaine are very clearly triggers. (Sb)

Dear Readers, We have received a multitude of critical e-mails about the current cannabis article and would like to briefly explain our position: We support the legalization of cannabis for a variety of reasons, but known risks should not simply be ignored - especially if they are scientifically proven. Also, the consumption at a young age is certainly different to evaluate, as in adults. Therefore, legalization must be accompanied by significantly higher investment in prevention and education, a clear age limit and reasonable organization of the levy. There is also a need for additional studies on the risks of consumption, which may need to be funded by the state.