Effects of Marijuana on Schizophrenics

Hi, I have been recently been put on risperidone and abilify for hearing voices and having delusions of prosecution. Before the onset of these symptoms I used to enjoy smoking marijuana on a regular basis. However, I now won't touch it because the high seems to bring back the voices in full strength. If I do not smoke, the risperidone does its job and I do not experience much hallucination. I was wondering if others experience anything similar.
Some research I've read shows that marijuana actually gives some relief to individuals with a psychotic disorder.

Welcome to the forum spacemanspiff

Different drugs interact in different ways with our individual brain chemistry. That’s why the same drugs don’t have the same effects on different ppl. So yeah, there are some ppl like you that pot produces a negative experience and they can’t use it, but there are others that swear they couldn’t get by without it. Hopefully the latter group lives where medical marijuana is legal.

I know this post is a little old, but I used to smoke a lot, and when I went psychotic I was told never to smoke ever again because it caused my psychosis. I have read a lot online and pretty much it isn't a good medicine for schizophrenic patients, there is one chemical in it that is supposedly an anti-psychotic but they apparently don't use it on schizophrenics.

Carp wrote:I know this post is a little old, but I used to smoke a lot, and when I went psychotic I was told never to smoke ever again because it caused my psychosis. I have read a lot online and pretty much it isn't a good medicine for schizophrenic patients, there is one chemical in it that is supposedly an anti-psychotic but they apparently don't use it on schizophrenics.

It brings me great relief from my hallucinations and delusions. No other medicine has helped me any, so I was thankful when I discovered cannabis. However, it can be harmful to others. It just affects people differently.

Interesting, I guess I shouldn't rattle off false information I find off the internet xD.

I've learned, from various classes on drugs and behavior, that marijuana doesn't "cause" schizophrenia per se. It can cause paranoia, and maybe hallucinations (depending on the strain), but that happens in people who already have a propensity for becoming schizophrenic. Basically, those people would've been schizophrenic anyway at one point, the marijuana just made the first episode happen sooner. That seems to be the agreement on that topic that I've read in textbooks and heard from professors anyway.

I am schizophrenic and use marijuana. I tend to agree with AEJ. It's been very helpful.

I can't touch marijuana, it brings on bad episodes of voices, visuals and paranoia in me. I have never smoked it regularly either, maybe 10 times in my life. It's not what caused or triggered the start of it in me to begin with it started long before the first time I smoked it and before I did ecstasy.

Marijuana used to make me hallucinate in a very serious manner, while my friends simply got a "buzz." I think it may have been a precursor to my psychotic break which led to years and years of schizophrenic symptoms. If you have or feel like you could be at risk for schizophrenia, it's best to abstain from any psychedelic drug whatsoever.

I experience the exact same thing. I used to be a regular marijuana smoker, and then I started hearing voices. When I stopped smoking, the voices lessened in frequency and intensity. But whenever I got high, it was like I opened the floodgates, like reliving all my past trips at once and things would get super scary. I kept searching for peace because I loved to smoke weed but eventually I learned I just had to put the pipe down! They say weed can trigger schizophrenia in the first place so it makes sense that it brings out the symptoms.

Honestly I am 3000% happier without the weed, and I barely ever think about it unless I smell it on someone or they show it on TV or something.