Can Medical Marijuana Help With Schizophrenia?
What is Schizophrenia?
Before we dive into if medical marijuana can actually help the symptoms of schizophrenia, it’s important to understand what schizophrenia actually is.
Affecting less than one percent of the US population, schizophrenia is classified as a chronic brain disorder. The condition typically begins during early adulthood and can include a wide range of symptoms like:
- Hallucinations, both visual and audio (hearing things or voices that aren’t actually there)
- Psychosis: a disruption in the way our brain processes information that can result in losing touch with reality.
- Distorted perceptions and delusions
- Paranoia
- Impaired ability to speak or express emotion
- Issues with logical thinking
- Strange behavior or movements
- Confused or nonsensical speech and thinking
A common misconception people make about schizophrenia is the association with multiple or split personalities. In reality, most people with schizophrenia aren’t any more dangerous than the general population and usually live with family, by themselves, or in a group home; not in a hospital. Unfortunately, people with schizophrenia are often (and unfairly) portrayed as being violent individuals in contemporary films.
Currently, there is no cure for schizophrenia, but it is treatable and symptoms are often manageable.
How Is Schizophrenia Treated?
The two most common treatments for schizophrenia are antipsychotic medication and cognitive behavior therapy.
Antipsychotic medication is useful for minimizing effects when the condition is in an acute phase (when symptoms are more apparent) and reducing the chance of future episodes.
Cognitive behavior therapy is a form of therapy that addresses the poor thought patterns that lead to poor behaviors and works to correct them by achieving a better understanding of underlying issues, developing problem-solving skills, building confidence in one’s own abilities, and learning techniques to calm the mind. It is used to treat a wide range of problems and mental illnesses ranging from mild to severe.
Can Medical Marijuana Be Used To Treat Schizophrenia?
One thing we have learned about the relationship between marijuana and schizophrenia is an association with people with schizophrenia abusing marijuana. It is unclear why exactly this is, but some researchers think it may be users self-medicating.
There are multiple causes of schizophrenia with a notable one being our genetic makeup. Researchers have determined that if someone carries particular genes that affect brain chemistry, marijuana can increase the likelihood of them having schizophrenia. Additionally, people that already have schizophrenia and choose to use marijuana are more likely to experience psychotic episodes.
Unfortunately, the research we currently have suggests medical marijuana can not be used to treat schizophrenia and should be avoided if you have it or a family history of psychotic illness.
CBD vs THC for Schizophrenia
While one of the active ingredients in marijuana, THC, is suggested to contribute to psychosis or trigger it, another ingredient, CBD, was shown in one study to lessen symptoms of schizophrenia.
Additionally, CBD had fewer side effects than antipsychotic medication that is typically prescribed. This was a controlled study, however, and took place in a controlled and supervised setting which is very different than using cannabis at home.
Speak With Your Doctor
If you are considering taking medical marijuana for any reason, it is always best to consult with your physician first.
If you are in need of a medical marijuana card and have consulted with your primary care physician about using medical marijuana with your treatment plan, consider booking an appointment with one of our physician’s.
