Cannabis and Schizophrenia are completely different yet both have a wide variety of effects on the body and mind. Both not entirely understood, they have been the subjects of individual studies in order to gain more knowledge of their separate physical and mental effects. However, new studies have come to light that have highlighted the correlation between the two. Now scientists have realized the susceptibility to one might result in the susceptibility of the other, caused by deficiencies in the brain affected by both the substances. Many studies have confirmed marijuana use has increased the risk for mental illness within users. Underlying neurobiology within schizophrenia has been shown to increase the risk of people with the disease to use marijuana. Many studies have been conducted and will continue to be conducted in order to show the strength between cannabis and schizophrenia. People who use cannabis are extremely more likely to show symptoms of psychosis while people with the disease are more likely to abuse marijuana. Schizophrenia, a mental disorder, distorts perception, interpersonal relationships, perception, expression of …show more content…
The brain and other organs are then exposed to it once contaminated blood flows through the body. If the substance is consumed through food or drink, it has been proven that the effects of the drug take longer to show effect on the body. The chemical effects cell receptors within the brain. These receptors would normally react to chemicals that might resemble THC, and regulate normal activity and development. Concentrated areas where these receptors are located are thrown into overdrive, and can cause sensations that users would consider a “high”. Some of these effects are compromised memory, difficulty controlling body movement, changes in senses, altered moods, impaired ability to think and solve problems, and a skewed sense of
THC over activates the brain receptors causing the “high” feeling people get and giving them altered senses. b) When receptors are over activated people will have altered senses, change of mood, wrong time sense and delusion. II. Short term effects give people pleasure but long term effects are more dangerous. 1.
Sewell, Ranganathan, & D’Souza’s (2009) peer reviewed journal article discusses the possible link, if any, between using cannabis and experiencing psychosis. This article discussed how cannabis was likely to temporarily cause symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia in “healthy individuals” and increase the symptoms in patients already diagnosed with schizophrenia although they were stable on medications (p.153). However, the authors put emphasis on the variations from individual to individual and variations depending on the dosage of cannabis smoked. Sewell, Ranganathan & D’Souza (2009) also noted that cannabinoids have the ability to modify neurotransmitter release through activating presynaptic cannabinoid receptors (p.155). Furthermore, they declared the ability of cannabinoids to alter the functioning of dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate in the brain. (p. 155-156). Going deeper, this article proposes that individuals with a family history of schizophrenia may be more prone to the psychosis that may appear ...
3rd Ed. New York; Plenum Medical, 143-57 Watson, S. J., Benson, J. A. & Joy, J. E. (2000). Marijuana and medicine: Assessing the science base. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57, 547-552. Tashkin, D. P. (1990).
Hallucinogens prevent the brain from receiving all of these messages in order. All of the information that we receive is through millions of transactions of neurons, like a computer, marijuana alters these transactions. After smoking, or consuming marijuana, it is distributed in the brain. The concentration of marijuana in the brain may be governed by an active transport process in the choroid plexus network of blood vessels in the brain which regulates intraventricular pressure by absorption and secretion of cerebro spinal fluid. One scientific experiment gave an example of how the distribution of marijuana in the central nervous system could affect man.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse marijuana causes the user to feel euphoric by acting on the brain’s reward system. The euphoria is caused by the release of dopamine it to the user system. Other effects can include heightened sensory perception (e.g., brighter colors), laughter, altered perception of time, and increased appetite. Marijuana also inhibits the formation of new memories and causes coordination and balance to be degraded. These reactions are caused by binding the receptors in the cerebellum and base ganglia. The effect is similar to the impairments that are normally associated with consuming alcohol. Habitual users can also develop acute psychosis, a fundamental derangement of the mind (as in schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality especially as evidenced by delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized speech and behavior (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The IQ level of a marijuana users also decreases over time according to a Duke University study conducted by clinical psychologist Madeline Meier “people who bega...
The debate concerning recreational and medical use of cannabis has historically been incredibly controversial and its popularity is increasing. Many claim that there are no downsides to its use, often falling back on the “alcohol is worse for you” argument, while those who oppose its use say otherwise. In 2013, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) surveyed 70,000 Americans 12 years and older and found that 7.3% of Americans regularly used marijuana in 2012, showing a rise in use over the last several years. While cannabis is still considered an illegal substance in the majority of the country, several states are beginning to shift their views, allowing for the use of medical marijuana in some and even full legal recreational use in others, such as Colorado. The main question driving this debate is how does cannabis affect the mind? Legalization very much depends on peoples’ health and safety concerns, and so in this paper I discuss cannabis and its effects on cognitive function both short- and long-term.
What is marijuana? Marijuana substance extracted from the plant Cannabis can be smoked as tobacco, but it can also be consumed by other means, such as mixing it with food or beverages. Marijuana is the most commonly used poison after tobacco. The impacts are a mixture of arousal and a weakening of the central nervous system, and its impact depends on the kind of mental activity and dose consumed by the individual. Marijuana is a hallucinogenic and usually causes addiction. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. “They all contain THC the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana’s effects on the user depend on its strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC it contains. The THC content of marijuana has been increasing since the 1970s" (http://uodos.uoregon.edu/SupportandEducation/SubstanceAbusePreventionandStudentSuccess/Marijuana/tabid/83/Default.aspx)
the drug is a stimulant which speeds up the messages from the body to the brain. After the body gets rid of the drug,
The subjective experience of marijuana can include prolongation of the passing of time, altered awareness of self and the environment, and occasional paranoia or increased anxiety. At high enough doses, hallucinations can also be experienced (Farthing 1992). While intoxicated, a large range of acute cognitive effects has been found, including difficulty in motor c...
Marijuana effects two main parts of the human body, the cardiovascular and the central nervous systems. Low doses of marijuana consists of a sense of well being and drowsiness/relaxation. As the doses increase other effects tend to come in, altered sense of time and sensory awareness, difficulty in memory such as remember last movements. Conversations are cut and thoughts are incomplete and exaggerated laughter also take place when doses are increased. At much higher to extreme doses, paranoia, hallucinations, panic attacks and delusions occur.
Many users describe two phases of marijuana intoxication. During the first level the user will experience lightheadedness; next the user will experience peacefulness in the mind. Mood changes are often accompanied by altered perceptions of time. A person will think that hours have gone by, but in reality only minutes have passed. The thinking process usually becomes disrupted by incongruous ideas, images, and memories. Many users report an increase in appetite, heightened sensory awareness, and various hallucinogenic pleasures. The negative side effects include confusion, panic, anxiety attacks, fear, a sense of helplessness, and loss of self-control.
Repeated drug use over time changes the brain structure, and functions in long-lasting and fundamental ways. For example, in marijuana or heroin, they have similar structure to the chemical messengers called neurotransmitters (naturally produce by the brain). So because of this similarity the drugs are able to fool the brain receptors and active nerve cells to send abnormal messages.
The psychological reaction, known as a high, consists of changes in the user s feelings and thoughts. Such changes are caused mainly by THC. The effects of marijuana vary from person to person and from one time to another in the same individual. In most cases, the high consists of a dreamy, relaxed state in which users seem more aware of their senses and feel that time is moving slowly. Sometimes, however, marijuana produces a feeling of panic and dread.
From an Anonymous person, “when a person consumes the drug what you can feel a positive sensation or negative sensation depending from the person who consumes the drug. You feel energized and after the symptoms are done you are dragged down lower than where you started. It feels like a rollercoaster from the “high” to the “hangover”. This means that when you consume the drug you will feel worse after the consumptions which really affects your health and come with serious health problems. After being in the “rollercoaster” your health is at a dangerous risk. This really important because this means that all relationships with a drug may affect your health negatively and all the outcomes are bad. The only outcome that will come out is a downward spiral. The main point is that many relationships can be affected due to drugs being involved which is why anything can be damaged even the most important things in your
Another sensory experience that deals with the brain is tolerance and dependance. Tolerance is the gradual loss of sensitivity to the effects of a given drug. In this case marijuana. Marijuana users build up tolerance to most of the effects of THC, although at different rates of different effects. The frequent users of marijuana will have fewer alterations in mood, cognition, and physiological function per dose than less experienced users. The regular use of very high doses of marijuana can produce or develop to a mild physical dependence. Psychological dependence can also occur. For example, if a user has major life problems because of marijuana, he will find it hard to give it up. There have been no documented reports of death from a marijuana overdose ( with alcohol there has). Many researchers state that a very large amount would be required to cause death by a overdose.