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I need /adv/.
I've spent the last 6 or so months smoking weed very heavily, pretty much everyday, an extraordinary amount probably looking back. Part of it is circumstance, part of it is I just enjoy smoking weed (what a radical stance in today's age). I smoked before too, back to when I was about 18ish, but not at the same level, more intermittently. I recently stopped as it was getting excessive and interrupting my studies, and on the off-chance did some research on it. From what I've read, marijuana can apparently act as a 'trigger' for schizophrenia in people who are genetically predisposed to the disease.
My mother is a paranoid schizophrenic, making me a first-degree relative, making me genetically predisposed to the disease. I've seen what my mother has become in the midst of many many schizophrenic episodes and continual heavy alcoholism, and I speak with all sincerity when I say that I would never wish that on anyone. It's honestly my biggest fear to become what she has, it haunts me every single day of my life.
I'm aware that i'm an idiot for not looking at this beforehand, and that I've probably already fucked my life up beyond measure. But the thing is despite smoking all this weed, I have had 0 symptoms and none of the supposed 'early warning signs' of schizophrenia: at 21 years old. Other than the looming cloud over my head of actually becoming a fucking psycho, i'm a very social individual, I'm successful in my classes, and i'm honestly pretty content with life, things have been going good.
I have fully prepared to quit smoking for the rest of my life, if it's necessary.
I guess my question is -- am I fucked? Is it already too late? Is there a chance i'm safe?
I don't know what to do.
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Mental illness runs on my mother's side, but was never discussed by the family. I smoked a good amount of weed in my 20s and ended up having a "psychotic break" and was diagnosed bipolar. Dropped out of treatment and got my shit together, had a career for 20 years, was married. No crazy episodes, smoked weed on and off, sometimes regularly for years.
Last year smoked a very heavy amount for a full year, started to see the signs again. Six months ago, quit weed and pulled myself out of it. The difficulty with being crazy is that I look back on these times, and some elements of the delusions were - in my mind - completely real. /x variety stuff.
Your best bet is to avoid mind-altering substances if there is a strong family history. Good luck, Anon.
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>>18265629
If you've experienced heavy daily use and not shown any symptoms of psychosis, you're probably safe. That being said, schizophrenia is a bitch and just because you're not manifesting signs early aggravated by drugs DOESN'T mean you won't have problems further down the road.
Just be careful. If you have an episode, quit smoking immediately and see a doctor.
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>>18265672
As far as I know my mother's the only one with schizophrenia, and my one aunt has pretty severe depression. That's about it.
It's just shitty that we have to live in this constant fear of losing our minds because of genetic makeup.
>>18265672
I forgot to mention but I've also tripped on acid
a couple times, and I didn't wig out or have any feeling that I was losing it.
I'm just so unsure of what to do. I'm definitely not smoking for the immediate future, but maybe every so often? It all feels so silly.
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Bump for hopefully some more thoughts.
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The idea that weed is a catalyst for mental problems is flawed. The symptoms don't show up as a medical issue, the issue is (as far as I'm aware) that if you smoke enough it can cause dissociation and that can trigger schizophrenic episodes in people genetically pre-disposed to it. But generally you don't have too much to worry about.
At least I'm bipolar and smoke every day, and it actually makes my symptoms more bearable, especially because I only smoke weed and hash. Their THC content is too low to cause the levels of high you need to be to have a schizophrenic episodes. If you've been a heavy user nothing will change, just avoid high THC% stuff like dabbing and oils.
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