Saving dope-addled minds

[grace]

ROUGHLY one-third of Australians have tried it. Half of all people aged 20 to 29 have used it and some of those, like Jade, have smoked so much cannabis that their mental health has crumbled, triggering depression, psychosis, panic attacks, paranoia and even suicidal thoughts.

 

Former cannabis user Jade experienced paranoia and psychosis before she successfully sought treatment.

 

"It was very scary. I thought people could read my mind. I was getting messages from watching TV. I was very paranoid. I felt like there was a big conspiracy and that everyone was in on this agenda and it was all about me. Cameras were on me. It was something I'll remember forever and I wouldn't wish it on anyone," recalls Jade, now 29, off "bongs" and studying for a career in youth work.

 

Jade -- who began smoking when she was only 13 -- says the psychosis she experienced from using and eventually abusing cannabis landed her in Melbourne University's Orygen Youth Health in-patient clinic for eight days. She wishes someone had helped her recognise that she had a serious cannabis use problem before she hit the wall. Unfortunately, if anybody noticed, they did nothing.

 

Now somebody is doing something, if not for Jade then for other young people at risk of cannabis-induced mental health problems.

 

The Orygen Youth Health Research Centre has teamed up with the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre -- based at the University of NSW -- to produce the first evidence-based guidelines to help people such as Jade's friends and family identify and assist users who may be sliding down the slope to mental illness.

 

The so-called "first aid" guidelines reflect NCPIC's job description, says its director Jan Copeland. "There's a lot of community misinformation about cannabis and only a small proportion of people with problems seek treatment". And that's a worry, claims Copeland, a research psychologist specialising in drug and alcohol addiction: "The earlier the intervention the better the outcome."

 

Not only can heavy cannabis use lead to the kind of mental illness Jade suffered, it can worsen problems associated with the use of alcohol and other illicit drugs. The resulting emotional cocktail has a host of consequences: impaired judgment, breakdown of families and social connections, legal problems and injuries from car crashes and other accidents.

 

While many of such difficulties can be alleviated by getting off cannabis, others may persist for years, or even life. That's especially true if people being using very early.

 

Neuroscientists have learned that different parts of a young brain develop at different rates. Final "wiring" is not complete until the mid-20s, addiction psychiatrist Dan Lubman says. According to Lubman, with Orygen and Melbourne University, that discovery goes a long way to explain why 75 per cent of mental disorders commence before age 25.

 

"It's a time of huge developmental growth," he says, noting that stress, drugs and genetic predispositions can make developing brains even more vulnerable.

 

Most experts agree that developmental mis-wiring involves the brain's endocannabinoid system. That's so, as it appears to modulate brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which relay and regulate signals between brain cells. Lubman says: "Certainly, there's some evidence from animals that early use of cannabis can cause cognitive problems and problems with social interaction that persist and aren't seen in adult animals."

 

There's also solid evidence that young humans with abnormal brain development often experience a cascade of problems. For instance, cognitive difficulties may lead to poor school performance which may drive poor self-esteem, mixing with other uses, dropping out of school, multi-drug problems and so it goes.

 

Moreover, Jade's raging paranoia may have been heightened by the increased potency of cannabis. Unlike the pot smoked by 60s hippies, today's plants have been selectively bred to increase the amount of the active ingredient of euphoria and mood alteration, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

 

In a gardening twist, the rise in THC has been accompanied by a reduction of another cannabis ingredient, cannabidiol. Lubman says cannabidiol reduces anxiety and has been trialled as an anti-psychotic drug for conditions such as schizophrenia.

 

Little wonder that Jade found herself going from "giggling on the floor for hours" at 13 to full-blown psychosis at 20. As she escalated her intake of cannabis from light use to "a gram or two per day shared between friends", her brain and behaviour went haywire.

 

It's quite possible that people close to Jade noticed that she had a problem. It's also likely that they didn't want to get involved, wished to keep the matter quiet or simply believed, incorrectly, it was a matter of morality.

 

"A problem is the notion of hedonism, that users should be punished. They brought it on themselves and they don't deserve help," Lubman says. Hence, "Helping Someone with problem Cannabis Use: Mental Health First Aid Guidelines". As well as simple information about cannabis abuse problems, the guidelines provide practical advice about issues such as approaching a person about their cannabis use, what to do if the person does not want professional help, how to find professional help and where to go for support.

 

Critically, every bit of information was identified and scrutinised for effectiveness and accuracy by 87 participants, divided into three panels: clinicians, carers of users and former users. Co-ordinated by Lubman's group, the experts came from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US and Britain. Copeland claims this extensive process was necessary as much of the advice online and in books and other literature is inaccurate, useless or in some cases downright dangerous.

 

While many suggestions are very specific -- stay calm, don't criticise the persons' cannabis use, don't bully or nag, ask about the person's use instead of making assumptions, offer to help find professional help and the like -- there are key things to keep in mind, claim both Lubman and Copeland. The key one being that many good treatments are available, from counselling to self-help groups.

 

Lubman ticks off important basics: "Be realistic about the outcomes. It may be the first time a person has been approached or thought about a problem. Be aware of local options.

 

"Be prepared that the person may not want help and decide how you'll respond, and understand what you will and won't do to support the person."

 

Do the guidelines make sense? "Absolutely," says Jade. In fact, right now she's doing a placement with Orygen, working as a peer-support person. "When you've got somebody who's been through it it's good. They know what's in your head. That's why I'm here at Orygen. I'm trying to give back and be here for anyone else going through it."

 

www.ncpic.org.au, www.mhfa.com.au

 

Author: Leigh Dayton

Date: 20 June 2009

Source: The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...2-23289,00.html

[Budman2012]

High there Grace , Hope your well

Seems you have just edited your comment at the bottome there ... probably a wise choice.

 

Again .. Another infuriating article that seeks to try and demonize Cannabis use rather than adress the actual issue of Depression and Anxiety which in themselves can lead one to abusing the "drugs" ...

 

It's like they argue that the Chicken caused the Egg to exist .. rather than actually contemplating all factors involving the said egg and chicken.

(Sorry , was wont for a better terminology but there ya go)

 

At some stages throughout the article there are glimmers of hope .. actual near-truths .. but then it falls back down into the same category as all the other similar types of article .. how if only we "understood" how Cannabis is so Evil , but just might work , it causes Schizo , relieves schizo , accelerates schizo behaviour ... shit life factors otherwise unresearched , but surely the "Dope" did it ... Science is still yet to understand exactly how the human "brain" functions and they will tell you this whilst at the same time telling you that Cannabis effects the brain in this way or that ... Sheesh Gimme a break ... It's called Double-Speak and that is how they are controlling the masses , that and sheer brutality ofc

 

Somehow .. Sheeple have gotten it into their heads that these "other" "educated" people somehow know what they're talking about , whether Doctors , Lawyers , politicians , police , scientists etc etc It doesn't matter ... they are people just like anyone , prone to mistakes and all manner of mindlessness ... Is your brother or sister , mother or father , aunty or uncle etc etc. We all know our kind and how well we all function within this fucked up society we perpetuate ... Why then are so many fooled into believing , or more importantly Trusting these fallible creatures that are so similar in genetic make-up to us and as us??

 

Mr. Dr. Pf. Sarge. Sir

 

Trust your Mechanic to make you well

 

O.k. then , well I could systematically tear this article to shreds and comment on each one but I don't think I need bother ...

Just need to vent a little because after the initial "Joy" of being Banned for speaking Honestly in Chat just now I kinda got a little peeved aswell ... Sheesh , sometimes even the ones closest to ya want to persecute you to aye meh I'm used to it anyway .. seems that sometimes people see the "damaged goods" and can't help having one more crack to see if it breaks heheh

Well , I stayed on topic and i used no spiteful references to the said "banning" so I think It's gone very well

!#*@#%$^#^#$#!!! Grumble Grumble

Cheerz all ... stay Vigilant

 

Budman

[bufo marinus]

"Be prepared that the person may not want help and decide how you'll respond, and understand what you will and won't do to support the person."

 

In other words don't be surprised if you get told to mind your own fucking business and told that your full of shit...

 

I get so fricken angry reading this crap, who is this Jade chick with all the problems? These basket cases who love to whine about Cannabis being the problem for themselves being so fucking useless, not the fact she probably needed a good boot in the arse and told to fuckin wake up to herself. If your having Psychotic episodes STOP FUCKING SMOKING and DRINKING.

Thanks for sending me off again grace always enjoy your posts

[mull]

High priest Jan gets to make another conversion to her cult.

If you believe in us, we'll give you a job young Jade.. all you have to do, is go tell happy cannabis users they have problems they didn't know about! And directly lie to the cannabis ignorant.

 

More funding taxpayers please, we have an epidemic to fix blah blah.. hurry up sativex.. that's gonna shut you guys down Jan

[luciddreaming]

High there Grace , Hope your well

Seems you have just edited your comment at the bottome there ... probably a wise choice.

 

Again .. Another infuriating article that seeks to try and demonize Cannabis use rather than adress the actual issue of Depression and Anxiety which in themselves can lead one to abusing the "drugs" ...

 

It's like they argue that the Chicken caused the Egg to exist .. rather than actually contemplating all factors involving the said egg and chicken.

(Sorry , was wont for a better terminology but there ya go)

 

At some stages throughout the article there are glimmers of hope .. actual near-truths .. but then it falls back down into the same category as all the other similar types of article .. how if only we "understood" how Cannabis is so Evil , but just might work , it causes Schizo , relieves schizo , accelerates schizo behaviour ... shit life factors otherwise unresearched , but surely the "Dope" did it ... Science is still yet to understand exactly how the human "brain" functions and they will tell you this whilst at the same time telling you that Cannabis effects the brain in this way or that ... Sheesh Gimme a break ... It's called Double-Speak and that is how they are controlling the masses , that and sheer brutality ofc

 

A-fucking-men brother!

 

I love how they mention that CBD has decreased. Whereas that is strictly in Sativa strains. i.e Legalise and people who might get a little paranoid (I believe only panic attacks) can smoke the calming Indica.

 

"Most experts agree that developmental mis-wiring involves the brain's endocannabinoid system."

What fucking experts?!??

Where are these experts? Show yourselves!

[chuffer]

haha how can anyone trust the words of an addiction shrink when they so fail to grap what hedonism is?

 

"....A problem is the notion of hedonism, that users should be punished. They brought it on themselves and they don't deserve help," Lubman says.

[Bazza]

Why do all these organizations who claim to want to help people scare the living shit out of vulnerable people. There was a good thread on here not long ago about panic attacks and how it is just from your metabolic rate increasing burning more sugar, so if you have low blood sugar then toke up, your gonna start feeling uncomfortable. Then if you have all this info telling you your going mad of course your gonna start questioning your sanity. Interesting to note that the tv talks to me alot, and they must have cameras on me and watch what i do all day coz they make in-jokes that only i would get. All my family and friends are in on it obviously coz they need to setup all the bugs and report back! Did i mention that cannabis enhances your IMAGINATION, and really who isn't the center of thier universe. Paranoia and mental health health issues are caused by the discrimination and persecution you face just for using a plant that is proven to be beneficial for people.

[Bazza]

Sorry for the double banger, but also: "Not only can heavy cannabis use lead to the kind of mental illness Jade suffered, it can worsen problems associated with the use of alcohol and other illicit drugs." Oh really, that must be why studies have shown cannabis to be useful in helping people with real addictions to move away from the addictive substance.

 

And :" Neuroscientists have learned that different parts of a young brain develop at different rates. Final "wiring" is not complete until the mid-20s, addiction psychiatrist Dan Lubman says. According to Lubman, with Orygen and Melbourne University, that discovery goes a long way to explain why 75 per cent of mental disorders commence before age 25. " Well that explains why alot of people with neurological problems seem to be drawn to cannabis, because it has also been shown that cannabis promotes new growth and regeneration of the brain so any hiccups in development could "in my own opinion" be corrected through use of cannabis.

 

Dont come here bad mouthing this plant. You'll find we love it, and it loves us.

We dont take kindly to ignorance round ere

[mistyville]

Jade's gonna be a youth worker and preach the evils of cannabis, telling of her terrible experiences. Ohhh pleeeese. Get fucked jade baby!

[luciddreaming]

This makes me want to go smoke now even though I decided I wouldn't today.

 

Bazza speaks the truth.

Chuffer - How fucking retarded is that? Seriously where did she learn the definition of hedonism? Probly the NCPIC I guess....