ahufflepuffhobbit t1_jbukiow wrote on March 11, 2023 at 8:52 PM

Several studies have linked marijuana consumption with the onset of schizophrenia and persistent psychotic symptoms. Some of these report that a frequent user of cannabis has 6 times higher probability of developing schizophrenia. This, however is neither a necessary or sufficient condition, there are other factors at play, some kind of genetic susceptibility being probably one of them.

Source

Half4sleep t1_jbux51n wrote on March 11, 2023 at 10:27 PM

Or is it that people that are schizophrenic are more prone in % to test drugs than "normal" people, for the lack of a better word?

ahufflepuffhobbit t1_jbuxtcs wrote on March 11, 2023 at 10:32 PM

It may be. I haven't read the studies that report this with enough attention to determine if it was 100% well realized or not, but the review article I cited seemed very interesting and comprehensive, citing several papers with different conclusions. Most of them appear to agree that there is a correlation between psychotic alterations and marijuana, but more research is definitely needed to fully understand the mechanisms and possible causality.

Half4sleep t1_jbwzja5 wrote on March 12, 2023 at 10:49 AM

Now, I don't know too much about this myself, but jumping to a collusion about the correlation is dangerous.

People who eat a lot of cheese are more prone to heart attacks, does that mean cheese causes it? No, overweight people just eat more of it, and because they're fat they have an increased risk of heart diseases.

fuerdiesache t1_jbys06s wrote on March 12, 2023 at 7:40 PM

this is more likely the case, though more studies are needed to confirm it. i suspect this is essentially similar to the myth that eating lots of sugar/carbs can cause diabetes -- it is not generally correct, but it can apply to people who are genetically predisposed to diabetes.

Regular_Actuator408 t1_jbuwl2o wrote on March 11, 2023 at 10:23 PM

I know there’s a lot of conjecture of cause/effect around this, as those in the early stages of developing schizophrenia are much more likely to “self medicate” even unknowingly.

counterbalanced_ t1_jbvdm4p wrote on March 12, 2023 at 12:35 AM

Because some clinical issues present as trauma informed, the results are clinically skewed in those studies. To find conclusively that any clinical issue can be created by environmental mechanics is redundant.