Larry's Story of Cannabis Induced Schizophrenia




TRUE STORY OF CANNABIS INDUCED SCHIZO

The following is a true story, appearing in the Nationwide News Pty Limited Sunday Mail (Queensland, Australia).

It is written by a mother who lost her son to (what she believes was) drug-induced schizophrenia. Her story is a frightening and sad reminder of what scientific studies are revealing to us - that recreational drug use significantly increases the risk of developing schizophrenia and suffering dire health consequences.

The most relevant portions of the story are excerpted below.

LARRY'S STORY

My son Larry was a brilliant student, but his first puff of cannabis was the start of a terrifying descent into depression and paranoia that cost his life.

 

As a child, Larry had been bright, gifted and extremely energetic. Looking back I would say that he always found it difficult to communicate his feelings, and even when obviously distressed would tell me he was "fine". At the time I just thought this was a typical male reluctance to reveal his emotions.

 

As his mother, my instinct tells me he would eventually have worked these through by himself if only he had never touched drugs. From the moment he smoked his first joint of cannabis to try to make himself feel better, Larry had started on a road that would lead him to severe mental disturbance.

 

Although by nature a shy boy, Larry made several lasting friendships at the local school he attended. He did brilliantly academically. Graham and I knew Larry found his first year at university difficult, although he rarely confided in anyone. He told me he hated his first lodgings.

 

I phoned a student counsellor, who went to see Larry, but our son simply told him he was fine. Larry later said that he had some of the best, and the worst, times of his life at university. But it was during the beginning of his second year that I discovered, to my horror, how he was using cannabis to try to solve his confidence problems.

 

I was appalled when he told me. Larry had always seemed sensible and I had trusted him not to do anything stupid. How could he behave like this? I know that thousands of students go out every weekend and use drugs, but knowing how highly-strung Larry was, I was terrified of the effect cannabis might have on him.

 

I had read about use of the drug being linked to psychosis and felt desperately afraid for him. What would these drugs do to his health and his future? I only hoped these feelings of low self-worth would pass, but I don't believe Larry ever really got over his lack of self-esteem, even though he was tall, good-looking, and very clever. He had everything to live for if only he'd known it.

 

His father and I were out of our minds with worry. If he had been defiant or arrogant about his drug-taking, we could have shouted and threatened him. But Larry wasn't like that at all. All we saw was an unhappy, disturbed boy who needed our help as he had never done before.

 

We realised he was in danger both of becoming dependent and psychiatrically disturbed by the drugs.

 

Yet all the time Larry claimed that he was only doing it to "make himself feel better". I tried my best to persuade him to see the counsellor -- but he was deeply suspicious of any attempts to help him and hated talking about himself or his feelings to anyone.




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