Did my drug use cause my Psychosis?

I haven't used drugs for about 2-3 years. Specifically, marijuana. I'm still young too.

About 1 1/2 years into this 3 years of denying drug use, I got a psychosis. I've had a few episodes.

Did I cause my illness now? (hearing voices, such on)

I'm diagnosed with Schizo/affective and Psychosis.

That's something I am never going to know, as long as I live....did my boyfriend slip me something that made me psychotic or did I get that way all on my own?

Tough isn't it. I'll never know if its really my fault. Or if that guilty feeling "its my fault" is true. Is this "reaping" for doing drugs? Biblical term there.Thats the tough question.

I never did drugs (aside from a hearty cig habit), but I still have that "it's somehow my fault" view on it from time to time. What really gets me is, sometimes, in more lucid moments, I can see how silly it is. But at the time, it's so real that no amount of input or proof can shake the feeling. Same with thinking people are plotting against me.

That stinks. See you

Hi RunningEagleRuns,

After doing some research on this subject, I have come to the conclusion that marijuana use did not cause your psychosis. However, marijuana can bring out the symptoms of your psychosis or make them worse. So, I don't advise that you use it. Don't blame yourself because you did not cause this.

I used marijuana when I was a teenager. At the time, I had some symptoms of paranoia and I had this feeling like I was being watched all of the time. I always had to have the drapes closed because I thought someone was watching me. But I had quit smoking marijuana when I was around 16 years old. The voices did not start until I was in my twenties. I believe that the phychosis was already inherent and the marijuana use had nothing to do with it.

Same sorta deal with me, except it only made me depressed. My Dad asked a higher up professor sort of guy if my marijuana used caused my illness, he pretty much said "no, it only made it come sooner"

Must be in my genes. Although neither of my parents have Mental Illness, and none of my grandparents do. They may though, I could be wrong.

Hi, people,

I've had the impression for some time that the researchers who study this issue (of the relationship, if any, between schizophrenia and marijuana use) just haven't yet found any smoking gun. They DO know that people with schizophrenia are about twice as likely to consume marijuana than other folks. But beyond that, they seem to be scratching their heads. Here are some relevant links:

http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/streetdrugs.html

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2005559,00.html

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec07/ch107/ch107b.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_smoking_marijuana_once_a_month_cause_schizophrenia

Hope this helps! Take care.

Just to comment from personal experience,I have a son...age 21 now,w/ schizophrenia.I am aware that he has huffed freon,smoked pot,drank alcohol,not sure what else.Knowledge of these facts came to me waaaaay later than the dx itself.
Even so....there are factors w/in his history which indicate that it is highly likely he carried signs of developing this disease from birth.He had no hand grip reflex as an infant,which I saw as him just being a very open,relaxed spirit...and commented to people how different it was at the time.Also he is a winter-born child,which seems to be a statistically significant factor.The question was whether marijuana was a contributory factor in the development of schizophrenia.I feel very strongly that it is not.If you were to view a picture of a brain with schizophrenia compared to a brain with out....the loss of gray matter in the temporal and frontal regions that control memory,hearing,motor functions,and attention.
Schizophrenia is a physical disease process of the brain which begins as cancers do...small...and gradually expanding.Much like a fire does.Destroying tissue as it spreads.
Uggghhh finish this later...much more interesting things occurring here hahaha ~W

Thanks for the reply.

I don't believe that marijuana had anything to do with it, besides maybe triggering already existing problems. However, I have done drugs as well in my teenage years. Mostly prescription drugs, including abusing some of my mother's bipolar medication. Would that have anything to do with my current condition?

I don't know much about what we are talking about, but I believe it could've. I could be wrong.