Psychosis caused by weed

[notaflyingmonkey]

DS (19) has been sectioned twice in the past couple of months due to cannabis induced psychosis. He has underlying mental health conditions.

The mental health team are saying they can't treat him while he continues to use drugs, and he won't accept that there is anything wrong with drugs, or that he is psychotic.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Was it treated?

Yes with an ex and a family member. I think the best chances of recovery are with 'early intervention.' If you can encourage DS to engage with support (and to give up smoking weed) he has a better chance of making a full, or near full, recovery. He needs to be made to understand somehow that it is in his best interests to engage and give up weed, as chronic mental illness is devastating. Hopefully there is some type of support even if he won't give up weed though?

This can be a hard road, so please get some supper for yourself, through Rethink or other organisations.

Sorry by the way, I know how devastating this is. He needs his family to support him but not in a controlling way, and also any sensible friends, ie ones who can be around him without smoking weed.

Sorry you're going through this. I'm currently experiencing it with a family member, albeit another substance. It's been up and down - a bit of a cycle of drug binge leading to psychosis leading to medical intervention followed by a better spell followed by relapse. Very distressing for all involved to see. As the old adage goes, you can't control their behaviour, they have to want to change. You can encourage engaging with early intervention services, involve good trusted friends of DS who can take drugs out of social situations. It will be a long road and I recommend making sure you have plenty of support for yourself

Thank you both for your responses. The problem is that he doesn't think that he has a problem, and that what we see as psychosis is him being 'happy'.

I wonder if you should post in relationships or chat. You'll get more responses. I really hope he begins to engage with your support.

Hi OP I know it's been ages but how did things pan out for you?