My son was a bright, kind, athletic, hard-working, compassionate, and caring young man. In college, he started vaping high potency THC cannabis products. Soon, he wouldn’t leave his dorm room or attend classes, he withdrew from friends and family, and he started experiencing delusions and paranoia. Shortly after graduating from college, he experienced his first psychotic break.
I had no idea what was happening to my son, until Johnny’s Ambassadors helped me to connect the dots. I didn’t know how strong legalized cannabis products were, and Cannabis Induced Psychosis was not a term I was familiar with. I wasn’t alone in my ignorance—many therapists, doctors, and friends weren’t familiar with Cannabis-Induced Psychosis either.
Fast forward six years to today. We are living a nightmare. Our son is missing and homeless on the streets. He had a three-year period of sobriety from THC, and he recovered and reclaimed his life, only to lose it again to cannabis addiction.
We have tried everything to get him help, but the addiction and psychosis are so strong that we and many professionals have been unable to help him. The emotional and financial toll of my son’s THC addiction and Cannabis-Induced Psychosis are devastating. My family is broken.
But if I could save one parent from the heartache that we are living, then maybe this journey will have a purpose.
Please know that today’s high potency THC products are dangerous. They are not harmless, they are not medicinal, and they are nothing like the marijuana of my generation. The high potency THC products cause delusions, paranoia, and psychosis. They can trigger permanent mental illnesses, such as bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder. Emergency rooms are inundated with teens, young adults, and adults who are experiencing Cannabis-Induced Psychosis, often not understanding what is happening to them.
I implore you to act quickly if your child is using THC products and experiencing paranoia, suspiciousness, or delusional thinking. Immediately seek medical help and treatment.
Cannabis-Induced Psychosis is REAL. It happened to my child. Educate your child on the harms of THC at JohnnysAmbassadors.org.
If you’re concerned about your child’s THC use, visitJohnnysAmbassadors.org/parents and join our private Parents of Children with Cannabis-Induced Psychosis (POCCIP) group at www.facebook.com/groups/POCCIP.