Episode 1: He is a Different Boy
“Your son has Cannabis-Induced Psychosis,” said my son’s psychologist. That was in 2021, just two weeks before his 18th birthday, during his senior year in high school.
His initial symptoms were delusions of grandeur. He was going to change to world with his music because of the special vibrations in his hands, which he covered with a glove.
Over the next six months, our world shattered into pieces when suddenly all forms of psychosis became apparent in him. He experienced visual and auditory hallucinations, religious delusions, severe self-harm, a desire to become homeless, feelings of superpowers, days without sleeping, and suicidal ideations, to name a few. We were devastated and couldn’t do anything about it because he had turned 18. It felt like we were wearing a straitjacket of fear.
He was hospitalized four times. Each time, we begged them to keep him and help him, only to watch helplessly when they released him after three days. Finally, on the fifth hospitalization, they deemed him gravely disabled. The county conserved him, which forced him into treatment and medication compliance.
I wish that was our happy ending, but it was just the beginning of the devastating grief that comes from watching your sweet boy have his brain hijacked from THC. Nothing was helping his psychosis. Even six months of sobriety didn’t pull him out. Were we ever going to get him back? After months of failed medications, we finally found the right combination of clozapine and Abilify, and we started seeing glimpses of our boy again.
We are now almost three years down the road, 36 different types of medications. 349 days of actual hospitalizations, ten treatment centers in three states, five horrifying disappearances, and ten relapses. I’m happy to say my mom boxing gloves are on the shelf for now.
But he is a different boy. He has a serous diagnosis. He is recovering slowly and is still in treatment. But he finally has insight and is med compliant. He recognizes that he can’t touch THC ever again. He has gained much wisdom and now writes songs about his journey. He is still our sweet boy whom we love dearly.
This did not have to happen if he hadn’t started using THC products. Please know that Cannabis-Induced Psychosis is REAL. It happened to my child. Educate your child on the harms of THC at JohnnysAmbassadors.org.
Episode 2: A Truly Horrible Drug
I knew weed wasn’t good for the brain. I was never interested in it, nor wanted any of my children to use it. But until three months ago, I had no idea how truly horrible this drug was.
My 18-year-old son used to be social, funny, outgoing, and a fabulous athlete, until a friend at school gave him a THC vape. At first, I had no idea. But he quit sports, became socially withdrawn, and started to struggle with school.
I discovered his vape use and naturally attempted to get him to stop. He began to get in trouble with the law and exhibit strange behaviors.
When this happened, it was devastating. But I attributed these behaviors to being high. I created consequences, set boundaries, practiced tough love, and prayed that my son outgrow this “phase” and eventually give up marijuana.
I wish I knew then that the THC was actually damaging his brain, but the addiction for profit industry does a pretty good job of convincing the public that marijuana is a playful, innocuous drug.
Let me tell you, it’s not.
My son was struggling to hold a job, arguing with me and his siblings, withdrawing from activities, and having a hard time doing basic tasks he’d never struggled with before. When wouldn’t even come out of his room to celebrate Christmas, I knew something terribly wrong, but it was worse than I’d ever imagined.
After a horrible, scary episode, I took dramatic action to force my son to be seen at the hospital, where he was diagnosed with Cannabis Induced Psychosis.
I had never heard of it!
My son’s brain has been damaged, and even though he is now totally clean from marijuana, and any other drug for that matter, he suffers from the horrible symptoms of this heartbreaking condition: paranoia, confusion, hallucinations, jumbled speech, and cognitive impairment, just to name a few.
I wouldn’t wish this journey on my worst enemy.
Cannabis Induced Psychosis is REAL. It happened to my child. Educate your child on the harms of THC at JohnnysAmbassadors.org.