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Something’s not right

Ray64
Casual Contributor

Psychosis from Marijuana?

I have a 19 year old backpacker staying with me who seemed fine for the first day or two. Then we noticed she would start laughing randomly she would say she was just remembering something funny from when she was young. Two days later I had my niece and their friends stay over and she had 2 or 3 beers with them. I noticed she almost skulled the first one. I found out later she shared 1 puff of a joint with them. My niece and friends went off for a couple of days and when they returned I told them I thought her laughing behaviour and almost vagueness had gotten worse. When they came back they all noticed it was worse. I felt her behaviour was like an OCD thing or even more like High Functioning Autism. I contacted her father. He denied that she had any medical issues even though she had told my niece she had the laughing thing since she was a kid. We could hear her laughing till 2 in the morning. She started sleeping in till 11.30 I allowed it because I thought she would be exhausted. He father asked about alcohol and drugs. He admitted she had some trouble with cannabis a couple of years ago and thought 1 puff could affect her. He said she could have been stressed waiting for exam results which could have made her worse. He told me to just get her up and working to keep her busy and occupied. Can someone have a psychotic episode like seemingly irrational laughing and occasional hand gestures from 1 puff of marijuana? Or could there be more to it? I will see how she goes helping me tomorrow if I feel it makes no difference then I might talk to her. Very hard situation.

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Psychosis from Marijuana?

Hi @Ray64

Sounds like you are feeling quite concerned about this young woman, so it's great you have reached out to see what others make of the situation you're facing. Sometimes mental health issues can crop up while traveling abroad... I commend you for getting in contact with her dad to speak with him about what you've noticed. Is she in regular contact with her parents and family while travelling? It's a good idea to encourage her to keep speaking to her family/friends back home to keep the lines of communication open. If she does become unwell, it is often far easier and more affordable to go home to receive treatment where she has access to the support of the mental health system there, as well as her own regular social support network. 

I think that's a good train of thought to see how she responds to working with you for a day. If you are still concerned, you could raise it with her to guage her response. Encourage her to visit the GP as a next step. Her travel insurance should cover such appointments I imagine. 

Regarding your concerns about possible psychosis, I encourage you to speak with Turning Point - a drug and alcohol service, who also partner with us moderating the forums. Hopefully a moderator from turning point can jump in here tonight and share their knowledge about cannabis use and the potential impact it can have on young people's mental health.

Please keep us updated and in the loop with how things are tracking 🙂

Re: Psychosis from Marijuana?

Hi @Ray64 

As @Mosaic said it is commendable that you are so concerned about this young woman and following up on it with her family, her presentation does sound worrying as laughing alone until 2am, as you know is not usual.... I am not convinced that it is as simple as 'one puff' though, was it her drugs or others? just wondering out loud if she has more or has taken any more that you may not know? but also the fact that you said she told your daughter she had been experiencing the laughing thing since she was a kid indicates there is likely more to it but she may have been managing the symptoms well up until now... psychosis has a late teen early twenties onset.  In general one puff can but is unlikely to start a full psychotic episode unless thats what she experienced when she had 'trouble with cannabis a couple of years ago' so perhaps clarify that with her father? Sorry I know this all sounds very broard but I guess my main humble advice is to keep the kids talking knowing that they wont be in trouble for doing so 

i would like to put it out there though, what experiences have others had with this? does it vary from our thoughts? 

Re: Psychosis from Marijuana?

Thank you @Mosaic and @Fancy_Pants for you comments. It was very helpful. I tried working with her one on one yesterday but the laughing had become very regular and she had a lot of trouble focusing. She was definitely becoming inward. Last night she had a meltdown throwing things around her room and loud crying. I was able to go in and calm her. She was shaking and put her arms around me and sobbed and sobbed. She was finally about to articulate she missed her family. She had been on an isolated station for 2 and a half months before coming to me. My gut feel is she had childhood condition like you said @Fancy_Pants that she had been able to control but with stress of being away from home for so long was too much. I contacted her father and she told him she wants to go home. I will be taking her to the airport today. I heard no sound at her door last night at 10.30 so I would say she slept well for the first time in days. Her father said in an email that "I'm not able to explain at this time what happens with her. But I will let you know when I have an idea about! I don't think that it's linked to her stay with you. " I guess we will have to wait and see. Was it drugs or a pre existing condition.? Will keep you posted.

Re: Psychosis from Marijuana?

Wow @Ray64 - She is lucky to have you there!

Keep us posted.

Re: Psychosis from Marijuana?

Thank you @NikNik. I would like to think if any one of my children were ever in this state someone would help them.

So I was not happy putting her on the plane even though she said she was fine I knew she was not. Her father messaged me to say she did not get to change planes in Abu Dhabi she is now sedated in a hospital there. Very sad. I think she has a long tough journey ahead. I did all I could do. Life seems so unfair sometimes. I guess we all have our moments. Thank you for all your support. A great forum. Good luck everyone.

Re: Psychosis from Marijuana?

Sorry to hear that @Ray64 - I guess being in the hospital means she's somewhere safe.

I'm sure she'll arrive safely.

 

Take care of yourself!

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