Andre von Mollendorff shares about the dangers of using marijuana from his own experience and research.



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I had come to the point of Psychosis, a condition in which the affected individual loses touch with external reality (Compton 2016). Paranoia set in. I was convinced there was a wider conspiracy going on in the world and that I was 'the chosen one' who would expose it. This was the point when things started to get severe. Fortunately, my parents were alerted, and I was removed to a safe place for recovery.

Conclusion:

The use of marijuana led me down a path of distorted reality, distorted social acceptance and distorted identity. Who was I if I was not using marijuana?

After working with young adults for the past two decades, I have seen a similar pattern repeat itself for frequent marijuana users. After my period of recovery, which included an encounter with God, much spiritual guidance and counselling, I found myself back at what seemed like early teens. I had to start again learning how to re-engage reality. I had to learn to deal with the typical stressors of life without escaping to my imaginary world. A world where I was the 'enlightened one', and where everyone else didn't have a clue!

I want to urge you if you are a young person experimenting or thinking of experimenting with Marijuana, consider the long-term effects. Not only on your mind and physiology but also on your identity. Start to ask yourself the question, who am I really? Face that reality, ask those hard questions now and become who you are, not what some substance makes you out to be!

Works Cited:

Atikons DL 2016. Marijuana's Effects on the Mind Intoxication, Effects on Cognition and Motivation, and Addiction. In Compton MT (ed) 2016. Marijuana and Mental Health (1st ed), 11-32. Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Compton MT (ed) 2016. Marijuana and Mental Health (1st ed). Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Côté JE and Levin CL 2016. Identity Formation, Youth, and Development: A Simplified Approach. New York, NY: Psychology Press, Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Erikson EH 1968. Identity: Youth and crisis. New York, NY: Norton.

Fontes MA, Bolla KI, and Cunha PJ 2011: Cannabis use before age 15 and subsequent executive functioning. Br J Psychiatry 198(6):442-447.

Grant JE, Chamberlain SR and Schreiber L 2012: Neuropsychological deficits associated with cannabis use in young adults. Drug Alcohol Depend 121(1-2):159-162.

McDonald J, Schleifer L, and Richards JB 2003: Effects of THC on behavioral measures of impulsivity in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology 28(7):1356-1365. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.