MORE JAMAICAN TEENS ON GANJA

Education minister Ronnie Thwaites stated today that there is a rise in high school age children using marijuana. Thwaites is discouraging other teens from beginning the practice based on the law that bars police from prosecuting anyone found with a small amount of the controlled substance. The minister also stressed that there has been a growing number of high school students who are also experiencing psychosis due to the use of the drug.
Psychosis is defined as the follow;
Psychosis
An episode of psychosis is when a person has a break from reality and often involves seeing, hearing and believing things that aren’t real. Approximately 3 in 100 people will experience an episode of psychosis during their lives. Young adults are placed at an increased risk to experience an episode of psychosis because of hormonal changes in the brain that occur during puberty, but a psychotic episode can occur at any age.

Psychosis is not an illness, but a symptom. A psychotic episode can be the result of a mental or physical illness, substance use, trauma or extreme stress.

Symptoms
Symptoms of a psychotic episode can include incoherent speech and disorganized behavior, such as unpredictable anger, but psychosis typically involves one of two major experiences:

Hallucinations are seeing, hearing or physically feeling things that aren’t actually there. For example:

Voices telling you to commit acts of violence or self-harm
Feeling like something is crawling under your skin
Seeing someone take the shape of something he is not, such as a demon
Delusions are strong beliefs that are unlikely to be true and may seem irrational to others. For example:

Believing external forces are controlling your thoughts, feelings and behavior
Believing that trivial remarks, events or objects have personal meaning or significance
Thinking you have special powers, are on a special mission or even that you are God
Early Warning Signs
Most people think of psychosis as a sudden break from reality, but there are often warning signs that precede an episode of psychosis. Knowing what to look for provides the best opportunity for early intervention. Some indications are:

A worrisome drop in grades or job performance
Trouble thinking clearly or concentrating
Suspiciousness or uneasiness with others
A decline in self-care or personal hygiene
Spending a lot more time alone than usual
Strong, inappropriate emotions or having no feelings at all
Causes
Several factors can contribute to psychosis:

Genetics. Many genes are associated with the development of psychosis, but just because a person has a gene doesn’t mean they will experience psychosis. Studies are still being conducted to determine the exact genes that cause psychosis.
Trauma. A traumatic event such as a death, war or sexual assault can trigger a psychotic episode. The type of trauma—as well as a person’s age—also affect whether a traumatic event will result in psychosis.
Substance use. The use marijuana, LSD, amphetamines and other substances can increase the risk of psychosis in people who are already vulnerable.
Physical illness or injury. Traumatic brain injuries, brain tumors, strokes, HIV and some brain diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia can sometimes cause psychosis.