Consuming cannabis or other drugs could be, for some people, a trigger for a psychotic disorder.
Here are the main symptoms:
- Hallucinations: e.g. hear voices, see things, or smell things that no one else experiences, or feel unusual physical sensations.
- Delusion: e.g. believing that they are able to control other people’s thoughts or that others are controlling their thoughts, feeling that they are being watched, followed or persecuted, feeling that they are unlike other human beings or that they have changed.
- Disorganized thinking: e.g. quickly skipping from topic to topic, giving answers that are barely or not at all connected to the topic at hand.
- Motor abnormalities: e.g. being agitated or, conversely, responding less to their environment, having difficulty with goal-directed behaviour.
- Negative symptoms: e.g. reduced emotional expression, decreased motivation, diminished ability to feel pleasure, loss of interest in social interaction.
Distress and suffering associated with psychotic symptoms can be intense and persistent. If you think about suicide, visit suicide.ca or dial 1-866-277-3553. Their services are available 24/7.
According to scientific studies, the faster a psychotic episode is treated, the better are the chances of a fast recovery. Don’t wait to seek help!
In the province of Québec, here are some resources that could help if you think you are facing a psychotic disorder:
- List per region of the First psychotic episodes programs (website in French)
- Info-Santé by dialing 811: a profesional will refer you to the most appropriate public service if needed.
- If you are going through a crisis and you are in psychological distress, you can reach out to a crisis center in your region (website in French).
- In case of emergency, if you or someone else are in danger, dial 911. It is also possible to show up to the emergency room at the hospital.
(This government website was used for the symptoms description.)
If you know other resources related to psychotic disorders that are not listed here, don’t hesitate to share them by answering this message 