MODULE TITTLE-Substance use and misuse (health) Essay

MODULE TITTLE-Substance use and misuse (health) - Essay Example The Royal College of Psychiatrists has acknowledged the problem and is working collaboratively to bring integrated treatment systems for individuals with co-morbidity problems (Hussein, 2002). Schizophrenia and cannabis abuse. Substance abuse is very prevalent among schizophrenia patients and it has been found that â€Å"the most often misused substances are alcohol and cannabis† (Weinberger and Harrison, 2011, p.123). The first study to find a connection between cannabis use and schizophrenia was done by Andreasson, Allbeck and Rydberg (1987), and this study concluded that there is some incontrovertible association. One estimate is that â€Å"roughly one quarter of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders currently use or misuse cannabis† (Weinberger and Harrison, 2011, p.123-124). In an Australian study also, it was found that 40.9% of the 852 schizophrenic patients were having lifelong use of cannabis (Weinberger and Harrison, 2011, p.201). Other research findi ngs have also indicated that â€Å"patients with schizophrenia are more likely to use cannabis than other psychiatric patients or normal† persons (Hall and Pacula, 2003, p.90). A comprehensive study that examined about 4000 studies from around the world has also warned youngsters that using cannabis will make them more vulnerable to schizophrenia (Moore et al., 2007). While exploring this curious connection, researchers have found out that â€Å"cannabis use (induced) psychotic symptoms in adulthood† and resulted in an â€Å"earlier age at onset† (Weinberger and Harrison, 2011, p.124). In many schizophrenic individuals, the â€Å"first social/occupational dysfunction, first negative symptom, (or) first psychotic episode† occurred after the use of cannabis (Weinberger and Harrison, 2011, p.124). Another projection made by a UK study was that â€Å"by 2010, †¦approximately 10% of schizophrenia cases† would be attributable to cannabis misuse (Wei nberger and Harrison, 2011, p.201). As almost all the studies on the connection between cannabis use and schizophrenia have been done taking adult male samples only, all these findings are mostly applicable only to adult males. But it has also been noted that the rate of occurrence of schizophrenia has not increased in proportion with the rate of use of cannabis among young males (Degenhardt, Hall and Lynskey, 2001, pp.32). Opposers of this view, on the other hand have argued that â€Å"in Australia — where marijuana use is heavy among teens — it’s not uncommon for 20 to 30 per cent of new episodes of schizophrenia to be among patients who use marijuana daily or almost daily† (Turning Point Detox, 2011). Why individuals who suffer from schizophrenia misuse cannabis. The question that arises from the above discussion and which is relevant to this study is why individuals suffering from schizophrenia often misuse cannabis. One answer could be that â€Å"sc hizophrenic brains may be more sensitive to toxic influences† (Aronson, 2008, p.480). The impact of cannabis on risk taking behavior is another aspect that needs to be considered as schizophrenic patients most often will be in an abnormal mental state and it will be easy for them to get used to the risk involved in substance abuse. Generally, there has been a controversy raging on whether cannabis use leads schizophrenia or whether schizophrenia prompts an individual to use cannabis. A third possibility including both is also there. One assumption has been