Cannabis-induced psychosis: a cross-sectional comparison with acute schizophrenia.
Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica March 1, 2002 L A Núñez, M Gurpegui
Cannabis-induced psychosis and acute schizophrenia show distinct demographic, premorbid, and clinical features. Among 61 patients (26 with cannabis-induced psychosis, 35 with acute schizophrenia), those with cannabis-induced psychosis were more often male, had more expansive mood and ideation, derealization or depersonalization, visual hallucinations, and sensorium disturbances. Premorbid schizoid personality traits were more common in acute schizophrenia, while antisocial personality traits were more frequent in cannabis-induced psychosis. The findings suggest that continuous heavy cannabis use can induce a psychotic disorder that is separate from acute schizophrenia, with both shared and differing characteristics.