Sunday, Jul 26, 2026 20:15 [IST]
Last Update: Sunday, Jul 26, 2026 14:34 [IST]
The story is based on real clinical experiences. The patient's identity has been changed to protect confidentiality.
Mr. A was a 23-year-old college student with a bright future. He was friendly, academically good, and loved playing football. During college, he started experimenting with cannabis (marijuana) with friends. What began as occasional use gradually became frequent, and within a few years he was smoking cannabis almost every day.
Initially, he felt relaxed and believed cannabis helped him enjoy life. However, over time, his family noticed significant changes. He became socially withdrawn, lost interest in his studies, neglected his personal hygiene, and spent long hours alone in his room.
Soon, he started saying that people were watching him and plotting against him. He believed his mobile phone was being monitored and that strangers could read his thoughts. He also began hearing voices when nobody was around. The voices threatened him, commented on his actions, and sometimes ordered him to stay away from his family.
His parents were frightened. Thinking it was due to stress or a spiritual problem, they sought help from different sources, but his condition continued to worsen. He became aggressive on a few occasions, stopped attending college, and was unable to carry out his daily activities.
Finally, he was brought to a psychiatrist. After a detailed assessment, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. His long history of cannabis use was considered an important risk factor that may have contributed to triggering or worsening his psychotic illness, particularly because he had a family history of severe mental illness.
He was advised to stop cannabis completely, started on antipsychotic medication, and received psychological and family-based interventions. Recovery was gradual. Over several months, the voices reduced, his suspiciousness improved, and he slowly regained confidence. With regular treatment, family support, and complete abstinence from cannabis, he resumed vocational training and began rebuilding his life.
Take-home message:
Schizophrenia is a treatable brain disorder.
Regular cannabis use, especially from adolescence or in vulnerable individuals, can increase the risk of psychosis and worsen schizophrenia.
Hearing voices, false beliefs, and severe suspiciousness are symptoms of illness and require medical attention.
Early diagnosis, regular medication, family support, and avoiding cannabis and other drugs greatly improve recovery.
Never ignore early warning signs or stop treatment without consulting your psychiatrist.
Early treatment saves lives, preserves education and careers, and gives hope to individuals and families.
