A shocking rise in the number of people being diagnosed with psychotic disorders has led to a theory it could be linked to the increasing use of substances like cannabis, hallucinogens and traditional uppers.
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The study, published in The Canadian Medical Association Journal, found there was a 60 percent rise in diagnoses of psychotic disorders in people aged between 14 and 20 from 1997 to 2023. Diagnoses fell in other age groups in the same period.
It went on to share that compared to those born in the late 70s, these people were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. That’s pretty scary.
Having taken a look at the cause for its rising prevalence in young people, researchers came up with a few things like neonatal health and an older paternal age. But also weed.
Dr Daniel Myran, a study author, decided to take part in the study because he was worried the legalization of cannabis could exacerbate psychotic diagnosis rates.
“I was expecting to see some increases in these younger folks, but I was quite surprised by the scale,” he told The New York Times.
“I think that there is a group of individuals who develop psychosis because of substance use, who in its absence would not have,” he explained.
