Expert: Crystal - 11/29/2008

Question
Hi I’m 17 years old and I’ve been smoking weed for about 6 months (not every day and I’m not addicted to it) but I stopped for a while b/c I had been finding it very "effective" (not the right word) but it was really messing me up. But yesterday I went to a party and took one hit of some weed with some tobacco and I got pretty messed up. The people at the party did all they could to help me (I didn't like out right freak out or anything) but they could tell something was wrong and well to be completely honest I made a fool of myself. Anyway I got out and my "almost boyfriend" go me half way home then I told him I was fine and he went home and I continued to go home throughout this I became increasingly paranoid and I think I caused a subway delay and well I’m pretty sure I freaked some people on the subway right out by the time I got home I called the police then my father. My mother tell me that when she saw me after the ambulance had said I was fine and left but this morning she tell me that I lost complete touch with reality. It’s been about 20 hours since I took the hit and I’m still feeling really messed up. My family has a history of mental illness and I was talking to my parents this morning and I think they are worried I might have a mental illness and that drugs really make it apparent

So really I was just wondering if this is usual for people to have only one hit of weed and lose complete touch with reality? And also if you think I should seek help about this because I think my parents might have a point about mental illness (or am I just still being paranoid?)


Answer
Isabelle,

Have you ever had this type of experience with marijuana before? It doesn't sound like a typical response to me, maybe it was laced with something else, maybe have a drug test and see what else is in your system. I agree with your parents however, having an evaluation would not hurt you at this point. I suggest you avoid any type of mood altering substances at all costs for your own sake if it is an underlined mental illness because it will intensify the situation.

Good luck.