{"id":4514,"date":"2022-02-28T18:06:15","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T18:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=195222"},"modified":"2022-02-28T18:06:15","modified_gmt":"2022-02-28T18:06:15","slug":"can-drug-use-make-you-lose-your-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=4514","title":{"rendered":"Can drug use make you lose your mind?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Can drug use make you lose your mind? | Leafly<\/title> <!-- This is Index Exchange, a script\/\/3rd-party integration that interjects GAM. It needs to be 'ahead' of GTM in the DOM, which comes from Cephalopod. GTM loads GAM. This script needs to setup it's interjection stuff before GAM loads. --> <!-- End Index Exchange --> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.5 (Yoast SEO v17.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ --> <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- BEGIN Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --> <!-- Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- End Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --><br \/>\n <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <\/p>\n<div id=\"copy_clipboard_success\" class=\"fixed top-0 left-0 right-0\">\n<div class=\"bg-white p-lg container mt-xl flex justify-between elevation-low rounded\"> <span class=\"flex items-center\"> <span class=\"ml-md\">Link copied to your clipboard<\/span> <\/span> <button id=\"copy_clipboard_close_btn\"> <\/button> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <title>Leafly<\/title> <title>Leafly \u00ae<\/title> <title>Loading\u2026<\/title> <\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-white fixed flex hidden inset-0 items-start md:h-auto md:items-center overflow-auto\" id=\"age-gate-container\">\n<div class=\"bg-white md:h-auto mx-auto p-lg text-sm w-full\" id=\"age-gate\">\n<p><label for=\"select-country\">Where are you from?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__info\">\n<p><button class=\"button\" data-testid=\"age-gate-no-button\" id=\"tou-cancel\">no<\/button><button class=\"button ml-md\" data-testid=\"age-gate-yes-button\" id=\"tou-continue\">yes<\/button><\/p>\n<p><label class=\"checkbox__label my-xl\"><span class=\"text-xs\" id=\"remember-user-label\">Remember me for 30 days. <br \/>I confirm that this is not a shared device.<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"hidden age-gate__loading\">Redirecting you to<span class=\"redirect-domain\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xs mt-auto\">By accessing this site, you accept<br \/>\nthe <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"tou-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container my-xl\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col md:col-9\" id=\"article-content\">\n<h4 id=\"h-mind-matter-is-a-monthly-column-by-nick-jikomes-phd-leafly-s-director-of-science-and-innovation\"><em>Mind & Matter is a monthly column by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nickjikomes.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nick Jikomes, PhD<\/a>, Leafly\u2019s Director of Science and Innovation.<\/em> <\/h4>\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Can doing drugs make you go crazy? Based on who you ask and how you pose the question, answers can vary considerably.<\/p>\n<p>To address this question seriously, we have to do two things: First, define our terms so we know what we\u2019re talking about. Second, think about the question separately for distinct drug classes, as different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/science-tech\/is-your-drug-a-psychedelic-a-dissociative-or-an-empathogen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">types of drugs<\/a> work in very different ways.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-insane-psychotic-let-s-get-our-terms-straight\">Insane? Psychotic? Let\u2019s get our terms straight <\/h2>\n<p>Mental health-related terms are often used in everyday speech. These informal uses tend to refer to experiences that deviate from what is normal. That\u2019s a start, but we need more precision. <\/p>\n<p>Consider any story you have heard about someone \u201cgoing crazy\u201d on drugs. Perhaps you hear about someone who did too much acid in the 1960s and \u201cwent insane.\u201d Whether or not such anecdotes are true, the general phenomenon they hint at is drug-induced psychosis. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/science-tech\/potential-risks-microdosing-psychedelics\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>What are the potential risks of microdosing psychedelics?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-psychosis\">What is psychosis?<\/h2>\n<p>Psychosis refers to an abnormal state of mind where there is difficulty discerning what is real, defined as the consensus reality perceived by your sober peers. Two good examples of psychotic symptoms are: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hallucinations: Sensory perceptions not tied to measurable external stimuli.<\/li>\n<li>Delusions: False beliefs that persist in the face of clear counter-evidence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I like to think about these symptoms along three dimensions: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Acute (temporary) vs. Chronic (lasting)<\/li>\n<li>Mild vs. Severe <\/li>\n<li>Spontaneous vs. Externally-triggered<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We all experience acute, mild psychotic-like symptoms sometimes. Stare at any good optical illusion and you will experience a mild hallucination:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"613\" alt=\"image-of-an-optical-illusion\" class=\"wp-image-195407 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/can-drug-use-make-you-lose-your-mind-1.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/can-drug-use-make-you-lose-your-mind-1.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/can-drug-use-make-you-lose-your-mind-1.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/can-drug-use-make-you-lose-your-mind-1.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>If the lines seem to move, you\u2019re experiencing an extremely mild hallucination.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Or consider any dream you\u2019ve had, which demonstrates the brain\u2019s ability to construct vivid perceptions with elaborate narratives, seemingly out of nothing. <\/p>\n<p>Indeed, there is a sense in which <em>all <\/em>of perception is a kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=D1FX7Bl1VOw&t=2291s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">controlled hallucination<\/a>. Unlike the hallucinations perceived in a state of psychosis, our normal, everyday perceptions generally track measurable changes in the world around us. That\u2019s the key difference.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n[embedded content]\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-video-neuroscientist-dr-anil-seth-discusses-how-our-brains-generate-our-perceptions\"><em>Video: Neuroscientist Dr. Anil Seth discusses how our brains generate our perceptions.<\/em><\/h4>\n<h2 id=\"h-schizophrenia-a-chronic-form-of-psychosis\">Schizophrenia: a chronic form of psychosis<\/h2>\n<p>By contrast, consider someone with a chronic form of severe psychosis, like schizophrenia. They may hear voices emanating from entities no one else perceives (hallucinations). Or hold fantastical, easily falsifiable beliefs, such as having been chosen by aliens to receive special messages (delusions).<\/p>\n<p>Psychotic episodes can develop spontaneously, during the natural course of brain development in someone with a genetic predisposition. Psychosis can also be triggered by an external trigger (e.g. a stressful event). It may fade quickly, or persist.<\/p>\n<p>The question we\u2019re interested in is whether certain drugs can induce psychosis. We want to know whether different drugs can induce acute, mild, psychotic-like symptoms or more severe forms of lasting psychosis. To explore this, let\u2019s consider the following drugs: amphetamines, psychedelics, and cannabis. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/psychedelics\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>Leafly\u2019s guide to psychedelics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-amphetamines-and-psychosis\">Amphetamines and psychosis<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/1471-244X-12-221\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amphetamine-induced psychosis<\/a>, or simply \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/1471-244X-12-221\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stimulant psychosis<\/a>,\u201d is a known phenomenon. Psychostimulants activate the nervous system, which tends to elevate dopamine levels in the brain. Roughly speaking, antipsychotic drugs work by dampening the effects of dopamine.<\/p>\n<p>Under certain conditions, psychostimulants can trigger a psychotic state which can include delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized behavior. It\u2019s fair to say that clear examples of stimulant-induced psychosis are often temporary but severe. They may fade once the drug is metabolized but can trigger full-blown psychosis. <\/p>\n<p>I once witnessed a man who believed he was invincible (delusion) climb a billboard scaffold, then jump off. More remarkable was his attempt to stand up on his shattered legs (disordered behavior) while screaming that paramedics were trying to hurt him (paranoia). <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-role-of-meth\">The role of meth<\/h2>\n<p>A common culprit in these cases is methamphetamine. Because of its ability to induce euphoria and grandiosity, people may use it to counterbalance the feelings associated with \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/company\/newsroom\/diseases-of-despair-have-soared-over-past-decade-in-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">diseases of despair<\/a>\u201d such as depression, alcohol dependency, and suicidal thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>In many urban environments, it\u2019s common to observe signs of amphetamine-induced psychosis among homeless people, who are already more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders than the general population. A predisposition to psychosis, together with the elevated stress levels that accompany homelessness, can lower the threshold for drug-induced psychosis, creating a dangerous feedback loop. Recurrent drug-induced psychosis evolves into chronic psychosis.<\/p>\n<p>Although these examples tend to involve hard street drugs used by vulnerable populations, it\u2019s hard not to wonder about the effects of prescription amphetamines, which are used at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/labs\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6261411\/\">astounding levels<\/a> (e.g., Adderall for ADHD). As with almost any drug effect, the likelihood of stimulant-induced psychosis depends on the frequency and dose of ingestion.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-classic-psychedelics-and-psychosis\">Classic psychedelics and psychosis<\/h2>\n<p>Classic psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin are a different kind of drug, famous for their ability to induce \u201ccrazy\u201d hallucinations. The hallucinations experienced during a psychedelic trip can be considered psychotic-like symptoms. Another scientific term for this is psychotomimetic\u2014a drug effect mimicking a psychotic symptom. This is not to say that a psychedelic trip is synonymous with a psychotic state, just that there is directional overlap. <\/p>\n<p>While the hallucinations are temporary, the subjective effects of psychedelics are so powerful that even psychologically healthy individuals should proceed with great care. It\u2019s often said that psychedelics can trigger latent schizophrenia in predisposed individuals, which seems plausible. Nonetheless, \u201coften said\u201d is not the same as scientifically confirmed.<\/p>\n<p>I was curious if any such cases have been formally documented, so I searched the scientific literature. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-do-studies-confirm-the-anecdotes\">Do studies confirm the anecdotes?<\/h2>\n<p>The result: I\u2019m unable to locate clear examples from recent scientific literature (the last 15 years or so) documenting psychedelic-induced psychosis. What I do find are older reports, like <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\/article-abstract\/493118\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this 1983 paper<\/a> describing people with \u201cLSD psychosis.\u201d When I dig into it those reports, they tend to look at patients hospitalized for psychotic symptoms. It was apparently normal to classify them as having \u201cLSD psychosis\u201d if their symptoms appeared after self-reported LSD ingestion. One gets the impression that anyone with psychotic symptoms who reported taking LSD in their past was subject to this diagnosis, without further verification. <\/p>\n<p>Psychiatry literature from the 1950s and 60s is even more indiscernible. While there are various reports, most read like strange pseudo-studies conducted under dubious circumstances. For example, someone gave a 25-year old woman who had been diagnosed with psychopathy and alcoholism a five-session LSD treatment. The details are unclear, but she went on to murder her boyfriend a couple days after the final dose. Like other cases, hers was labeled \u201cLSD psychosis.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Remember, this was the era of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/One_Flew_Over_the_Cuckoo%27s_Nest_(novel)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>One Flew Over the Cuckoo\u2019s Nest<\/em><\/a>. Psychiatrists were still giving lobotomies and insulin shock therapy. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-looking-for-links\">Looking for links<\/h2>\n<p>More <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/0269881114568039\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/0269881114565653\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">surveys<\/a> of large numbers of people fail to find a positive correlation between psychedelic use and psychosis, let alone evidence of a causal relationship. There are even <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25586402\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">findings<\/a> associating past psychedelic use with reduced psychological distress.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, there does <em>not <\/em>seem to be a compelling link between severe, persistent psychosis and psychedelic use, despite the acute psychotomimetic effects of these drugs. Nonetheless psychedelics are so powerful that it\u2019s safe to assume that anyone under psychological duress, or who has a family history of psychosis, is best advised to steer clear. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-what-about-cannabis\">What about cannabis? <\/h2>\n<p>Moving on to cannabis: If you smoke a lot of pot as a teenager, are you risking the development of psychosis in adulthood? This has long been an area of controversy.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the basics of acute THC intoxication, briefly summarize the historical scientific findings, then review the latest and most compelling research. <\/p>\n<p>As with psychedelics, some of THC\u2019s acute effects are psychotomimetic. This includes disordered thinking and paranoia. A little disordered thinking isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing. The enhanced creativity people often report from cannabis probably has something to do with normal cognition becoming lightly disordered. <\/p>\n<p>When thoughts become heavily disordered, though, it\u2019s difficult to behave intelligibly. That\u2019s why severe cases of psychosis render a person unable to hold a job or perform complex tasks. Getting really stoned isn\u2019t the same thing as a psychotic break, but the effects can mimic aspects of psychosis. <\/p>\n<p>Paranoia is a good example of a dose-dependent psychotomimetic effect. Some people get paranoid when they consume THC, and this paranoia is more likely to emerge with high doses of THC. We\u2019ve all heard a story about someone who ate a pot brownie that had more THC than they realized. Naive high-dose THC experiences like this often involve getting stuck in strange thought loops (disordered thinking) or having paranoid delusions (\u201cmy cat is working for the FBI\u201d).<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-adolescent-cannabis-use\">Adolescent cannabis use<\/h2>\n<p>Because the acute effects of THC can be psychotomimetic, it\u2019s natural to wonder whether consuming too much THC, especially during key phases of brain development, might increase the odds of developing chronic psychosis. Indeed, many studies have shown a clear correlation between adolescent cannabis use and adult psychosis: Higher rates of adolescent cannabis consumption correlate with higher rates of adult psychosis. <\/p>\n<p>The difficulty with these studies is that establishing <em>causality<\/em> is usually not feasible. There are many confounding factors correlating with both cannabis use and psychosis, including other drug consumption, socioeconomic variables, and genetics. So when scientists find a correlation between two variables, they often can\u2019t tell whether one thing (cannabis use) drives the other (psychosis), or whether other factors are driving both. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a classic correlation vs. causation problem. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-finding-more-clarity-by-studying-twins\">Finding more clarity by studying twins<\/h2>\n<p>One way to disentangle complex problems like this is by using twin studies. Identical and fraternal twins share 100% and 50% of their genes, respectively, and usually grow up in similar environments. Twins provide a unique opportunity to test whether causal relationships likely exist between variables. Across many twin pairs, there will be examples where one twin deviates from the other in some way, such as cannabis use.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine two identical twins. They have the same genes, grow up in the same household, and behave in the same way\u2013mostly. But even identical twins aren\u2019t 100% the same in every way. Biology is noisy, creating diversity even between twins. Perhaps one starts consuming cannabis in their teenage years, while one doesn\u2019t. <\/p>\n<p>With enough data like this, it\u2019s possible to discern whether adolescent cannabis use is a driving factor for psychosis. If it is, you should see adult psychosis much more frequently in the twin who consumed cannabis compared to the one that did not. Alternatively, if you see psychosis develop at the same rate in both twins, you know that some other shared factor\u2014such as genetics or a shared family environment\u2014was the culprit. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-twin-studies-control-for-genetics-and-environment\">Twin studies control for genetics and environment<\/h2>\n<p>I recently spoke to clinical psychologist Dr. Jonathan Schaefer, who performed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0028390817302915\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">such a study<\/a>. When he looked at all of the twins as individuals, ignoring the twin pairs they belonged to, he found the same basic result seen historically: Those who reported the highest levels of cannabis use in adolescence had the highest score on their measure of psychosis. <\/p>\n<p>When he took into account the twin pairs, allowing him to statistically control for their shared genetics and environment, however, this relationship went away. <\/p>\n<p>He explained: \u201cOn average, the twins who reported using more cannabis were scoring just as high on our measure of psychoticism as twins who were using less cannabis. That sort of flies in the face of this hypothesis that it\u2019s actually the cannabis exposure in adolescence that is causing psychotic symptoms that stick with people for most of their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n[embedded content]\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-podcast-dr-jonathan-schaefer-discusses-twin-studies-examining-adolescent-cannabis-use\"><em>Podcast: Dr. Jonathan Schaefer discusses twin studies examining adolescent cannabis use.<\/em><\/h4>\n<p>While this result suggests that adolescent cannabis use is <em>not<\/em> a causal driver of adult psychosis, it does not mean that heavy use in adolescence is without risk. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/118\/14\/e2013180118.short\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">another recent study<\/a>, Dr. Schaefer found that there was evidence that heavy adolescent use may impair academic functioning, with a downstream impact on socioeconomic status. Like the previous study, that one found little evidence for a causal relationship between adolescent cannabis use and adult mental health or cognitive ability.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-drug-use-and-mental-health\">Drug use and mental health<\/h2>\n<p>The impact any psychoactive drug will have on your mental health depends on what kind of drug it is, the dose it\u2019s consumed at, and often you take it. Are you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/science-tech\/potential-risks-microdosing-psychedelics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">microdosing<\/a> psilocybin four times a week or taking a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/psychedelics\/how-to-dose-mushrooms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">heroic dose<\/a> once per year? Are you taking your prescription amphetamines (ADHD meds) every single day, or just on occasion? Are you hitting the dab rig on a daily basis, or smoking an occasional joint? <\/p>\n<p>There are no universal answers to these questions. There is no one-size-fits all prescription for optimizing your brain and mental health. By definition, psychoactive drugs will affect your brain. The effects might be temporary, or lasting. They can improve your mental health, or hurt it. <\/p>\n<p>A recurring theme of this series has been that the type of drug, the dose it\u2019s taken in, and the frequency of consumption are crucial determinants of the outcomes you will experience. You should educate yourself before diving in\u2014but there is no sure guide to sanity.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-heed-this-ancient-wisdom\">Heed this ancient wisdom<\/h2>\n<p>In my experience, the best advice has been around for centuries. At the Temple of Apollo in Greece there are three maxims inscribed in stone, widely known among the Ancient Greeks and still visible to this day:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cKnow thyself\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cNothing in excess\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cCertainty brings insanity\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Who knows, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/science-tech\/death-and-psychedelics-how-science-is-reviving-this-ancient-connection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">maybe they were on drugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-xxl wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-related-articles\">\n<p><h2>Related articles<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"author-box\" class=\"p-lg my-xxl bg-white rounded border border-light-grey elevation-low\">\n<div class=\"mb-lg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/can-drug-use-make-you-lose-your-mind.jpg\" alt=\"Nick Jikomes, PhD's Bio Image\" class=\"lazyload inline-block mr-md rounded-full border border-light-grey\"> <\/p>\n<p>Nick Jikomes, PhD<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"text-sm\">Nick is Leafly’s Director of Science & Innovation and holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Harvard University and a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the host of a popular science podcast, which you can listen to for free at: www.nickjikomes.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @trikomes<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"text-sm font-bold underline text-green\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/author\/nick-jikomes-phd\">View Nick Jikomes, PhD’s articles<\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"leafly-sailthru-signup p-lg my-xl bg-white rounded elevation-low border border-light-grey\">\n<p class=\"text-xs pt-lg\">By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\">Leafly<\/a> and you agree to Leafly’s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/tos\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --> <!--\nPerformance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https:\/\/www.boldgrid.com\/w3-total-cache\/ Served from: _ @ 2022-03-01 02:10:05 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can drug use make you lose your mind? | Leafly Link copied to your clipboard Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? noyes Remember me for 30 days. I confirm that this is not a shared device. Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Mind & Matter is a monthly column by Nick Jikomes, PhD, Leafly\u2019s Director of Science and Innovation. Can doing drugs make you go crazy? Based on who you ask and how you pose the question, answers can vary… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4514"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4514\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}