In 2005, Orygen Youth Health asked me if I would like to have an interview with a representative from the current affairs show 60 Minutes. I agreed, having no idea what I was getting myself in for. I met with the representative at Orygen in Parkville. Over the next few weeks they flew Liz Hayes to my house in West Brunswick. I didn’t know what to expect when I met her, however, she was absolutely lovely and she interviewed myself and my parents about the possible link between cannabis and psychosis. The 15 minute segment was called Reefer Madness and 3 million people viewed it when it aired. To 60 minutes credit they presented a very balanced case about this link, speaking to experts from around the world.
As i identified after my first episode. My triggers were a combination of:
1. The stress from my final year at school and the ensuing exams.
2. A love triangle that involved my best mate and his girlfriend at the time, who I fell head over heels for.
3. Marijuana
Had I just had the first two triggers, it is safe to say I would not have bipolar to this day. Compared to my friends I didn’t even smoke that much cannabis. I never smoked bongs, only joints in social situations. I was obviously very sensitive to the drug. In all my time working in the field of mental health and particularly psych wards (being a inpatient and working in them), marijuana has had the most devastating impact on people with mental illness. Much to the notion that it is seen to many as relatively ‘safe’ compared to the ‘harder’ drugs like heroin, ice, psychedelics. For me, marijuana was a creeper drug that flew under the radar while my mind said “at least I’m not taking heroin or cocaine”, I’ll be fine.
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