Title:
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How do people with psychotic experiences experience cannabis use? : how do they regard the relationship between psychosis and cannabis use? :a grounded theory analysis
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The area of cannabis and psychosis has received considerable academic and
media attention over recent years. Current research has explored reasons for
use and investigated possible 'causal' pathways. These studies have tended to
focus on questionnaire-based or quantitative methodologies, with less emphasis
on the qualitative accounts of people with psychotic experiences that use
cannabis. This thesis aims to address the absence of qualitative research by
applying a grounded theory methodology to the area of cannabis use and
psychosis.
The researcher recruited eight participants with psychotic experiences, four of
whom regularly used cannabis and four of whom had regularly used cannabis in
the past. Initial research questions focused on the reasons for participants'
cannabis use and their understanding of the relationship between cannabis use
and their psychotic experiences.
Participants were found to have both positive and negative experiences of
cannabis use. Participants spoke about different ideas with regards to the
relationship between cannabis use and psychotic experiences, including there
being no link, it being a catalyst, there being a multifaceted relationship and
cannabis having caused psychotic experiences. During the course the research
an additional area of interest arose relating to participants' experiences of nondisclosure
or openness of cannabis use with health professionals. This was
followed-up and investigated.
The findings of the research are compared to the available literature and
implications for clinical practice are discussed, as are the methodological issues
of the study. On the basis of this research, it is suggested that health
professionals, academics and the media may want to think about cannabis and
psychosis in a more nuanced manner.
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