Is there a link between marijuana and hallucinations? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions

BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.  

Mike on Facebook writes, "I used to smoke marijuana and I am still having hallucinations, especially at night but I'm not dreaming. Is there a link between marijuana and hallucinations?"  

According to the CDC, people who use cannabis are more likely to develop psychosis, or a disconnect from reality that can involve hallucinations like seeing or hearing things that aren't really there. Cannabis has also been linked to other mental health conditions such as depression, social anxiety, and thoughts of suicide.

These complications are more likely to occur in people who start using the drug at a younger age, use it more frequently, and use products with higher concentrations of cannabis.  The symptoms usually improve after stopping the drug but if you're still experiencing symptoms, see your doctor to make sure you don't have an underlying mental health condition, like schizophrenia.

Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health. 

In:
• Health
• Marijuana

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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