There are a lot of
myths and rumours going round about alcohol, drugs and madness.
For example, a lot of media coverage says that cannabis can cause schizophrenia. However, the evidence is not yet clear on this. It can, however, make people feel worried or paranoid or even have panic attacks. If this is happening to you or someone you know, they should cut down or stop using, and find someone they trust to talk to.
Some people get 'drug induced psychosis' usually from using crack, cocaine, speed, or LSD. This is where someone really loses touch with reality, perhaps seeing and hearing things. A lesser version of this is drug induced paranoia, where someone thinks people are talking about them, or even plotting to do bad things to them. If someone's having these kind of drug effects it's probably a good idea for them to stop using and get some support.
Some people use alcohol or drugs because they feel a bit 'mad' or unstable, or unhappy. This is called self-medicating, and in the long run can cause more problems than it solves. If you are unhappy, or you're not sure if you're sane or not, you should speak to a doctor or someone you trust, or get in touch with us.
Finally, the effects of alcohol and drugs can make people appear mad. They can talk a load of ****, fall over, make stupid decisions, take foolish risks, get into crazy arguments.... the list goes on. So whether or not the person is really insane, it can certainly look like it, and other people are likely to react accordingly.