title: Relief of cannabis withdrawal symptoms and cannabis quitting strategies in people with schizophrenia.
abstract: This study examined the response to cannabis withdrawal symptoms and use of quitting strategies to maintain abstinence in people with schizophrenia. A convenience sample of 120 participants with schizophrenia who had at least weekly cannabis use and a previous quit attempt without formal treatment were administered the 176-item Marijuana Quit Questionnaire to characterize their "most serious" (self-defined) quit attempt. One hundred thirteen participants had withdrawal symptoms, of whom 104 (92.0%) took some action to relieve a symptom, most commonly nicotine use (75%). 90% of withdrawal symptoms evoked an action for relief in a majority of participants experiencing them, most frequently anxiety (95.2% of participants) and cannabis craving (94.4%). 96% of participants used one or more quitting strategies to maintain abstinence during their quit attempt, most commonly getting rid of cannabis (72%) and cannabis paraphernalia (67%). Religious support or prayer was the quitting strategy most often deemed "most helpful" (15%). Use of a self-identified most helpful quitting strategy was associated with significantly higher one-month (80.8% vs. 73.6%) and one-year (54.9% vs. 41.3%) abstinence rates. Actions to relieve cannabis withdrawal symptoms in people with schizophrenia are common. Promotion of effective quitting strategies may aid relapse prevention.
authors: Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Clinical Research Programs, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Maju Mathew
authors: MM
authors: Koola
authors: Douglas Lee
authors: DL
authors: Boggs
authors: Deanna Lynn
authors: DL
authors: Kelly
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Liu
authors: Jared Allen
authors: JA
authors: Linthicum
authors: Hailey Elaine
authors: HE
authors: Turner
authors: Robert Patrick
authors: RP
authors: McMahon
authors: David Alan
authors: DA
authors: Gorelick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Abstinence; Cannabis; Coping behavior; Drug withdrawal symptoms; Schizophrenia
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