title: Natural Recovery From Cannabis Use in People With Psychosis: A Qualitative Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is rapidly growing evidence of natural recovery from cannabis use in people with psychosis, but little is known about how it occurs. This qualitative study explores what factors influence the decision to cease cannabis use, maintain cessation, and prevent relapse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten people with early psychosis and lifetime cannabis misuse, who had been abstinent for at least a month, were recruited from public adult mental health services. These six men and four women participated in a semi-structured qualitative interview assessing reasons for addressing cannabis use, effective change strategies, lapse contexts, and methods used to regain control. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes in their responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants had a mean age of 23 years (SD = 3.7), started using cannabis at age 13.7 (SD = 1.6), began daily use at 17 (SD = 3.1), and had abstained from cannabis for 7.9 months (SD = 5.4). Awareness of the negative impact of substance use across multiple domains and the presence of social support for cannabis cessation were seen as vital to sustained success, as was utilization of a combination of coping strategies. The ability to address pressure from substance-using peers was commonly mentioned.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maximally effective treatment may need to focus on eliciting a range of benefits of cessation and control strategies and on maximizing both support for change and resistance to peer pressure. Further research might focus on comparing perceived effective strategies between individuals who obtain sustained cessation versus those who relapse.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation and School of Psychology & Counselling, Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia.|b Queensland Health, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Redcliffe-Caboolture Mental Health Service , Queensland , Australia.
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rebgetz
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation and School of Psychology & Counselling, Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia.
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hides
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation and School of Psychology & Counselling, Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
authors.affiliation: b Queensland Health, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Redcliffe-Caboolture Mental Health Service , Queensland , Australia.
authors.forename: Anand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Choudhary
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cannabis; natural recovery; psychosis; substance use