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Richard Dreyfuss health: Star wondered if marijuana caused his bipolar disorder - can it?
Express (U.K.) ^ | Sat, Jun 18, 2022 | Luke Whelan

Posted on 06/22/2022 6:22:26 PM PDT by nickcarraway

RICHARD DREYFUSS, the Close Encounters of the Third Kind actor, first recognised he was a manic depressive as a teenager. Over his life, he has spoken candidly about the condition - including how he questioned whether marijuana was the cause.

The Jaws actor, who was in plenty of popular films in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, first figured out he had bipolar at the age of 11, although he thought the condition name was “too neutral and stodgy”. Dreyfuss, born and raised in Beverly Hills, California, said: “I have surfed my manic depression since I was 11-years-old. I enjoyed it and made it work for me and have not known the world without it, so it’s my only known existence.”

Bipolar, or manic depression, is generally diagnosed to people who experience periods of intense depression, that follow or precede periods of “mania” where they may be full of energy, or become easily distracted and delusional.

Despite his embrace of the condition, in the past, Dreyfuss questioned its cause – wondering if the condition could’ve been prevented if he hadn’t taken marijuana.

He told Piers Morgan in 2013 on his old program Piers Morgan Live: “I said to my sister, ‘I wonder what would’ve happened to me if I had never taken any drugs’ and she said, ‘Why are you asking?’

The effect of marijuana on mental health is controversial. Some studies have shown cannabis is linked to the development of bipolar disorder – while others play down its effect.

The University of Warwick found evidence of a significant relationship between cannabis use and the onset of mania symptoms.

Another study of 6,800 people who experienced psychosis in Denmark found almost a third developed either bipolar disorder or schizophrenia over the next 20 years.

Other studies have found cannabis can make bipolar symptoms worse later on.

Dr Ranj Singh's 'suicide pain' condition - trigeminal neuralgia However, on the other side of things, some researchers believe cannabis can improve bipolar symptoms.

Dreyfuss may have doubted the causes of his bipolar disorder, but in later interviews, he talked about how he was against the Bipolar Disorder’s “stigma” and concluded it was something he was born with that he doesn’t feel guilty about.

In a documentary alongside Stephen Fry called “The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive”, he said, “Stigma is silly; stigma is stupid; stigma is what other people think about you.”

He has even recalled a sense of relief about finally having a reason for some of his unusual behaviours.

"It took away all of my guilt because I found out it wasn't my behaviour — it was something I was born with," Dreyfuss said on the TODAY show in the US.

Dreyfuss has described the symptoms he developed as a young man.

"Every once in a while, when I was talking, I would find myself getting up and talking louder and faster and louder and faster and louder and faster, until my friends would say, 'OK, OK. Let's get the big circus cables and throw them around his ankles and pull him gently back to Earth," Dreyfuss said.

Although bipolar disorder can be a challenging condition, it is manageable in most cases, and the NHS has posted guidance on how to cope with the condition.

The health body recommends talking about the condition, whether to friends or helpful organisations.

“Many organisations run self-help groups that can put you in touch with other people with the condition,” states the body.

“This enables you to share helpful ideas and helps you realise you're not alone in feeling the way you do.”

Some organisations the NHS recommend are Bipolar UK, Carers UK, Mind, Rethink, Samaritans, and SANE.

It also points out there are courses available for people who feel “distressed” or “uncertain” about their condition. The organisation Self Management UK runs such courses.


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: actors; bipolar; dope; druglegalization; jaws; marijuana; mentalillness; pot; richarddreyfuss; smellslikefreedom
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To: algore

Pretty obvious you have your eyes wide shut. Fact, pesticides are used in all agriculture including weed. Illegal growers are generally ignorant or untrained in proper ag chemical application.

Most food crops are routinely washed when processed, particularly fruits and veggies and most are washed again in homes before consumption.

Dope however is processed by drying and generally smoked, so the possibility of smoking residual chemicals is high and has been demonstrated by multiple studies. And there is zero oversight on illegal grows.

If you have a green thumb, grow your own because street weed is unsafe. Not to mention high levels of fecal matter on the packaging. Dealers apparently have poor hygiene.


41 posted on 06/22/2022 9:37:39 PM PDT by Valpal1 (Not even the police are safe from the police!!!)
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To: nickcarraway

Nearly everyone in my dog osteosarcoma groups are hounding me to give Hrafi “CBD”.
Says it will “cure his cancer and end his pain”.
One person is actually pushing her “miracle recipe” which in includes actual THC.

I think it’s all crap and I’m not giving it to him.

If any of this “pot is a miracle cure!!!” was true, there would be NO cancer and no one would have so much as a headache, ever again.

And then, there’s a tiny paranoid part of me that feels so much guilt because I fear I’m denying him that Miracle Cure.

:’(


42 posted on 06/23/2022 12:32:25 AM PDT by Salamander (Please visit my profile page help save my beloved dog's life. https://www.givesendgo.com/G2FUF)
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To: OKSooner

You ought to see what booze does to it.

Ever hear of a ‘’wet brain’’?


43 posted on 06/23/2022 12:46:07 AM PDT by jmacusa (Liberals. Too stupid to be idiots. )
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To: nickcarraway

Read Alex Berenson’s “Tell your Children” and you’ll be convinced that widespread marijuana use today is behind the surge in mental illness, schizophrenia and violence we are seeing. Berenson is the red pilled former NYTimes reporter who did an amazing job exposing Covid, vaccine injuries and Fraudci.


44 posted on 06/23/2022 2:55:29 AM PDT by Antioch (Against stupidity even the Gods struggle in vain….)
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To: nickcarraway

Anything can cause anything, just ask anyone.


45 posted on 06/23/2022 3:17:53 AM PDT by Bullish (Rot'sa ruk America. )
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To: John S Mosby
schizophrenic/schizoid response studied and proven to have susceptible gene coding to reaction to THC

Interesting theory. A close friend's brother who was a marijuana user developed schizophrenia at around age 28 or 30. It's a horrible, horrible disease.

46 posted on 06/23/2022 3:22:45 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Don't walk thru the watermelon patch)
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To: nickcarraway
I don't know if cannabis can "cause" bipolar disorder, but it sure can exacerbate mood swings and other behaviors that feel and look like bipolar disorder.

Furthermore, abstaining from cannabis can result in those symptoms disappearing.

47 posted on 06/23/2022 3:39:19 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
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To: marktwain
Actors rank high in terms of open-mindedness, imagination, and creativity.

That would certainly look like insanity to, say, accountants.

48 posted on 06/23/2022 3:44:53 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
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To: JennysCool

Thank you for that. I don’t know why, but I always thought of him as a Lefty.

That’s not true, I see. Good.


49 posted on 06/23/2022 4:37:41 AM PDT by moovova
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To: Salamander; All

If any of you had studied some history you’d see more gov fear porn about a rather harmless, actually very helpful drug. Another 2 things hidden that should soon come out, cancer cures: ivermectin and fembendazole.

MJ does NOT cause psychosis, paranoia maybe more bc it is (in some cases was) illegal. People who continue to use it long-term have some type of ptsd, concussions (known & unknown think shaken baby syndrome), headaches, chronic pain, etc. If it helps it helps! CBD also helps with joint pain.

Another perspective God created all plants for our healing, here with MJ you have a general use drug, that cures multiple issues, has no fatal overdose limit (but no need to waste it, a pinch is all it takes). And it’s major side-effect? You feel giddy and good and euphoric.

2 MJ types: indica helps you sleep & sativa makes you energetic and happy. Both make you laugh at yourself and others you share it with. 3 downsides very slight: if smoked more prone to sinus, cold, & flu, temporarily lowers IQ 8-10 points for 2-3 hours, & increases food appetite.

Last thing, ask yourself if these 3 drugs (MJ, Ivermectin & Fembendazole as well as other curative plant-based drugs) start getting widespread use and acceptance what will happen the big pharma? The same powers that be who took us off plant-based medicine for petroleum-based medicine also downplay the usefulness and effectiveness of chiropractic care, for over a century the ‘free’ press and other ‘experts’ have used their fear porn to gain more power, money and control over all of our lives while taking our hard-earned money & making us sicker.

Every 1 of our current prescription-based drugs has side effects. Lisinopril given for high-blood pressure, is derived from the venom of a pit viper when most can just add some beets to their diet!


50 posted on 06/23/2022 5:29:57 AM PDT by BrandtMichaels ( Why I Oughta! Tired of leftards... Bang, Zoom, To The Moon!)
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To: nickcarraway

I always wonder about cause and effect in these stories. Did cannabis aggravate his condition or did his condition make him try to self-medicate? A lot of problem drinking, for example, is a result of mentally troubled people self-medicating.


51 posted on 06/23/2022 5:36:19 AM PDT by muir_redwoods (Freedom isn't free, liberty isn't liberal and you'll never find anything Right on the Left)
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To: Does so

Red China is merely supplying us the rope to hang ourselves with.


52 posted on 06/23/2022 6:08:13 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (America Owes Anita Bryant An Enormous Apology)
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To: nickcarraway

Questioned whether marijuana was the cause.


53 posted on 06/23/2022 7:39:25 AM PDT by Vaduz ( )
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To: DannyTN

Shhhh! The medical pot head proselytizers don’t want to hear about these studies it interferes with their lies about its medical benefits which are very minimal at best.


54 posted on 06/23/2022 8:44:15 AM PDT by sarge83
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To: fieldmarshaldj

Hemp rope.


55 posted on 06/23/2022 9:48:46 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Lurkinanloomin; NobleFree

“If he knew it at 11, it’s doubtful that he was smoking pot then”.

Robert Downey Jr. was introduced to smoking pot at age 8. (By his father). ...and nothing bad happened to him... /s

The “History of Marijuana” has yet to be written.

(But our U.S. Navy may be showing it over and over today).

China not so much.


56 posted on 06/23/2022 11:55:29 PM PDT by Does so (https//youtu.be/3PxEWB6W8ig ......Uke's Independence Day Parade. Anthem starts at 15:00)
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To: nickcarraway

Of course dope hurts dope fiends. You start screwing with your brain, and your brain starts screwing with you. Yes, Richard, smoking dope is what loused you up. Marijuana is addictive. If you don’t think so, ask a dope fiend to give it up for a year and watch the Deer-In-The-Headlights look you get from them. It ain’t addictive they will tell you, but they can’t bear the thought of giving it up.


57 posted on 06/24/2022 12:33:38 AM PDT by Penelope Dreadful (And there is Pansies, that's for Thoughts.)
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To: BrandtMichaels

Ivermectin and fembendazole actually have real scientific studies behind them.

Meanwhile, a woman I know who runs an excellent panic attack/anxiety cure business has gotten filthy rich from pot heads losing their minds.

As far as the “God made all plants for healing”, what do Destroying Angel mushrooms and Heavenly Bamboo “cure”, to mention just two of the many deadly plants, except the habit of breathing?

So yeah, no dope in this house.


58 posted on 06/24/2022 9:09:50 PM PDT by Salamander (Please visit my profile page help save my beloved dog's life. https://www.givesendgo.com/G2FUF)
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To: Hot Tabasco

It’s not a theory— it is a published research trial in the British Medical Journal and cited by The Lancet.

Triggering of certain ID’d gene sequences posessed by people who react to THC-— with response as noted. And it alters the genes. This is not— 1920’s scare movies about marijuana. Chemistry has come much further. Such that pure— CBD, cannabidiol is a potential wonder drug (no THC in it pure) obviating the need for opiods. Hence Big Pharma not wanting to make it— and they COULD!


59 posted on 06/27/2022 12:30:54 PM PDT by John S Mosby ( Sic Semper Tyrannis)
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To: nickcarraway
Related..

EXCLUSIVE: How California's legal cannabis dream became a public health nightmare: It's a class B drug in the UK - but in the US state it's led to spiralling addiction, psychotic illnesses and hospitals facing a deluge of poisonings

Holy crap.

60 posted on 07/03/2022 2:43:30 AM PDT by mewzilla (We need to repeal RCV wherever it's in use and go back to dumb voting machines.)
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