Abilify + Cannabis Interactions = A Risky Combination?

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by ATMC Clinical Review Team

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What Does Cannabis-Induced Psychosis Look Like?

Cannabis-induced psychosis looks very much like the traditional descriptions of psychosis experienced in schizophrenia or schizoaffective persons. In schizophrenia related psychosis, treatment usually includes being prescribed Abilify or other antipsychotic medication to dampen symptoms. Similarly, in many cases of cannabis-induced psychosis, the person may or may not be misdiagnosed as schizophrenic, but the treatment will usually include being prescribed Abilify to help the person stabilize in such a crisis situation.

It is not unusual for someone who has been prescribed Abilify to experience a loss of the sensation of reward. A person may seek to get some relief by smoking marijuana. Because of the way these drugs interact, this practice is hazardous and can have unexpected adverse outcomes.

More helpful ways to rekindle the sense of reward are given below, and these antipsychotic alternatives can provide significant support during the healing process.

Another not uncommon scenario is that after the abrupt cessation of heavy or daily marijuana use, several troubling symptoms may emerge, including an immediate and acute episode of psychosis.^5-7 In such a case, Abilify or another antipsychotic may be prescribed for treatment. And if a person elects to continue using marijuana, the risks of relapse are well-documented.

Symptoms of cannabis-induced psychosis may include:

• Disordered thinking
• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Delusions

In the case of abrupt marijuana withdrawal, other symptoms can include these: ⁸

• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Anger, rage, aggression
• Increased physical tension
• Restlessness
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia, disturbed dreams
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach pain
• Chills
• Sweating

The combination of Abilify and cannabis can occur in various scenarios. Still, in any case, the dangers and risks of these drug interactions remain troubling and deserve careful consideration in planning recovery.

Understanding Cannabinoids & Medical Marijuana

Marijuana plants can contain many and varied types of chemicals called cannabinoids. And the human body has receptors that respond to these compounds.^2-4 There are close to 150 of these chemical compounds found in the plant “cannabis sativa.” Cannabinoids have recently been the subject of much study, and some have been segregated and analyzed for medical use. One cannabinoid called CBD (cannabidiol) is generally considered non-psychoactive and may be useful in cancer pain, arthritis, nausea, or other chronic symptom relief.

Another generally non-psychoactive compound is CBN (cannabinol), which shares some of the properties of CBD but is also sometimes used for sedation. Both CBD and CBN are also associated with their own set of side effects, which may include dizziness or drowsiness.¹

THC is another psychoactive cannabinoid, meaning it affects the mind. One of the reasons regular or heavy use can have significant adverse effects is that, like all cannabinoids, THC is fat-soluble. THC accumulates and requires a long time to be expelled from the body. This is true even when a person has the necessary genetic profile and enzymes needed for efficiently metabolizing this psychoactive element. Occasional use of THC may clear in several days or weeks. The longer it is used, however, and the more potent the THC content, the longer it can linger in the fat stores in the body. THC may show up on urine tests weeks or months after heavy and continual use.^10,11

Is Cannabis Addictive?

Yes, cannabis has addictive properties, especially with boosted THC content that is commercially available today. Cannabis can stimulate the reward centers in the brain, affecting the same pathways that develop addictive behaviors in other types of drugs. For more detailed information about how cannabis addiction can develop, you may be interested in the following information on the website (below). The more one knows about how drugs work, the more empowered one can be when making decisions about recreational and other drug use.

Marijuana Addiction | Know the Health Impact of High THC Content

About Genetics and Cannabis-Induced Psychosis

It is estimated that in about 1 in 200 marijuana users, the genetic markers and enzymes that are necessary to metabolize THC efficiently are missing. In these cases, THC will take much, much longer to clear. This is especially concerning when cannabis contains very high levels of THC and is used frequently. But there are cases on record of drug-induced psychosis occurring after only one exposure to marijuana.

In any person, THC levels accumulate in the body over time. With frequent use, along with highly potent strains of the plant, and without the mechanisms in place to clear THC effectively, the accumulation of THC continues, and drug-induced psychosis can result. And often the treatment is a prescription of antipsychotic medication.^9,12

Alternatives to Antipsychotics for Both Neurochemical & Social Support

While antipsychotics such as Abilify fill an important role in the beginning stages of recovery, there are antipsychotic alternatives that can also support the recovery process and can also be useful in the transition to reducing antipsychotic use.

Nutrition is one of the backbones of good health, both mental and physical, and should not be neglected. The body needs time to adjust, and giving it the essential raw materials can greatly assist in recovering energy, a balanced mood, neurochemical health, and all aspects of health recovery.^13-17

Social connections are another very important backbone of health and healing. Choose who you wish to interact with, and look for opportunities where you can share your experiences, interests, and keep engaged. You may even find that you can be supportive of others, where reciprocity can build meaningful bonds, and this can reap great rewards, too. There is immense value in social connection. Go at your own pace, but focus on connecting with others you feel comfortable with, and viewing such connections as enjoyable and engaging parts of your daily and weekly life.

The following holistic antipsychotic alternatives may provide useful, easy-to-implement strategies useful in various stages of recovery:

• Clean up the diet by omitting sugars, caffeine, and refined carbs, avoid overprocessed foods that are robbing your body of energy, and clogging up your gut
• Make a pact with yourself: no recreational drug use, no stimulants, no alcohol
• Lab testing can show vitamin/mineral deficiencies that may need correcting
• Nutrient-rich foods such as fresh fruits & vegetables, clean proteins (organic where possible), for better mood, better sleep, better energy
• Consume yogurt, kimchi, pickles, or other fermented foods for microbiome support
• Lithium orotate and taurine are supplements that can assist in recovery
• Niacin and vitamin C
• Omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
• Exercise — especially cardio, walking, yoga, swimming, spending time in nature
• Learn and use relaxation exercises, breath work
• Comfort therapies such as therapeutic massage, Reiki
• Engaging, extroverted activities such as creative arts, sports, and finding supportive social connections
• Personal counseling with a trusted professional

Withdrawal Success Happens Every Day at ATMC

ATMC’s unique inpatient treatment facility has helped thousands of clients recover from drug damage. Your pathway to recovery will be designed for your individual situation and your personal health and healing goals. Our clients come to us in a broken state and are able to overcome their difficulties with the exceptional help and guidance offered at the center.

Here are some testimonials from clients describing their personal antipsychotic withdrawal experiences at ATMC.

Timothy’s Abilify Withdrawal Graduation Success:

I had experienced several traumatic hospital stays in the past years … So, I was unsure of what to expect and felt anxious and worried that ATMC might be a similarly traumatic experience for me. My fears were quickly alleviated.

Every member of staff, from housecleaning to chefs to care professionals to doctors, exhibited a passion for what they were doing, which was helping each individual resident heal and overcome medication withdrawals. They are supportive any time of day or night. All of them expressed genuine care for each resident. My worries about ATMC possibly being another trauma-inducing facility melted away. All the staff provide encouragements, affirmations, and emotional support in whatever way they can. I never felt like any of them simply “worked” at ATMC. It always felt as if each of the staff wanted to be a big part of my recovery, and that care shined through each and every day of my care. I would absolutely love to detail out all the specifics of each of the staff’s contributions to my recovery, but I just couldn’t do the right amount of justice for each person.

While at ATMC, I participated in so many different treatments geared towards removing latent medications from my system and in treatments that provided emotional support. I learned to add into my life an exercise routine that is fairly minimal in the grand scheme of things in terms of time consumption. This new routine will serve me well going forward for so many health-related reasons, and it provides me the ability to do daily walks in the neighborhood with my wife, who has been asking for a while now for just that. I spent long periods of time detoxing in the sauna, sweating out built-up toxins in my body. There were spa-type treatments as well. Those included massages, acupuncture, toxin-removing foot baths as well as relaxation-inducing foot baths. There were several other toxin removing and healing related treatments also.

Another large benefit of the program is an individualistic supplementation protocol that is tailored for each person based on their specific needs and symptoms. In order for supplements to effectively work, one must concurrently focus on removing toxins that are presently blocking the body’s ability to adequately receive them. The detoxification process is further aided by removing certain elements of dietary substances that can cause inflammation in the body. The food is prepared by chefs who are able to provide delicious and very nutritious dishes that give the body all the necessary ingredients for building back a healthier individual.

In all the years I have struggled with depression, the one type of treatment I had determined was completely ineffective and therefore useless was therapy. At ATMC, they connected me with a great and strong therapist who was able to overcome my doubts on this type of treatment. She was very knowledgeable, willing to listen, and was able to ask the right questions to effectively make progress in each session. She was very willing to provide me with Christian-based therapy, which made me feel even more heard and cared for. My view on therapy has gone from regarding it as ineffective to seeing it as a strong form of treatment that should always be considered and tried before taking any psychiatric medications.

There were many other effective treatment modalities while I was a resident at ATMC. I participated in cold plunges, meditation, yoga, additional exercises, group support sessions, art therapy, dance therapy, hikes, and many other program features.

At ATMC, their approach is not “one size fits all.” They truly do learn about what each resident is specifically wanting to achieve, and they work closely with each resident to make those goals a reality.

Kristen’s Antipsychotic Withdrawal Success

When I arrived at ATMC I immediately felt welcomed and safe. Every staff member I met was so warm and genuinely seemed to want to help me on my journey to getting off the medication. I immediately started on a supplement regimen, and started at the Detox Shoppe, doing the sauna and the spa room, where they provided ionic foot baths, magnesium foot baths, castor oil liver packs, nebulized glutathione, sound healing, massage, reflexology, and other treatments. By the time I started my taper from the medication I was feeling great! I am grateful that they had me wait to start my taper until I was stable on the supplements and doing the detox every day.

My taper started and guess what? I had none of the side effects that came with the taper when I did it myself! I felt happy and stable, and fully supported. As I continued my taper I enjoyed the full program, going to many classes, practicing yoga, receiving colon hydrotherapy, practicing Qi Gong, and enjoying sound healing.

Now that I am completely off of the medication, I couldn’t be happier! And I know for a fact that I could not have done this without the help of ATMC. The staff are all very well educated (they really know their stuff!), and I am so grateful to them for helping me through this trying time. Going through the program at ATMC has genuinely changed my life! I will be forever grateful that I was able to come to this beautiful location in Sedona and spend 2 months with these amazing people going through this program, and successfully ending my relationship with antipsychotic medications.

Where to Find More Information About Cannabis and Abilify Interactions

Alternative to Meds Center offers residential treatment for Abilify withdrawal, and private treatment for mental health issues that may have arisen after cannabis use, cannabis-induced psychosis, antipsychotic use, or antipsychotic withdrawal, through holistic help of a mild nature, designed to support mental wellness with a focus on nutrition and neurotoxin removal. A wealth of adjunctive treatment options can be seen on our services overview pages.

We understand that not everyone is a candidate for inpatient treatment, and there are some outpatient resources you can explore.

Two very good resources are:  ACAM.org and IMMH.org

If you or a loved one is suffering from mental health issues and is concerned about possible damage from cannabis use, cannabis withdrawal, or interactions between cannabis and Abilify or other antipsychotic medications, please call us at ATMC. We will take the time to speak to you about your specific situation and help in your decision-making process while you are looking for the treatment that best fits your situation.

to Learn More About Cannabis-Induced Psychosis

Sources:

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Originally Published August 1st, 2025 by Diane Ridaeus