One thing this doesn't mention is that alcohol speeds up brain atrophy in schizophrenia and dementia.

Though I might want to drink with my girlfriend on special occasions, I can easily replace the sentence "I never drink." with "I never worsen my illness.". Just don't hurt yourself. No one wants to end up a walking tombstone.

Crap. My links are bed. Here you go:

http://alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/page/first-steps
This link has 8 miniature-paragraphed bullets on how to keep a healthy brain.

http://alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/nutrition-natural-products-and-supplements
This link has a list of foods or supplements you can take, which each have their own tier on effectiveness and trustworthiness. If you see one that seems effective, click on it for more information.

Cannabis benefits against the whole class of symptoms you posted and more...study the endocannabinoid system rediscovered not long ago.

I'll definitely read up on this, but I've read that marijuana increases the likelihood of teens developing schizophrenia later, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder, and I've read that it causes problems with memory and affect, which are symptoms of schizophrenia and partly dementia. Also, because alcohol speeds brain atrophy in schizophrenics, it would make sense that pot would too, since both permanently change the brain in non-schizophrenics.

Good post. I think it's right on the money -- we as schizophrenics need to protect ourselves from brain deterioration, perhaps even moreso than the general population. From the links, it looks like having a healthier diet and social interaction are things I can improve on.

A Personal Story of Cannabis Ameliorating Symptoms During Late Stage Alzheimers

Alzheimers is the third most prevalent disease killer in the Western world after heart disease and cancer, and its rate of diagnosis continues to soar. In addition to the obvious cognitive dysfunctions, Alzheimers victims are dysfunctional with mundane matters and daily routines, have little or no recollection of close relatives and friends, and tend to be very grouchy and feisty.

A daughter tells the arduous caretaker story of helping her mothers final stages of Alzheimers by getting her on medical marijuana and off pharmaceuticals in stages. Her mother, who arrived to her daughters Oregon home as she was approaching 80 years of age, was not the type who took advantage of holistic medicine and organic foods and supplements. In addition to her Alzheimers, she was on several other medications for other ailments.

But the crafty inclusion of some home cooked organic meals and cannabis produced very positive results with the mothers cognitive abilities. The herb stews made her much more sociable and cooperative instead of feisty, angry, inappropriate and anti-social, which are all symptoms of Alzheimers, in addition to the gross absence of memory.

Her mother did pass away peacefully and lovingly at age 83 after the mother-daughter bond was firmly re-established. In other words, she exited the Earthly realm in a much better state than if she had not been exposed to cannabis.
Scientific Studies Support this Womans Story

A 2013 in vivo (mice) study in Spain, a vanguard for cannabis research, did a study on cannabis for Alzheimers entitled CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonist ameliorates Alzheimer-like phenotype in APP/PS1 mice.

The researchers concluded that:

the present study lends support to the idea that stimulation of CB2 [cannabinoid] receptors ameliorates several altered parameters in Alzheimers disease such as impaired memory and learning, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress damage and oxidative stress responses, selected tau kinases, and tau hyperphosphorylation around plaques.

But thats not the only Alzheimers study of recent that has come to similar conclusions. Researchers who worked on a study published in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience came up with the most advanced understanding of Alzheimers mechanics and how cannabis demonstrates efficacy without toxic side effects. Their study was preceded by similar ones showing cannabis efficacy for Alzheimers.

Gary Wenk, Ph.D, professor of neuroscience, immunology and medical genetics at Ohio State University, told Time Magazine:

Ive been trying to find a drug that will reduce brain inflammation and restore cognitive function in rats for over 25 years; cannabinoids are the first and only class of drugs that have ever been effective.

Lets hope our brain dead, oppressive government and medical system wakes up to raw cannabiss medical potentials.

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/cannabis-takes-alzheimers-dementia-successfully-story-studies/#ixzz3RJBdkCKl
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Well thank you. Now that I look it up, it's not as black and white as I'd thought.

I found that CBD (Cannibidiol), found in marijuana, treated positive schizophrenia symptoms just as well as an antipsychotic, in a blind study; EXCEPT, it has less side effects, and it seemed to also treat the untreatable negative symptoms. The problem with marijuana, as a whole, is that while THC produces a fluid that helps treat schizophrenia, that schizophrenics naturally make more of, THC also has another chemical that has a ton of effects, some of which are opposite of the fluid, and make schizophrenia worse, plus THC makes schizophrenics tolerant to their own self-medicating fluid.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/05/30/marijuana-compound-treats-schizophrenia-with-few-side-effects-clinical-trial/