THC Pathway with Amy Swift, MD a Big Success

On October 8, 2025, NCPSG hosted a Pathway Session on Recovery from THC Addiction with Amy Swift, MD, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Silver Hill Hospital. Most of the session, in both Amy’s prepared remarks and in the Q&A session, covered the intersection between use of high-potency THC and mental health.

While Amy stopped short of making a direct causal link between THC use and schizophrenia among young adults, her experience tells her there is one. She warns any patients that have had a psychotic break, or are displaying psychotic symptoms related to THC use, that continued use could lead to long-term psychosis and schizophrenia.

Amy noted that cannabis-induced psychosis ranks very high among the conditions that reach Silver Hill’s incoming call center.

A number of questions came up about long-term use of antipsychotic agents (like Zyprexa) for those who have cannabis use disorder (CUD) and cannabis-induced psychosis (CIP). Amy feels the best course of action is to use these agents for as long as needed until the psychotic symptoms subside. Then, she will typically recommend a gradual tapering off these drugs.

Several questioners wondered about their loved ones being misdiagnosed, and Amy said that is certainly possible. Sometimes bipolar 2 and acute intoxication from THC could be misdiagnosed as more severe bipolar 1 issues. This can also be the case with a schizophrenia diagnosis being more related to long-term psychosis from continued cannabis use. This is hopeful, for those that can find a pathway to abstention from cannabis use!

My conclusion is that Amy is an amazing practitioner who knows all about the impact of cannabis use and mental health, and believes that both can be addressed at the same time with her patients. Feel free to reach out to her at her email address: aswift@silverhillhospital.org.

CLICK HERE for a replay of the Pathway Session.

[NOTE: For more resources about the impact of THC on mental health and addiction, go to Johnny’s Ambassadors or Smart Approaches to Marijuana. You can also reach out to Silver Hill directly by going here: https://silverhillhospital.org/contact-us/