When Cannabis Causes Both Psychosis and Uncontrollable Vomiting: A Psychiatric Case
A case of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome developing in a psychiatric inpatient admitted for drug-induced psychosis highlights the challenge of recognizing CHS when patients have multiple cannabis-related conditions.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
A young male admitted for drug-induced psychosis developed cyclical vomiting consistent with cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, demonstrating that CHS can coexist with and complicate other cannabis-related psychiatric conditions.
Key Numbers
Single case of a young male with long-term cannabis use, recurrent ED presentations, and weight loss from cyclical vomiting while admitted for drug-induced psychosis.
How They Did This
Psychiatric case report with literature review, documenting CHS presentation in an inpatient psychiatric setting with recurrent emergency department presentations, weight loss, and medical complications.
Why This Research Matters
CHS is frequently misdiagnosed, especially in psychiatric settings where cannabis-related symptoms may be attributed to other causes — recognizing the overlap between CHS and cannabis psychosis improves patient care.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis use intensifies, clinicians across all specialties need to consider CHS in the differential — it's no longer just a GI diagnosis but can emerge alongside psychiatric cannabis complications.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single case report; CHS diagnosis is clinical and lacks specific biomarkers; psychiatric comorbidities may confound symptom attribution.
Questions This Raises
- ?How common is CHS co-occurrence with cannabis-induced psychosis?
- ?Should CHS screening be routine in psychiatric admissions for cannabis-related conditions?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Single case report with literature review provides limited evidence but illustrates an important clinical scenario.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2026, reflecting growing clinical awareness of CHS and its overlap with other cannabis-related conditions.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: A Psychiatric Approach.
- Published In:
- Cureus, 18(1), e102152 (2026)
- Authors:
- Anibueze, Bibian K, Emmanuel, Adebayo
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08084
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis cause both psychosis and vomiting?
Yes — this case shows that heavy cannabis use can simultaneously trigger drug-induced psychosis and cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a condition causing cyclical severe vomiting.
Why is cannabis hyperemesis syndrome hard to diagnose?
CHS symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain) mimic many other conditions, and in psychiatric settings, symptoms may be attributed to medications or anxiety rather than CHS.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08084APA
Anibueze, Bibian K; Emmanuel, Adebayo. (2026). Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: A Psychiatric Approach.. Cureus, 18(1), e102152. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.102152
MLA
Anibueze, Bibian K, et al. "Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: A Psychiatric Approach.." Cureus, 2026. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.102152
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: A Psychiatric Approach." RTHC-08084. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/anibueze-2026-cannabis-hyperemesis-syndrome-a
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.