Hi sharon rose,

Heavy marijuana use can increase the risk of developing schizophrenia symptoms as you have quickly found out in your brother's life.

Eight months is too early to see significant progress in terms of his recovery.  Also: the only way he will recover is to take the medication every day as prescribed and completely stop his drug and alcohol use.

Street drug use can cause a person to be depressed to the point of wanting to commit suicide.  Also weed or marijuana can fry a person's brain cells so that they're not thinking clearly.

I would try to find some productivity activity your brother can engage in during the day instead of laying about in his room or meeting up with others who also smoke and drink.

At some point he will have to know why he's being given the medication and will need to be able to take it on his own and comply with the treatment willingly.

Educate yourself about your brother's illness, develop a relationship of trust with him and remember too that he is an adult and will suffer the consequences of his actions.  There is little you can do to force him to do something he doesn't want to do.  He will learn hopefully quickly from his mistakes.

Regards,

Christina