Family looks for help after man suffers from water poisoning

A high desert man allegedly suffered brain damage after getting high on marijuana and drinking too much water. Severe water poisoning is an incredibly rare occurrence but when it does happen there can be extensive damage to the brain.

According to his mother, Thomas Houseman, 24, from Morongo Valley got very high on marijuana at a party in December. Houseman began to chug water in an attempt to sober up.

“He was gone his brain is just totally disconnected,” said Kathleen Schriefer, Houseman’s mother.

Schriefer says her son suffered from water poisoning and it damaged his brain.

“He has some kind of psychosis where he was hearing voices and he wanted to hurt himself and felt like he did not want to belong in this world anymore,” said Schriefer.

“If you drink excessive water you are diluting the amount of sodium in your body and all your muscle functions, nerve functions, and just about every function in your body requires an equal balance of sodium and potassium,” said Dr. Lucy Rojo, a holistic medicine specialist based in Los Angeles.

According to health officials when people suffer from water poisoning they are usually involved in some competitive sport like football or marathon running. I can also happen to people using drugs.

“It certainly is possible that a person doesn’t know what they are up to due to drug use age or some other intoxication and can overdo it on fluids,” said Rojo.

People suffering from water poisoning would feel pain in their muscles, their stomach would feel incredibly full, and then they would feel fatigued. They could also experience a type of euphoria.

Houseman has been in treatment for months and the family has thousands of dollars in medical bills. He is currently being treated in San Bernardino. The family is having a fund raising event at Eight4Nine Restaurant in Palm Springs on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m.

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