The following quote comes off this page:
http://www.acnp.org/g4/
(an incredible amount of info there on all sorts of medication issues but lots of medical terms makes the reading slow)


http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000170/Default.htm
This part sounds good???:
"Central Nervous System Physiology
---------------------------------------
One of the most notable findings in recent years has been the effects of cannabinoids on cerebral blood flow and electroencephalographic (EEG) measures. Mathew and Wilson (83) summarized the recent literature and concluded that marijuana smoking increased cerebral blood flow, with the greatest increases in the frontal region and right hemisphere. Marijuana also increased cerebral arterial blood velocity, thought to be due to increased capillary perfusion. There is continued interest in the effects of marijuana on EEG. Struve et al. (126) reported that THC caused an increase in absolute power of all frequencies over all cortical areas. They also reported that THC produced significant elevations in absolute alpha power, relative alpha power and interhemispheric alpha coherence over frontal and frontal-central areas in chronic users (125). They referred to this phenomenon as alpha hyperfrontality."

The rest of the article is very cautious and thorough summary of the current knowledge about MJ. They say yeah, it compromises your coordination at high doses (gets you stoned), interferes with social function ("and impedes the normal development of young individuals") .

More people are using MJ these days across the population, there are no other really obvious problems, the objection with use for any sort of treatment is that the effects are too varied (lots of different neurotransmitters of many types being effected) so it's hard to tell what is causing what. Too complex to draw any real conclusions besides that it gets you stoned and feels good.

The main problem, I'd say, is that it sticks in your body for a long time leaving you with a fuzzy brain.

only lasts about a month , and using the nootropic piracetam can help with the side effects

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8155

Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain
22:00 13 October 2005
NewScientist.com news service
Kurt Kleiner
Paper by Zhang et al
University of Saskatchewan Neural Systems and Plasticity Research Group
Barry Jacobs, Princeton University
Drugs and alcohol, New Scientist
Journal of Clinical Investigation
A synthetic chemical similar to the active ingredient in marijuana makes new cells grow in rat brains. What is more, in rats this cell growth appears to be linked with reducing anxiety and depression. The results suggest that marijuana, or its derivatives, could actually be good for the brain.

In mammals, new nerve cells are constantly being produced in a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is associated with learning, memory, anxiety and depression. Other recreational drugs, such as alcohol, nicotine and cocaine, have been shown to suppress this new growth. Xia Zhang of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, and colleagues decided to see what effects a synthetic cannabinoid called HU210 had on rats' brains.

They found that giving rats high doses of HU210 twice a day for 10 days increased the rate of nerve cell formation, or neurogenesis, in the hippocampus by about 40%.

Just like Prozac?
A previous study showed that the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac) also increases new cell growth, and the results indicated that it was this cell growth that caused Prozac’s anti-anxiety effect. Zhang wondered whether this was also the case for the cannabinoid, and so he tested the rats for behavioural changes.

When the rats who had received the cannabinoid were placed under stress, they showed fewer signs of anxiety and depression than rats who had not had the treatment. When neurogenesis was halted in these rats using X-rays, this effect disappeared, indicating that the new cell growth might be responsible for the behavioural changes.

In another study, Barry Jacobs, a neuroscientist at Princeton University, gave mice the natural cannabinoid found in marijuana, THC (D9-tetrahydrocannabinol)). But he says he detected no neurogenesis, no matter what dose he gave or the length of time he gave it for. He will present his results at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington DC in November.

Jacobs says it could be that HU210 and THC do not have the same effect on cell growth. It could also be the case that cannabinoids behave differently in different rodent species - which leaves open the question of how they behave in humans.

Zhang says more research is needed before it is clear whether cannabinoids could some day be used to treat depression in humans.

Journal reference: Journal of Clinical Investigation (DOI:10.1172/JCI25509)

Unfortunately, it looks like that particular component doesn't get you high <g> though it does relieve pain. I'm not certain I'm reading this correct though:
"There were no psychiatric side effects."

http://www.neuromuscularinfo.com/august%202003.htm
(bottom of that page)
CANNABINOID RECEPTOR LIGAND HU210 HAS ANALGESIC AND ANTI-HYPERALGESIC PROPERTIES

HU210 applied to human skin reduced several parameters of pain perception after capsaicin application. This was the first study in humans of a topical selective cannabinoid receptor agonist (HU210). The response to application of capsaicin was assessed in ten men and 10 women (mean age, 29 years), each of whom was pre-treated with HU210 and vehicle control. The gradient of pain perception over time was reduced at the HU210 site (p=0.01). There was no difference in heat pain threshold at baseline between untreated, HU210-treated, and vehicle-treated skin, but at 5 minutes after application of capsaicin, there was a significantly greater reduction (p=0.01) at the control site (46.3 ± 0.7°C to 38.6 ± 1.9°C) compared to the HU210 site (46.8 ± 0.2°C to 43.4 ± 2.2°C). Pinprick hyperalgesia was the same for both groups at all time points (5 min, 15 min, and 30 min), but significant differences in allodynia (pain in response to light touch) were found at both 5 min (p=0.04) and 15 min (p=0.02). There were no psychiatric side effects. These data demonstrate that a cannabinoid receptor agonist applied to human skin is analgesic and anti-allodynic, with no measurable effect on either baseline sensory function or the central nervous system. (Rukwied R et al. Pain 2003;102:283-288)

I have ADD and have a very bad marijuana habit/addiction. I just can't control it. Sometimes I will stop for a week but then start again pretty fast. When I take my med (Adderall XR) my craving for marijuana goes so much high that I absolutely can't resist not smoking.

It's the WORST thing for amotivation and leads me sometimes in terrible depressive amotivation episodes if I take too much of it and become unfonctionnal... especially in College.

Althought it can be so nice if you respect it. :p

It is an unfortunate issue for ADDers and co-morbids. Many self-medicate in order to achieve a sense of normality. As much as some would like to convince themselves that it's ok because it appears to "work." the cognitve damage, let alone the social stigma, is irreversible. The question remains, if you're willing to smoke to be normal, WHY would you not consider a legal, less destructive substance? I realize that some may argue that meds can be just as destructive but if there is truly to be a discussion of either method, going without legal or illegal substances would be the physically "healthier" choice. Needless to say, I wouldn't be where I'm at if it were NOT for my "legal" medications.

I have ADD and have a very bad marijuana habit/addiction. I just can't control it. Sometimes I will stop for a week but then start again pretty fast. When I take my med (Adderall XR) my craving for marijuana goes so much high that I absolutely can't resist not smoking.

It's the WORST thing for amotivation and leads me sometimes in terrible depressive amotivation episodes if I take too much of it and become unfonctionnal... especially in College.

Althought it can be so nice if you respect it. :pYou're twice as likely to become addicted to a substance while taking amphetamines.

Related thread (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=343774#post343774)

You're twice as likely to become addicted to a substance while taking amphetamines.

Although this may apply to this person in specific I have found the opposite to be true. When properly medicated I find my prone-ness to engage in addictive behavior actually decrease because my ability to engage in fore thought increases.

I just wanted to share the fact that increased chances of addiction when on ADD medication is an exception of a few not the general rule for all.

I have ADD and have a very bad marijuana habit/addiction. I just can't control it. Sometimes I will stop for a week but then start again pretty fast. When I take my med (Adderall XR) my craving for marijuana goes so much high that I absolutely can't resist not smoking.

It's the WORST thing for amotivation and leads me sometimes in terrible depressive amotivation episodes if I take too much of it and become unfonctionnal... especially in College.

Althought it can be so nice if you respect it. :pDOOD who care if your addicted to it, think about it life consisits of addictions . food is addicting violence is addicting sex is addicting working is addicting religion is addicting . keep smoking it calms my hyperactivity makes you think more profoundly. if you think about it you are just smoking and organic plant. people who drink and have no disabilities such as add or other crap and drink alcohol even act worse then peole on add and on weed. they kill people on the streets cuz they drink. and weed is a drug. just because the law says its a drug or people say its a drug does not mean anything. . or un less the state where you live has high penalties for weed or your parants totally think is drug then quit. but if its for stupid reasons **** it live life . we are born we are thought we work and work and die. enjoi life as much as possible!

I wouldn't have put it quite this way, but I actually agree with you wormhole.

That said, if you're going to use marijuana, you should do it responsibly. That means, use it like bacon: it's okay once in a while but it'll mess you up if you have it every day. Make sure to keep exercise, good nutrition and cultivating friendships as your top priorities, and then go ahead and indulge once in a while.

Marijuana is not addictive. I'm not alone in saying that. Anyone who has been addicted to some substance at some point in their life (hence have first hand experience with what addiction REALLY is), and have smoked pot in considerate amount will all tell you from their first-hand experience that marijuana is not addictive. Coffee is much more addictive than marijuana!

If you can't "resist not smoking", it's got nothing to do with physiological addiction. That's all in your head. For true addiction, you experience severe withdrawal symptoms (actual physical pains, discomforts, unease, intense anxiety etc...) when you quit

i smoke dope and id say one effect from the ganjika is that it makes you more paranoid and my hperactivity sometimes makes me extremely paranoid. But on the other hand it helps me focus. Either way if anyone out there are heavy users try once a day, usually at night works the best if your trying to quit.

hi all

I live where it's pretty much accepted that you smoke pot casually...
although I've never actually smoked, I do the hotbox/secondhand thing once in a while... it helps my brain relax and slow down.
just thought I'd tell you about an experience I had..
(I have a mood disorder as well - past issues with depression and I have social anxiety)
I got really high a couple weeks ago, and it was horrible. Got really tired, and fell asleep.
but then I started having these really bad dreams, nightmares, feeling like someone had died... I kept waking up all of a sudden after yelling out or mumbling something.

So I'm not really too cool with that. Marijuana is a depressant after all.
There's scientific research about it's negative effects... yes it helps you focus/obsess about something if in a low dose, but then your brain ends up not producing its own neurochemical that helps the brain focus if you smoke a lot of pot. which is why those super "potheads" are so whacked out in the end.

marijuana might make ADHD whorse in the long term because of vasopressin depletion, supplementing with this neuropeptide will help

Well I didnt want to make a big deal out of it but yeah I am a daily user of marijuana.

Look, before I started using it I was totally anti-social. My mind couldnt think up complete thoughts and I got aggrivated very easily. When I roll a joint or smoke a bowl it all instantly goes away. I can talk openly with people and be comfortable with just being wherever I am. I honestly think I would have killed myself if not for marijuana.






On the other hand, I am strictly and severely against all other drugs including alcohol.

A lot of people thought I was stupid because I couldnt figure out a math problem. They thought I was a "nerd" because I never talked much. Well that all changed once the marijuana found its way to me. My friend told me the first time I came over his place high, "Dude, if this is how you are when you are high, you better start smoking that **** all the time."

It is my life and I will live it however I want to. There isn't much relief and sometimes its all you need and a good bit of ganja will go a long way towards that goal.


Speaking of which ....... :o



By the way, there was a British study on marijuana, documented, that proved that ones attention and focus increased after the user smoked a full joint by himself. He drove a car through a cone track once before he was high and once after he was high. Again, he did a lot better after he smoked the joint. This is all proven scientifically. There isn't much actual documentation that can truthfully say, "Marijuana is bad because..."


and if they say otherwise they are lying and basing "facts" on their own opinions.


potheads unite :D

this message is for all of the younger people that read these forums... are you listening... are you ready...

MARIJUANA IS A BIG WASTE OF YOUR TIME. PERIOD. END OF STORY. READ A BOOK. TAKE A CLASS. LEARN A SKILL.

the sooner you do this, the better. life is too short for bong hits. do it. get it out of your system, then be done with it.

I wish someone had told me this and that I had listened. This is why I am telling you. My Dad was a pothead and told me it was ok to smoke dope because it calms your nerves. And the parent of the year award goes to...

He was wrong. Take the money you are spending on grass and open a stock or money market account. You can thank me later!

I've read about Marijuana being very good for some people, like for example fibromyalgia patients. I just want to say though that it DOES have side affects. People should NOT take it unless they need it to function!

When i smoke weed i notice i dont dream at all at night, but when im not smoking weed for more than 3 days i dream again, anyone else?

^ you dream every night, i think its once for every three hours of sleep (one sleep cycle if its not quite 3 hours). although you might not remember the dreams, your mind still goes through it, every night, many times per night.


personally I smoke sometimes, the feeling it gives me is a releif, however, looking back, some of the worst parts of my life were shared with this drug, wether it was an indirect cause, or an attempt to releive I'm not sure, but it can make things worst if you're not careful

wether pot is 'good' or 'bad' for you is debatable, there are health benefits to canabis, but so is there to red wine, but obviously drinking a whole bottle to yourself a day will never help you. Trying to prove it either way is pointless, there isnt enough concrete information available that proves its good for people with ADD/ADHD. its clear that it dosen't help the motivation, which can cause depression from doing nothing.

It is an unfortunate issue for ADDers and co-morbids. Many self-medicate in order to achieve a sense of normality. As much as some would like to convince themselves that it's ok because it appears to "work." the cognitve damage, let alone the social stigma, is irreversible. The question remains, if you're willing to smoke to be normal, WHY would you not consider a legal, less destructive substance? I realize that some may argue that meds can be just as destructive but if there is truly to be a discussion of either method, going without legal or illegal substances would be the physically "healthier" choice. Needless to say, I wouldn't be where I'm at if it were NOT for my "legal" medications.
Tough for me to believe that weed is worse for you than stimulants.

You can only compare stimulants and weed when you know how much of each one people are taking.

Having a few bong hits every night will make you feel tired,lazy and unmotivated the next day. Not ideal for ADD at all. Also wrecks your short-term memory. People that smoke all day long are usually burnouts as far as I've seen.

Having a small dose of stimulants each day won't have these negative effects on your mental state, if you have a recreational dose of stimlulants you will get the same effects as the pot the day after...tired, unmotivated even depressed and anxious.

So in short it really depends on how much you're having, a little weed every once in a while is fine. smoke it everyday and chances are you'll become a burn out. that won't happen with a therapeutic dose of stimulants

Yes marijuana can help medicate some aspects of ADD, but the side effects make it not worth it IMO. People smoking weed regularly will often seem ADD, once they stop they go back to themselves again. I think weed just makes ADD worse in the long run, it might help fix up a few symptoms but the other effects can make the ADD much worse.


one more thing - marijuana wont give you brain damage or cause any physical harm, most of its effects are psychological and they only last while the person has thc in their blood stream. if you stop smoking you'll feel back to normal in 2-4 weeks

i smoke pot because it is calming. I do not take medication for my ADHD but have in th e past. I am not addicted to pot but smoke it 3-4 times a week.
It increases attention and focus for me. I am not sure if it affects everyone this way. Also have not had any nightmares but that might be because I am not excessive in smoking pot.

i did it once and never again ahh it was to weird for me and im ADHD

yeah i get it that its bad 4 u n al.
but how do u stop?
im adctd. cant go the day witout weed and alchol
now what?

yeah i get it that its bad 4 u n al.
but how do u stop?
im adctd. cant go the day witout weed and alchol
now what?


maori_boy,

Do they have AA in New Zealand? It worked for me and I was a daily drinker and weed smoker for about 20 years. Clean and sober for 3 1/2 now and on a much better path in life.

Dave

yea bt not wher i live ay. bt im movn to the big smoke soon. ther wil b one ther. hardest thng is that drinkng and weed is so acepted in mi family, friends, culture. thts the main reason why iv decided to mov away.
thnx for the help superdave, will look it up.
chur chur!

Always glad to help!

Funny thing for me is my parents didn't drink and didn't even know what weed smelled like as far as I am aware. I still turned into a good little alcoholic and drug addict. Addiction will take any and all it can no matter the background.

Good luck!

Dave

re: 7

That seems like an overgeneralized statement.

IIRC, ADD/ADHD kids who grow up taking stimulants for their AD/HD have lower addiction rates as adults.

i went today without weed.
had 3 bottles of alchol which isnt 2 bad,
my goal to be weed free and alchol free.
it takz 21 dayz to form a habit

good for you maori_boy

My son ADHD 23yr. old smokes a lot of pot and drinks I suspect nearly every day. He says pot makes him more socially as ease and creative. This is bull**** in my opinion.
The reality is that he has no job, no motivation and no place to live. He hangs out with other pot heads practising for the "famous rock band" that they think they will become. Mostly they sit on the couch get high and play video games.

Onine your post disturbs me. If smoking MJ is a life or death situation for you don't you think there is a serious problem with that?

I might sound harsh and I do love my son very much but it breaks my heart and I see the beginnings of a wasted life because of drug and alcohol abuse. And this is a kid who has an immense talent for writing amd has so much to give.


All you pot smokers I'd like to know how is the rest of your life going? Do you have jobs? Are you going to school? Do you have relationships (I don't mean with other potheads)? Are you productive? How's your motivation? These are the important questions to consider and really be HONEST with yourselves.

to anser ur questions.
my lfe isnt going tht great but things are getting better as i stop the dirty habit of smokn pot and drinkn too much.
im almost 19. i dropd out of school at 15. started smokn pot at 12. i have had close mates in the past but they wer pad influences, pure meth druggies etc. now i stay clear of troublemakers.
im not productive, dont have a job and have no motivation.
after one day off no pot, i defnitly feel withdrawal but also know that my lifes gona change round. have more motivation and goals and dreams.

i really hope ur son learns from his mistakes and stops takn the pot and sets some goals. its hard to get out of a rut. but hes lucky to hav someone caring and luving there like you. Talk it over with him, explain that u care and want the best for him. I really do hope he moves on from this bad phase and finds more fulfilling interests.

Thanks maori that means a lot because most of the time I feel like I failed him somehow. I wish the best to you also, I mean that honestly.

That's great, maori! From my experience it takes a week or so to get through the haze after quitting. I know how hard it is - just try to take it a day at a time and it will get better!

Swede - I feel your pain. I used to fool myself with all the excuses I could think of why I smoked pot (it makes me feel better, I think more clearly, things are better). Bottom line was I didn't like myself and wanted to escape, I liked how it felt when I was stoned and I thought it helped make me cool. Then it became addictive. People can debate all they want about the physical addiction but mine was psychological.

Unfortunately, anyone and everyone could have pointed all of those facts out to me at any given time and I would have told them where they could go pi$$ off. "I can stop when I want." "You don't know what it's like to be me." blah blah blah. It wasn't until I saw it myself that I was able to do anything about it. I hate to say it but the only way your son will really get it is to figure it out for himself, in his own way. I know that sucks. I wish you and him all the best.

Dave

im realy craving some weed right now ay..shesh didnt no itd feel like this. oh well gota keep that promise i made ay.
no more weed
no more alchohol!!!
cheers superdave and swede for the ecouragement.
swede u havent failed at al. like dave says it all comes down to him at the end of the day. u have done al u could. th support and love is what he needs right now.

im realy craving some weed right now ay..shesh didnt no itd feel like this. oh well gota keep that promise i made ay.
no more weed
no more alchohol!!!
cheers superdave and swede for the ecouragement.
swede u havent failed at al. like dave says it all comes down to him at the end of the day. u have done al u could. th support and love is what he needs right now.
Hey man, hope the quitting is going alright. I quit about a year ago and **** has been smooth sailing ever since..didn't really realize how much weed was messing with me until I stopped for a good week.

Keep yourself busy and try and get some exercise, that's what helped me the most. Maybe not try and quit weed and alcohol at the same time, might be too hard. If you think you can handle it then go for it, I just ended up back on both when I tried to quit both at the same time though.

Good luck ;)

Marijuana made me really lazy

so i have been self medicating with mj for forty years i have survived but havent fulfilled my potential,,, but what do you do to slow your mind down? for just a little whlie i can concentrate after that i feel no pain the only other thing that works is speed (cars Jap Bikes) but i am running out of licences and in Aus you cant outrun them, yes i can stop, as we speak i have not ahd any for six weeks but that will stop when i return home i will be at peace again for a little while. i need not please any but myself i seek to do others no harm.

one more thing - marijuana wont give you brain damage or cause any physical harm, most of its effects are psychological and they only last while the person has thc in their blood stream. if you stop smoking you'll feel back to normal in 2-4 weeks

Need to correct myself here..Must have been thinking of no physical harm to the brain.

Smoking marijuana will cause physical harm the same way most inhaling of smoke will.

Eatting cooked cannabis is much more healthy.

so i have been self medicating with mj for forty years i have survived but havent fulfilled my potential,,, but what do you do to slow your mind down? for just a little whlie i can concentrate after that i feel no pain...the only other thing that works is speed (cars Jap Bikes) but i am running out of licences and in Aus you cant outrun them, yes i can stop, as we speak i have not ahd any for six weeks but that will stop when i return home i will be at peace again for a little while. i need not please any but myself i seek to do others no harm.

Yes Yes Yes! MJ is the only thing that will truely stop the chatter in my brain. For me frequent MJ use makes me paranoid, lazy, apathetic, stupid, anitsocial, anxious, and depressed. However, these are from frequent use and abuse. There are positive things from using MJ responsibly. And when I say responsibly I mean once or twice a month. Normally, without any medication my brain is like the radio - sometimes it plays songs (of course my body has to keep rhythm by taping my fingers and feet), sometimes it plays my own internal dialog. Frequently I blurt this dialog to others at inappropriate and obscure times. With MJ the radio is shut off - completely. Usually the day after I am stoned is when Im the most productive and can truely focus. My brain is scilent and I'm clear headed. This is the best of both worlds. However it only lasts a day or two then the radio turns back on.

I've used MJ for about 14 years and have had my troubles with it. MJ is wierd because it's not physically addictive but abuse will definately change your brain chemistry at least for the short term. I've seen it help people termendously though. For me the negative side affects outweigh the positive ones. So I try to restrict my use to once every few weeks in order to de-stress and unwind.

people who use it recreationally tend to take enough to get high.

but im hearing about people who use it in small quantities becuase it helps them with various dificulties, I cant remember what, but its usualy suffering chronic disease, I end up hearing about it becuase they end up on the news in trouble with the law.

Dexedrine is the only thing ive found that works for me, but im not into the drug scene at all, although I know ritalin is available online, I wouldnt dare try to get dex or amphetamine of the street, for so many reasons.

unfortunatly ritalin did work at first but doesnt now, ive no idea if its becuase of the mental distress i went through, or becuase i went onto dexedrine.

of all the "alternative" subctances if it was shown canabis was efective in "medicnal" doses this would be most interesting.

im too tired to read in detail but ive not seen anything to convince me that it does more than just make you not care that youve got adhd, unless ive mised something ?

people who use it recreationally tend to take enough to get high.

but im hearing about people who use it in small quantities becuase it helps them with various dificulties, I cant remember what, but its usualy suffering chronic disease, I end up hearing about it becuase they end up on the news in trouble with the law.

Dexedrine is the only thing ive found that works for me, but im not into the drug scene at all, although I know ritalin is available online, I wouldnt dare try to get dex or amphetamine of the street, for so many reasons.

unfortunatly ritalin did work at first but doesnt now, ive no idea if its becuase of the mental distress i went through, or becuase i went onto dexedrine.

of all the "alternative" subctances if it was shown canabis was efective in "medicnal" doses this would be most interesting.

im too tired to read in detail but ive not seen anything to convince me that it does more than just make you not care that youve got adhd, unless ive mised something ?
I know if Im having a night where the 'brain monsters' (as I call them) wont shut off and let me sleep, a very small amount of pot makes them go away. But its a desperation thing rather than an every day thing.

Im expecting if I get on meds I wont need to do it anymore.

Hey we're all in the same boat and fighting the same demons here, some of us who missed the system found our own ways to cope.

The research does NOT support...."twice as likely" to become addicted while taking amphetamines.

NOT if you actually have ADHD.

...And those data are old.


tc

mctavish23

(Robert)

Well, hello everyone! This is my first post, and where better to post than an MJ thread! I've been a MMJ patient for a couple of years now, but was using it before I became "legal" to do so. I, like you Onine, was very anti-social and struggled to communicate effectively with people before I started using it. I am way more alert and productive after smoking or eating . Which by the way, I only use a vaporizer as you are only getting pure THC vapor and not the carcinogens as with smoking out of a bong, pipe or a joint. Most joint papers have formaldehyde in them. Charming...

I haven't been diagnosed as ADD, but I am bi-polar and my doctor actually agrees that treating it with MJ works best for me. It is essentially all natural and it was put on this green earth to be used to help us. Prior to this, I had been switched around on Prozac, Lithium and Wellbutrin, all of which made me very sick. Pills in general seem to be too harsh on my stomach and make me really sick.

Now.. I am not a typical "pothead". I am 28 years old. I am a manager in a professional office environment for a very large corporation. I make great money. I do not sit on my a** all day and play games. I work a very grueling schedule and I have responsibilities. I do not call in sick unless I am practically dying. I have a gorgeous 3 story town home. I have a healthy relationship that I've been in for over 3 years now and see a future with this person.

I work so hard all week long, that after work and on my days off I see no problem relaxing with a good joint and a good movie.

As for motivation, I have tons of it and many goals that I am close to accomploshing.

My only problem is that it's pretty expensive, especially for some good stuff and not the schwaggy stuff.

I don't want to tell anyone else what to do, but I think marijuana definitely helps me focus and keeps me from dangerously impulsive behaviour. More than anything else, it helps me sleep at night. (I haven't had any for 2 weeks and I haven't slept for more than 4 hours a night in that time. The chatter in my brain won't shut off... reminds me of high school, when I didn't smoke weed. I would regularly stay up all night and fall asleep in class.)

There is definitely an amotivational effect from marijuana, but I think moderation in intake and awareness of the effects can eliminate this problem. I am very addicted to caffeine, and there are many negative side-effects to my coffee addiction, but I think it helps me focus. Drinking a cup or two right before bed is not a good idea. My point is, any drug (legal, illegal, or totally unregulated) can have negative consequences if mis-used. I won't touch the vast majority of cough medicines and sleeping pills because they make me feel incredibly f***ed up; I don't like alcohol much (except for an occasional drink with dinner), because it makes me sick in any significant quantity. I quit smoking cigarettes a few years ago, and there is no doubt in my mind that nicotine is a much, much stronger and more addictive drug than THC (which is not physically addictive).

If you are interested in unbiased info, check out one of the many government reports on cannabis (from countries other than the U.S.), such as the Canadian Senate Report on Cannabis or the British House of Lords report. The Jamaican and Dutch governments have also done extensive studies. None of them said it was harmless, but none of them stated that it was dangerous or addictive, either. One British study on driving and marijuana use found that, unlike alcohol, marijuana reduced impulsive behaviour. I don't smoke and drive, but reduced impulsivity is one of the things I definitely need.

My biggest concern is the risk associated with inhaling any burning substance - a concern that can be nullified with a vaporizer or by eating it.

Based on my friends' and family members' experiences with prescription ADD/ADHD medications, I have to say I have very little interest in drugs with that many potential side effects (mood swings, appetite effects, 'zombie' feelings, sleep effects, 'crashing' when the medication wears off, etc.).

It also worth noting that prescriptions drugs cause approximately 100 000 deaths per year in the U.S.; illegal drugs cause approximately 20 000 per year; and marijuana averages 0 deaths per year. (Google 'Iatrogenic deaths' if you don't believe me; there are plenty of good articles in peer-reviewed journals.)

A drug is a drug; what's right for you might be wrong for me. An objective analysis of the effects on your life is the best way to evaluate a drug. I know a lot more people with alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, prescription drug, cocaine, codeine, and even energy drink problems than marijuana problems, despite the fact that it is one of the most-used drugs where I live, other than alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and anti-depressants.

For the record, I was diagnosed with ADHD (Inattentive-type) 7 years ago; I work out 4 times a week, I have decent job, a fiancee (who never smokes), a couple of nice motorcycles, and we are shopping for a house. I am frustrated and angry right now, but as I said, I have not had any weed in 2 weeks.

I've been an avid cannabis smoker for years now, and it's done wonders for me. Of course, there's always going to be some risk when taking any substance, but it's far less harmful than most other chemicals we ingest. It's been great for my insomnia and acid reflux, and I'd definitely recommend it to someone wanting to try a safer alternative to modern medicines.

It doesn't work for ADHD

It doesn't work for ADHD

That's a pretty bold statement. There are all sorts of ways in which various drugs can provide people with relief.

Marijuana may not be a drug that someone with ADD could take every day, all day and see an improvement in their symptoms, but it certainly does, (in my opinion and experience), provide an option for short-term relief when I'm feeling absolutely stuck and desperate and like I just want to crawl out of my skin from boredom. If I'm not getting anything done anyway, I don't think there's anything wrong with not getting anything but having a couple of hits and actually feel good while I'm not getting anything done.

If I take a few hits I end up being able to listen to music, or watch TV, or even read. Personally, it doesn't matter to me what any study may say or not. If I have a choice to enjoy my free time or not, I'm going to choose to enjoy it every single time.

It's a true statement none the less

I define "work" as a form of clinical treatment

(so that's where I'm coming from)

I'm a recovering addict w/ one day at a time for 20+ yrs now

As part of my professional practice, I read the research constantly

Over the last 22+ yrs, I've never seen a study in a peer reviewed professional journal linking the "treatment" of ADHD with any positive effects from cannabis

That doesn't mean you don't stop looking

However, it does mean that's the state of the research today

very good question though

tc

mctavish23

(Robert)

Bittersweet stuff this cannabis.

I don't make a big deal out of cannabis use. Without any doubt the drug is LESS toxic than alcohol and has fewer addictive properties. In fact, the AMA doesnt' consider cannabis to be a dangerous addictive drug. The U.S. government has actually trumped the board of the AMA in this and forced the 'party line' to be included in the available material (Check their website).

That said, cannabis isn't a cure and there's no solid basis for believing that it is a treatment for the ADHD condition.

Are the dangers of pot use overblown? I believe so. I think that most of the social problems associated with pot use aren't so much from the use of pot, but from the social stigma associated with it.

Still, I would not suggest that anyone go looking to pot as a 'magic bullet' treatment for ADHD. At best it might be a tool, rough and unproven, and while pot itself may not be a 'gateway' to worse addictions, when you go looking to medicate away your boredom and anxiety, you can cripple your already limited ability to set and work toward long-term goals.

Agreed, cannabis will not help ADHD in any meaningful way externally. A tool perhaps to assist with getting through the boring periods or frustrating periods where you want some quiet mind and relaxation and laughter or something.

The dangers are exponentially increases by frequency of use IMO. When I use it all the time, it becomes part of me and that's not good. Now, I have a large amount of high quality, and I've learned how to use perhaps once a day in the evening (after peak plasma of my meds) or perhaps once every few days or a few times a week. This is the most I'm willing or needing to use it now that I have goals. I should think I will use it less as I become more engaged in my short term and long term goals. It's the waiting that kills me, and that's what this tool is for.

Beneficial for ADHD: No
Beneficial for other things: Depends on what and how it's used and the person's ability to think rationally and with long term life in mind.

It's a true statement none the less

I define "work" as a form of clinical treatment

(so that's where I'm coming from)

I'm a recovering addict w/ one day at a time for 20+ yrs now

As part of my professional practice, I read the research constantly

Over the last 22+ yrs, I've never seen a study in a peer reviewed professional journal linking the "treatment" of ADHD with any positive effects from cannabis

That doesn't mean you don't stop looking

However, it does mean that's the state of the research today

very good question though

tc

mctavish23

(Robert)

I would have to (respectfully) disagree. It's more than helped me out in recent years, especially in the focusing department.

I can admit, it helps more people than some; I'm just one of the many that benefited from it. It can be a crutch to some people, as can any substance, but to say it has no theraputic benefit, especially from a clinical point of view, is a statement with not much research behind it. Sorry to disagree, and I don't mean anything by it, but there are many more studies supporting the use of cannabinoids for all types of conditions, including ADD/ADHD than there are arguments dissuading it. Just recently, I read a published paper by a few doctors out west that were testing marijuana for asthma and had very good results, to the point where cannabis was just as efficient and was actually safer than most inhalers and other asthma medications.

To say it's a bad drug is the same style of thinking that made folks believe the earth was flat. It's not a horrible drug by any means, and that's been long since proved by scientists and the medical community.

I would have to (respectfully) disagree. It's more than helped me out in recent years, especially in the focusing department.

I can admit, it helps more people than some; I'm just one of the many that benefited from it. It can be a crutch to some people, as can any substance, but to say it has no theraputic benefit, especially from a clinical point of view, is a statement with not much research behind it. Sorry to disagree, and I don't mean anything by it, but there are many more studies supporting the use of cannabinoids for all types of conditions, including ADD/ADHD than there are arguments dissuading it. Just recently, I read a published paper by a few doctors out west that were testing marijuana for asthma and had very good results, to the point where cannabis was just as efficient and was actually safer than most inhalers and other asthma medications.

To say it's a bad drug is the same style of thinking that made folks believe the earth was flat. It's not a horrible drug by any means, and that's been long since proved by scientists and the medical community.

Do you have empirical evidence that THC effects ADHD?

I think that's the problem here. I can tell people that proper diet and exercise will help ADHD, or that acacia extract will cure gout, but without empirical evidence to back my claims, all I'd be doing is spreading hearsay.

I believe that this condition is stigmatized far too much already for any of us to spread holistic remedies as matter-of-fact treatments.

I have adhd (inattentive type, diagnosed at age 20) and smoked multiple times a day for about two years. This was two years ago, and I have since cut the habit drastically - to fewer than 5 times a year - but I honestly think that it helped me immensely. I think that because cannibis, like the adderall I am now being perscribed, makes things seem more visually interesting, it helps me to focus on 'the object/task at hand.' That said, adderall completely kills my desire to smoke (cannibis and tobacco) and drink, and I think that this is very, very helpful - especially as I have a family history of alcoholism and harmful drug addiction.

This post might not contribute anything worthwhile to this discussion, but I feel somewhat obligated to add my personal experience and opinion. I'd be happy to entertain any questions you people might present.

Hi all,

To Johnny: try smoking with a vaporizer (not sure that's spelled right) .. what it does is heat the pot up to a point the part that gets you high is activated but it doesn't activate a lot of the bad things in the pot which once I tried it ... I find it to take away any of that paranoid feeling and also seems to take away some of the sleepiness you experience at the end of the high.

They are expensive, most I saw were $500 but I paid about $150 for mine at a place called gotvape.com or its got-vape.com.

i was always against MJ. i didn't like it..then i was a smoker for five years..everyday..it took the edge off my self and help eliminate the need to tame my "useless" energy..

however, one time i smoke it..everything was fine..and it triggered a panic attack. not an anxiety attack, but panic attack. if you don't know the difference i encourage you to look it up..many i have known in my years that were ADD or AdDH all self-medicated with MJ..a panic attack is horrible..read up on it..ADD or ADHD people are very sensitive..and at times are very aware of their bodies. since i had the panic attack, i have never been able to smoke again..i ended up in the emergency room with a plate of humiliation and side dish of embarassment. i challenge all you out there that "partake" to read up on this..and when do, let's chat..please

I would have to (respectfully) disagree. It's more than helped me out in recent years, especially in the focusing department.What other symptoms of ADHD does marijuana help you with?

i was always against MJ. i didn't like it..then i was a smoker for five years..everyday..it took the edge off my self and help eliminate the need to tame my "useless" energy..

however, one time i smoke it..everything was fine..and it triggered a panic attack. not an anxiety attack, but panic attack. if you don't know the difference i encourage you to look it up..many i have known in my years that were ADD or AdDH all self-medicated with MJ..a panic attack is horrible..read up on it..ADD or ADHD people are very sensitive..and at times are very aware of their bodies. since i had the panic attack, i have never been able to smoke again..i ended up in the emergency room with a plate of humiliation and side dish of embarassment. i challenge all you out there that "partake" to read up on this..and when do, let's chat..please

How can you tell someone with an addictive personality... my second time smoking cannabis was my first panic attack... and I got many many more while under the influence... but I just kept coming back for more. Now I know weed and I know myself... my anxiety is pretty much only imagined somatic ****... the mental part is gone... so I can smoke and I'm fine. It took a good 6 months smoking it constantly to develop a mental tolerance to all anxiety from stuff... and Im always working on controlling my thought processes and becoming ubermensch.

Do you have empirical evidence that THC effects ADHD?

I think that's the problem here. I can tell people that proper diet and exercise will help ADHD, or that acacia extract will cure gout, but without empirical evidence to back my claims, all I'd be doing is spreading hearsay.

I believe that this condition is stigmatized far too much already for any of us to spread holistic remedies as matter-of-fact treatments.

I do. There's plenty of documented research out there, just search. There's even been doctors starting to treat ADHD (off-label mostly) with medical cannabis with outstanding results. The American Medical Association has recently endorsed medical marijuana for all sorts of studies, including ADHD.

I did a search on Google, and I listed a couple of the first links. Obviously, I don't have time to go through them all, but if you take a few minutes, you can clearly see that my claims are backed up by scientific evidence, not 'hearsay'.

http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20071001105829361

http://io9.com/357818/4-out-of-5-doctors-recommend-marijuana-for-your-adhd-kid

I've done my own research on the topic, and so has the medical community. Granted, there's still a lot we don't know about medical marijuana, but extensive lethality and toxicity tests have been carried out with similar results across the board; cannabis is practically non-toxic in vaporized form.

True, there are many things natural and chemical that help this condition, and marijuana is on that list. It may not be best for some people, and indeed most people will find solace with other medications and therapies, but that's not to say that other substances, cannabis included, don't help.

Managing this condition is more than likely going to take much more than chemical therapy. There are lifestyle changes to make, dietary and supplement changes, management therapy (such as a PDA, laptop, organizers, etc.) and the like. I'm only now getting the hang of taking my Adderall every day, much less all the other things I listed, but I'm getting there. I've got a long, long ways to go in getting my life under control, but from a personal standpoint, I've found great relief with consuming marijuana.

I'm honestly not trying to be condescending, and I hope you don't take it that way; I would just like to point out that there are symptoms and conditions of this life that the marijuana plant can help you out with.


What other symptoms of ADHD does marijuana help you with?


I don't necessarily use marijuana for ADD. I consume it for other medical conditions, namely my acid reflux and insomnia. I also have a borderline case of narcolepsy, due to insomnia interrupting my REM-sleep stages. It's greatly helped me out with those issues, but I have also noticed that it greatly helps my concentration on important things like research papers and my photography. Now, that's not to say I'm going and getting wasted every time I need to do something, but I do smoke/vaporize every night before I go to bed. It's easy to get out of hand with something like marijuana, but if you can keep it under control and in moderation, it can be a good friend to your life. Keep in mind that a medical dose of marijuana is only a portion of a joint or so for most people. It's not necessarily enough to get flat-out stoned with, but it's a good dose for people with certain problems. People needing analgesic effects from THC are going to consume a decent bit more than this, but for your average Joe with minor complications, a little is all you'll need.

Even though marijuana isn't actually physically addictive, it can potentially be seriously psychologically addictive, just like anything that makes you feel good. If you have a habit-forming personality, cannabis is certainly one of those things you should steer clear of, along with many other substances.

It doesn't work for ADHD

I would have to (respectfully) disagree. It's more than helped me out in recent years, especially in the focusing department.


I don't necessarily use marijuana for ADD.I'm confused. :confused:

I'm confused. :confused:

Only recently have studies been done treating ADHD with medical marijuana, but because of the way it regulates chemical levels within your brain system, it's been shown to have positive results with the condition.

As for my personal use, I was just stating that it's helped me out with my concentration on some tasks that I have trouble accomplishing. I don't use it strictly for ADHD, as I have other disorders I use it for, but it has had some improvement in my concentration and memory.

before i say anything, dont get me wrong, i'm not an ignorant chump that buys into the conservative "take drugs and you'll die a sudden horrible death" bull. I've used a lot of hard drugs in my time and still do pretty often. I'm not trying to shut you down and tell you you cant have a good time.

but take my word for it, IMHO, any benefits from smoking buds is not worth the risks.. I'm not going to pretend that you're going to go crazy overnight, or a couple bong hits is going to hurt you. Hell, in terms of addiction potential, or physical damage to your body, alcohol and tobacco make marijuana look like a child's toy, but just take it easy guys...

MJ can be nasty stuff. i know a good half a dozen schizophrenics in my local area (and live with one) whose lives have been ruined by pulling bongs. These people had so much going for them, smoked too much, and completely lost the plot. You dont think it will happen to you because most people never get a chance to meet these people, as they're either become too anxious to go out and be social, or comitted to a mental ward.

Go out and have a good time every now and then if you must. I'm certainly no saint, and thats a decision you have to make for yourself. Just please please please dont make it a regular or self-medication thing, you might get sick, you might not, but its not worth it. Schizophrenia is a horrible horrible affliction. I'm not afraid to use mdma or coke or speed (not that i'm advocating drug use, every good time on every one of those drugs for me has plenty of bad times to outweight it, and there are plenty of dangers), but grass scares the **** out of me.

It's hard for me to say. All the while I was smoking dope (sometimes up to 10 bong hits a day) I was affected by one or more p-meds (zoloft, lamictal, strattera, etc) so I have no idea. I was certainly a LOT less anxious, but my moods destabilised a fair bit. Impulsivity was also a problem.

it's all subjective. there's no scientific evidence that shows people with ADD are benefited by smoking pot.

That doesn't mean their aren't people out there that have ADD and use cannabis successfully to control their symptoms.

It's all been said before but pot was nothing but trouble for me. Felt like it slowed me down wayyy too much and it makes me feel dopey for 48 hours after smoking. ADD + added dopiness is not conductive to a functional christopher.

I think it's better and more fun to smoke dope with some mates so saying that i've never really smoked it by myself.

Marijuana is a very beneficial thing to smoke when you don't abuse it (i.e smoking it every day) I say once in a while will just calm you down and let you enjoy the good things in life and forget about study, routine and the usual crap of life.

The way i see it is peoples minds and bodies react differently then others, thats fact i believe.

Besides the paranoia trips i sometimes go on, and the burnouts when i sit around for more then an hour, and the amount of tar in my lungs that could cause bacterial infections ive reacted positivily to marijuana.

10 weeks ago i was working at this place for the company im with now and i was getting stoned 6-7 times a day, nothing to brag about but i was. My boss said i chain smoke my marijuana lol, and he said i waste it cause i keep smoking when im already high, lol now thats a pot head. But that didnt affect my results for my job i still produced perfect data for the office and everyone was happy.

The thing i noticed is that people tend to panic when they are stoned if **** hits the fan, people need to step back every once in awhile and be patient and understand the situation even when your high. Just be patient people :).

Now its not for everyone and i aint your mommy so like anything else in the world i advise extreme caution when choosing the time and places to get stoned..

This is coming from a experienced pot head

I agree pedalpounder with your comments regards addiction - however some sections of society have managed to make MJ sound addictive just to furthuer the prohibition cause.

Herion is physically addictive. Poker machines, pot, sex adn video games are physcologically addictive.

Pete789

When i smoke weed i notice i dont dream at all at night, but when im not smoking weed for more than 3 days i dream again, anyone else?

I smoke daily and dream almost nightly. Very vivid dreams too.

I smoke daily and dream almost nightly. Very vivid dreams too.

I don't dream much when I'm smoking regularly, or at least I don't remember many dreams. If I stop smoking, I start to remember my dreams in a couple of days. Of course, if I'm not smoking, I only sleep 3-4 hours a night, so I don't have a lot of time to dream then, either.

For me, this is probably the effect I worry about the most. The effects of smoking (anything) on the respiratory tracts also concern me (I think I'll get a vaporizer, eventually).

I have problems with motivation and memory, and I know that mj use is linked to a loss of both, but I haven't found any big difference. I have tried to quantify (using on-line memory tests, concentration drills (juggling), math drills, and balance/coordination drills (unicycling, etc.)) any differences that mj has on my coordination and I can't identify any real differences in performance stoned vs. un-stoned. I find it much easier to read when I am smoking pot - I love reading, I just don't feel like sitting there for 45 minutes when I am un-medicated.

Basically, there are a lot of situations that I find myself in that are much, much easier to deal with when I am medicated with THC. Most notably, I sleep better, and I can watch TV - anything other that the Weather Network or the Simpsons will drive me nuts without drugs.

true mj does increase focus and attention. yes it does acutally help regrow sum cells and helps protect cells too. there is no problem wat so ever with mj. ok you can drive stoned but if your drunk u can barly drive. drunk driving kills so many ppl each year but its legal it kills brain cells cause's brain damage liver damage heart damage kidney damage and if you drink to much you die. ok its legal for me to go to a store and buy a gallon of vodka and drink it all and die wtf. mj cause's no damage wat so ever it can cause respiratory infections but nothing serious. mj's never killed any one no damage to the brain liver kidneys heart and if you smoke a pound your gonna be fine except extremly gone.

And a lot of it is nothing more than old-school inhibitions and stigma where people who don't smoke are so afraid the world will become a place of stoners when in fact the truth is (amsterdamn and other places have proven) that if anything crime rates go down (or at least amsterdamn has a very low rate) and that the rate of users doesn't increase dramatically.

Those that come out of the closet may make it seem that way at first but they've always been there. Doing what they're doing legally now, illegally then.

Being taxed now, for the good of the whole (insert rolling eyes smilie here) ... well ideally anyway.

And it takes all the criminal element out of the picture or at least their initiative for entering into the pot market.

My introduction to weed signalled one of the most turbulent periods of my life. Kicking that **** has been the most productive things I've ever done.

true mj does increase focus and attention. yes it does acutally help regrow sum cells and helps protect cells too. there is no problem wat so ever with mj. ok you can drive stoned but if your drunk u can barly drive. drunk driving kills so many ppl each year but its legal it kills brain cells cause's brain damage liver damage heart damage kidney damage and if you drink to much you die. ok its legal for me to go to a store and buy a gallon of vodka and drink it all and die wtf. mj cause's no damage wat so ever it can cause respiratory infections but nothing serious. mj's never killed any one no damage to the brain liver kidneys heart and if you smoke a pound your gonna be fine except extremly gone.


i know this won't change your mind about pot but just thought i should say-

smoking lots of cannabis while your brain is still developing CAN cause long term problems with memory and motivation.

i smoked weed for a couple years and even though i believed it was harmless i now have problems with my memory.

cannabis is 'safe' in some respect. it's not toxic and you can't overdose on it. there's certain side effects that you won't know about for a while that aren't exactly tied to the cannabis itself but the lifestyle that comes with it.

it's fun and fairly harmless to smoke weed every once in a while. but just like everything moderation matters...smoking multiple times a day every day will take it's toll in one way or another.

nah i didnt smoke allday just mayb 5-6blunts a week i dunno i cant remember lmao. true bout the memorie problems. i dont smoke anymore though but sumtimes like you said every once in a while i do

The memory problems go away when the intoxication is over... lets not make **** up. Its the habits that form from doing it all day that messes with people. Its so harmless physically it becomes harmful in everything else.

The memory problems go away if you stop smoking and change your lifestyle.

All the studies into cognitive decline of any kind in controls and potheads well into their 60s (and theres plenty of them) show no difference from the decline in cognition that comes with age (and even that is more a symptom of habits that are formed that reduce the use of certain aspects of cognition, your brain is a muscle, use it or lose it).

When you tell a smoker (there is no point in stopping) theyve already ****ed up their brain they wont stop.

Earlier this year I was going through a hard time when my mother relapsed into alcoholism. I was smoking copious amounts to escape and not remember my mother in her impaired state. I was smoking daily with a friend whose mother is also an alcoholic and have another friend that smokes with an alcoholic father. When I was smoking nonstop during this turbulent time, yes, it is true that I lost my motivation and have some trouble recalling everything during that time. I only smoke high medical grade bud and when I smoke alone I've noticed benefits. About a week and a half ago, I took a single hit of someone else's good weed that he graciously shared with another friend and I. I didn't feel it initially and didn't get high, but later noticed myself thinking at a more normal speed (rather than my normal constant overdrive) and became much more effective at communicating and expressing myself to others. Another friend of mine who is opening a massage, spa, and wellness center is only 20 and told me he reads so many books because he gets high. I've also noticed straight pipes give me the most tiring and sedative effects, water filtration (bubblers, bongs) far less, while vaporizing gives me a non-sedative cleaner high. Low grade mexican brick weed and even mid grade weed often leave me with a messed up feeling rather than a clean high. I experienced a sort of synergy with my prescription adderall and sativa dominant strains. The adderall helped give me mental structure and sufficient internal stimulation (as opposed to external stimulation I experience while on the computer or driving well above the speed limit), while the weed stopped me from overthinking and overanalyzing to a point of unintended procrastination. I always looked down upon weed before I tried it, but discovered it useful in alleviating some of my ADHD symptoms when used sparingly rather than recreationally. YMMV

Marijauna is excellent in moderation, It's also more fun cause you laugh heaps and cant hold a straight face when ya do it once a month or so.

It only does bad for me. And I'm severe ADHD.

I would like to add my 2 cents worth in here. I have more than my share of experience with Pot for the past 20 yrs, its been an issue especially for the last ten. If you are already scattered, disorganized and have problems seeing tasks through, pot is NOT going to help!! And let me just say that those who suggest that pot is not actually addictive are so full of crap or they just don't know. Fun, helps to hide from life and all the problems and good for ADD.

Rob

mary jane got old for me after 3 and a half years of everyday smoking

I would like to add my 2 cents worth in here. I have more than my share of experience with Pot for the past 20 yrs, its been an issue especially for the last ten. If you are already scattered, disorganized and have problems seeing tasks through, pot is NOT going to help!! And let me just say that those who suggest that pot is not actually addictive are so full of crap or they just don't know. Fun, helps to hide from life and all the problems and good for ADD.

Rob

marijuana isn't physically addictive meaning you don't need it to function(heroin addict's) It can be mentally addictive meaning its all in your head and think you need it. So marijuana isn't consider addictive at all. ask yourself this question. why do I smoke marijuana? Because I want to

It can be mentally addictive meaning its all in your head and think you need it. So marijuana isn't consider addictive at all


:)

chocolate cake can be addicting as well but us ADDers seem to go overboard on the pot don't you think? moderation is hard for us.

i'll trade you a giant cookie for a piece of chocolate cake.:D

No, when your brain craves it, it's because of the brain chemistry. It's not only mental, it's a real physical thing and an addiction.

It took many years, and it was hard to understand. Moderation is the key. But blind faith in anything, let it be weed or religion or anything is just not good.

There's really no connection, other than the effects of getting stoned impacting the severity of ADHD related impairments.

After 12 years of using nearly everyday/ all day,I've been straight /clean & sober, 20 yrs 7+ mos.

For me, it's still one day at a time.

What I tell the kids I work with ( over 90+% have ADHD), is that their brains are still growing and that pot interferes with problem solving & motivation.

It would also decrease the efficiacy of medication(s).

There's some really interesting research by Havard's Joe Biederman,MD., and others, that indicate the use of any stimulant will decrease the risk of a SUD ( Substance Use Disorder).

The initial 3 studies, conducted over a 13 year time span, had some spectacular results.

The recent followup study wasn't able to replicate those data;which didn't surprise me.

However, the results among boys were positive in terms of decreasing risks for alcohol, drugs, & nicotine.

Now, please don't misread that as some implication of a "cure, or even a treatment, because that would be completely off base.

What it does confirm is that stimulants, as a treatment for ADHD, decrease impulsivity.

That's really not a surprise either, as one of the many ( devastating) Risks for untreated ADHD is a greater likelihood for Chemical Dependency.

Getting stoned to decrease stress, etc., happens quite often.

But for ADHD teens, my opinion is that it impairs their ADHD treatment.

Always an interesting subject.

tc

mctavish23

(Robert)

Before I knew I was ADHD I smoked. It calmed my brain down, the thoughts weren't racing all the time. I am lucky I didn't lose my job and it did make my memory disappear. I had no idea I was self medicating. It did help though.

re:87
No serious scientist (I used to be a student in a cannabinoid lab) is going to recommend 'marijuana smoking'. It is _smoking_.

My question about drug use is always -- 'why do people need to get impaired to cope with life?'

Many people who seem to use drugs/alcohol/smoke/etc seem to have histories of childhood adversity or loss or negative events or problematic parents.

--

One person even mentions he got high for years b/c his own mother was impaired. So getting impaired is done to overcome seeing someone impaired? (WHERE is the logic there ?!)

--

Adversity/Trauma/Loss and Addiction just beget and beget and beget one another. (Dr. TIAN DAYTON writes a great book that is called "Trauma and Addiction".)

People need to find other ways to (a) figure out their issues (although I realize some may be pre-verbal life events or neglect, where only the emotional 'tone' is recalled) and (b) learn ways to safely self-soothe.


N.B. Many kids I have met who were the severe drug or alcohol users in my own high school were molested as kids or had parents with serious problems, etc. For some reason, I had so many people disclose this sort of thing to me when I was a teen. (Maybe they thought I seemed safe to talk to?)

My partner and I have seen way too many young males become psychotic from pot use. For some reason, the young male brain (under 25) is most vulnerable to this triggering with marijuana. They show up in police custody or the psych ward talking about how the CIA is out to get them, etc. Once a person goes to paranoid schizophrenia or bipolar or drug psychosis, there is often no 'going back' to sanity.

It is like the childhood emotional damage leads to the drugs and the drug use leads to the damage (brain damage and inattention included), and damage to more family members and children.

Some things to think about, anyway.

I think drug and alcohol use are OFTEN just a 'cover up". And sadly, they often keep the pain going b/c the wounds stay infected longer, and spread to others.

why do people need to get impaired to cope with life?

My answer is i thought i needed it, turns out i just prefer it. As far as life coping drugs alone never will be the answer prescription or not. Each person must develop there own coping skills and it varies from one person to the next, how a person copes is irrelevant. There is no right or wrong way, in my opinion. however some coping skills will be frowned a pawn, by others.

This is not an answer, but another interpretation from an additional prospective.

one thing i would like to comment on

there are more studies done on pot than most of the legalized drugs taken for adhd. thereby it is ignorant to conclude that pot is worse than any of the drugs we may or may not be taking. everything is harmful to health if taken in excess including oxygen and water it's the amount that is used. pot has been used by humans for centuries, if there was a severe side-effect someone would have noticed by now. however moderation in everything is key

inducing something such as schizophrenia is insanely rare. people who have a predisposition to mental disorders or past trauma etc have a higher probability to using substances. the fact that it causes mental disorders regularly is a significant chunk of misinformation. you have to compare it to the number who have a genetic disposition to it first and most main stream articles are extremely horrible with misleading via statistics and inaccuracy. w00t to cnn articles talking about the flu but putting up a picture of ecoli...talk about inaccuracy

I love all the people who give into the media hype that pot is sooo bad. Alcohol and the meds we take are worse for us than marijuana. I have yet to come across a study about how it is actually bad for you. If you know of one, I would love to see it. Yes, the actual burning of it can be slightly harmful, but as far as vaporizers and ingestion of it, there seems to be no real harm. From what I have gathered (studies, and in psychology class) THC in pot does not kill or harm brain cells. The THC molecules coat/block the neuroreceptors, preventing the transmission of neurotransmitters across the synapse. Then, they fade away and you are sober (yes there are traces still there for a little while longer, ranging from a few days to a month, depending on how often the person smokes).

Also, check out the Laguardia Report.

Now, as for it being addictive, it's no more addictive than alochol and sweets. It depends on the person. It also affects people differently. I know of people that smoked and were worthless. However, on the flip side, I know of people that are extremely smart and smoke all the time, one of which was my class president in High School. I went to a private HS that took pride in their education and won all kinds of awards and junk (ie, pain in the *** to get through).

My experiences are as follows:
I started smoking in the 10th grade. I was going through a lot of family and personal crap, and school was getting difficult and stressing me out real bad. I started smoking with my cousin on the weekends and for that next week I was less stressed and able to do school work a little better. Sometimes I would go weeks without smoking and then I would start getting stressed again, until I smoked again one weekend. Then I started smoking more often in the summer, but went back to weekends when school started. I have never once been high at school or work. I have always been one of the top employees where I work. Some of my friends that are diagnosed with ADD and prescribed meds say they focus much better after they smoke. They will smoke, then go to the library for hours. I have never actually tried this myself, but I think I'm going to soon. The past few years I rarely smoke. Maybe once a month or something. I never made a conscious decision about it. I usually only like to smoke if I'm going to chill out with only a few people. I tend to party more on the weekends and drink instead (although sometimes I smoke after I've been drinking and it's fantastic :) ). I have never once had any withdrawls or bad urges to smoke. My cousin used to smoked every day for awhile, but doesn't much anymore, same reason as me. He has never had any urges or withdrawls from not smoking, and he has gone months without smoking.

So, that my 2 cents on maryjane.


Cliffs:
It's not bad for you.
It's not addictive.
It affects people differently.


I'm going to smoke a little sometime soon and try to do some homework, see how that works out. Worth a shot, because I don't know what to do about my focusing anymore. The meds I've taken haven't done much, and I hate how they make me feel.

DOOD who care if your addicted to it, think about it life consisits of addictions . food is addicting violence is addicting sex is addicting working is addicting religion is addicting . keep smoking it calms my hyperactivity makes you think more profoundly. if you think about it you are just smoking and organic plant. people who drink and have no disabilities such as add or other crap and drink alcohol even act worse then peole on add and on weed. they kill people on the streets cuz they drink. and weed is a drug. just because the law says its a drug or people say its a drug does not mean anything. . or un less the state where you live has high penalties for weed or your parants totally think is drug then quit. but if its for stupid reasons **** it live life . we are born we are thought we work and work and die. enjoi life as much as possible!

thats the way!!:p

ADHD and ADHD-pi are different diseases. Pot should affect ADHDers in different ways than ADHD-pi types. From now on when you relate your experiences, pretty please state your diagnosis, if you are comfortable doing so of course. I sometimes read these posts and have to discern what type of ADHD this person has. Just saying it would make it much easier. Thanks a lot!

I'm a self-diagnosed ADHD-pi. I'm hoping to get checked out soon. I'm interested in ADHD-pi and SCT and smoking. I never tried doing anything work/school related while high. Usually just crank some tunes or folf. Curious about it, but I can't work while high. It would be considered abuse/neglect. Usually on low doses(a couple of pipe hits) I have an alright ability to focus.

Well I didnt want to make a big deal out of it but yeah I am a daily user of marijuana.

Look, before I started using it I was totally anti-social. My mind couldnt think up complete thoughts and I got aggrivated very easily. When I roll a joint or smoke a bowl it all instantly goes away. I can talk openly with people and be comfortable with just being wherever I am. I honestly think I would have killed myself if not for marijuana.

On the other hand, I am strictly and severely against all other drugs including alcohol.

A lot of people thought I was stupid because I couldnt figure out a math problem. They thought I was a "nerd" because I never talked much. Well that all changed once the marijuana found its way to me. My friend told me the first time I came over his place high, "Dude, if this is how you are when you are high, you better start smoking that **** all the time."

It is my life and I will live it however I want to. There isn't much relief and sometimes its all you need and a good bit of ganja will go a long way towards that goal.


Speaking of which ....... :o



By the way, there was a British study on marijuana, documented, that proved that ones attention and focus increased after the user smoked a full joint by himself. He drove a car through a cone track once before he was high and once after he was high. Again, he did a lot better after he smoked the joint. This is all proven scientifically. There isn't much actual documentation that can truthfully say, "Marijuana is bad because..."


and if they say otherwise they are lying and basing "facts" on their own opinions.


potheads unite :D

I am the same way - I am afraid to stop - I believe it helps my health, mind and spirit. It is God given - I thank God that I live in CA and have a prescription - I feel for all those out there who are made into criminals just because cannabis helps them.:cool:

I love all the people who give into the media hype that pot is sooo bad. Alcohol and the meds we take are worse for us than marijuana. I have yet to come across a study about how it is actually bad for you. If you know of one, I would love to see it. Yes, the actual burning of it can be slightly harmful, but as far as vaporizers and ingestion of it, there seems to be no real harm. From what I have gathered (studies, and in psychology class) THC in pot does not kill or harm brain cells. The THC molecules coat/block the neuroreceptors, preventing the transmission of neurotransmitters across the synapse. Then, they fade away and you are sober (yes there are traces still there for a little while longer, ranging from a few days to a month, depending on how often the person smokes).

Also, check out the Laguardia Report.

Now, as for it being addictive, it's no more addictive than alochol and sweets. It depends on the person. It also affects people differently. I know of people that smoked and were worthless. However, on the flip side, I know of people that are extremely smart and smoke all the time, one of which was my class president in High School. I went to a private HS that took pride in their education and won all kinds of awards and junk (ie, pain in the *** to get through).

My experiences are as follows:
I started smoking in the 10th grade. I was going through a lot of family and personal crap, and school was getting difficult and stressing me out real bad. I started smoking with my cousin on the weekends and for that next week I was less stressed and able to do school work a little better. Sometimes I would go weeks without smoking and then I would start getting stressed again, until I smoked again one weekend. Then I started smoking more often in the summer, but went back to weekends when school started. I have never once been high at school or work. I have always been one of the top employees where I work. Some of my friends that are diagnosed with ADD and prescribed meds say they focus much better after they smoke. They will smoke, then go to the library for hours. I have never actually tried this myself, but I think I'm going to soon. The past few years I rarely smoke. Maybe once a month or something. I never made a conscious decision about it. I usually only like to smoke if I'm going to chill out with only a few people. I tend to party more on the weekends and drink instead (although sometimes I smoke after I've been drinking and it's fantastic :) ). I have never once had any withdrawls or bad urges to smoke. My cousin used to smoked every day for awhile, but doesn't much anymore, same reason as me. He has never had any urges or withdrawls from not smoking, and he has gone months without smoking.

So, that my 2 cents on maryjane.


Cliffs:
It's not bad for you.
It's not addictive.
It affects people differently.


I'm going to smoke a little sometime soon and try to do some homework, see how that works out. Worth a shot, because I don't know what to do about my focusing anymore. The meds I've taken haven't done much, and I hate how they make me feel.

I had much the same response to weekend smoking then eventually I began to smoke more often - I don't like to go more than 3 days as certain negative aspects to my personality begin to show up.

wanting to smoke one now but cant get hold of any....oh well guess its another sleepless night ahead.
I,ve stopped and started since i was about 14 (and am now 29)and there's only one way and thats the moderation way!
As wormhole said about everything is addictive including food violence and sex .......
food-to much to fat to little to skinny
violence-obviosly bad but controlled it is great(as in a type of sport i.e;i play football/soccer and there is something rewarding about a controlled violent tackle:))
sex-to little leads to frustration to much (well this is a tough one!;))you get to tired
Does everyone else refer to it as self medicating as well as me ??????????