Marijuana and Autistic Spectrum Disorders

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Jkrane, you have some things in common with my brother, I've been trying to find information about the link between autism, cannabis and psychosis and it seems to me there is definitely a link between the last 2. About autism or aspergers I did not find a lot. My brother also has a risk for epilepsy so that makes him quite a complicated case as well.
You're lucky to have quit cannabis at this time, he carried on too long and we let him, thinking it was innocent. (we couldn't do a lot about it anyway, it's not like we didn't try but had I known about the consequences, I would have tried so much harder)
His autism was almost indetectable before he starting "using", now, the doctors don't even call it "asperger syndrome" anymore. (but I'm not saying that cannabis caused it, although I have a very big suspicion about it)
So I would agree with Jkrane, please be very careful about using it, especially if you have a tendency to get hooked and smoke it already for a long time.

Isn't pot basically viewed like alcohol when it comes to depression? While it seems to help in the short term it rebounds and you feel worse when you come off the high. On the other hand, I would think it's like anything and if it's used moderately or lightly, it probably has little effect on something like depression, whereas if you use it constantly to self-medicate then there will probably be some type of fallout.

I grew up when people tried many things and all I can say is I didn't have typical reactions to them. Most of them I had no reaction to whatsoever so I never tried it again. Whether that's an Aspie thing, I have no idea. I'm like that with pharmaceuticals from doctors as well.

When taken once in a blue moon it is indeed very therapeutic. I like the defragment analogy which is very apt.

i was a big big pothead for a long time and it actually seemed to help alot but it wasn't good in the long run. I have trouble sleeping, remembering to eat and it worked well for both. i also liked that it would slow my hyper brain down when I'd begin feeling too overwhelmed and it also took away social stresses. (mind you I wasn't learning how to DEAL with the situations, only numb myself to them) I also jump and scare easily with noise, even small things like the phone or a knock at the door and it completely took that away. But in the long run I began to smoke more and more and became much too dependent on it rather than learning to cope with things as are. I quite smoking right before I found out I had asperger's and am glad I did. I just let it become too all consuming and felt I needed it to function. Now I can learn to handle things as they come and live my life fully, rather than in a dumbed down fog. The hardest part with quitting is not being able to sleep and the noises. I had smoked so much for so long I forgot how much noises startle me.

I agree it is safer than alcohol and should be legal and controlled. Everthing in moderation, but I seem to have trouble with the "moderation" part so I'll just have to stay away.

I'm simply smart enough to stay away from the junk!

Im 19, I do smoke every once in a while, cutting down from everyday to a few times a month has made life alot easier. I sleep much better, can focus on things easier, have better control over emotions and the such, and saved a ton. But I agree how weed can seem to intensify the AS symptoms, it kind of makes me focus really intensely on something, which only disconnects me from everything else more. Weed can make anyone paranoid, but if its someone super self conscious, it makes it almost impossible to feel comfortable around noises/people. Marijuana is just a powerful mental stimulant, too much of it can really change your outlook on stuff, not always a bad thing though.

I plan on quitting in a few years, in the meantime ill just cut down to a few times a month, if that.

i would not sugjest anyone who is depressed smoking weed. you will only hear voices. do it only when you are in a good mood. done rightfully it can be a very,, very enjoyable experiance. put on some music..

I have nothing against pot or people who smoke pot or anything like that, but I have an extreme adverse reaction to the stuff..so much that i should and do not touch it with a ten foot pole...whatever the issues may be with the way my brain is wired..it really comes out when I smoke pot. I transform intoa different person..it is not pretty..I will usually have a meltdown..start crying..become extremely delusional..and the effects take a couple of days to completely wear off (and that is just from a puff or two)....I wish I knew why it affected me this way....I think it might depress a part of my brain that is already depressed...or something

This does not mean that I didn;t go through a phase when I was younger when I smoked it relatively often...EVeryone in my peergroup (of bandmates and co-workers) did....When I tried to explain my adverse reactions to other people often they said that it was all in my head ...like there was some sort of psychological reason why smoking pot was such an unpleasant experience....

Anywhoo....I do smoke other legal herbs sometimes...I work for a small business that makes various legal smoking blends...I like Damiana and california poppy....and smoking kanna is quite pleasant because is is sorta like having a light switch briefly go on in my head...but only once in a while and not very habitually.

heres me loading abowl in a can, believe me a little goes along way.

heres my shoulder and door

my avatarj

Ditch the can, burning aluminum is terrible for you.

jkrane,

I would ask that you try as much as you can to police your own habits. Because, man, you know you can lose yourself to the habit. I come from a family with a very long history of addiction. I lost my mother to addiction. Know yourself and be wise enough when to know when to step back and give it a break. I'm not going to say you have to quit because, well, you don't HAVE to. I think it's every living person's right to get high. Just be wise enough to knwo when it's hurting you and the people you love and who need and care for you.

I have tried a few drugs nothing bad. And I will admit that I have thought about getting into harder stuff like Heroin or Meth. But in my best Yoda voice "Once you start down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you , it will." That 900 year old whatchamajiggit is right though.

If you're going to keep doing drugs - KNOW YOURSELF. That's my advice.

Get yourself a bong.

Don't throw your used 2 litre coke bottle away. Why not make a waterfall bong...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bong

Im certain that cannabis can be an enormous benefit to help fight depression if its used responsibly. I know people online who say its probably saved their lives.

You have to remember it doesnt work like normal anti-depressants - its a mild psychedelic (some strains moreso) - it WILL intensify unpleasant emotions and make dark suppressed issues rise up from the subconcious and this can be a GOOD thing. If you approach the experience with a willingness to welcome & confront any unpleasant feelings or thoughts that come up, it can act as a therapeutic catalyst. You can gain insights in to why the depression was there, and how they can be dealt with. I like richardbensons 'defrag' metaphor - i think thats exactly what im trying to describe.

IF however, your using it as an escape, then youll just be antagonising yourself and it can get messy. Thats not to say its the right thing for everyone, but so much is about attitute & responsibility. I dont think anyone should start using for the first ever time when their in a depressed or anxious state, as that could present too much to deal with.

yeah, i have a pipe but i cant seem to find it. i'll probably have to buy a new one