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Aspergers and Marijuana

I used to use fruit juice and vodka when I started teaching in Russia. I did this as the fact was I was way too nervous to teach a large class and had been destroyed by nerves. So, I decided to kill the nerves with my special juice and vodka mix. It worked wonders as well and I used this approach for quite some time. What was hilarious was I once got caught out when I was staying with a family in Spain and had dosed myself on lemonade and red wine (Michael Jackson called it Jesus Juice). I heard the eldest son shout from the bathroom, "Pero que es eso? Hay sangre!!" (he thought there was blood in the bath but it was my red wine). I kept silent till they figured out it was vino tinto.
Actually I never became an alcoholic although I did fear that maybe that was happening. I also realised I couldn't resort to these beverages all the time but. sure, it worked.
However, it will never "cure" aspergers, just kils the nervousness off for a time and, yes, you feel quite normal - proof that chemicals can alter the brain. My advice is don't get too hung up - Paul Mccartney has always smoked dope and still is very healthy today. Just don't use it as a crutch and don't expect miracles.

camdengolf said:
I am a 21 year old male who has aspergers. I take a lot of medications and they seem to work and then stop working for me completely in about 3-4 weeks. So I am trying medical marijuana since i live in ca and have been through a lot these past 2 years, and i have to say it really helps. I had two appointments with my counselor this week and she even noticed a difference. She said "the apserger's traits seem to disappear almost completely," which gives me much hope and i have to also say that it is working also as an anti-depressant, i am replacing one of my anti-depressants with this and i feel as though it works better! It just helps me enjoy life substantially better. I am re-taking interest in Golf, that i used to love and play everyday, now i only play once a week but i feel like getting out more now.
I wanted to post this because of how well i feel the medical marijuana is working and helping me deal with my symptoms. And my symptoms have been getting the best of me for the last 2 years. Until now i feel better, like i can participate in life more fully and enjoyably.
I want to hear some responses, what people think and if people are going to try this out!
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(disclaimer; this is "hypothetical") I fully agree with you, I myself have used cannabis, and have found the substance to be very beneficial to my diagnosis of asperger's syndrome. When I started using it I felt an immediate relief of my overwhelming anxiety. I also noticed a small amount of apathy ( the perfect balance of it in my opinion), I think that caring slightly less about what others thought about me gave me that push to expose myself (metaphorically) enough to talk with people whom I would usually feel very uneasy socialising with. In my opinion (with social anxiety disorders anyway) marijuana can be of great benefit because it can help one get over the initial anxiety and therefore be able to learn social norms and how to handle everyday social interactions. Even when I am not using marijuana I feel that I am less anxious and am better with social interactions with peers than I was before using marijuana.
 
After reading all of your posts in this thread I wanted to private message you or friends request you but couldn't do so without an approved post. You repeatedly took the words right out of my mouth! Please forgive my lack of tact and/or Netiquette in this matter. Ty.
 
My son, who is a high functioning aspie, is experimenting with pot....he has done it three times, has been caught by the school and is facing random drug testing for the rest of his school career. While it is not the end of the world to smoke pot, because he can go to prison now if busted, I am very concerned and as a parent liable as well. I found this video in my research.... I am trying my best to get him to understand consequences. It just seems to me that the bad, cancer, schizophrenia, the legal issues, just don't outweigh the good.

 
Medical Marijuana for Asperger’s Syndrome - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com


Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is considered a form of autism, rating high on the autistic spectrum. AS is exhibited in childhood and throughout life. Symptoms include social awkwardness, loud vocalizations, atypical speech, emotional detachment or over-attachment, anger management issues, and narrow interests that may become obsessive. Those with AS usually feel like they don't "fit in" with society. They're often smarter, more creative, or more observant than their peers and can excel in life when given a chance. Marijuana can be used to alleviate the negative symptoms and accentuate the positive aspects of Asperger's Syndrome.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) are the two main cannabinoids found in marijuana. THC is psychoactive, causing the "high" associated with marijuana use. CBD is non-psychoactive and has a calming effect. Aspies should choose high quality medical marijuana that has a high CBD to THC ratio. Use tinctures and edibles for long-lasting effects. Smoke or vaporize marijuana for a quick fix. Try mixing buds and leaves together to get more CBD's in your medicine.

Anxiety: Anxiety issues can make it impossible to lead a productive life. CBD's calm the body and mind to relieve stress. but beware of high THC concentrations that can cause severe anxiety and panic attacks.

Anger and Rage: Aspies are often ruled by their emotions and can have temper-tantrums well into adulthood. Smoke or vaporize marijuana as soon as you feel the anger rising and you should be able to calm down enough to talk about your feelings.

Gastrointestinal Disorders: Sufferers of AS can have stress management issues due to their inability to control emotions. This can lead to disorders of the gastrointestinal system, such as ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and Crohn's Disease. Marijuana has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties that can ease discomfort. If you are malnourished, use marijuana to stimulate your appetite.

Insomnia: Stress and depression can make it impossible to get a good night's sleep. Marijuana can help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Racing Brain: Aspie brains can race out of control making it difficult to concentrate and communicate. Marijuana slows down your thought processes, enabling you to think clearly and focus on one subject at a time.

Socialization: Marijuana can alleviate social phobias, allowing you to leave the house and interact with the world without worrying about feeling different.

Medical marijuana may not work for everyone diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. You may have to experiment with THC to CBD ratios and methods of ingestion to find a treatment plan that works for you.

Sources:
Interactive Autism Network
Autism Research Institute
Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research
 
I realize this debate has been going on for some time, and I have taken the time to read most of the posts, but I felt I had to weigh in.
Many of the arguments both for, and against the use of marijuana seem to have nothing at all to do with the treatment of Aspergers, which is what the original question was about. Both sides have valid points in many cases, but it seems that most of the people who feel negatively have all these stories about random people who clearly have other problems not related to the use of marijuana, which have been mentioned in the briefest way possible, presumably in hopes that people will not notice them.

I have suffered for years with anxiety, and bipolar, and recently it has been suggested (by a qualified medical professional, who deals with autism spectrum patients) that I may also have aspergers. I have used marijuana for my anxiety off and on for many years, and it has been extremely helpful if used in small doses. Larger quantities tend to make me very sleepy. Over time, my doctors have asked me to stop using it for a while, to determine if my other meds are capable of helping me by themselves. They don't. They requested I try not doing it for 2-3 months, but I wanted a clear picture, so I quit for a year and a half. My other meds certainly help, and I would not stop them in favor of marijuana, but they don't quite cut it when my social anxiety is at its worst. A little puff, and I am actually able to uncurl myself from the fetal position on the carpet, and actually make it to my 7-year-old nephew's birthday party.

The thing you have to remember is that NO drug, be it prescription or not, works the same way on everyone. For example, codeine, and morphine (given during major surgery, and not for fun) actually amplify pain for me, and cause uncontrollable vomiting. At one point I was put on lithium for my bipolar which caused me to gain 60 lbs. in less than 3 months, caused much of my hair to fall out, and I ended up with me catatonic for a full week. One of my friends, however, has been on Lithium for years, and it was the best thing that ever happened to her. My current "cocktail" of prescription meds have caused stomach ulcers, IBS, and humiliating to admit, crapping myself IN PUBLIC. How's that for a vote for prescriptions? Thankfully, marijuana has helped with most of those fun side effects.

Most importantly, it cannot be stressed enough that if you are on any prescription meds FOR ANYTHING, absolutely DO NOT follow the advice given in an earlier post about using "legal herbs" to self-medicate. THEY ARE MEDICINE. St. John's Wort can be purchased in any health food store, and mixed with the right meds, it can KILL you. Always check with your doctor.
 
i have been using cannabis for 4 years now and it has given me the freedom to go out and get a job and go and go out and do the shopping..
i have cannabis to thank for helping me understand people and how they work. without it i would be at home doing nothing all day.

Cannabis is good for some and not others.. i vouch for it because i can say i do a lot more than if i wasn't "stoned"

So People lay off telling others what they can and cant do, its there life they can do what they want do whatever to them happy and or confident.

All the best folks.
 

Hello I'm 56 and have been using marijuana for all my adult life. Because of this plant I was capable of maintaining the focus required to fulfill tasks and have 2 complete careers one in labor and one in design. Even though I wasn't diagnosed until I was 54, I had always known I was different and unfortunately like many aspies our autism is overlooked and our peculiarities are put off on the fact that geniuses are often a bit odd. Anyhow when I was diagnosed my shrink doctor said I wasn't abusing marijuana so much as self medicating sometimes to excess.

Since then I have retired on SSDI and moved to Colorado. I have done a lot more research and have learned that for me Sativa dominant strains work best at making me able to function in public. I note that for me may not be for you. Aspergers is a spectrum disorder and the aspects of the spectrum affecting each of us may be different, without even considering other non ASD conditions. Also it should be pointed out that an aspy who is using marijuana may not be stoned in their brain the same way an NT is, different wiring different effects.

My bottom line Marijuana is my miracle drug whatever it does it makes it so I can focus without the use of drugs like Risperidone ( what kind of feces is this )
 
bhuddapug said:

Hello I'm 56 and have been using marijuana for all my adult life. Because of this plant I was capable of maintaining the focus required to fulfill tasks and have 2 complete careers one in labor and one in design. Even though I wasn't diagnosed until I was 54, I had always known I was different and unfortunately like many aspies our autism is overlooked and our peculiarities are put off on the fact that geniuses are often a bit odd. Anyhow when I was diagnosed my shrink doctor said I wasn't abusing marijuana so much as self medicating sometimes to excess.

Since then I have retired on SSDI and moved to Colorado. I have done a lot more research and have learned that for me Sativa dominant strains work best at making me able to function in public. I note that for me may not be for you. Aspergers is a spectrum disorder and the aspects of the spectrum affecting each of us may be different, without even considering other non ASD conditions. Also it should be pointed out that an aspy who is using marijuana may not be stoned in their brain the same way an NT is, different wiring different effects.

My bottom line Marijuana is my miracle drug whatever it does it makes it so I can focus without the use of drugs like Risperidone ( what kind of feces is this )
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Im in colorado too, and think marijuana helps allot of people and if anything it should have less of a stigma than alcohol not more. How do you feel about the aspie mind and other phycotropics? I havent done any in a decade, but i always felt like they were way too overwhelming to my senses, like much more than anyone around me.
 
GallacticGorilla said:
Im in colorado too, and think marijuana helps allot of people and if anything it should have less of a stigma than alcohol not more. How do you feel about the aspie mind and other phycotropics? I havent done any in a decade, but i always felt like they were way too overwhelming to my senses, like much more than anyone around me.
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Hello GG as I said I wasn't diagnosed until 2012 so I did not get exposed to the laundry list of drugs doctors are so willing to prescribe. Also I experimented a little in the 70's and found that for me pot was is my panacea. My opinion on alcohol stigma vs marijuana stigma, alcohol is a poison and it can kill you, to date there has not been a single death directly attributable to marijuana as primary cause. As far as the aspie mind I have met a small few other aspies and my only conclusion is that no one stereotype fits.
where in colorado
 
I have been smoking since I graduated from high school in 2011. It has helped me figure myself out and makes things easier on a daily basis. I definitely recommend waiting until you are out of high school to start smoking though, as it could make you even more unmotivated to do the lame, boring school work that is required of you. When I first started smoking, I only did it every once in a while, and then started smoking daily at the beginning of 2013. I smoke on a daily basis, but I don't smoke large quantities at a time to where I am completely incapacitated. It's all about portion control.

I also smoke before bed because without it, I have an extremely difficult time falling asleep. Before, I would lay there for hours on end while I would try to capture and utilize just one moment that my mind would stop racing and I could finally fall asleep. If I smoke before bed, however, I just focus on the feeling of the high and am able to fall asleep within minutes. BEST SLEEP AID EVER

Basically, if you can handle your stuff, weed is an awesome and natural alternative to anxiety/depression/sleep meds.

People try to make the argument that weed is expensive and that the cost adds up over time. But if you take into account that I rarely drink AND I don't have to pay for any other medications, I'm pretty sure I pay less than the average person. HOORAY FOR MARY JANE!
 
alexa roper said:
I have been smoking since I graduated from high school in 2011. It has helped me figure myself out and makes things easier on a daily basis. I definitely recommend waiting until you are out of high school to start smoking though, as it could make you even more unmotivated to do the lame, boring school work that is required of you. When I first started smoking, I only did it every once in a while, and then started smoking daily at the beginning of 2013. I smoke on a daily basis, but I don't smoke large quantities at a time to where I am completely incapacitated. It's all about portion control.

I also smoke before bed because without it, I have an extremely difficult time falling asleep. Before, I would lay there for hours on end while I would try to capture and utilize just one moment that my mind would stop racing and I could finally fall asleep. If I smoke before bed, however, I just focus on the feeling of the high and am able to fall asleep within minutes. BEST SLEEP AID EVER

Basically, if you can handle your stuff, weed is an awesome and natural alternative to anxiety/depression/sleep meds.

People try to make the argument that weed is expensive and that the cost adds up over time. But if you take into account that I rarely drink AND I don't have to pay for any other medications, I'm pretty sure I pay less than the average person. HOORAY FOR MARY JANE!
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Alexa if you have the ability to choose then I would recommend a Sativa dominant strain for both anti-anxiety and motivation during the day and an Indica for evenings as thats the MJ that brings on couch-lock. How much if any at all is really a variant from person to person I know I go through prodigious amounts and always have. I did my best engineering when using pot, but I have recently come to the conclusion that the general effects of marijuana on NT's vs Aspies is radically different. I am not sure that high for an NT is high for all Aspies.
 
bhuddapug said:
Alexa if you have the ability to choose then I would recommend a Sativa dominant strain for both anti-anxiety and motivation during the day and an Indica for evenings as thats the MJ that brings on couch-lock. How much if any at all is really a variant from person to person I know I go through prodigious amounts and always have. I did my best engineering when using pot, but I have recently come to the conclusion that the general effects of marijuana on NT's vs Aspies is radically different. I am not sure that high for an NT is high for all Aspies.
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Believe you and me, I dream of walking into a medical dispensary and figuring out the best strains for me. I am quite envious that you live in Colorado, though I am hopeful that it's only a matter of time until the rest of the country realizes what a profitable industry it is and legalizes it indefinitely. Unfortunately, I live in Nebraska, so it is a little harder to come by. I am lucky to get what I can find. :( I haven't really taken the time to educate myself about all the different types, I suppose I should. But I definitely see where you are coming from when you say that the effects on NT's and Aspies are very different. It sucks that society, or at least where I live, makes me feel like a criminal for doing something that helps me so much and has no proven negative side effects.
 
alexa roper said:
Believe you and me, I dream of walking into a medical dispensary and figuring out the best strains for me. I am quite envious that you live in Colorado, though I am hopeful that it's only a matter of time until the rest of the country realizes what a profitable industry it is and legalizes it indefinitely. Unfortunately, I live in Nebraska, so it is a little harder to come by. I am lucky to get what I can find. :( I haven't really taken the time to educate myself about all the different types, I suppose I should. But I definitely see where you are coming from when you say that the effects on NT's and Aspies are very different. It sucks that society, or at least where I live, makes me feel like a criminal for doing something that helps me so much and has no proven negative side effects.
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Don't feel like a criminal just consider that you are practicing calculated civil disobedience
 
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