27. Is Marijuana a treatment for ADHD in adults?

Does marijuana help ADHD? Let's find out.

Photo by Alesia Kozik

ADHD-ers like weed more

Research suggests that individuals with ADHD may be more likely to use marijuana compared to those without ADHD. Several studies have found a correlation between ADHD and higher rates of marijuana use. For example, a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in 2017 found that adolescents with ADHD were likelier to use marijuana and initiate marijuana use earlier than their non-ADHD counterparts.

Here are a few reasons why some individuals with ADHD may be drawn to marijuana:

1. Self-medication: Some individuals with ADHD may use marijuana as a form of self-medication to manage their symptoms. ADHD is characterized by difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, and marijuana use may be perceived as a way to alleviate these symptoms. Some people report that marijuana helps them feel calmer, more focused, or less restless.

2. Anxiety and stress reduction: with co-occurring conditions like anxiety and mood disorders, marijuana's psychoactive properties can induce relaxation and temporarily reduce anxiety or stress levels. Individuals with ADHD may use marijuana to self-soothe or cope with these comorbid conditions.

3. Sensory regulation: ADHD is also linked to sensory processing issues, where individuals may be oversensitive or undersensitive to certain sensory stimuli. Marijuana's effects on sensory perception can potentially help individuals with ADHD regulate their sensory experiences and achieve a more balanced state. This sounds like another way of saying it reduces stress, but it's different. Reduced stress is a result of reduced sensory regulation. Another word for sensory regulation is tuning out or vegging out. Marijuana is a great way to get through mundane tasks that are otherwise boring. It reminds me of words uttered by the late rapper from near my hometown, Mac Miller. He was a known drug user. He basically said, "I can leave the house and go to a party, spend money on some adventure, or I can spend 50 bucks and have an adventure in my room." It's one of the reasons I gravitated toward weed as a young, aspiring designer. Part of design is sitting in front of a computer for many hours, performing fairly mundane tasks. A great way of dealing with that is being stoned.

4. Curiosity and social factors: Like anyone else, individuals with ADHD may be influenced by curiosity or social factors when it comes to marijuana use. They may try it due to peer pressure or a desire to explore new experiences, similar to individuals without ADHD.

I didn't try weed until I was 18 years old. I was a senior in high school and about to graduate. The only reason I tried it was because of my friends. 

Does it actually help?

I guess the big question is, are those things proponents of marijuana say true? Despite its growing availability and popularity, is there a reason to be worried about weed use?

Addictive?

Yes, marijuana use can lead to addiction, although the likelihood and severity of addiction can vary among individuals. The addictive potential of marijuana primarily relates to the psychoactive compound THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) present in the plant.

While marijuana addiction is less common than nicotine, alcohol, or opioids, it is still possible. The following factors contribute to the addictive nature of marijuana:

1. Psychological dependence: Frequent or heavy marijuana use can lead to psychological dependence, where individuals may feel a strong desire or compulsion to continue using the drug to experience its pleasurable effects or to cope with negative emotions.

2. Tolerance and withdrawal: Regular use of marijuana can lead to tolerance, meaning that higher doses are required to achieve the desired effects. When someone dependent on marijuana stops or reduces their use, they may experience withdrawal symptoms, including irritability, mood changes, sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, and cravings.

3. Vulnerability: Some individuals may be more susceptible to developing an addiction to marijuana due to factors such as genetic predisposition, co-occurring mental health conditions, or environmental influences.

It is important to note that not everyone who uses marijuana will develop an addiction, and the risk factors for addiction can vary from person to person. However, for some individuals, marijuana use can lead to problematic use patterns and interfere with various aspects of their lives, including relationships, work or school performance, and overall well-being.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Memory loss?

Short-term memory impairment is one of the acute effects of marijuana use, meaning that it typically occurs during intoxication and may last for a few hours. Typical effects on memory from marijuana use include:

• Difficulty in retaining new information.

• Difficulty in recalling recent events or conversations.

• Impaired attention and concentration.

The specific memory impairments associated with marijuana use primarily affect the encoding and retrieval of new information, while long-term and remote memories are generally less affected. Once the acute effects wear off, most individuals regain their normal cognitive functioning, including memory capabilities.

You might not have difficulty remembering a lovable family trip or your best friends' name from high school, but you could have trouble remembering things like appointments or verbal instructions.

I'm unsure if they say your memory is mainly affected while intoxicated. But, keep in mind, thc (the primary psychoactive ingredient in weed that gets you high) has a much more extended processing period in the body than other mind-altering substances.

Marijuana can be detected in urine for up to 30 days after the last use in chronic or heavy users, and occasional users may test positive for 1-10 days. Other drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines, are generally detectable in urine for 2-4 days, while certain opioids like heroin may be detectable for up to 2-3 days.

This tells me that even though the high may only last a few hours, your thinking could still be impaired by marijuana for over a week after using. Difficulty retaining info, recalling events, and impaired attention are EXACTLY the problems I'd imagine you want to avoid with ADHD.

Chronic or long-term marijuana use may have more prolonged effects on memory and cognitive function. Some research suggests prolonged marijuana use, especially during adolescent brain development, may be associated with long-term cognitive deficits, including memory impairments.

Is marijuana helpful for people with ADHD?

Contrary to some of the points made so far regarding marijuana use and its potential hazards, according to the research, it can be beneficial for soothing ADHD symptoms, but only to a limited capacity! There seems to be a brief window where the reefer can be beneficial. Here's why:

The science

The scientific research on marijuana's effects, specifically on ADHD symptoms, is limited, and the existing studies have produced mixed and inconclusive results. 

The drawbacks

Short-term cognitive impairments can potentially worsen ADHD symptoms in the long run.

I hypothesize that people who can find a balance with the magical herb will experience fewer adverse side effects. Meaning as long as you're not lighting up as soon as you wake up, smoking all day, and being responsible. 

You might be okay if you can smoke only on the weekends or a couple of small draws on a vape or joint before bed. I wouldn't recommend getting obliterated, though. And that's where it can be tricky if you suffer from neurodivergence. 

A part of the dilemma is that if you have read the previous blogs or listened to the previous Attention, Please! podcast episodes, you'll recall that people with ADHD can be predisposed to addiction. It's not just weed that we gravitate towards more frequently; our chemically different brains are aching for excitement, anything to boost the chemicals in our pleasure and reward centers. 

Photo by Vlad Bagacian

My candid cannabis experience

As I stated before, I am a regular cannabis user. As I said before, I was a late bloomer to smoking weed; no pun intended. Some of my closest friends had been getting stoned since they were 15, but the DARE program worked in scaring the shit out of me, but the first time I ever smoked, I was in love. 

A few months later, I was off to art school, where I quickly made up for all the lost time with Mary Jane. I was utterly square and sober for the first few months of college. Suddenly, I was one of those people at a party, red-eyed, touting the benefits of marijuana. " It makes me more creative; I'll consume an entire box of Lucky Charms tonight before bed and wake up without a hangover tomorrow morning." Not only was I a proponent, but it inspired me.

The honeymoon phase felt long, blissful, and dreamlike (in the sense that it's hard to remember). After college, the problems with Mary became more apparent, and I was more forgetful than I remembered being in my younger years. I FELT ANXIOUS AND MOODY when I didn't have weed to smoke, and it was challenging to handle adult problems while stoned. 

I wondered why there was such a drastic change in my ability to perform from college into the real world because I was in freaking art school. Learning to be a designer is demanding, but not in the same way required to become a doctor or criminal investigator. The vibe is a lot more forgiving, and you can sometimes get weird on projects and chalk it up to creative expression. When you graduate, though, it's much less fun in the design industry. Most jobs require you to create within precise guidelines, and it's usually dire. 

Though weed does help with things like nausea and induce hunger in individuals with extreme loss of appetite, it was difficult for me to feel hungry when I was sober after smoking so much before. In the way that steroids increase the levels of testosterone production tenfold to increase the will and drive to build muscle, but once you stop taking steroids, it's challenging to produce enough of the hormone to reach normal levels. This is why individual lose their hair and grow breasts if they didn't have them before, and men's testicle size drastically decrease, resulting in sexual dysfunction.

Because the body becomes used to not having to work independently to regulate certain chemical functions, it stops doing it after a time. I think this is why if you smoke weed or take any drug that alters your natural chemical balance, even your prescription Adderall, it has the potential to disrupt how you feel.

I can see why people argue that weed isn't habit-forming, but that's untrue in my personal experience. Compared to other drugs like nicotine or caffeine. It's a lot less unpleasant to suddenly stop using, especially considering the withdrawals from substances like cocaine, heroin, or even alcohol. Those drugs can cause serious illness if you stop taking them or even kill you. 

If you were to suddenly stop taking your clinically prescribed stimulants for ADHD, you could suffer from severe mood swings, suicidal ideations, and even seizures. Weed withdrawal is a lot less intense. At worst, from my experience, you get grumpy for a few days, and then you're in the clear.

Weed creates relaxation and reduces anxiety, so if you're going to use anything ritually, I'd say it is probably the safest but not the most effective. 

How can you reduce the negative side effects of marijuana?

Photo by Nathan Cowley

Micro dose

Cannabis has grown significantly stronger over the years. According to a study published in the journal Addiction in 2019, the average THC concentration in confiscated marijuana samples in the United States increased from around 4% in the 1990s to approximately 12% in 2014. In some samples, THC concentrations have been reported to exceed 20% or even reach 30% or higher in certain high-potency strains.

One hit from a joint today is probably comparable to smoking half a joint in 1990. Being slightly buzzed seems to offer more benefits than being stoned out of your mind. Try taking half a puff to ensure you still remain relatively sharp.

Burning weed is different than eating it. When it's burnt, it releases certain compounds and toxins that are said to be primarily responsible for the negative side effects like forgetfulness and, of course, harming the lungs. 

Edibles

Edible forms of cannabis are said to be a workaround to this problem. Be warned, though, weed is more potent, psychoactive, and the high lasts much longer when you eat it since THC is processed by your liver when eaten. It creates a different chemical called 11-hydroxy metabolite, which can cause the experience to be more psychedelic. So again, microdose.

Vaping

Vaping is a great alternative to avoid the intense high of edibles but still avoid inhaling smoke. Instead of burning your weed, vaping heats the buds to a temperature that releases pure vapors, not smoke. I bought a vaporizer years ago, and the highs are a lot less potent, and you can function with a clear head. 

Take breaks

If you're a frequent marijuana user, take breaks. It can be challenging but take a week off or two. As much as you can. This will rest your brain and decrease your tolerance, so you have to use less to feel the benefits.

Photo by Aphiwat chuangchoem

Conclusion

In conclusion, I'd say marijuana is overall NOT an effective treatment for ADHD, and it is a band-aid for the condition's co-morbidities more than anything else. Relief from anxiety or depression can occur but only for brief intervals. 

You can become addicted to marijuana, but more on a psychological level, dependency will likely not yield any fatal withdrawal symptoms. If you're a frequent user of marijuana and feel that you are addicted, you should go to your doctor for ways to get help. You can also ask Google where to find help. 

If you take controlled substances to treat your ADHD, telling your doctor that you smoke weed could jeopardize your prescription status. If you're trying to get an Adderall prescription, I've met people who say they were denied focus medication for admitting their recreational marijuana use, so there's that.

Do you currently use marijuana because you feel like it helps you with ADHD? If you do, how does it help you most? Let me know in the comments!

With that, it's time to call this one. I hope you found this blog informative and helpful.

P.S.

I told myself that I'd never go beyond the blog and podcast; I didn't have the desire to extend this thing to social media and socialize with random people. But I want to know who you all are. I want Abundant and Attention, Please! to grow into a community of like-minded individuals who support each other. So I did it.

I created a Facebook group that's just for us!

I'll be posting important information there, encouraging discussions about the blogs/episodes, stories, and any other content that seems helpful.

If you support what I'm doing here and want to discuss how ADHD affects you on Facebook, please like, join and follow the group or you can leave a comment below! You can also share this blog with your friends who prefer reading over listening to podcasts, like yourself. Also, please give me a five-star rating on Spotify or listening platform if you support what I'm doing there also with the Attention, Please! podcast.

Much love, D.C. out!