ADHD and Marijuana; affecting IQ? | ADHD Information

When I first started smoking cannabis is it was like a wonder drug. I could relax and drift off in my mind and come up with all sorts of great ideas.It also helped with boredom, so I started taking it every single day. Like I said, at first it was great but then it started to go downhill. I couldn't go out with my friends becuase when I did, I got so anxious and paranoid.Also, it was near impossible to concentrate enough to hold a conversation or watch tv. All my friends were like, "whats the big deal man? It's just pot!!" And that made me feel more ashamed and I'd smoke more just to escape it.I think cannabis is certainly different for each person,for some it works, but for others, it can really effect them,esp if they have adhd.

I don't know about marijuana helping ADD, but I know someone who uses it help control voilent outbursts and to control temper outbursts. Nothing else worked. None of the medications precribed by doctors worked. I used to be so against pot smoking, but I have personally witnessed how this is the only thing that works for this person. Now I am all for it.It has made my life alot more pleasant since this person can control their anger around me.

Hi there. I came across your posting while searching for information about marijuana and ADHD, particularly if marijuana can be used to help rid a person of ADHD symptoms. I have been diagnosed with adult ADHD and feel its effects every second. I have been prescribed Ritalin and Adderall by doctors, however I didn't react to Ritalin and Adderall only works for me for a short period of time abd in high doses (the XR version of Adderall has virtually no effect on me). Moreover, I didn't feel like myself on the medication and was worried that taking high doses was doing more harm than good. Recently, I was told by someone that marijuana has had some promising results for people with ADHD. Seeing as how I used to smoke marijana and did in fact notice that I felt better, it raised some questions in my mind. Secondary effects of ADHD are also depression and anxiety which marijuana has been shown to, and with me did, help with these problems if I used marijuana sparingly and responsibly, i.e. at times when it wouldn't interfere with my daily routine. Although I felt a little more perky and slightly giggly after smoking, my ability to pay attention and think about information being presented in my classes improved. Of course if I abused it these benefits disappeared and it was just as it would be if I had taken too much Adderall: I wouldn't be able to function.

Recently I had some serious reactions to Adderall and am considering just flushing it all down the toilet. I was starting to become anxious and far more aggressive than I ever had been in the past. Although I have not smoked marijuana in quite some time, I am considering taking it up again in very small doses to deal with my ADHD. However, the downside to this is that it is illegal and because I am a teacher, it could seriously impact my career if I tested positive to THC on a test. Needless to say, I feel like I am in a Catch-22. I have friends with ADHD who smoke and they swear that it helps them whereas presecription stimulants (especially the narcotic ones) helps for a while then makes things worse. So the question is: lead a normal life or break the law? Personally, I feel that using marijuana which is a drug known to make people happy and calm is better than using amphetamine which is known for making people anxious and aggressive.

AlyeskanMike38099.6626273148I for one, find that I can think most clearly when smoking pot. The best effects are noticed when in relativly small doses(before the smoke/combustion clouds you). It's also good to get quality pot. I am 19 and have ADD(non-hyper) and have been on adderall for years. I find pot to be not only more effective but to have much less side effects. The issue to me is short-term memory, and ability to work with numbers when high.I agree! The issue IS short term memory AND the ability to work with numbers when High. Thinking quite clearly about What?
Generally when stoned, we are Legends in our own Minds.
Which is why, in my view, pot is a bad idea for ADD type brains who actually want to hold a job that provides decent pay, (numbers and memory usually involved here) or study and remember something relevant, or have a useful idea that actually gets carried out.

When I was at the school of Architecture, there were lots of us in the Moon Palace about our abilities to 'function' and produce decent work while stoned. We either dumped that plan or failed to advance in our studies.
Oh for sure, there was some serious dope smoking during holidays or parties, but pot and serious productive thinking that can earn a living don't mix. Unless we are running the Moon Palace, and don't intend to leave.

It took me a few years to get this concept, and get off of the Broke Plan, so there is no rush.

I used to smoke weed in the 70's when it was pretty week compared to the stuff on the streets these days. I got quite psychologically addicted, and it made me depressed, and then I would smoke up again to loose the depression.

When I finally realized it was making me more disorganized, depressed, screwed up my short term memory, and made me lazy and lethargic, I dumped it.

I took a lot of B vitamins and vitamin C and E to try to get my brain going again, dumped the junk food and ate a high protein diet.

It took 3 months to feel smart and not depressed. and that was the seventies.

I know young kids today who are smoking, and are on prozac for the depression or some other drug, and Ritalin for their lack of focus. How about just being straight and eating right and popping a few vitamins instead of meds to feel clearer?

as fun as it is, smoking weed is bad news for brain health, and gives you a case of the f*** -its. Zero motivation. When the going gets tough, the stoned give up.

I was able to complete my education and earn a decent living once I dumped the stuff.

Cheers,

Marilyn

Well I can answer the question of does ADD or ADHD make your IQ go down.

No, it doesn't, but it does make you harder to actually measure. I took one of the IQ test. My overall score was just in the top 2%, but my areas were way more seperated than "normal" people. (I did not know I was taking an IQ test). And until then had always thought I was just average or a little below, for my inablity to study or such. I was taking the test with serveral other test to see if the government would help me go to college, when they came back and said "No, I was to intellegent for them to help me go to college." My mouth dropped, for 2 reasons, first I wanted to know what IQ I had, second, I thought they must really want to throw money away, to send on the dump ones to college.

Now does the use of cannabis, well I can't say that if you are high, you are using your full capacity of your brain. I mean you already live in a life that a lot of people use drugs to get to. "Your brain thinks so fast." They just don't stay drugged long enough to see the adverse affects also.

Several studies I have read, say that ADD and ADHD only affect those who are above average intelligence.

I been so blessed to have ADD and dyslexia, and neither the more common forms, I never was hyper, and I don't have a problem with b,d,p,q but several of the other forms of dyslexia.

Long-Term Pot Smokers Risk Brain Damage

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
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March 5, 2002 -- Call it what you want -- pot, marijuana, wacky tobacky. But there's strong evidence that long-term, heavy smoking of cannabis can cause serious memory and attention impairments.

A study published in the March 6 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association is the first to look at long-term, entrenched cannabis users who were seeking treatment for their habit -- largely because they were having trouble functioning in everyday life. Previous research looking at this issue has shown altered brain function and thinking among cannabis users -- even in the unintoxicated state.

This study -- the first to look at marijuana's long-lasting effects -- compares brain function in people who smoked marijuana long-term (an average of 24 years) with short-term users (10 years average) and people who did not use the drug.

It confirms what many have suspected: "that long-term heavy cannabis users show impairments in memory and attention that endure beyond the period of intoxication and worsen with increasing years of regular cannabis use," researcher Nadia Solowij, PhD, writes in the study. Solowij is a psychologist in the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of South Wales, Sydney, and the University of Wollongong, Australia.

Solowij's study focused on 102 people who used cannabis nearly every day, 65 of whom were in a marijuana treatment program. After giving them a series of nine tests, researchers found that long-term users performed "significantly less well" than short-term users and nonusers.

Cannabis users made more errors on the tests and were significantly less able to recall newly learned words. They also had more difficulty performing increasingly complex tasks. Both long-term and short-term users performed poorly in estimating time intervals.

Overall, long-term users had widespread memory difficulties with learning, retention, and retrieval skills, according to Solowij. Shorter-term cannabis users are not impaired to an extent that would interfere with memory and thinking abilities in daily life, she writes.

These results do not indicate a severe memory problem but could nevertheless mean an impairment in memory and thinking that could impact functioning in daily life, she says. The impairments develop gradually and probably become evident on tests after one or two decades of use.

Her research suggests that people using other substances -- in addition to marijuana -- would have greater impairments. However, "the risk to most medical cannabis users is likely to be small, as long as they are not maintained at high doses for many years," she writes.

Disclaimer: I do not condone or condemn the use of illegal drugs.

I have heard or read somewhere that marijuana can be beneficial for some with ADHD. My younger brother has ADHD, took ritalin in school, as an adult he no longer does (he waits tables and has no health insurance) and smokes pot quite liberally. I think perhaps for some it reduces the anxiety that comes with trying to get things organized in your life. I must say, however, that when he is smoking and I talk to him on thew phone (he lives in another state), he is REALLY stupid. It may help him relax/feel better, but it sure doesn't turn him into any Einstein. As to the effects on his personality the rest of the time, I think the calm afforded him by marijuana is causing him to develop an ideology around it (along the lines of rastafarianism), and fomenting his frustration with the "system" that he is having trouble getting ahead in.

Just my opinion.

I would like to hear about any research into people who have ADHD and take perscribed medication and if they also use maijuana. How are they effected.

March 5, 2002 -- Call it what you want -- pot, marijuana, wacky tobacky. But there's strong evidence that long-term, heavy smoking of cannabis can cause serious memory and attention impairments.

errrm i can hardly see what you pasted...it looks all garbled

please do it again

brrrt38043.4647800926

Hi,

I'm sorry I cannot really answer your question, but my impression is a lot of people suffering from AD(H)D (or the symptoms) are in fact highly intelligent people (which makes me think if the reason why they develop AD(H)D is becuase there's too much stuff going on in their brain, but that's just another of the millions of questions running wild in my brain ;-)), so no, I don't think there is any need to fear your IQ will "shrink". With regards to smoking Marihuana, people do react different to drugs, so you might just be the unlucky one who can't take it. I know quite a few people who smoke, most of them quite clever and as far as I know none of them has AD(H)D, and they all can take it (but react differently from being sleepy to really wanting to have sex to getting all excited and laughing and chatting without end). If you cannot take it (i.e. you don't like feeling the way you feel), don't smoke it. I like to smoke it, but it doesn't work well with my antidepressants, so I leave it - not smoking is still better than feeling sh*t for days! So, I guess it's up to you. Other than that, you could do what dixiepeep suggests - do some research on the net / in libraries about it. (sorry Dixiepeep, I haven't read it - it's 10 pm, and i've been at uni most of the time since 10 am, I can't read anymore! Will come back though).

Anyway, don't worry about you IQ! ;-) Just keep your brain active, if you feel you don't challenge it enough, otherwise - chill..... :-)

Good night everyone!

...oh well, as I said, my brain's overloaded...

you asked if treating ADHD "raises" you IQ - knowing only little about the human brain, but reading a lot, I would think your IQ is partly genetically "programmed" and partly "grew" when you grew up (depending on your surroundings and how your brain was stimulated, i. e. your learning experiences). So by now, if you think your IQ is high enough, I would think it won't change anymore. Sort of asked myself the same question though, whether not using your brain to full capacity can sort of "make your brain slower" (or something, not sure how to express that) - is that what you mean? But, medication certainly can help to use your brain more efficiently!

Perhaps somebody knows more than we do... ?

Hi people. I'm interest in how smoking marijuana affect people with ADHD. Does ADHD affect's my IQ. Could my inteligence raise by threating ADHD? If anyone have a experience with this please reply.

I have still this problem : that I feel totaly stupid and unconcentrated when I'm smoked off and a few days AFTER! No one of my friends smoking marijuana have this problem. I cannot play games or keep talking about the same theme. I'm totally not controlling my thoughts and things running trought my head. I feel frustrated. Help please.

(Sorry for english, hope you understand)

This is the only thing I could find on it- Check out wwwwebmd.com I am in no way an advocate for any drug use. I was surprised however at the evidence.

Heavy Marijuana Use Doesn't Damage Brain

Analysis of Studies Finds Little Effect From Long-Term Use

By Sid Kirchheimer
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD
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July 1, 2003 -- Long-term and even daily marijuana use doesn't appear to cause permanent brain damage, adding to evidence that it can be a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of diseases, say researchers.

The researchers found only a "very small" impairment in memory and learning among long-term marijuana users. Otherwise, scores on thinking tests were similar to those who don't smoke marijuana, according to a new analysis of 15 previous studies.

In those studies, some 700 regular marijuana users were compared with 484 non-users on various aspects of brain function -- including reaction time, language and motor skills, reasoning ability, memory, and the ability to learn new information.

Surprising Finding

"We were somewhat surprised by our finding, especially since there's been a controversy for some years on whether long-term cannabis use causes brain damage," says lead researcher and psychiatrist Igor Grant, MD.

"I suppose we expected to see some differences in people who were heavy users, but in fact the differences were very minimal."

The marijuana users in those 15 studies -- which lasted between three months to more than 13 years -- had smoked marijuana several times a week or month or daily. Still, researchers say impairments were less than what is typically found from using alcohol or other drugs.

"All study participants were adults," says Grant, professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research Center at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

"However, there might be a different set of circumstances to a 12-year-old whose nervous system is still developing."

10 States OK Marijuana Use

Grant's analysis, published in the July issue of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, comes as many states consider laws allowing marijuana to be used to treat certain medical conditions. Earlier this year, Maryland became the 10th state to allow marijuana use to relieve pain and other symptoms of AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer, glaucoma, and other conditions -- joining Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

Medicinal marijuana is available by prescription in the Netherlands and a new marijuana drug is expected to be released in Great Britain later this year. In the U.S. and elsewhere, Marinol, a drug that is a synthetic form of marijuana and contains its active ingredient, THC, is available by prescription to treat loss of appetite associated with weight loss in AIDS patients.

Grant says he did the analysis to help determine long-term toxicity from long-term and frequent marijuana use. His center is currently conducting 11 studies to determine its safety and efficacy in treating several diseases.

"This finding enables us to see a marginal level of safety, if those studies prove that cannabis can be effective," Grant tells WebMD. "If we barely find this effect in long-term heavy users, then we are unlikely to see deleterious side effects in individuals who receive cannabis for a short time in a medical setting, which would be safer than what is practiced by street users."

Grant's findings come as no surprise to Tod Mikuriya, MD, former director of non-classified marijuana research for the National Institute of Mental Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies and author of The Marijuana Medical Handbook: A Guide to Therapeutic Use. He is currently president of the California Cannabis Medical Group, which has treated some 20,000 patients with medicinal marijuana and Marinol.

'Highly Effective Medicine'

"I just re-published a paper of the first survey for marijuana toxicity done in 1863 by the British government in India that was the most exhaustive medical study of its time in regards to possible difficulties and toxicity of cannabis. And it reached the same conclusion as Grant," Mikuriya tells WebMD.

"This is merely confirming what was known over 100 years ago, as well as what was learned by various government findings doing similar research -- marijuana is not toxic, but it is a highly effective medicine."

In fact, marijuana was available as a medicinal treatment in the U.S. until the 1930s.

Lester Grinspoon, MD, a retired Harvard Medical School psychiatrist who studied medicinal marijuana use since the 1960s and wrote two books on the topic, says that while Grant's finding provides more evidence on its safety, "it's nothing that those of us who have been studying this haven't known for a very long time.

"Marijuana is a remarkably safe and non-toxic drug that can effectively treat about 30 different conditions," he tells WebMD. "I predict it will become the aspirin of the 21st century, as more people recognize this."

SOURCES: The Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, July 2003. Igor Grant, MD, professor of psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine; director, UCSD Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research Center. Tod Mikuriya, MD, president, the California Cannabis Research Medical Group, Oakland; former director of non-classified marijuana research, the National Institute of Mental Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies. Lester Grinspoon, MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston; author, Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine and Marihuana Reconsidered.