Smoking, ingesting, and vaporizing marijuana continues to trend in the younger generation.
Unfortunately, marijuana affects the brain in ways that may compromise young people’s future endeavors, relationships, and quality of life.
In a nutshell, marijuana releases its main ingredient, THC, rapidly into the bloodstream to reach the brain. When the THC attaches to the brain’s cannabinoid receptors, it overwhelms its natural system, causing a slowing-down of communication within the cells, i.e. how they send, receive or process messages. Messages from the brain are miscommunicated, which causes the person to experience a high.
Marijuana has both short- and long-term effects on the brain.
Short-term effects may include euphoria, intoxication, relaxation, altered perception of time and space, laughter, talkativeness, depression, anxiety, panic, amnesia, confusing, intense experiences, dizziness, increased heart rate, memory impairment, lethargy, lack of coordination and even delusions.
According to a 2014 study, marijuana’s long-term effects depend on the age of first usage and the duration of usage. Specifically, long-term effects on the brain may include a problem with learning and studying, specifically in the areas of memory, attention, and retaining information. In addition, marijuana has been linked to psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking.
Contact us today if you or your loved one is caught up in the grips of addiction. We can start you on the road to recovery.
References
Marijuana’s long-term effects on the brain demonstrated. (2014, November 10). Retrieved August, 2016.
The Science of Marijuana: How THC Affects the Brain. (2011). Retrieved August, 2016.
Tracy, N. (n.d.). Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Weed (Marijuana) – HealthyPlace. Retrieved August, 2016.
Walton, A. G. (2014, October 7). What 20 Years Of Research Has Taught Us About The Chronic Effects Of Marijuana. Retrieved August, 2016.
