ASD Teenager and cannabis addiction

I'm prescribed medical cannabis and find it really effective for alleviating sensory issues and overload amongst other things. Maybe look into getting him legally prescribed? He might be telling the truth and it might actually help him.

wondering how exactly cannabis has helped you? i've tried it for a few years now... it definitely has pluses and minuses, and i've never figured them out. i can see how it can become a problemj --- i also feel it has been heavily stigmatized for decades - basically because people of color used it. if it were booze or tobacco ---- hey, it's all good............................

pot definitely makes me more empathetic - it slows my brain down, actually, some of my senses become acute. that's not what i really want, but for example, i can hear super acutely sometimes high. so, a fan, i can hear the different frequencies it's emitting. different parts of it emit different frequencies.

and 6513 - best of luck with your son's issues...  i would just say i hope the negative stereotypes of pot aren't unduly influencing you, and best of luck with addiction recovery services. i get the impression pot among teen agers is easily abused --- but then - if your son prefers it to his meds, maybe you have to look into that. i just feel you need to look carefully at all avenues, and in detail. (not that you havent). 

hoping for the best for you guys and your son. 

wondering how exactly cannabis has helped you? i've tried it for a few years now... it definitely has pluses and minuses, and i've never figured them out. i can see how it can become a problemj --- i also feel it has been heavily stigmatized for decades - basically because people of color used it. if it were booze or tobacco ---- hey, it's all good............................

pot definitely makes me more empathetic - it slows my brain down, actually, some of my senses become acute. that's not what i really want, but for example, i can hear super acutely sometimes high. so, a fan, i can hear the different frequencies it's emitting. different parts of it emit different frequencies.

and 6513 - best of luck with your son's issues...  i would just say i hope the negative stereotypes of pot aren't unduly influencing you, and best of luck with addiction recovery services. i get the impression pot among teen agers is easily abused --- but then - if your son prefers it to his meds, maybe you have to look into that. i just feel you need to look carefully at all avenues, and in detail. (not that you havent). 

hoping for the best for you guys and your son. 

I go into depth in this podcast  I did recently https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/justin-clarke-cannabis-autism-and-me/id1506685543?i=1000505211110 or https://cannabisvoices.buzzsprout.com/989611/7243936-justin-clarke-cannabis-autism-and-me or https://open.spotify.com/episode/5hrWxwuuixm84fcUBROtni?si=AFtfOnQ9Shel9D6H64Bkkg 

I was also included in this article which includes a review of the current research and science in the area as well www.projectcbd.org/.../cannabis-and-autism-complex-pairing

I also did this speech in parliament 2 years ago just before the law changed: www.youtube.com/watch

Essentially to summarise the world is overwhelming to me;

• From a sensory perspective
• From an emotional processing perspective
• From an executive functioning perspective
• From a social perspective

Medical cannabis can help me and has helped me with all of these and enables me to better deal with them.

In the case of the senses I'd say it often enables me to better focus in on individual ones and tone down any that are overwhelming which kind of plays in with the stereotype of it enhancing the senses i.e. making food more enjoyable, enhancing music,  etc.

I use a vaporiser and have never been one to smoke anything.

I feel that many undiagnosed neurodiverse people may be self-medicating with it and, as you say, it is widely stigmatised due to association with "different people" i.e. people of different colours and cultures to the dominating hegemonic one(s).

Since becoming a medical patient I am able to access different strains/varieties that are useful for different things and different times of day, etc. Some of them slow my brain down and make me more empathetic like you describe but others I've found to be an effective substitute for amphetamines that I was prescribed for ADHD. There is a lot of variation in effect depending on what specifically you are getting.

For me I've found that the main danger is if use becomes part of a pattern of avoidance. I tend to use it as an 'enabler' rather than an 'avoider'. Some people can struggle to maintain a balance.

I continue to have a full time job with around the national average salary. My executive functioning is greatly improved when I can 'tune in' to my work better thanks to the right strain.

Happy to answer any questions and/or continue this discussion :-)