To start the conversation I think it would be wise by saying I have absolutely no problem with people smoking weed or any other drug for that matter, as long as they don’t inflict harm on others. How people live their lives is of absolutely no concern of mine.
I’m writing this article to try and assist people who want to understand their habit a little deeper, and from what might be a slightly different perspective. If people are looking to break their habit then maybe something I mention will benefit or motivate that change.
I really want to focus more on the long term habitual use of cannabis, rather than the weekend party user. As I have encountered lots of people who are cannabis dependant, I would say a large majority of them seem unaware or sometimes may I respectfully say even deluded as to what cannabis is actually doing to them on a physical, mental, emotional and energetic level.
Nearly all the long term habitual users I have encounter will justify their habit passionately, by highlighting all the benefits and quoting medical studies on Epilepsy, MS, Parkinson's, PTSD, Glaucoma, Chronic Pain Management etc. In which most of the people I speak too have none of the fore-mentioned conditions.
Medical studies have shown some really encouraging results, and some research has produced some theories on what’s maybe going on. However, they still do not fully understand why cannabis has these positive outcomes. Which is probably why in the UK, cannabis is still extremely hard to get prescribed even though it has been legal to do so medically. Also, there is no money in manufacturing an un-patentable product, so there is little enthusiasm to do even further research.
I totally agree that cannabis in it’s many forms can be of great help, and definitely has a role to play under the guidance of a GP or medical specialist who can carefully administrate the right dosage, depending on their condition and symptoms. This has to be a safer and a more beneficial way, rather than taking advise from your dealer or a friend whom has experienced a couple of wicked sensations or short term benefits.
As with any substance, your body/mind will react in the manner in which you probably first expected, but over time you will have to either increase the strength or the frequency to experience the same affects. Then with out actually realising it you have now become dependant.
Today the media are generally only talking about the positive reactions regarding cannabis use and not the more harmful side. Creating confusion especially amongst the recreational user. People forget that cannabis is a very potent mind altering drug, after all, this is the whole point of taking it.
Below and in no particular order is a list of known cannabis long term use, harmful side affects:
schizophrenia / psychosis / dementia praecox / paranoia / cancer / heart disease / mental illness / dependency / psychotic / hallucinations / delusions / bronchitis / pulmonary disease / effect your babies brain development - small and premature / stroke / short fuse - anger and frustration issues / cannabis induced dementia / total mental dysregulation
As certain states in the USA are freeing up restrictions regarding cannabis and making it legal, which I personally think would be a better solution, rather then criminalising everyone. There are some scientists who are now debating whether cannabis is actually more dangerous then lets say heroin or crack cocaine.
The reasoning behind this thought is that people think cannabis is no worst than drinking, which is of course legal. Long term drinking has its own demons to bear however, long term cannabis users are smoking cannabis daily and in heavy qualities, and it’s extreme common to find people who have had a 30 year or more relationship with it.
Then suddenly and without really realising it, they wake up and their mind has turn into complete mush without any chance of repair. With the harder drugs you will realises very quickly it is having a negative affect on you and your life, so if recovery is chosen, they would have caused less damaged to the mind and body, enabling it to repair itself. Of course if recovery is not chosen, then the probability of an early death always awaits them.
Lets take a closer look at what cannabis is doing to you. As mentioned above it is basically a mind altering drug. It takes your normal level of conscious awareness and drops it well below normal and efficient functioning. This is why most people take it, to chill out, to get stoned or out of their heads is an interesting and common phrase used.
Most people who take cannabis on a long term basis have life issues, their normal coping strategies are no longer working for them, which could be due to 10,000 things. A build up of stress which has not been dealt with properly, leading to anxiety and then may be depression. A trauma in some form, rape, near death experience, bereavement, diagnosed with a medical issue. Whatever it is it does not matter, what matters is that they are somehow struggling with life, a life which they wish to escape from if only for a moment. This is what they are actually saying when they mention the term ‘get out of my head/mind’.
When cannabis is taken it dulls the mind activity, the mind is no longer racing away worrying about the past or future events, but in doing so it takes away the minds clarity.
When we are in a stressful mind set of above normal functioning, the body/mind becomes significantly more Yang, in the Daoist terminology. Which means the mind has way too much activity or energy. The energy (qi) under normal circumstances drives up the spine and back down the front channels, keeping the energetic balance in harmony. However, when there has been trauma a possible emotional energetic blockage occurs, usually located at the heart or solar plexus, stopping the energy travelling back down the front channels. This over time creates a build up of Yang energy in the mind, creating an overactive, over sensitive and illusionary mind, disconnecting you from the true reality.
This can also put great strain on the neurological system. Think of it as the wiring in your house, the normal ring main wiring can normally take a 13 amp current with no problems at all. But if you start increasing the amp-age slowly but steadily, the wiring is going to increase in temperature, (night sweats, dry skin & forgetfulness are common) and as the wiring is not designed or has not been strengthened for this increased capacity running through it, eventually the wiring starts to break up, increasing even more resistance and eventually burns out completely.
Which is why cannabis works well short term for anxiety and a lot of other neurological related diseases. It dulls the energetic energy back down to a manageable level. One could say it takes you out of your normal existence, an escape for a short period. But before you know it, your back in reality, as it is not sustainable for very long. As soon as the partial relief kicks in, the stress and worry starts to build back up and the cycle begins.
A bit further down the line, as mentioned previously, they start increasing strength and frequency, as it no longer has the desired outcome as before. This leads to all the above paradoxical harmful conditions. Cannabis is helpful in treating anxiety short term but long term creates even more anxiety.
Before you know it you are trapped in this cycle for 30 years all because you haven’t dealt with your personal issues or trauma’s that has caused your state of unbalance and sadness. For me this is not a particular intelligent way to live, a much better way would be to deal with the cause and not the symptoms, symptoms being the anxiety etc.
Cannabis today is ten times more potent then the cannabis smoked by hippies in the 60/70’s. If it was so good for you, would you like your pilot or your surgeon, high as a kite before he flew the plane or operated on you.
Ultimately, after long term usage a delusional reality occurs full of paranoia and fear, which may be much worst than the initial problem, and the biggest delusion of them all is that cannabis is helping me long term.
Ask the question, if you think it is helping you, then why do you still need it.
The reason cannabis works well on pain management is because when the mind goes below normal working frequency, less activity, it will naturally relax the body and it’s sensations. A relaxed and open body no longer feels pain. Only a contracted, tense and closed body feels chronic pain. The hyper electrical activity of the nervous system over stimulates the nerves creating more pain then they may well actually be under normal electrical activity, they become over-sensitised.
This is why some people go to the doctors in pain and they x-ray and scan the living daylights out of them, but they still can not find one physical reason for the cause of their pain. This is especially relevant regarding back pain, but to the patient the pain is very real.
Cannabis will also decrease your ‘will’ your drive and determination, as do the majority of illegal or legal drugs. When the mind drops below normal functioning the mind becomes weak and your actions reflect that, making it even more difficult to break the ‘cannabis paradox’.
This lack of will and determination drives the never forgiving internal dialogue that we need cannabis in our lives and that it is helping us with our life issues. Along with the constant re-enforcement from our friends and media backing up these false ideals. It is always easier to convince ourselves that we are doing the right thing, rather than taking full accountability for our own lives and actions. It is this which probably got us into this mess in the first place, a lack of ownership and accountability for our own thoughts, re-actions and behaviours.
Do not get trapped, at first it’s all fun fun fun and pleasure with very little lows or risk. Then the pleasure slowly decreases and the lows slowly increase by the time you figure this out the lows have overtaken the pleasure, so you move on to stronger more addictive stuff.
It is also wise to remember when you enter a certain state through external means, you have no control of where it takes you and any sort of ‘will’ that you may have is obliterated, in state or out of state.
If this article has been of any benefit and you wish to discover more beneficial and positive methods of dealing with trauma, stress, anxiety etc please feel free to contact me as I would love to help, without judgement.
Barry
(Fuso)
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