ADHD

Hey, about the effects cannabis has on you the day after you smoke - do these issues show up when you have edibles instead of smoking? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but does the act of smoking (smoking whatever) cause any issues with executive functioning?

i’m coincidentally new to both adhd and 5g thc + 25g cbd gummies, so take this with a grain of salt.

i have not had a good experience with gummies yet (this was also before i was on concerta). the first few times i took one 5g gummy and felt nothing. Then (different day) i took two, again nothing. Then (again a different day) i took 3 and was completely spaced. it felt close to being drunk, which i really dislike. It was like my brain only worked 1 second out of every 5, constantly trying to catch up to the world around me. Not at all what i was expecting after having lots of friends who smoked to make other experiences better. i could not process anything let alone enjoy.

ultimately I decided i hated it and just went to sleep to get it over with. I’m going to take a break from gummies now that i’m starting concerta. Maybe once my adhd meds are stabilized i’ll try the gummies again.

I think it's a pretty common "self-medication" tactic. I went from 0 to "I consume a fair amount" pretty quickly. Initially, I used it for workouts--it just made them better, more interesting, easier to check off my list. I'd get changed, get my headphones ready, smoke, then go get lost in music while working out. Helped me get in better shape. And like the other poster, I find it really helps me to knock out otherwise painfully tedious tasks.

I've heard cannabis described as a multiplier and I've found that to be true. For me it makes allows me to notice what I'm feeling more (physically and emotionally), food tastes better, I write more, my mood seems elevated, but it has it's downsides. Around people and in public my anxiety is much higher and like others, my executive functioning and memory gets worse.

I also find my thoughts feel more "linear," in a way: slower and easier to trace how one thought led to the next (if I'm able to hang onto that thread). It's easier to observe my thoughts. If I have one thing to sit down and focus on, it's fantastic. If I'm interacting with a lot of people and having to task switch a lot, it's a nightmare. Again, that multiplier effect, as I'm quite introverted.

I also don't get tired from cannabis. I can't do sativa. Too much anxiety. I go for heavy indicas and even that can light up my brain. If I'm in a space (physical and mental) where I can relax, it can occasionally help. I go for edibles, usually 1:1 THC:CBD; 5mg of THC. I use about once a week in the evening when I have a project I'd like to spend time with and I won't be bothered.

I was doing that 3 days a week at times. I took a 4 month break while I started my medication for ADHD. Started back up recently. Honestly, I think the cannabis might have a better overall impact. Correcting more data, but I might need to change my meds.

I've also found that cannabis can be helpful, but as with any medication, it's important to use it in correct doses at the right times.

I find that it can be incredibly helpful to get through tasks I would otherwise find too tedious like cleaning or putting away my clothes. It can also help to get me to a flow state on solo creative tasks. That said, it can also make it difficult to focus in more "high-information" situations, such as studying and especially listening to and understanding other people.

While cannabis isn't physically addictive per se, tolerance is a real thing and you may find yourself spending more money and, importantly, more time on cannabis than you'd like. You can lose a lot of productivity you'd gain with the time taken packing and smoking a bowl or two (or three or four as time goes on). This can be managed with careful dosing and tolerance breaks but you have to put in the effort.

Ultimately, if you can afford it and it makes you feel better, there's very little harm outside of smoking anything, which vapes and edibles can get around. But if you want it to help and not just be a hobby (or worse, a crutch), you need to treat it like medicine.

Don't self-medicate, talk to a professional

I find that being high reduces my racing overthinking by a lot and makes it significantly easier to socialize. Yeah my executive function crashes but eh. Worth.
What I find interesting is I gain a sort of clarity for the day or two after a good session. It's like my mental fog clears up and it's easier to push myself forward into doing things before I return to baseline. This effect goes away if I toke too many days in a row of course so I only do it maybe once a week at most.

A good friend of mine who is very adhd and also on the autism spectrum tokes very frequently, mostly as a sleep aid.

I haven't been diagnosed with ADHD, though my sister has been, and I have a history of depression, anxiety and personality disorders (and I'm most likely a bit autistic) as well as a stoner.

Anyhow, maybe you could focus on the parts of your ADHD that do get worse, see if you can identify them and then maybe work on those? There rarely is just one "panacea" that works for all, as you might know already.

Also, have you tried other ways of enjoying the product? Vaping or eating even (cannabutter etc), instead of smoking? It delivers a different effect on the body, which might affect the cognitive and emotional response differently. I have noticed that for me, vaping is usually considerably less in your face and might even pleasantly surprise me when the high hits, and space cakes just seem to hit the body more, making me more relaxed.

Also the difference between indica and sativa, between different strains, and different growing conditions all will have an effect on the product, right down to the molecular level, wherein some bud will have higher amounts of THC, which causes the "drunkenness", and others will have more others like CBD, which in turn causes the relaxation (afaik, not 100% sure on the specifics of these). My own experience is that the strongest possible sativa, laden with THC is more often that not worse for my psychotic symptoms and executive dysfunctions than somewhat milder options.

I do not have an official diagnosis for ADHD (fingers crossed that'll happen this spring).

I love weed. For me, it shuts up all the parts of my brain that cause me problems. My anxiety is better, and I'm able to focus on one thing at a time, rather than constantly getting distracted. It's really helped my creativity as well, probably because of the improved focus. It's also helped me to be more mindful of myself in general; I'm more in tune with my body, and more empathetic in my actions, because of things I noticed about myself while high.

Some of it might be a placebo, I do intentionally shop for weed that says its vibes are Happy, Energetic, or Creative, but I'm going with it's just the high quality of our local Michigan crop. I recommend getting into weed as a hobby so you can ensure you're using the best products, and cultivating a good high

Cannabis didn't do much for me. Made my memory slightly worse and I was more tired. That's about it.