Health - Am I fucked up for good?

[Deadend66]

SWIM said,

"I've smoked weed for the past 3 years on and off. Recently it has been at least once every 2 weeks. I've gone from smoking 4-5 times a week to going a month without smoking. It varies. I've also tried dxm about 7 times one of which was a very heavy dose. I was prescribed oxy alot a while back and some of the time I crushed the pills.

It probably sounds kind of silly but, I'm a bit of a hypocondriac (hope I spelled that right). I always feel like I would be so much more aware and that I'm hurting my intelligence by doing this stuff. I used to be such a bookworm, but now reading has become a chore. Is it possible that I've damaged my head in any way? If so, if I stop, will there be a time that I will be 100 percent fine?

Again I'm probably just worrying too much but, I can't get this off my mind.

Also I have always had a very good long term memory. Can the cannabis permanently damage my memory?"

Can you help him?

Reputation Comments on this post:

read rules

[Graduisic]

i'm sure you don't have a problem... cuz you've never tried any of that stuff, being the type of person who doesn't wish to incriminate himself

SWIM (Someone Who Isn't Me) has been smoking pot daily and is stoned pretty much all the time he/she is conscious for about 7 years now with intermittent months of cessation, and his experience backs up the medical information about what marijuana does to one's memory. THC (active compound in marijuana) is stored in fat cells, which will invade the brain and cause interruptions in neurotransmitters; effectively decreasing short-term memory, along with a few other cognitive impairments. after the marijuana has left one's system (30-45 days usually) the brain returns to normal function.

SWIM has also been a heavy addict of DXM on and off for 5 years, and has tripped on extremely high 4th-plateau doses sometimes as frequent as once a week. there isn't much known about what kind of brain damage this may cause, but all it seems to do is alter serotonin in SWIM's body which will affect his/her mood and cognitive function. dissociatives are very horrible when abused this much, but DXM functions supposedly like a mild SSRI (mild compared to paxil, prozac, celexa etc.). it is much more mind-altering though and has negative, often psychotic results.

when SWIM is off these drugs, things may not be back to 100% normal like before ever doing drugs, but that is from severe abuse. if you ever did the drugs like you say you did, which im sure you didn't i wouldn't worry about any severe long-term impairment. but i WOULD worry about self-incrimination

[HappyCat]

In SWIM's experience, weed has a mild to moderate effect on longterm memory.

Abstain for any significant time and these effects go away, though often it doesn't bother people enough to actually abstain.

SWIM knows several very intelligent and successful people that use weed regularly with no problem. It is unlikely that weed itself is causing any permanent damage.


It may just also be a natural evolution of your personality. SWIM's recomends that you carefully evaluate the situation. Have the things that SWIY reading changed since a few years ago? Is this reading for academic work that SWIY no longer finds interesting?

It could be detrimental for SWIY in academic settings, if it interfere with studying, concentration, ect... However this again varies widely in SWIM's experience, some people have no problems, such as SWIY is having, smoking everyday; in others once a week would interfere far too much, depends on the person mostly.

All and all though it's not likely that you are permanently damaged though.

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Great first post - copassionate, honest, reassuring, honours the Rules! Keep it up, but please don't get bogged down in...

[Nature Boy]

Originally Posted by Deadend66

I've smoked weed for the past 3 years on and off. Recently it has been at least once every 2 weeks. I've gone from smoking 4-5 times a week to going a month without smoking. It varies. I've also tried dxm about 7 times one of which was a very heavy dose. I was prescribed oxy alot a while back and some of the time I crushed the pills.

It probably sounds kind of silly but, I'm a bit of a hypocondriac (hope I spelled that right). I always feel like I would be so much more aware and that I'm hurting my intelligence by doing this stuff. I used to be such a bookworm, but now reading has become a chore. Is it possible that I've damaged my head in any way? If so, if I stop, will there be a time that I will be 100 percent fine?

Again I'm probably just worrying too much but, I can't get this off my mind.

Why were you prescribed oxycodone?

Is your sudden decline in reading an accurate indication that your intelligence is deteriorating? SWIM goes through periods where he may read books very often regardless of how much pot he smokes. Even when he's not reading books, he's probably reading a lot of internet material. The mind never ceases to take in information unless one is in a vegetative state. Even if you aren't reading as many books as you once did, the likelihood is that you are still taking in the same quantity of information only it's coming from different sources.

SWIM will vouch that he finds it difficult to read something he's not interested in when he's stoned. On the other hand, interesting subject matter seems more fascinating than ever. Pot use may make one feel that they are changing their habits somewhat. If you completely cease use there is just as much a chance that you will "return to normal" as there is a chance that you will be "permanently changed" because it's all subjective ultimately. There's only one way to find out.

Originally Posted by Deadend66

Edit. Also I have always had a very good long term memory. Can the cannabis permanently damage my memory?

SWIM smokes daily and has no problems with long-term memory. There are studies which suggest that pot doesn't effect long-term memory, only shorter, trivial snippets of information. That being said, everyone is different.

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good advice

[boizm]

swiy sounds a lot like swim, so i'll say a few things on swim's behalf. first, swim smokes about as much as swiy, probably more. then swim started with pills (oxycodone, some sitmulants), snorting them like swiy. then swim started on shrooms. tripped intensely a few times. After that, swim really started to feel guilty. swim noticed where he was headed, cut back, and regained control.

i think swiy shares swim's guilt, a guilt that is turning into paranoid anxiety. swiy is paranoid and simply needs to realize taht the drugs are distracting. but swiy's paranoia can be seen as a healthy thing (not just a reaction to the weed). swiy realizes there is a perfect potential for harm, and swiy doesnt want that happening.

[espo195]

Ok i havnt read what the other ppl have said but just to answer ur question... Pot smoking can affect ur short term memory, (ever forgotten what you were just going to say?) but a short cleanse -- afew days -- and there is no evidence of any permanent effects on long term memory. You are not destroyed, dont worry.
Try smoking less to get u high. As well as being better for you, (Small amounts of weed have been shown to do some beneficial things for the body -- helps destroy potentially old cells which may become cancerous and small amounts can also alleviate depression) you'll find you may not get so stoned and mentally tired and have a lighter more energetic high where you can do something productive.
If you are approaching something important (exams) -like me. Try and stop smoking for a while, it should help. But swim loves gettin high.
Blaze a zoot

[penta]

Cannabis shouldn't cause any permanent brain damage. Swim thinks that the reason you gave up on reading is because swiy spent so much time smoking instead of reading that when you cut back on smoking, your brain doesn't find reading to be another fun activity to replace smoking. If swiy thinks swiy has a problem, swiy should try quitting for a few weeks. Eventually, swiy's mind will forget about smoking, and swiy will be able to go back to enjoy reading.

[w_rabbit]

Well from swim experience thc has had alot of effect on the his short term memory.
but havent youv ever thought insanity might just be nirvana?

[Zog]

I say it makes you more intelligent.

By smoking weed you look at life from a different angle causing you to realise things you wouldn't realise normally.

[AddyCrazy]

Weed doesn't affect SWIMs memory except when SWIM is stoned or burnt really bad. SWIM finds when they're stoned he will read for hours this book that has the history of almost every major drug and has stuff about every other drug in less detail. It also describes how they work in the brain and how they've been used through out history and stuff. SWIM can read that for hours when stoned but if they're trying to do schoolwork or something similar forget it thats not happening. Overall I don't feel marijuana has any long term affects most are short term and most even disappear after a week or so of no use.

[sweetsugar]

Everyone is differant. When swim gets stoned and reads, finds she realy gets into the book.

Swim had a year off smoking cannabis with no noticeable w/d's etc. perhaps short term memory loss which faded with a month or so.

[rsxlover05]

Marijuana = No Harm
Dxm = No Harm
Coke = No Harm
Heroin = No Harm

[sweetsugar]

Originally Posted by rsxlover05

Marijuana = No Harm
Dxm = No Harm
Coke = No Harm
Heroin = No Harm

Thats a little naive to think these drugs will cause one no harm.....

In some ppl when smoking cannabis, depending on their mental state to begin with, can cause paranoia, even psycosis.

Swiss however has been smoking cannabis for years and is absolutely fine,
It all depends on the mental state of the person smoking cannabis, if swiy displays paranoid or even psychotic behaviour before smoking cannabis swiss would strongly reccomend that it is left alone period