Marijuana Vs. Psychedelics: Which One is Right for You
Marijuana and psychedelics have been a common topic over the past years. The first thought that comes into your mind when you hear about cannabis and psychedelics is probably the euphoric high and mind-altering effects they produce or induce. Experts associate the feeling of being ‘high’ with the use of hallucinogenic drugs and marijuana. In ancient days, individuals reserved these drugs and their feelings for traditions or rituals in different cultures, like the ayahuasca rituals among the residents of Peru.
In the United States, the residents associate cannabis and psychedelics with deviant behaviors. These behaviors usually lead to various drug policies that force the authorities to ban possession and restrict the use of these drugs by the residents. The restrictions on the possession and use of these drugs lead to numerous barriers to modern-day research on the therapeutic benefits of these drugs. Furthermore, they hinder the development of new medical therapies with more promising results and fewer adverse effects.
Currently, most individuals are switching to psychedelics to alleviate various mental and medical health problems. These conditions include severe pain, inflammation, nausea, depression, anxiety, etc.
Marijuana and Psychedelics: Gateways Drugs to Prescription Medication
Anti-depressants and other medication therapies have a wide range of adverse effects and negative impacts on patients. With the adverse effects, reports show that many individuals are ditching these medications for medical marijuana and psychedelics. Furthermore, most patients with mood disorders avoid the use of conventional treatment. These patients join many individuals considering psychedelics and cannabis as the best self-management therapies.
The current and ever-growing evidence shows that psychedelics are better and safer alternatives to big pharma options than marijuana. Researchers suggest that these medications may offer positive results for alleviating depression, pain, and other debilitating health conditions. Despite these prospects and benefits, it’ll be wise for individuals to understand that using marijuana or psychedelics has various benefits.
What is Neuroplasticity?
In the past, researchers thought that the human brain had fixed and unchanged neurons. Furthermore, they thought that the growth and development of the brain took place only during childhood. The belief was common in most individuals until a neuroscientist (Jerry Konorski) discovered the neuroplasticity concept in 1948. Neuroplasticity or neural plasticity refers to how the nervous system and the natural brain networks process and respond to stimuli.
Remember, some localized regions in the nervous system and the brain's neural functions are immutable. However, you can alter, change, and modify some specific functions. The process allows these functions or parts to restructure and carry out new functions. You can use certain psychedelics and medical marijuana products to enhance these changes.
Experts categorize neural plasticity into four classes: map expansion, compensatory masquerade, homologous area adaptation, and cross-modal reassignment.
● Homologous area adaptation - some similar brain regions from the opposite hemispheres regulate certain cognitive processes.
● Cross-modal - some structures in the brain help regulate sensory response resulting from certain stimuli. The specific stimuli adapt to the new input process that receives feedback from nerve receptors.
● Compensatory masquerade - it’s a collection of various cognitive processes that the brain requires to perform various functions.
● Map expansion - it’s the rapid development of specific brain regions based on stimuli, certain activities, or performance.
Experts reveal that neural plasticity determines how cannabis, psychedelics, and other prescription medications interact with the body and mind to influence certain behaviors. Scientists believe these substances are important in helping to understand the cause of healthy and unhealthy behaviors, including substance abuse or addiction.
Effects that Hallucinogen Have on the Brain’s Reward System
Taking psychoactive substances like cannabis, mushrooms, and ketamine interrupts the normal functioning of neurotransmitters. Studies show that stimuli and specific pathways are vital for regular neurotransmitter activity to enhance chemical signals' processing, communication, and regulation. The proper communication and regulation of chemical signals enhance brain and body function.
Marijuana contains cannabinoids that resemble some receptors and neurons in the body and brain. The marijuana cannabinoids work by attaching to the receptors, activating, modulating, and stimulating natural neuron activity.
The brain has an addiction center comprising the prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and extended amygdala that chemical substances like weed and psychedelics alter. The presence of addictive substances activates or stimulates these regions.
Besides activating in the presence of addictive substances, the center is responsible for the different ‘high’ feelings or intoxication resulting from psychoactive substances. Remember, chronic or regular drug use also changes the functions of these parts.
What are the Effects of Marijuana Use on Brain Neuroplasticity?
Despite the limited studies on the association, evidence shows that marijuana use might cause a short-term neurogenesis effect. The effect promotes the creation of new chemical pathways and brain cells.
Despite the intoxicating effects on the mind, most individuals confuse marijuana with psychedelics. Due to its euphoric-like properties and effectiveness in alleviating depressing thoughts, mood disorders, or dark moods, there is an ongoing study to determine the misclassification of marijuana. It offers the same effects as psychedelics.
A certain clinical study focusing on marijuana use for PTSD reveals that this drug can alleviate mental health issues. Patients with PTSD reported improvement after using different CBD and THC strains for a specific time.
Marijuana contains THC, a cannabinoid responsible for hallucinogenic and intense psychoactive effects. Besides THC, cannabis has numerous less psychoactive cannabinoids, such as CBG, CBN, CBD, etc.
When consuming marijuana, you can control the psychoactive feelings and prevent adverse complications by considering CBD-rich strains. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a common cannabinoid that can help you counter the psychoactive effects of THC to reduce unpleasant sensations.
Cannabis also contains neuroprotective properties to shield your brain cells from toxins and harmful stimuli to enhance your overall brain health. Evidence shows that short-term marijuana use may reduce learning capacity and memory retention. While short-term use causes temporary neuropsychological, chronic use results in permanent damage.
THC in marijuana is responsible for disrupting some users' neuroplasticity and other brain parts. Research shows that these are likely to be permanent adolescents who use marijuana while their brain is still developing.
What are the Psychedelics Effects on Brain Neuroplasticity?
Mushrooms, LSDs, and certain psychedelics have well-documented therapeutic effects on behavioral issues and mood disorders. Taking these substances in moderation promotes brain neuroplasticity by alleviating depression or anxiety and increasing cognitive function. Furthermore, low and moderate doses decrease the addictive effects relating to the use of these substances.
Below are the common psychedelics having therapeutic benefits:
● Peyote
● LSD
● DMT
● Psilocybin mushrooms
● Ololiuqui
● Ketamine
● Ecstasy
● MDM
● PCP
These drugs offer the brain a restorative effect. Studies show that these drugs usually create new pathways to regulate cellular communication and processing. With these therapeutic effects and increasing evidence, the view of psychedelics and cannabis as mental and physical health deterrents is changing.
Studies show the therapeutic benefits of psychedelic drugs in alleviating severe pain and other debilitating pain disorders. With the limited clinical studies, scientists are yet to understand these drugs' permanent or long-term effects. However, researchers have intensified studies on psychedelics' anti-addictive, anxiolytic, and anti-depressant properties.
Cannabis and Psychedelics: Link between Addiction and Pleasure
Consuming psychedelics or cannabis disrupts the reward or pleasure system in the brain. Studies show that narcotics and some euphoric/psychedelic drugs usually overload the brain’s reward center. The overload stimulates the brain to produce more dopamine, strengthening the positive response and substance use correlation.
Dopamine is a primary neurotransmitter responsible for action or activity reinforcement. Despite limited evidence and studies, medics believe that increased dopamine levels enforce recollection and memory, which drive addiction patterns.
Experts reveal that marijuana or psychedelic use triggers large dopamine influxes, which causes the brain to prefer drug-based interactions. Furthermore, it may interfere with your daily life perception and is the beginning of addiction. Remember that misuse of psychedelics or marijuana rewires the brain due to false-positive connections.
However, only a section of cannabis or psychedelics users will likely suffer addiction. Despite the addiction risk, most individuals still rely on these substances to enhance their health, perception, or moods. Remember, you may not develop addictive behaviors or associations with proper use.
How Do Psychedelics and Marijuana Use Alter Brain Chemistry?
The drugs affect the body's processes differently depending on the stimulation of specific receptors and neurotransmitters. Psychedelics affect the body processes by interacting with the 5-HT2A receptors altering the brain’s function and perceptions. The results affect motivation, movement, cognition, neuroendocrine control, and other behavioral or physiological processes.
ECS receptors in the brain will enhance or stabilize the dopaminergic activity. You can possibly classify these drugs as hallucinogens due to how they influence the brain’s activity or chemistry.
Mixing Psychedelics with Marijuana
Reports show that most individuals prefer to mix marijuana and psychedelics to get the best experience while self-medicating. After taking the two drugs, marijuana will interact with the cannabinoid receptors, changing your perception of thinking, space, reality, and time. Psychedelics will also trigger the same feelings. Nevertheless, the intensity will depend on the THC or CBD in the strain you’re consuming.
High-THC marijuana strains may increase the risk of adverse effects when you mix them with psychedelics. In contrast, low-THC strain reduces the risk of psychoactive effects. However, marijuana and psychedelics may alter your cognitive function and perception by modulating the brain’s neurotransmitters. Thus, it’ll be vital to learn about the possible effects and interactions before mixing psychedelics and medical marijuana.
Can Hallucinogens Help to Overcome Mood Disorders?
Statistics show that more than 40 million individuals live with different medical issues that result in chronic or persistent symptoms despite using prescription medications. Some neuropsychiatric and mental health complications result in debilitating or severe symptoms. These symptoms may cause different forms of disabilities.
Despite conventional medications and anti-depressant drugs being effective in some cases, the effects may take longer, as some drugs may offer positive results after several weeks. Studies show that you start experiencing adverse effects as you wait for the effect of the prescription medication.
Medical marijuana and psychedelics may enhance the ability of your nervous system and brain to respond to non-essential and essential stimuli. These drugs respond by reorganizing their structure, connections, or functions. With the positive impact on neurogenetics and neural plasticity, the drugs could offer effective treatments for numerous diseases, including mood disorders.
With the numerous therapeutic benefits, psychedelics and marijuana prove to be the future of medicine. Like substances, these drugs also may cause adverse or undesirable effects in some users. Studies show that many individuals in the medical community prefer psychedelics and marijuana due to fewer side effects. While they may cause some effect, most patients accept them as they’re more tolerable and manageable than the ones resulting from conventional prescriptions.
Between Weed and Psychedelics, Which is the Right One for Your Needs?
With limited research or studies, you have to consideration personal experimentation or use to determine how your body will react to the effects of psychedelics and marijuana. These drugs have varying properties, making them affect individuals differently. Thus, it’ll be vital to experiment to understand the hallucinogenic effects and efficacy of the treatment.
Scientifically, no two or more individuals can share physical profiles, genetics, or responses to illness or pain. However, you may have similar medical conditions and symptoms. Thus what works for you might not function the same for your friend or colleague.
Despite failing in the war against some harmful drugs, psychedelics, and cannabis, remain popular. The drugs have a wide range of hallucinogenic and therapeutic properties that make them popular. With emerging evidence and positive testimonies on medical marijuana use, it's clear that these drugs play a role in keeping the body and mind healthy when you use them in moderation.
With these potential health benefits and fewer side effects, many states are legalizing medical marijuana use. Furthermore, the authorities are allowing scientists and doctors to conduct studies on the effects of the substances on the body and mind. You can consider these alternative drugs to self-medicate for anxiety, pain, fatigue, depression, appetite, etc.
Consulting a qualified doctor will help you choose the appropriate alternative medication for your disorders. At HappyMD, you’ll get a huge team of qualified, experienced physicians to guide you on the appropriate alternative medication. The physician will evaluate your condition before giving you the recommendation to help you get your medical marijuana card online. HappyMD offers a seamless way to get your MMJ card and access medical marijuana products to help alleviate your conditions.
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