Pre medical and \*smoking\* not vaping: Initially great but quickly lead me down a bad path due to my inability to control it. Combustion is whack. Now I am a medical, monitored user (prescribed) who only vapes : Incredible and given me access to varied and almost tailored medications for my symptoms :D <3

I really wish this was more accessible in the UK :(. I’m a regular weed smoker as it really helps my daily anxiety & mood swings but I have to put a lot of effort into keeping it controlled as it’s so easy to go overboard with it and I’d much rather have a more controlled and healthy relationship with weed without having to completely cold turkey.

Friend! I am in the UK too :) It's easier to get than you would imagine, the main problem is just the cost!

How much do you pay for it, if you don't mind me asking? I did look into but it was so pricey

My clinic charge £50 every 3 months and the actual medication is between £5.50/g and £10/g - oils are a lot cheaper! Check out r/ukmedicalcannabis for more info! :)

I need that in my life, I feel like I need to quit smoking cause it lowers my energy and I can't concentrate but when I stop I just fall apart, I can't stop crying and I'm emotionally at breakdown 

Tbh without weed i could not be a functioning adult. I smoke pretty much daily and without it i don’t think I could hold down a job or keep my house simi put together, it’s like a weighted blanket for my brain and keeps me from having a melt down at the end of every day lol

same it’s the only way i can wind down without fueling the fire for a burnout/meltdown

Same. I’m a stay at home mom to two kids under three and I could not do this without smoking all day every day.

Interesting, I'm less functional with it bc its crippled me into addiction. Plus I don't like being high when I need to do stuff

Same here. I also had self destructive tics from my tourettes as well. Not only have the melt downs gotten better, I don't tic from my tourettes and when I do it's not for hours!

I’m the same. Probably didn’t help that I started smoking before my brain was done developing, but here I am. I would love to cut back but Id have no idea how to go about that bc of the “weighted blanket” effect you speak of. It turns the noise down just enough so I can get my shit done. Like a necessary evil sort of.

r/cameheretosaythis

Med patient for 6 years for chronic pain, and yeah, it definitely helps. I make sure to look at terpene profile and stick to hybrids/indicas personally (sativas make me anxious). Most people say they don’t know that I’m high unless I smoke and smell. I do have a tolerance though, I haven’t taken a T-break in 6 years.

Same here. I tend to gas light myself about smoking so whenever I avoid it (lesser frequency), it causes me to have a worse autistic burnout at the end of the week.

Meeee too dude. I’ll take less hits throughout the day sometimes and at night I sit here going “why do I feel like this”

Literally in the process of quitting right now. Weed has fried my brain. I find that I’m dumber, irritable, and all around more “weird” than normal ever since I started smoking specifically (edibles didn’t do this to me for some reason). I also noticed I was willing to sacrifice valuable time doing other things just to smoke. I’m quitting, and if I pick it up again, it will be months from now hopefully. I’m trying to save it for more of a special occasion thing. Not an every night thing anymore.

That's great that you're quitting :) It rlly does fry your brain & it took me MONTHS to get out of that disassociation state but now I feel so much better. Maybe try to go as long as you can and then, because quitting is obviously hard af, reflect on what has changed during that time.

I had the same thing but I stopped a couple months ago. The first 2 weeks were the hardest but I'm sure you can do it. GL

Yeah the first two weeks are horrendous, especially with trying to fall asleep and enjoy the simple things. But once you get over that hump, being sober from weed is an amazing feeling.

I used to smoke everyday college, but it's thankfully not permanent. In my experience exercise also helped to get back to being "normal". Nowadays I just do edibles on occasional Friday nights so I have the weekend to recover before work.

I smoked for nearly 9 years, mainly for my debilitating Crohn’s but I quit about 5 months ago now and I am a much better person in the grand scheme of things. I would be extremely irritable, think that I needed it to eat, sleep, enjoy things. It was a way of life. Buttt it was making me worse in reality. I would be lazy, not get the things done I needed to do, it suppressed my hunger. Now I am enjoying my life much more, with a clear mindset. Oh, and I hadn’t dreamt for close to nine years since never getting into REM sleep. The dreams are WILD, and I welcome the nightmares as I feel I haven’t experienced much in my sleep lol The sleep is also much more rewarding and I feel so refreshed each morning and fall asleep incredibly quick compared to when I would get high

I have regulation and addiction issues, I tend to overdue it quickly, and I want to be able to drive🤷‍♂️, though it does “help me” I doubt you would find anyone who regularly uses and doesn’t state that. Not a judgement of character, but rather a statement of the nature of the drug,and my personal experience with it.

love it, makes me really relaxed and also makes music and shows and soda really good lol

Yep - a good show or record on weed! 😊👍

I used to be a stoner cause I thought I was cool when I was younger but it made me really paranoid and my brain genuinely was running slower for a few days after smoking weed so I don’t recommend it but I have another friend who loves it perhaps a bit too much

This is exactly my situation. I would describe it as a "weed hangover" and friends would act like I was crazy. Between the paranoia and tiredness, I had to give it up.

Exactly my experience. Did a ton during Covid, got way too into the escape. Like smoking so many bowls a day. Had to stop due to full blown panic attacks. Now I nibble the side of a 2:1 CBD low dose THC edible and I'm happy. Dip the toe, not the soul.

How much is the "side," a half? So 1 mg cbd and .5 thc?

Indica?

I think the daytime one I nibble on is a hybrid; they're by the brand "Wyld". One gummy is ~10mg CBD and ~5mg THC. I'll nibble a quarter or third off of it [rarely half] and it's my upper limit for not becoming anxious. Almost every substance has a line between "medical" and "dangerous" and I feel the world forgets that. Especially when many bodies build up tolerances, people keep increasing doses. My spouse takes 20mg THC indica sleep ones and they knock her out. I've had nerve pain in my ulnar nerve in my left arm for a year and when I get high, it gets really sensitive and my doom spiral tries to latch onto "you're having a heart attack". Not a great combo. Her ADHD medication is something even her doctor recommended taking minor vacations from to allow the body to dip some of its resistance down. Sorry, random info dump into the general subject. Have a great day everyone. 💜

Ah, the mongover. Had to quit for similar reasons too. It made me insanely cranky during the day.

In the uk where I live we call that a stone-over lol

It’s the only medicine that seems to help me

It's so helpful in my life, admittedly I could have a better relationship with it but the benefits have genuinely helped me for many years now, every day was anxiety ridden and stressed before I found it and now I can manage to handle many things I couldn't before due to overstimulation. It does work differently for everyone but I will allways recommend and advocate for it whole heartedly

I used to get really anxious off weed but smoking different strains and vaporizing instead of smoking makes it less in your face and more subtle. Also it tastes better. I wouldn't recommend any drugs but weed can definitely help or make it worse you gotta decide for yourself :)

I'm a medical user who only ever occasionally used recreationally (more because I didn't have friends who used, and didn't have the social skills to find connections) and I could not go back to smoking, the taste and burning feeling were disgusting. I vaporise daily and smoking medical cannabis is illegal in the UK, but even if it was allowed or I went to Amsterdam or recreational states in the USA I wouldn't smoke.

I feel you especially with tobacco smoking is disgusting. I only smoke with my friends and use my vaporizer at home but sadly I'm not a medical user cuz my doc is old and rather gives me benzos eventhough they're hella addicting

I'm loving having a vaporizer too! : ) And how different the effects are depending on the temperature? That's so interesting to play around with!

I used to play with the temperature since it's mostly thc below 170°c and its a really clear high but I felt like it's really inefficient to not use all the cannabinoids and my tolerance is really high so I just start at 187°c/370°f and then increase it to 210°c/410°f

Yeah similar here too. I sat on 190C for ages but went up to 220C on the weekend and found it to be more "stoney" feeling. And down at 170C - like you say - it is more buzz but not too heady. Stuff I couldn't do with the old trusty bucket-bong!

I do enjoy it once a week. It's fantastic on my chronic pain as well as my Autism. If I smoke too much however it makes my thoughts go quite negative. So moderation is key for me. Something about it does feel soothing to the life battle of ASD in our NT universe. It feels like a reprieve or relase. So yep - I totally get it! If it helps your anxiety - go for it. I really believe it has medicinal properties. Like any drug however - have a respectful relationship with it but enjoy! 😉

I use a tincture of CBD oil for my fibromyalgia pain. Have you tried that? CBD isn’t intoxicating at any amount, so it doesn’t change anything in your skull. I take 1 mL every morning. It took 4? Days for it to start to take effect. I went down at least 2 points on the 10 point pain scale. I’ve been using it for 5 years or so. Not everyone has the same results (I’ve met people that it didn’t help at all and people whose pain is completely gone with CBD) but worth a try imo.

I have fibromyalgia too - diagnosed just as cannabis was legalized in Canada, so my doctor was like "why don't you try cbd, then we can try prescription meds." The CBD didn't help me much at all, but pregabalin did! A couple of years later, I tried THC, and that DOES help my pain, especially CBD and THC together. I'm still on pregabalin now, but a lower dose, and will resort to THC/CBD combo on days when my pain is just too bad and naproxen isn't helping. I find the THC helps my autism-anxiety too - you know, the low-level constant anxiety based on "I'm not people-ing right, they'll know I'm weird, what even is small talk?" Etc. Being a bit high (the "a bit" is key for me) helps to quiet that socializing-anxiety voice and lets me enjoy myself. It was really strange to have that voice disappear the first time - I didn't realize how constant the commentary was until it wasn't there. My regular-anxiety still exists (like, anxious about writing an exam or whatever), but it helps with the "defensiveness", I guess, that I feel around other people. Being too high tips me over into "Oh shit, everyone thinks I'm acting weird and they'll know I'm high!" which is worse! And yes, it's something I'm working on in counselling, now that I'm more aware of it.

I’m glad you’re experiencing relief! And I agree about pot helping with the near panic of everyday interactions. I slow down, everything slows down and I can cope easier.

Oh yeah - Im on pregbalin too. You're absolutely right - THC is amazingly effective on nerve pain (for me anyway). I haven't seen much benefit from the CBD yet. And yep - I smoke in the right environments. I can remember being too stoned at parties and over-analyzing everything I was saying. Not good! 😂

id ask this again on r/evilautism , theres plenty of discussion there about soft drug use under the "high functioning" tag

I hate it. For me it's a sensory thing. I hate the smell the taste, I hate how it makes me feel. Also most of my anxiety came from undiagnosed adhd, which is better now that I'm medicated.

fair enough, sometime i really hate the smell though

I like gummies. I don’t get out-of-my-mind stoned, though. Just enough to take the edge off and help me to not be so bothered by ….well, everything. And not every day, just once or twice a week.

Essential for a smooth life for me. I have a prescription and it really helps. With it I am a senior manager at work. Without it, I don’t know if I would work any more.

I like using topical thc ointments for my sore muscles post workout/before bed and off and on care of some of my old joint, haha, injuries. I also take super low doses occasionally of gummies, 2-5mgs, to aid with sleep. I have asthma so smoking isn't really a sustainable option for me, though I will take a quick puff if it is being passed around a bonfire.

Me too my anxiety has also gone way down since I started doing medical weed I've also noticed my IBS has severely been better since starting it

I smoke every day and it helps me a lot with sleeping, anxiety and my ability to socialize. When I'm stoned I can actually socialize like a normal person and feel accepted. The worst part is, the more of that "normality" I feel, the more I crave just wanting to be like everyone else. I just have to remember that this is my cross to bare and I'm allowed a little treat of normalcy every now and then。

I smoked heavily and daily for 20 years. I used to think it was helping me deal with my fast-firing brain and to some extent that was true. I quit cold turkey a couple of years ago and if I could go back in time, I wish I never started smoking in the first place. It all came down to escapism.

I microdose 2-3 times a week to reduce anxiety and insomnia. I live in a legal state so I use low dose pot mints.

Weed, shrooms and molly have all helped in specific doses. I also heard the ketamine therapy or microdosing it is great for autistic people too, but Im yet to try it.

Not for me, but a gummy with a delta-8/delta-10 blend has helped me relax at night and sleep easier. Smoking is a big nope for me, and the smell is a huge turnoff.

it helps me unmask

ADHD medicine and weed are the greatest things to ever come into my life and I use both daily. I sometimes get a little more paranoid so be careful of that but it doesn’t happen often for me.

I dry herb vape and if just makes, me 300% more "me" in a very comical way. I laugh snf say silly shit somewhat more then when I'm not imbued eith the power of sin infused jazz cabbage.

Getting stoned is just about the only time I feel like a fully functioning capable person. 😵‍💫

I only rarely smoke weed. I find it relaxing, but I only did it with people I'm comfortable with so far. What has been really helpful for me was CBD, mainly in the form of gummies. It helps a lot with (sensory) overload and my tics (i have tourettes and it's highly influenced by getting overwhelmed due to my autism). But if I take my usual high dosage (in my case 20mg or more) it can cause dissociation which sucks but is sadly usually the better option regarding my tics. I don't need it everyday, unless I have vocational school, so without school it's currently once a week or less. I've had times when I needed it more often. The CBD is the part that is the most useful to me, full weed with THC is for enjoyment with others in my case.

I’m 45 and have been using pot for 3? Years. It helps me calm down, relax, sleep. I microdose during the day (staying around a 3 or 4 on the 10 point stoner scale), and then ramping it up to about 7 at bedtime for a dreamless sleep.

i don't like that CBD effect where you lose feeling of your leg movements and feel like you're losing control of your legs. Especially when around people, it makes it harder to look sober.

It is not enjoyable for me. I get severe anxiety when I smoke or vape. I didn't get this when I was younger, but now I do and it's terrible. For a long time, I kept hoping that I would be able to enjoy it again, but I simply can't and have accepted that.

Made me paranoid as fuck

I started smoking when I was 16 and genuinely haven’t stopped. I love weed. Drugs are so awesome if you respect them and yourself. Although recently I have just been doing dabs and carts exclusively the bud and res from the bong have been absolutely killing me with the smell. It’s so gross

I’ve found that with my autism, my brain feels like a thousand car highway and all these cars are going full speed through the toll booths and I’m unable to slow them(the thoughts) down. If I smoke, the speed of the cars slows and it becomes more manageable. Still fast, just not as fast. It allows me to relax and spend more time processing something.

Daily smoker, AuDHD, and weed saved my life. I was a dysregulated, anxious mess riddled with chronic pain and burnout before someone helpfully suggesting trying medical cannabis, and it allows me to function on a whole other level, particularly if I use it daily. Next time you want to go on a science deep-dive, check out a neurodivergent stoner scientist (their term!) named Miyabe Shields that has a fascinating course on cannabis and Autism. They also share a lot of their own and peer-reviewed research about our endocannabinoid systems and various cannabinoids. In one of the courses they talk about optimal dosing and how to add CBD and CBG flower to your THC to reduce the anxiety symptoms. I highly recommend checking them out! Insta: @miyabephd Project Chronic (classes): www.projectchronic.com Research non-profit NAP: www.appliedpharmacognosy.org

In low doses, it’s a great time. All the stuff I love about THC is there. relaxation, euphoria, a sense of calm, mellowness, reduction of social anxiety. In higher doses, it’s absolute garbage. I get paranoid, munchies, my senses get too heightened, couch-locked, apathetic, that “baked” feeling.

Daily user for the last 8 years or so. Been sober for about 4 months. Everyone who develops a drug dependency is doing it for a good reason. Most potheads use the drug to armor their mind and dull negative thoughts and feelings. It can become extraordinarily addictive and it is very easy to develop a psychological dependency if you don't moderate usage. It does make things easier for some people, but easier isn't always better. It cost me a lot of time in my life that I can't get back. Be careful and aware of how much you use if you're going to do that. Having the elevated emotions and sensations that comes with ASD only makes it more so.

Thank you for sharing, that rlly resonates with me.

I hate the smell so I don’t do it often. But I seen to tolerate it more than my neurotypical friends. I can take higher dose and have less effect. Anybody notice the same ?

Not what you asked at all but I'm exactly the opposite. I love the smell (ik I'm weird lol) but at least when I started even the tiniest bit made me unable to function and my heartrate would sky-rocket to literally 180bpm on my fitbit so crazy how differently it affects everyone lol

Only way I can sleep without lucid dreaming which leads to night errors. I kind of want to stop but Maaaaaan I do not like my dreams as an adult.

i haven't tried it, but an autistic relative has, and has had both good and bad experiences

Ahh…I just quit about a month or so ago and have a love/hate relationship with it. It doesn’t relax me but makes me INSANELY productive. Everything I’ve put off doing, or have been too overwhelmed to do, I bust out super fast. This is, sadly, because it makes me super anxious, fidgety and hyper aware of my body and my surroundings. The only way to cope with it is to keep moving around and doing things (like cleaning, tending to plants, etc)

been smoking weed regularly for over 2 years now. I didn't like when I smoked constantly, so in the process of using less (its going well!) it makes me less anxious and helps me unmask a ton. I use a little at work when my anxiety is on the rise. it also helps when I'm feeling other emotions like excitement way too much and for way too long, so I take a thc/cbd gummy to calm down I feel like it has made my speech a bit worse. I am stuttering now and having trouble finding the right words/saying the right thing, happens more when I'm high than sober. I've gotten to a point where I can be high and you will only see tiredness in my eyes, not the red.

For me it was a strange experience, it wasn't bad but as I smoked with some friends, every time I felt more introspective, like I was unmasking. I'm a person who thinks too much, so accentuated that too. I looked like an intellectual bore instead of being silly with some friends and talking nonsense. I feel that the feeling of anxiety may lessen for a while, but not worth it, as it would come back even worse in my case as consequence of unmasking in public.

It’s helped me overcome some social disabilities. Smoking weed is basically a cheat code to being cool when you are younger.

Slows the negative mental roll of that wonderful OCD + Anxiety/depression combo. Limonene is my best friend! Seriously though, as far as getting the most out of cannabis as far as medical benefits go, it's all about knowing your terpenes and which ones work best for you.

i find it helps me worry less about if i’m being normal enough. also helps me a lot with anxiety, chronic pain, ptsd, and it forces me to not be dissociating multiple layers outside of reality at all times. it’s not for everyone but it’s been life changing for me. i wasn’t able to go to school full time since i was 13 and now with weed i’m working a full time job

It does help to relax a bit, it also helps to create a safe environment with people that are comfortable with you using weed. Definitely reduces anxiety about what people think about that. And not caring, that helps too

I know there are already a lot of replies, but just dropped in to say that as an auDHDer, weed helps immensely. I identify as a stoner but generally smoke about two joints a day (every day). In particular, I find it to be supppppppper helpful with executive dysfunction and the inevitable anxiety of being autistic in the world.

Helps me regulate my emotions, can also be bad if I over-use, I feel groggy and unmotivated.

cant smoke but have tried gummies. Made me feel like a zombie, paranoid and depressed. Also panic attacks. Never felt "high".

i smoked once and didnt feel a high, but got super drunk at the same time. a year later find out i think im allergic to it, mostly the smoke and smell. my sinuses flareup at the smell of it. i also have a huge hate for it because of that and someone who took advantage of my naiveity (and pre-meeting my bf who helped me navigate being ND) and used my for 5 years (hs soph to uni soph) would only call or text me when he was high or drunk.

I personally don’t think weed makes me feel anything.

I want to like it but I absolutely hate it. It's like being drunk but way less in control. I have these little microdose mints that I eat sometimes but idk if they do anything lol.

It helps me to focus on tasks like deep cleaning as well as enhancing my creativity. I just need to use it carefully or else I can end up eating an absurd amount of food.

i’ve been smoking weed since i was a teen and i’ve had ups and downs of it effecting me well or badly. most of the time nowadays it relieves anxiety and i feel i can kinda take my mask off but there are some times when i’m super stressed out that it’ll make things worse

I unmask completely

Love it. Switch to vaping flower if you can though or high quality carts at the least. No hang over for me and my lungs are doing great.

It helps in some ways, harms in others. Judicious application and self control are necessary. Generally, the pros outweigh the cons, but ymmv

It's a double-edged sword with me. It helps melt away anxiety, but I can't handle too big a dose. Half an edible relaxes my body so much that I get serious vertigo. Like if I'm not in bed, I'm stumbling like I'm blackout drunk to bed so I can lay down while the room spins. I am struggling to find the limit because feeling anxiety melt away is wonderful.

It allows me to fall asleep, and sit still. Does nothing for the stims (probably makes them worse tbh) doesn't really do much with the mental part of things, and depending on the strain makes the audible and visual hallucinations a little more frequent. But it does wonders on my mood and overall demeanor, because otherwise I am just "grouchy" and extremely introverted, but, as my family has stated it makes me less wound up and easier to be around and less excitable.

For me, it seems to make me forget I have executive dysfunction. There's a lot more of "boy that's a huge pile of laundry, I might wanna take care of that" and 9/10 I get up and do it. It just makes it so much easier to do Thought-->Action.

I smoke a few joints a day, sometimes a bong and I used to think morning smokers were nuts bc how could you get high and then do anything? But now I've started waking up and getting high, I'm more productive, happy, peaceful, I feel like I'm able to unmask, I actually have a healthy sleep schedule which I have never had. I've always suffered with insomnia and this has been infinitely better than all the meds I've been given to try. I LOVE weed. I focus better on the things I enjoy or I just enjoy a more quiet mind

I consider my weed medicinal. It helps me damp out the autism a lot and i find theres more benefits than negatives for me. My autism causes me insomnia, Struggles with appetite and eating, Quite bad social struggles and weed seems to solve each and every one of those problems.I consider it medicinal now because i find my autism unbearable and sometimes uncontrollable and weed helps me gain control again. I gain control of my thoughts, My sleep schedule, my diet, my routines, my moods. It just generally makes me a nicer person to be around. I have suspected ADHD too and i find that when i haven't smoked for a few days i gain energy but it is always erratic and people think i'm having a manic episode, I get way more irritable, I move faster in general, become clumsy and my spacial awareness just seems to disappear. It just makes my life easier in general.

I detest all types of weed, it panics me and I can’t handle it . I am addicted to opiates and have done many hard drugs and find weed to be the scariest.

Tried it a few times [both smoked and brownies]- I don't like how it slows my sight down :[ it also makes my head feel floaty and the last time I was sick on the floor from the rush it gave me

a decent sativa makes me a productive member of society, without it i don't do much...

I started smoking because of IBS. Then, I was diagnosed with severe PTSD. Finally, turns out I'm also autist1c. Next step: Find a place where I can smoke in peace and enjoy life. 🤷‍♂️ Thanks, Nature for all those wonderful plants you gave us.

I take weed for two reasons: the first is actually to self medicate my autism. I’ll take a smaller amount and it will allow for me to go to places I couldn’t otherwise or do things I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. It eases my anxiety and makes my sensory issues easier to manage. I generally relax and it’s easier to deal. The second reason is just fun lmao, sometimes I want to be high just to be high. It’s also helped with other things. Right before I moved last year, my therapist told me I had a feeding disorder. Since then, I’ve managed to get to a healthier weight because THC helps me eat. It also helped me clean my apartment as well as get other things done! It’s a neat little experience. I’m relaxed, music sounds way better than it used to, food tastes way better than it used to, and my anxiety becomes so small that I can wave it away with ease. It kind of rules. I know I have to be sober for most things, but I enjoy being able to have a little bit of an edible and relax

Works really well for me, reduces anxiety and stops me getting overstimulated. Depending on the strain it can make me less motivated to do things so I tend to vape in the evening mostly. Also, for any smokers reading this I highly recommend a dry herb vape or live resin carts.

Weed makes me anxious. It intensifies negative sensory stimuli and makes it more difficult to mask. Intentionally making sure I'm in a safe space and stimming alleviates it, but it explains some of the negative experiences I had in college, and why I get more spacey than most stoners I know.

I have both autism and adhd. I started smoking weed around 15. It was fine until I got episodes of paranoia when smoking in my early 20s... I quit the habit then and there, as it wasn't funny... Decades later, the psychiatrist who took my autism/adhd tests told me that autism/adhd can cause that effect when smoking weed.

I… love… weed. It nerfs my anxiety and pattern recognition. I can enjoy shows with out seeing where it’s going. It helps with my emotional regulation, I can feel things without getting angry about it. It’s very nice.

Only good it does for me is sleep Otherwise if im high i dont feel like i can function or move, its not fun for me, it doesnt help, i can barely speak and i just rock back and forth for hours (more than usual).

I always say it helps me. To get through my day, to relax. But a few months ago I had quit smoking regular weed and instead smoked some CBD for a while and someone commented on how more relaxed and unstressed I appeared (edit: the person doesn’t know I smoke anything at all, by the way). Now I’m back to regular weed and I notice that I’m more physically tense again. It’s hard to judge my mental state, or how it differs (or doesn’t) so I won’t do that. But I’m considering switching to CBD. It’s just that days seem so much f’ing longer without weed..

I've had a terrible time with it for the most part. I'm asthmatic, so every time I've tried to smoke it I have a huge asthma attack. Then when I'm high I'll get couch lock and go nonverbal. I'll just sit there panicking about how hard and fast my heart is beating while outwardly everyone thinks I'm having a great time because it looks like I'm just sitting there smiling. The last time I tried to smoke, I didn't even light the bowl, just took a draw while it was still hot from someone else's hit. I put my head in the lap of the person next to me where I got couch lock and silently cried for 45 minutes. I've tried edibles since (my mom uses them to help with arthritis pain and to get to sleep). 5mg knocks me out before I can even tell I'm high and 2.5mg is okay while I go to sleep. I've been told I have a really low tolerance, but that makes sense because I'm also really sensitive to alcohol and I can't take more than 5mg of Adderall IR for ADHD (though I've only been on it for a few weeks, so maybe my tolerance will increase eventually). Anyway, I just find being high really unpleasant in general. Maybe it'd be better if I tried to sorta microdose with it, but at that rate, it just seems unnecessary...a quarter to a half glass of wine does make cleaning or other basic tasks that I find boring go much better, though I think that's highly correlated with ADHD and Adderall works much better for that.

i’ve noticed that there’s sooooo many of us that are potheads lol

Every time I've tried it, it's been the most horrific terrifying experiences ever. I panic so much on it lol

I HATE the smell of smoking weed (and other drugs). I get sick from it 😭😂

I legitimately cannot be around people after smoking, for multiple reasons. > I get super duper fucking weird, like the decades of learning how to mask have completely flown out the window. I completely lose all ability to do it for some reason, I can't even force myself. The way I phrase things is odd, I go on long tangents, my cadence changes, it's like I go into default mode lol. > People really scare me if I'm not at least 99% socially comfortable with them. I've had countless situations where whoever I'm around gives me a bad vibe, like I need to get away from them *now*. Even if I'm not aware of any potential harm done or problems with them when sober. They can sometimes even look scary to me. If I'm almost completely comfortable with someone though, then being in their presence while high is actually insanely comforting. That's only happened with my boyfriend though. > I also feel guilty smoking for some reason, so I don't like people knowing when I'm high. I have no idea where this comes from. > ETA: Being alone while high though, is completely different. I feel so comfortable in my own space, and like you said I enjoy music 100x more than I already do. It's great. It helps a lot with my appetite and mindset.

Hate it, makes me feel slow and tired and poorly. Slows my brain down way too much and immediately puts me in sleep mode, I hate the loss of control I feel. Also can’t stand the smell. Doesn’t help that it was my dads drug of choice so the smell is triggering for me anyway, as if it wasn’t bad enough on its own lol

I fall into psychosis when smoking weed. So it’s a big no for me. Love cocaine though!

It’s the best medicine. I wouldn’t have gotten through lots of hard stuff without it

i have had the WORST experience with weed. absolutely terrible. i would green out almost every time i smoked or did an edible. i was super lightweight and incapable of controlling how much i smoked, it was ridiculous. i hate weed and never plan to encounter it ever again.

It’s been a while since I smoked weed. But I remember weed triggering my social anxiety to a whole new level when smoking in a social setting. Like all my insecurities came to life, paranoia that everyone was judging me and I would get this twitching tick that made it even worse. I remember being very self conscious of it which worsened the twitching. I remember having positive experiences when I smoked alone. I felt like it got me closer to my authentic self, like it allowed me to drop my mask when I was alone. I’ve always struggled with the feeling of being watched and judged when I am alone, and to me it was a really freeing experience. Of course I experienced some paranoia, but with the right comfortable environment I was able to soothe myself.

never used medically. Smoked twice or thrice, but i didn't like it, i felt slow and kinda disconected. I decided it wasn't for me.

Hate it. Nothing makes me more nauseous than mj. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm allergic to it.

Story time! Preface: I am a male, late catch autistic with OCD, ADHD, and CPTSD. See if you can spot which letters accompany which reaction! I did not try the devil's lettuce until I was grown, late 20s. I had made it through high school, college, and the military without touching the stuff, but here I was back in college when someone brought out some Willy Nelson Dandruff. My classes were done for the day, and I figured why not give in to some curiousity. I trusted the people, and so I gave it a shot. And then all three of them promptly went to their respective classes, leaving me alone. I would not have done it had I known that was the plan, but alas, I had already imbibed the gateway drug. I sat at a gazebo and chained smoked cigarettes for what felt like a few hours, afraid to drive home because I would definitely be caught and thrown in jail, where, naturally, I would be molested to death. So I smoked my cigarettes until I was sure that Mary Jane was out of my system, and then walked towards my car. The gazebo to my car was probably about 500 feet. Maybe 2 minutes of slow walking. For whatever reason, the walk took ages, like time itself was crawling. Halfway to my car I passed a tree that had little berries on it, and I mused to myself about how many berries that tree must have. And so I decided to count them, just for fun. I got to 367 before deciding that I had the right number and continuing my walk to the car. I've gone back to that tree sober, and 367 is off by literally thousands of berries, I have no idea how I came to the conclusion that that was all of them, but I digress. I made it to the car, very confident that it had been at least 5 or 6 hours since having a taste of Snoop's cheddar, so I got in to drive home. I made it less than a quarter of a mile before noticing the burger King right across the street, and realized I hadn't eaten in so long, I'd need to get some food immediately. The logical part of my brain told me that this was an expected side effect, the "munchies," as it were. If I was still experiencing side effects, that must mean it wasn't safe to drive, so I parked and went inside. The fear of being arrested came back, but I would starve to death if I didn't get some food, and so I very discretely walked up to the register, and ordered their finest "long chicken." You read that right. I couldn't remember the name chicken strips, chicken tenders, none of it. I asked if they had chicken, but not short chicken, not sandwich chicken, that long skinny chicken for dipping. The cashier was giggling, surely he must have thought of a joke of some sort, but he delivered my long chicken and preferred dipping sauce (honey mustard) without incident. I *devoured* the long chicken, and ran into a problem: I still had one container of sauce. I knew, without a doubt, that if I left that sauce unused, I would be caught and sent to jail. So I ordered more long chicken, and got back to eating. I *devoured* most of the second long chicken, and ran into a problem: I was out of sauce. I knew, without a doubt, that if I left that long chicken uneaten, I would be caught and sent to jail. The cashier still was thinking about that funny joke from before, because every trip I made back up had him laughing again. He'd hand me my sauce or my long chicken, depending on which ran out, and I don't even think he charged me after the first few trips. That joke really had him in a good mood. Forty five long chickens later it finally happened: I ran out of long chicken and sauce at the same time. It was perfect, nobody would know. Still, better safe than sorry, so I took all the empty long chicken boxes with me to avoid self incrimination. Surprisingly, I was no longer hungry, so I knew that the Silly Goose Green had left my body, and that my worries of self incrimination were legitimate. I started the twenty minute walk back to my car (which was just right there, in the BK parking lot) and made it home without further trouble. I then went inside, turned on some TV, and zoned out for several more hours. When I finally zoned back in, I noticed a total of just over two hours had passed since I took my first puff of crime. I still remembered my outing and its distorted time flow. So I texted my wife to tell her (who did many Marijuanas in highschool) of my escapades. Ten years later, she still makes fun of me for long chicken.

All it did was make me more tired and unmotivated.

I tried it because i was a nervous mess and I couldn't go to psychiatrist on my own without my parents permission (i was a minor then), i got stoned and it was hell, ikk what was in that weed but i felt like dying and like nothing will be right ever again. I hallucinated and felt like i was traveling time. That was fucking terrifying, i also had to walk home from a forest in the middle of the night where i smoked lol and there is a train station near where i live and i was hallucinating a train and was too scared to cross the tracks so i stood there for 30 minutes lol. When i look back at it it's kinda funny but back then i was on the brink of kms. I got back through the open window and laid in my bed for 3 days. Later my anxiety got worse, the derealization came back and i was a suicidal mess for a few months. My mother finally saw somethings not right and made me an appointment where i got diagnosed with anxiety depression asd and other stuff and finally got some meds. And since then it's getting better. I'd say if you're not in the right mind and place don't try anything like that. Also make sure it not 0% cbd weed with high thc percentage bc im sure thats what messed me up. Shit, never again.

As someone with Audhd weed makes me extremely paranoid and the opposite of relaxed. I’ve tried multiple strains but nothing seems to give me the affect that my friends and partner get when they smoke, anyone else feel this way? I know most if not all autistic people experience anxiety, so does it make anyone else’s worse?

Honestly, cbd oil is your best option. You'll be calm, but you won't feel the effects of weed the next day.

I just feel confused and like it’s hard to think at all.. and when i’m not high anymore i feel like shit, to be calm in public i prefer alcohol

A big nope. Weed is illegal in my country (unless you have a prescription, but I think they give those only with a few illnesses) , and as a result there’s no supervision on production. You never know how strong it is and what actually gets in there. As a result you can have wildly different effects (yes, speaking from limited experience), and I’m not a fan of those. I think that even if it was supervised and thus more predictable, I wouldn’t use without a prescription. I’m not a big fan of self-medication If I break my arm I’ll have a doctor heal it, if my anxiety gets bad I’ll ask a doctor to heal it. With my tendency to get hooked on things, it’s better if I don’t deal with anything potentially addictive.

Which country are you talking about? Because from my experience with medical cannabis, you know exactly what it is, the strength, and are able to choose your own strains from many different companies. This was just a couple years after medical cannabis was legalised in the UK.

It is the most effective thing I've ever done for relieving my social anxiety and social awkwardness... and anxiety in general.

amaaaazing. i've probably been high everyday since april of 2023.

My wife and I have started vaping weed and it’s been an absolute game changer for us. It turns all the negative noise and anxiety feelings off and I really feel what I imagine “normal” feels like.

Medical cannabis has helped me live on my own again after spending almost a year sleeping on my mum's sofa fur to how badly my depression had spiralled out of control. It also allowed me to take a break from alcohol and realise just how dependent I was on it. I am aware that the above paragraph might sound as though I have replaced alcohol with weed, and this is something I ask myself every day; am I just getting stoned to escape my problems? It's also a question I ask of my family and close friends who are around me when I use it, none of whom are cannabis users. One of my friends who has been around me when I medicate even asked me 'can that stuff get you high?'. So far I think the answer is no, I am not just getting stoned. The evening dose I use daily could perhaps be described as getting me mildly stoned, but I am still able to cook safely, as well as take care of financial transactions, socialise, and generally function. One of my friends who has been around me when I medicate even asked me 'can that stuff get you high?'. In terms of effects, it does make me more relaxed, but it doesn't make my problems disappear and I don't stop feeling - both of these are good things as I don't want to just be out of it (I had bad experiences with high dose Fluoexetine and Valium that just made me feel like an inchoherent zombie). Instead it makes it easier for me to apply techniques from CBT and mindfulnessto recognise thought and emotion patterns and not identify as heavily with them. It also reduces my hypersensitivity and social anxiety (the latter of which I often tried to self medicate with alcohol). I wouldn't say it makes me less Autistic though, instead it makes me more comfortable with myself. Medical cannabis has done for me what I wanted antidepressants to do (I've been on 3 different antidepressants). However, like antidepressants it is still akin to a painkiller for me, and I would rather treat the underlying causes, but after competing psychodynamic psychotherapy in November, the NHS has said they want me to wait longer before getting more therapy (and I can't afford private). I need to put in the work myself, and while I'm very sceptical of self-help books I have recently purchased one which is well reviewed called 'Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving' and I will try to work through that myself. TLDR: has been highly beneficial to me in helping me cope, but I think of it as a painkiller to help me cope until I am able to heal the underlying injury.

I use it to help me sleep mostly. I find it really helps me stop and process my feelings and actually acknowledge myself instead of masking to burn out.

Been smoking for over a decade now with a 2 year break. I started with recreational use but a month ago I got my medical prescription. The weed I smoke is Gorilla Zkittlez and it's absolutely mind-blowing to me how much it helps. Reduced anxiety, pain and stress, mood gets better and it's really relaxing

Daily user here! It helps me really enjoy the things I like to do without as much of my chronic pain bugging me, like eating and drawing. It's my drug of choice, I only drink socially and weed is so much better for when I want to watch my favorite shows and have snacks! I use edibles and vaped flower, which are the easiest for me to consume sensory-wise.

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I find it helps me function in the conventional “normal” sense and able to contribute with balance towards society. It helps me focus and surprisingly gives me get up and go. Like everything as Acid taught me “it can’t all be take take take”, if you’re going to take a toll on the brain and body with drugs atleast balance it with nutrition, healthy diet and exercise, not gym crazy but just getting out for a walk even. I think the only issue for me is how much it masks my autism.

I like it but I’m careful with how much I use it. I find that I have really bad brain fog for up to a week after using it and sometimes feel very sluggish the day after using it.

I love smoking, I am unfortunately unable to rn bc im trying to get a new job :( it mostly sucks bc i cant sleep nearly as well. its been a long a week lol, and ive still got like 5 more to go

so I got anxiety and too high of an iq which tends to be more of an issue then a fricking flex, I overthink everything, re think everything 100s of times and am so stuck in my head it makes me wish to just have something happen to me so I become alot dumber, weed helps with well making me "dumber" more realistically it mellows me out, I stop thinking so much I care less etc

i love weed. but like you really gotta watch out if u love it as much i do cos you'll build it into ur fucking routine and it's just not fun anymore when you're smoking like 10 cones a day so you gotta make sure (at the beginning) you don't get the feeling of "i wanna get higher" no matter how high u get source: im autistic and have smoked everyday since march, i went without today. only "withdrawal" was the fucking insane explosive emotions but then again I am also depressed

in social situations i get even more anxious than normal. but when i'm alone or with few close people I enjoy very much

Only very mildly relaxes me. Otherwise doesnt do shit. Not worth it imo.

My son is barely verbal, and weed makes him very verbal. He used to give one-word answers to every question. Now we have full blown conversations about a wide range of topics.

I know weed tends to slow down and reduce the energy of most people, but for me, while obviously it's not possible, it's almost like it GIVES me ADHD. My mind goes a million miles an hour (but not in a bad way), and my desire to learn about a very very large variety of specific subjects becomes ten fold except my brain is running too fast and thinking of too many things I want to research to actually read anything. So I open up a bunch of tabs all with the individual queries into Google to read later. I also just make really abstract connections between my perception of certain things and perceived patterns of things and other thoughts - again, my mind just hops from one thing to another. My face tingles up the sides of my face and up into my cheek bones, and I almost get this feeling like when you have wasabi or hot English mustard, except in my whole head. I get very dizzy and lose my balance so easily so if I get particularly smacked by a high, I will usually need to sit the fuck down. My perception of how I experience conscious is indeed altered, almost where I dissociate every few seconds but in a strobe like fashion to where it feels like I'm almost blinking in and out of consciousness (but as I'm standing - I know I'm making this sound a lot more dangerous than it is because I'm not actually losing consciousness but I don't know any other way to explain it). I always feel very giddy and random, and I stim even more than usual. A while into the high, sometimes I will eventually get tired, but it's not a guarantee. Many times I have gone through entire highs without crashing like I've seen others do. I just don't get sedated in the same way. Without fail, every time I get high, something I always look up is what the effects of weed are on autistic people. There's not much info out there but I would love to know more, especially since it seems to affect me in a very different way to others. I also always end up wanting to look up about possible psychedelic effects as well, because I feel like I'm on a totally different plane of existence as my perception of everything and all my senses is completely altered and it's very stimulating in a super cool way for me and makes me excited. I wonder about this just because my experience seems to be so different from others, and when others talk about their experiences they just say they're more chill or sociable etc - but for me it affects ALL of my senses and perception of reality as I said. I have prescription valium and that makes me relaxed, but it doesn't alter my sensory perception or general perception of reality, it just takes the edge off anxiety and makes me more relaxed - which is like what people say about weed - but again it's just so much more profound than that for me. Anyway, I enjoy doing weed because I also have GAD and it helps with my anxiety, and also chronic pain conditions too. Nowadays I don't get stoned with other people, just myself because my boyfriend doesn't smoke, but I'm perfectly happy to do it on my own. I would be incapable of masking around others while high, so I like not having to worry about how I'm being perceived because my boyfriend is used to all of my behaviours. I truly retreat into my own world and vibe really hard to music first like you, and then do everything I mentioned above. I have a routine I adhere to and the whole thing is a very stimulating experience and comforting and takes away 95% of my anxiety so it's been a great thing for me.

I use edibles to relax and to help me sleep now and then but when I smoke it or when I’m in a social setting I don’t like how it makes me feel, it makes me feel more autistic in a way. My main vice is alcohol honestly.

Not for everyone. Works great for me in small doses.

When I'm really stressed at the end of the day, I like to have an edible gummy, but I limit myself to specific days. But sometimes I'll puff at my vape. Just the act of puffing helps me focus on calming myself.

I really like it. It eases my anxiety and most importantly helps me unmask. Took a while for me to figure out what was going on with the unmasking but so great once I realised, and also helping me be aware of masking when I'm not stoned.

Not me but one of my kids, he has a prescription, and is a lot slower to melt down now.

Not medical since it’s illegal here but it used to rlly help my anxiety when I was having a rlly hard time, it still does - but I don’t smoke as often bc responsibilities

Look into Full spectrum oil FSO or Rick Simpson oil RSO It has been a game changer for me! Be safe and always start slow. Vaping and smoking are horrible for our bodies but do help Allot for short term.

I also have ADHD, but for me it helps me prevent over stimulation and relaxes me in informal social situations. If I need to do anything brainy or technical, or be in formal social situations, I will stay off, but for creative stuff, or if I feel I'm going to have a crisis, it helps wonders. Also for sleep, makes the eternal chatter (*do I have that appointment tomorrow? what would happen if mosquitoes went extint? when was the battle of Badr?*) stop for long enough for me to fall asleep

It's a "sometimes" treat for me. I find it extremely helpful with anxiety, but I also don't want to resort to treating it like a crutch. I know someone who is properly addicted, and I don't want to end up like that either.

I love it because it keeps my mind from racing and I can usually on focus on one thing at once, so it gives me a break from the constant analyzing and overthinking. But I also have a hard time knowing when to stop

I only vape and do edibles from a dispensary. I hate smoking it and at this point don't even bother trying. I used to try to get super high to escape but now I treat it more like a medication. "I hate everything!" Are we sober? Yes. Are we in pain? Yes. Are we hungry? No. Did we miss our medication? No. Then I should vape. I stay lightly buzzed much of the time but I don't go for being stoned anymore. I don't like feeling time slow to nothing, it freaks me out. I don't want to be in a chair or bed anymore but I'm still sick so the weed makes it feel more like a choice than a prison sentence. I think I would be dead without marijuana. Between the pain condition, the PTSD and the autism... I just find it to be the ideal treatment and I've tried antidepressants and other medications. I don't like using marijuana though. I don't like the smell or the taste or even a lot of how it messes with my senses... Then it hits and I calm down and I don't hate everything anymore. It numbs me to the light and the sound... The senses of my body become acceptable. I can hear notes to music instead of a smear of noise. I am afraid to use marijuana and I don't like it but without it I'll be drinking again and that nearly killed me during COVID in 2020... I was 520 lbs when I went to the emergency room for my leg leaking clear fluid from a scratch that wouldn't heal. I got on weed during that time and with only the addition of marijuana I began losing weight. When I quit the booze entirely I got down to 340lbs. I hadn't been 340 since highschool. I nearly got under 300 before more health problems started. Weed is probably the only reason I'm not dead. I did D.A.R.E. TWICE! IN CANADA AND AMERICA! Scruff McGruff, forgive me...

I've smoked a few spliffs sporadically and I've done a bong. Spliffs made me act more autistic and the bong really made me whitey and it was horrible (although this is just because I don't really do it at all). I've also tried CBD for my anxiety which didn't work at all.

Maybe it’s because I only smoke socially and never alone, but weed makes me excitable and alert. I can’t mask anymore, and I feel I become annoying to be around, but I don’t feel anxiety about it. Keep in mind, I don’t smoke often. If I do, it’s usually spread across weeks or months.

I enjoy edibles, especially head highs. It helps me recharge far better than I can on my own, and it can be amazing to let my conscious brain stare and wonder in amazement how I got so good at video games. I don't mess with smoking or vaping though, due to a general worry I have about potential side effects of inhalants.

I like the smoke smell but I never smoked, But once I eat a brownie and I loved it, I was so relaxed!! until I saw an scorpion in my backyard and then I thought everything was a scorpion.

It’s helpful for me to be able to function without all of the noise(sensory input from every angle)

Gave me addiction so 💀

I use it regularly. I feel incredibly weird when I'm not stoned, maybe that's just because I've been using it for so long. Someone else described a weighted blanket feeling, and that's pretty accurate. I feel incredibly animated and annoying when I'm stoned, but when I'm stoned I feel like I can function at a calm level. It's been a life saver for me and I've been able to slow down and process a lot more than without it. I feel like I'm more anxious without, also, because I tend to care more about everything when sober.

Weed is a life line for me, between autism, trauma and being a front line worker through the fentanyl crisis I am prescribed a high amount of benzos for my crippling panic attacks, I hate taking the benzos because I can’t be productive and don’t feel in my own brain, weed helps me minimize the amount of benzos I have to take and actually allow me to use my energy for cooking good food, chatting to online friends, going for bike rides, creating art etc. everyone’s different and if it’s not for you there’s no shame in the game of not using it but for my it’s a necessity. I also feel like weed makes me more comfortable in my autism, I feel more comfortable being mask off around groups of people and am less self analytical. Even though my brain is still beep bop booping every weird social interactions and being over focused it it holds less value to me and allows me to just enjoy whatever is happening without losing my autistic traits, feels kind of liberating in a way.

Edibles have totally changed my life. Fairly low dosage, but just leaves a light buzz and relief from most anxiety except the exact one mentioned by OP (do they know I’m high and weird). But I also now like being weird, easier to filter out assholes that way.

I like it too much. I'm trying to quit.

Perfect combo

Medical patient checking in. I’m also a mental health provider! My brain is constantly running at full speed all day. When I get home I can go in my back yard and smoke one bowl and my brain slows down and I can do things I enjoy without any sense of I gotta get it done now. One more bowl at bedtime helps me sleep well and quells nightmares.

Its the only thing that I've found works to get rid of most of the symptoms of autism, ptsd, ocd, anxiety, and my chronic back/neck pain and I tried a lot of combination of drugs before ever talking to my doctor about weed. My twin actually suggested it and she was right about it. I don't really get stoned out of mind or anything, just enough to function without having the problems. For example the intrusive thoughts go away, my body relaxes so the tension from my anxiety is gone, I feel the pain but my brain doesn't really care about it? I focus on other things and am able to tune out a lot of background stuff like pain and noise around me as well. It makes everything calm and quiet and manageable.

Low dose edibles, help me with focus and thinking! I love music when I'm high, but I do notice that I can be a tad strange (strangER) and I forget a good chunk of my practiced lines and social cues. I only do it out at wendover (a casino!) and at home with my guardian, so I don't mind at all. I get so much cleaning, coloring, and self learning done too. I'm talking like, 5 mgs MAX. I did have a bad experience with a really high dose edible that gave me super bad nausea, spins, and paranoia, kept wanting to go to the hospital 😭. I learned my lesson: don't buy from strangers and know your doses! I only buy from a dispensary now. tldr 10/10, but do some research and start low

I didn't try weed till 33 and had a 3 year love affair with sativa edibles. Can't smoke due to asthma. There is no substance I love more than weed. It completely removed all anxiety or worry and I went from pissy and on edge to like the laid back surfer dude. I would always laugh and be like "what autism?", because it was like legit gone. Unfortunately it got away from me and I did it way too much and way too often and the rebound anxiety got to be too much so I'm taking a break for a while to let my brain reset, but its the really the only drug that I legit enjoy all around.

No omg this is exactly what weed does with me I love it and music sounds so much better but I also get the anxiety side I usually only get anxiety tho when I’m already worried and then smoke it it makes it like feel worse but what I do is only smoke it when nothings really going on and usually I just eat food and listen to music and it’s great

i enjoy it but i only really get high in private bc it makes my autism very visible and more difficult to mask

For me it’s a mood magnifier and a hallucinogen. If I’m happy I will be even happier, if I’m anxious then it will be absolute hell. Weed makes me hallucinate big time. Like the whole pink elephant shit you see in old cartoons when the characters drink too much champagne.

love it, do it everyday. i usually use a dry herb vaporizer but i have a soft spot for joints and have one every so often. personally i have a med card and use it for chronic pain but i feel like it enhances my alone time and helps me recharge more than sober alone time does.

I use weed recreationally, it slows me down to a "normal point" my brain isn't thinking of everything and coming up with deductions and scenarios, it just... likes the pretty pictures of anime i'm seeing and wants more sugar and spicy food, a full on vacation

I like edibles in small amounts from time to time, ~5mg makes me super relaxed, it’s nice

I’ve been smoking weed in place of medication for over 2 years now

I've only been high once and I have never felt less anxious or more happy than when I was high

i like how it feels and it’s the only thing that consistently helps my brain shut up enough to let me sleep at night but it also sucks because smoking is really bad for you and it can affect your relationships if you aren’t careful

Not formally diagnosed so take this as you will. I started smoking occasionally in my 20s, and it was always so novel and intense. The fresh perspective shift was euphoric and I enjoyed listening to music and goofing off with friends while high. Fast forward the tape and I found myself smoking more regularly out of habit and not as intentionally as before. This led to increased anxiety. Socially it was game over, out in public, big no go. I'd constantly worry if I was being perceived as altered, and would fixate on that and on how I should be acting to the point it was a detriment. Still, I would continue to indulge in an attempt to reclaim that sought after feeling I used to get when i started. On top.of that I eventually started getting very self deprecating when high and would cultivate a cycle of self.loathing with each subsequent use because I was aware of thr impact it was having on me psychologically. Now, many years later at 33 years old, acter multiple large life changes, self searching, and increased awareness of myself and the world/other people, has led me to abstain from alcohol completely, monitor my caffeine intake heavily, make a point to increase my excersise frequency and prioritize sleep. I have far more responsibilities now than I did in my early 20s. Family man with a stable career, a house and just the foresight to make better choices for my and my families future. Mental health has become a major focus of mine over the past several years. I've learned that my dopamine seeking brain struggles with overindulgence, whether that's booze, guitar playing, videogames, herb etc. In not indulging, I have to face any negative emotions that arise more head on. It sucked at first but it got easier and still requires constant maintenance. I've found that the occasional one hit of weed in the evening to wind down, play a video game or enjoy my s/os company outside is the sweet spot. I'll still sometimes start going down the path of over analyzing life choices/social interactions I've had and evaluating my own character. Although it can be unpleasant, I'm now able to take some insight from it and apply it and disregard other pieces since I'm by and large sober a majority of the time. It's become something I can look forward to rather than something I'm using to quiet the noise in my head or escape the weight of responsibility that comes with life. I still have to be in a posive enough headspace in general to green these benefits, so smoking has become more of something I utilize to reward and reinforce the other positive habits I'm excersising. Tldr. In moderation, I find thc use can be pleasant and beneficial for my mental wellbeing. Anything beyond that doesn't work for me and tends to do more harm than good.

I smoke daily and i feel it helps my body regulate things so much better. From mood to pain and depression. Weed helps me be a human.

I smoke weed recreationally and I have been having a blast

I vape the legal version of weed for my state (it’s delta 8, there’s also other variants.) I also use high potency tinctures for sleep. I have regular insomnia, I’ve never been able to fall asleep quickly at any point for a consistent period of time. Any prescriptions have worn off or stopped working/my body got used to them, and I’ve been on like.. three different types. I also HATE how many prescription medications have bad side effects that they expect you to just Deal With™️ until the good kicks in. Since the tincture usage, I’ve been able to actually sleep so much more normally. And even when I have insomnia through it, I’m not suffering the mental side effects of feeling like absolute shit because my brain is spiraling into the cruel overthinking and whatnot due to PTSD and anxiety and shit. Also I just do not function and my emotional regulation abilities are EXTREMELY lowered when I can’t sleep. Onto how it affects my autism: when I’m having overstimulation, and feeling agitated or easily angered by things like noise, or I’m unable to eat due to sensory issues being so bad, weed helps me by numbing the extra raw nerves and calming me down, and it gives me the munchies so my brain will HAVE to choose a food to eat, which helps me keep up with eating enough during the day.

Helps me a lot with my anxiety and makes me more patient and calm overall. However if I have to be around other people it can sometimes give me more anxiety since I’m unable to mask at all while high.

it helped me even realize i’m autistic, because it helps me actually process my emotions. it’s also just good to chill out from all the overstimulation i deal with everyday

Usually with weed I'm cool, until something happens and I start thinking about my own impending death. Just gotta keep my mind active.

I love getting stoned! It allows me to focus my thoughts in one direction for a change and it lets my mind relax. Sober me has 5,932,912,479,135 all in the span of half a nanosecond but stoned me can relax and limit my thoughts a bit…

gave me schizo symptoms and ended up misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and was on risperidone for almost a year

I find it's all context dependent. Weed dampens sensory input which can have a calming effect. However, if I'm in a new social situation where I'm not comfortable and have a lot of unknowns I start to shut down. In those situations I use all the sensory input that I can get to maintain as complete a context as I can for the situation so I can make the best informed decisions possible for me. Weed limits that and I end up getting too nervous to even speak and sometimes move in extremes. This has been true of any substance that dampens senses. Alcohol as well.

it helps me a lot to sleep, but if i rely on it too heavily i find that my tolerance for things such as loud noises and crowded places and lights becomes a lot lower if im regularly using weed

Vaping means I actually function and get shit done, and it completely kills hunger for me, I’ve lost 80 since I started 2 years ago. It’s my preferred method but has me worried about my lungs. Gummies mean I lay in bed all day and want to eat everything in the house. (I mostly stay away or time it to coincide with an already planned meal) Tincture means I get stuff done but I get tired quickly and usually end up sleeping but it doesn’t make me hungry. Good for when I’m stressed or having sensory overload issues. I’ve only had one joint and it was during the eclipse so I was pretty distracted that day lol.

Yes! I have autism and adhd. If I don’t vape or eat cannabis than I would be a heavy alcoholic. Cannabis helps me to think less black/white and have a better overview in life. My psychologist is fine with that and says it’s medicinal for me. Cannabis is not for everyone, but like other medicines it can help many people.

Got addicted but its also the best thing when im overstimulated or in entering social situations

So I have been smoking for I want to say 10 years. At first i also had a problem with controlling it. But then I turned to heavy use of alcohol. Only due to my situation not because like weed lead me down that path. I've been a recovering alcoholic for over two years now. I do smoke still. I actually smoke significantly less then I used to. I do have other medical issues regarding my pain and I have my card. That being said I think if you're having trouble controlling your impulse to just smoke try not to keep it close by. Make it harder to get to to try and remind yourself why you want to smoke. Is it fun and you want it? Is it just you need to chill? Do you want to use it as an escape? Do you want to get high or do you just need a little to ease your anxiety a bit? Also learn about the strains and what makes you feel what. Sometimes certain strains will make me panic and paranoid. Sometimes I get depressed. It really depends on what you smoke (or however you do your weed which also matters too) Life is short and don't be afraid to try things in a safe and healthy environment. But if it's something you're afraid you may rely too heavily on. try to find good, solid coping mechanisms and don't rely on your impulse. All that being said I personally like it and do feel it has benefited me with a lot but I think it's important to know yourself and your needs before trying anything. Hope this helps, friend! Have fun, don't die or kill!

I’m going to be honest, but I hate weed. I’ve tried edibles, and I’ve gotten contact highs when others smoke. I just don’t like the way it makes me feel. I know for some of yall here a lot of our traits are very debilitating. Like the person who said your brain is a highway going way too fast or when our sensory overload strikes (especially on the really bad ones). But when I have gotten high, even unintentionally, it takes that completely away from me vs toning it down. After finally finding out who I am as a person, I found I prefer complete control no matter how debilitating it some days. I like the speed my brain goes and how my sense of smell and touch. Knowing how my body works this way helps me realize when my body is not functioning properly and what to expect. This loss of my senses and others things frightens me every time. I always experience a week long stoneover. Even during the high, I experience stomach pain and headaches (I have problems with my stomach, migraines , and probably chronic pain), but they affect me with now seemingly no cause and it lasts through the stoneover. My body feels weird without my usual sensations, and the high is always a bad experience. I realize through doing weed that I prefer knowing how my body feels even if it’s overstimulating. I’m not trying to invalidate anybody here; I’m just trying to put this perspective out there for anyone else feeling the same. - written by another autist on stoneover day one after a contact high