As more cannabis users smoke regularly, their brain produces less dopamine, an important neurotransmitter for motivation. People who began smoking cannabis at an earlier age produce even less dopamine.
Psychosis and schizophrenia can worsen in those already living with them or with genetic predisposition to them, and impair thinking, memory and judgment processes.
1. Increased Dopamine Production
Cannabis contains compounds that interact with your brain’s endocannabinoid system, an intricate network of receptors, signalling molecules and enzymes which play an essential role in regulating sleep, mood and appetite regulation. THC, the psychoactive component found in cannabis, binds with CB1 receptors located near movement control areas to stimulate neuron firing and dopamine production within these brain regions.
Smoked THC enters your bloodstream through your lungs, traveling directly to the brain where it can have various effects ranging from euphoria and anxiety reduction to paranoia and pain relief via CB2 receptor bindings within your nervous system.
However, frequent marijuana consumption can reduce dopamine production and lead to reduced responses to rewards as well as decreased motivation and feelings of wellbeing. Researchers used PET scans to monitor radiolabelled molecules binding with dopamine receptors in the brain and found that heavy cannabis users experienced lower dopamine release than non-users.
Researchers suspect this to be due to cannabis’ long-term use leading to reduced dopamine levels in an area of the brain called the striatum, which controls reward and impulsive behavior; low dopamine levels may then contribute to decreased motivation and difficulty thinking clearly.
2. Decreased Serotonin Production
Serotonin (5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter which plays a crucial role in mood and cognitive functioning, as well as physiological processes such as vasoconstriction and vomiting. An excessively high dosage of serotonin may produce similar symptoms to cannabis overdose such as drowsiness, dizziness and agitation.
THC appears to inhibit serotonin from being reabsorbed back into the brain, increasing its exposure and thus leading to less production by your mind of this chemical. As a result, production declines.
Problematic levels of serotonin interfere with normal brain functioning, leading to depression, anxiety and other psychological conditions; additionally, low levels may also contribute to chronic pain as well as other physical health concerns.
Studies have revealed that regular cannabis use may result in reduced serotonin production, possibly explaining why some users report feeling depressed after smoking marijuana. Serotonin plays a vital role in cognitive function, impulsive behavior and attention; so to protect these functions it’s best to limit cannabis use and select high-quality products with safe dosages; if in doubt about any decision regarding dosage speak with a qualified healthcare provider before beginning anything new.
3. Increased Anxiety
Cannabis has the power to profoundly change how you feel. THC, its primary psychoactive ingredient, stimulates areas of your brain that respond to pleasure from food and sexual pleasure; this causes euphoria.
At higher doses, marijuana may cause anxiety to surface more. Research shows that long-term use of high-THC marijuana, also known as “skunk”, increases risk for anxiety disorder and depression – particularly among young adults.
Studies suggest that CBD, which does not cause anxiety-inducing side effects, could reduce it. Unfortunately, however, these were small scale and relied heavily on self-reported information rather than healthcare records; additionally there wasn’t any control group of individuals who did not use cannabis during these experiments.
Peace finds many of her clients come to her seeking relief from anxiety. She strives to help them learn healthier coping mechanisms. For anyone considering cannabis use, Peace recommends low-THC varieties with high concentrations of CBD as these tend to be safer than high-THC varieties that aren’t regulated or may contain other drugs – which could potentially cause hallucinations and psychosis, especially if predisposed.
4. Decreased Memory
People who smoke cannabis tend to have less of an ability to memorize things. This occurs because THC binds with CB1 receptors in their brains and makes it harder for neurotransmitters to access these receptors – the chemical messengers responsible for your mood, movement, memory and more.
Chronic cannabis use could also result in structural changes to the brain, with significant implications for learning and memory. A meta-analysis of several studies revealed that individuals who used marijuana had smaller hippocampi than nonusers – although whether these changes are permanent remains unknown; more research should be conducted.
Another theory suggests that cannabis contributes to forgetting by interfering with how your brain processes and stores information, making memories harder to access and concentration issues more likely. Furthermore, marijuana can alter what we see, hear, or feel, which is known as hallucinating.
Prohibitionists have long asserted that cannabis is toxic and will permanently alter your mind, yet evidence doesn’t support this claim. Some patients using medical cannabis experience relief from symptoms of chronic pain that helps decrease other medications needed and improve quality of life.