With weed increasing in legality, you may be asking yourself: How does cannabis impact my brain?
There are two parts to the cannabis plant that are psychoactive – meaning, they affect our brain. These two are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).
- THC is responsible for the “high” feeling
- CBD is responsible for regulating the “high” feeling to ensure it doesn’t harm us too much.
In our brain is a system called the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system in the brain is important for regulating mood, focus, sleep, appetite, memory, and stress responses. The main responders in the system are called endocannabinoids – they’re sent out to help when they’re needed.
We discussed caffeine and ADHD recently (here’s a link in case you missed it), and just like how caffeine is similar enough to adenosine to attach to the adenosine receptors in the brain – making us feel less tired even though in reality we’re still tired, – THC (mainly) does the same thing to the endocannabinoid receptors.
The clincher?
Unlike the caffeine-ADHD connection, this switching of responders in the system directly releases large amounts of dopamine.
In regular function, endocannabinoids help us with having appropriate dopamine responses to stress, focus, and eating. THC specifically increases this dopamine response, whereas CBD could actually help regulate the dopamine response. In other words:
The Brain= A Factory that produces and manages focus, mood, and motivation.
Endocannabinoids = Contract workers that show up when needed, fix small problems, keep the machines humming, and leave when the job’s done. Very precise, very responsive.
THC = The overbearing boss that storms in uninvited, takes over the workers’ stations, pulls every lever at once, and initially speeds up some production. But over time? He tires everyone out, and a lot of the contract workers end up quitting. This makes the boss have to work even harder (aka – needing higher and higher doses).
CBD = The chill boss that doesn’t take over anything, but quietly supports the workers. This boss can actually make the contract workers (endocannabinoids) get better at their job. Interestingly, this chill boss can also manage the overbearing boss and get them to not be such an ass to the workers.
This is exactly why it is recommended that if you use cannabis products, be sure to take a 50/50 ratio of TCH to CBD at minimum. Ideally, the ratio of CBD would be even higher. Does that mean the “high” won’t be as strong? Yes. But it also means it won’t harm your brain’s endocannabinoid system as much – something that, according to the research, is already dysregulated in the ADHD brain. To learn more about this, give this article a read.
General Guidelines for Use
While getting high can be enjoyable, there are some important long-term effects of weed on ADHD that are important to be aware of. Below are the general optimal guidelines to follow if you want to still use weed products without making things worse for yourself in the long run. Check out this article for more information on optimal guidelines for people with ADHD.
- Choose edible versions over inhaled versions
- Take no more than 10mg at a time
- Consume this no more than twice a week
- Ensure your blend is at minimum 50/50 CBD to THC, favoring CBD.
- Do not use if under 21 years of age.
If you microdose – using 1mg or less, – you can use it more often than the twice a week without significant negative impacts. If you are prescribed this, please continue to follow your physician’s directions.
Introducing the ADHD Nutrition Research Library
You’ve just read about how cannabis affects your ADHD brain – but what about the foods you eat every day? Just like with weed, there’s a TON of misinformation out there about ADHD and nutrition.
What if I told you that most of what you’ve heard about ADHD nutrition is… well, wrong?
Here’s what you get:
- 70 pages of practical, science-backed nutrition strategies specifically for ADHD brains
A supportive community chat where you’ll connect with fellow ADHDers navigating food struggles (because we all know how hard meal planning can be!)
Direct access to me – I’ll be there to provide research insights and answer your questions
Stop experimenting with your brain. Start understanding it.
Whether you’re using cannabis therapeutically or looking for alternatives, proper nutrition is the foundation your ADHD brain needs to thrive.
P.S. Just like with cannabis research, I cut through the noise to bring you what actually works – no pseudoscience, just evidence-based nutrition strategies for ADHD.
