memory that has been shot to piecies
concentration destroyed
head feels cloudy
ect
what i learnt from other ppls posts is that this is kinda common but most ppl smoke so much that the effects are masked by the regular smoking.
I was also told that this should take a maximum of 3months till you will be back to normal, it has been just over 3months since i stopped... and i still feel really average, i struggle to remember what i watched on tv the night before and my uni concentration is still terrible...
like ive heard ppl smoke for 7yrs straight and they feel fine, i guess what im asking is will i ever go back to normal, or have i damaged my brain enough for it to be perminant... please help would love to hear back from ppl/ would love to hear some advice from anyone who has gone through similar experiences
I think there are a couple of factors going on here. Firstly, the dope use & secondly, your change in routine.
I'll address the second factor first. You said that you smoked for a few months & then stopped when you started back at uni. Perhaps getting back in to the swing of regular learning was a factor in your cloudy head, lack of concentration & constant tiredness. They are not uncommon when having to get back in the routine of lectures, seminars & academic organisation.
However, as you've attributed the cause of your problems to the dope, so I'll elaborate on that too.
It's possible that it's had an effect, but if that was the only period of time that you've smoked; it's highly unlikely that there is any permanent neuronal damage. How long it will last depends on the individual & intensity of smoking (i.e. how long, how much, what grade of cannabis).
What mazcan87 said is somewhat right. Long term marijuana use can lead to permenant working memory problems (I use the term working memory, as this is a more current theory to the memory model). However, there is no evidence that these problems remain severe- especially if the smoker stops. While dopamine plays a part in the coding & retention of memories- it's not the be all and end all of memory formation. And while long-term, heavy marijuana use has shown to effect the levels of dopamine & serotonin (and adrenaline, among a few other neurotransmitters); the biggest risk a smoker develops is schizophrenia & mental health problems (i.e. social anxiety, panic attacks, depression).
And- sorry, mazcan87, you're wrong. How long marijuana takes to work through the system depends on the person & length/stregnth of marijuana use. THC is stored in fat cells and breaks down slowly- how long it takes to come out of your system depends on your BMI. You can't necessarily state 3 months- it can be up to 6 months for some people.
However, despite the time spent in your system- you don't experience the mental affects (i.e. the stoned feeling) in these months, as the THC remaining in your fat cells gets deposited through urine, saliva & sweat (thus, drug tests being able to trace it).
The neuronal effects (i.e. increases & decreases in neurotransmitters) are due to 'brain-training'. To explain; after an event in the brain happening often (say an increase in dopamine)- it expects it to happen. When it doesn't, it depletes itself of what's there. THC encourages the reuptake or blocking of chemicals- in the case of dopamine, the reuptake. This means that the chemical keeps being 'recycled' by particular synapses. When the THC doesn't arrive, the levels of dopamine plummet, because there's no reuptake- hence the negative effects of quitting. Too much of a reuptake of dopamine can lead to long-term brain behaviour of erratic dopamine reuptake.
Hope this helps calm some of your fears.
THB, I think your symptoms are quite likely to be connected to going back to uni. You have upcoming assessments & expectations & your lifestyle has had to go back to being more controlled and organised. If you are experiencing the effects of dope smoking, it's more than likely that these symptoms will calm down within a few weeks, as long as you don't continue smoking.
Best of luck.
V
all the best to everyone else
I am 17 years old now and was about 13 years old when I first smoked weed. For the past 2.5 years I have smoked everyday or have at least tried to. I was what you call a late bloomer with puberty and everything. Now looking back on all the money time and effort I put into smoking makes me with I could start my life over. I can't remember jack sh*t now a days as I am faced with a rigorous calculus class and all of my college essays. The amounts of stress that build up over time and take over my mental and emotional control are unreal. I have no energy towards my endeavors or school work. I say I try not to slack off but my mental mind set is permanently stoned and used to procrastination. Long story short I would stop smoking I until your sh*t is in line or you are a full frown medically prescribed adult.
I heard it is possible to devolpe aids from smoking strong weed is this plausible.