Understanding the Impact of Cannabis on Brain Functioning
Research and personal accounts have long debated the impact of cannabis on brain health, especially for individuals with seizure disorders. This article explores how cannabis affects brain functioning and whether smoking it can lead to significant changes or the loss of brain cells.
Brain Functioning and Seizures: A Personal Perspective
Understanding the complexities of brain health and seizure disorders is a critical issue, especially for individuals like myself, who suffer from a severe seizure disorder. I am losing tiny amounts of brain cells with each seizure, a fact that underscores the importance of managing seizures effectively. However, despite the risks and my initial concerns about brain damage, I have found that smoking cannabis has been transformative in managing my condition.
The Legal and Cultural Context
Cannabis remains illegal in many regions, including my state, Tennessee. This makes it difficult for me to access knowledgeable resources when it comes to using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. The lack of access to a knowledgeable bud tender or dispensary staff is a significant challenge, especially for someone who has to manage a health condition as serious as mine.
How Cannabis Has Kept Me Stable
Since starting to use cannabis, I have seen a dramatic improvement in my condition. My seizure frequency has dropped from an alarming 25 per month to just 4-8 per month, and I no longer experience nocturnal seizures. These improvements significantly reduce the risk of status epilepticus or Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). The plant has not only helped me manage seizures but also provided relief from the physical and psychological pain associated with them.
Mitigating Seizure Triggers
Early in my diagnosis, I abstained from smoking cannabis to see if it might be a trigger for my seizures. However, within a month, my seizure frequency tripled, leading me to reconsider. Deciding to reintroduce cannabis, I found a significant decrease in my seizure frequency within just two weeks. This experience highlights the potential benefits of cannabis for managing seizures, even in the face of limited medical support and legal restrictions.
Challenges and Hopes for Legalization
One of the biggest challenges in getting cannabis federally legal is our societal stigma around the plant. The belief that anything pleasurable must be bad often leads to resistance, despite the overwhelming evidence of its benefits for those with seizure disorders. If a socially acceptable pill with the same effects as cannabis were available, it would likely be embraced more readily.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s work has played a significant role in changing public perception. Seeing a respected neurosurgeon advocate for the use of medical cannabis has made a substantial impact on how the general public views the plant. This shift in perception is crucial, especially for older generations who may have previously held negative views.
Benefits Beyond Seizure Management
Cannabis also provides relief from the pain and injury associated with seizures. For example, tonic-clonic grand mal seizures are incredibly painful and leave the patient with muscle pain and injuries from the inevitable bumps and bruises that come with them. Medical cannabis helps manage both the immediate pain and the long-term effects of these injuries.
Policy and Personal Choices
Despite the potential benefits of cannabis, many politicians refuse to provide access to it, even when it is shown to be less dangerous than some other medications. This attitude is frustrating, given the complex and often harmful side effects of other drugs prescribed for seizure management. I would gladly trade my legally prescribed medications, despite their unknown long-term effects, for access to medical cannabis and expert advice.
Conclusion
To sum up, while smoking cannabis may lead to the loss of some brain cells, the benefits of reduced seizure frequency and improved quality of life often outweigh these risks for individuals with seizure disorders. As research progresses and public perception evolves, it is hopeful that more people will gain access to the relief cannabis can provide.