Cannabis and the Mental State of Young Children - Connected?

[Druidus]

Is it possible that cannabis makes your brain act more like a very young brain? It seems that the happiness that children often display is somehow more than what we get to experience as we age. I'm sure there must be reasons for that (like children need to be happy in order to be ok with experiencing tons of stuff so that they can learn from it) - and even more sure that that reason is related to chemicals in the brain. The high from cannabis simply reminds me - strongly - of how I felt when I was very young.

Has there been any studies that look at differences in the endocannabinoid system between infants, children, adolescents, and adults?

What do you folks think?

 

[nekointheclouds]

Hah.

Okay here is where your theory goes wrong. Children are not as you seem to believe "naturally" happy. Children are happy because they are being cared for by loving adults and live in a healthy enviorment. But if they children do not have this, they are not just gonna be all hunky dorey. As a child you are taken care of, and there for have much much less worries. You dont worry about bills, what to wear, homework(at younger ages). The more responsibilities you get the more you seem to long for those carefree happy times as a kid right?

Well if your childhood wasnt so carefree, if you have parents are abused you in some way, or just parents that didnt care about you because maybe they have a drug addiction. My father had a drug addict mom growing up and he had to learn to take care of himself and his sister so young it would break your heart.

Not all kids display this happiness you refer to. Thats happiness is not some natural brain chemical. Parents often sacrifice much in order to give their kids a happy childhood, but not all kids are so lucky.

 

[Druidus]

I have no theory. I come asking only questions, and seeking only possibilities.

Also, I had a terrible childhood. I know that it isn't always great.

I'm talking about not quite happiness really. More like awe/amazement and joy related to a very deep experience of what's currently happening.

Obviously children cannot always be happy, that's not adaptive at all for individuals of the species. But they do have an insane ability to learn from any and all experience, which I think must be related to this awe/amazement mixed with a type of joy-like emotion. You do not learn if you do not enjoy what you are experiencing (or at least it's very difficult to learn - except for negative reinforcement; learning through punishment, which is very limited compared to reward based learning). Since children must learn ALL THE TIME (and studies show they do it MUCH better than adults), I think they're constantly more engaged and driven by the things they experience.

I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just saying that I, personally, learn far better when I am using cannabis. It makes whatever I am trying to learn more enjoyable, and it causes me to be more easily affected by any activity.

My memory suffers, to an extent. But the increased drive and pleasure I derive from activities more than makes up for that.

Again, I have no theory. But in my experience, cannabis does seem to induce a more childlike state - at least to me.

 

[Dr. Rabid]

less

*fewer

Nah I'm not like that usually. But yeah I kind of agree with Druidus, I know children even in terrible situations who generally happier than adults would probably be in equally harsh situations. Just something about them not being old enough to be jaded, perhaps?