Mother Gives Son Marijuana To Treat His Autism - ABC News

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
MJ definitively helps Autism, particularly in the mild forms like the ADD classified variant it can give massive relief.

It will provide relaxation, I grant you that.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
In reference to the person above who claims... Autistic patients would be better off with MDMA or '___', your viewing this from a perspective of Effect but in actuality this is not correct.

I'm judging this based on the confessions of people with Asperger's syndrome who experimented with this type of drugs.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
The two substances you mention in actuality '___' is very similar to Serotonin and MDMA causes an increase in Serotonin.

That's why I mentioned them in the same breath. Their serotonin-increasing effects are very similar, however '___' also serves as a hallucinogenic whereas MDMA serves as an amphetamine.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
Autistic Children have been shown to have higher than normal Levels of Serotonin and it it believed this is partially the cause of the symptoms.

The milder forms of Autism I was referring to (like Asperger's Syndrome) often are combined with depression or manic-depression due to the severe stress of normal life on these people (most people with Asperger's Syndrome lead a fairly normal life but with increased difficulty due to certain social and behavioral handicaps and this often becomes extremely stressful). In their case, the temporary serotonin-increasing effects of drugs like '___' and MDMA have a clear advantage. On top of that '___' can enhance the logical capacity of the individual, whereas MDMA can enhance the empathogenic capacity. Candyflipping (a combination of hallucinogenics and empathogenics) even allows the combination and enhancement of both effects with only very mild side-effects and little to no addiction.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
So most likely '___' or MDMA for an Autistic Person would NOT have the desired effect and perhaps greatly increase the symptoms.

I'm aware of a few cases of people with Asperger's syndrom who benefited from their increased understanding after using hallucinogenics (like '___' or mescaline) and/or empathogenics (like MDMA or 4-FA).

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
It is not known 100% for sure, but many Cannabinoids have the effect of blocking various receptors sites including Serotonin, this is possibly why long term Cannabis use can cause depression and schizophrenia in some....

... and why it can cause short term paranoia? And why smoking a joint after using '___' the day before just feels to damn ackward?! There is definitely a need for more research regarding the effects of the use of currently illegal substances and the combination thereof. This, both regarding the positive effects and the negative effects.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
Autism is in part caused by too much Serotonin

No it's not. Serotonin may exist at increased levels in some variations of autism because these people are detached for reality, which gives them little to worry about.

[edit on 30/11/09 by PC equals Newspeak]

Some interesting personal experiences of people with Asperger's syndrom who used MDMA with a very positive therapeutic effect :
- Asperger's Syndrome and Psychedelics - '___', MDMA & DOI by Thrillhouse Steel
- Asperger's and MDMA
- My Personal Case of Asperger's Syndrome: A Subjective, Analytical Essay.

These testimonies confirm my own observations in this area.

reply to post by PC equals Newspeak


Well,

Some good points

And yeah for the last line, sure... there is allot more research needed on the effects of Serotonin and Autism in general, most tests have been done on kids and kids have naturally higher levels of Serotonin so I can't actually say what I said conclusively and there might be real variance in the different forms of mild and severe Autism so I don't want to blanket or debate that point.

I do agree that in mild cases like Aspergers or ADD forms of Autism there could be benefits in regards to the Emotional understanding of others from the Psychadelic effects of a trip.

But here's where to me the territory gets Gray

Given the not 100% understanding of the effects of Serotonin I think you'd agree the potential for a bad a trip or the potential to face a complex emotions that trigger one, statistically you'd face an equally greater chance of a freak out as an enlightenment

So where I can see MOM administering Marijuana

I'm not sure you'd want to leave MOM alone with an Autistic child on MDMA or '___', (depends on the MOM sure) but what i'm saying is... this is something for a control group with a professional Psychiatrist where as THC is viable in a more unprofessional setting.

In other words... If Bobby Brady had Autism, I'm quite sure Mrs Brady could handle administering and dealing with THC, but I wouldn't be so sure about her ability to control or properly utilize a chemical like '___' and guide that kind of experience properly.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
I do agree that in mild cases like Aspergers or ADD forms of Autism there could be benefits in regards to the Emotional understanding of others from the Psychadelic effects of a trip.

And even more so from empathogenics like MDMA or 4-FA. It can make them experience empathy in a way they've never experienced it before.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
Given the not 100% understanding of the effects of Serotonin I think you'd agree the potential for a bad a trip or the potential to face a complex emotions that trigger one, statistically you'd face an equally greater chance of a freak out as an enlightenment

That's another reason why MDMA would be a safer alternative than eg. '___' or mescaline.

Originally posted by mopusvindictus
In other words... If Bobby Brady had Autism, I'm quite sure Mrs Brady could handle administering and dealing with THC, but I wouldn't be so sure about her ability to control or properly utilize a chemical like '___' and guide that kind of experience properly.

Again, what about MDMA? The dosage can't be that hard to figure out and the pharma-industry could produce pills with a pre-dosaged volume both for adults and for children.

reply to post by PC equals Newspeak


Yeah...

This is why I have a feeling that allot of these threads will boil down to Legalization

Exactly, became the topic of thread that was closed don't remember if you were on it last night... MDMA without it being Pharmaceutical is a big crap shoot for most people...Can't ever know what your getting unless you become like Mary Louise Parker in the show weeds

I'm not in any disagreement that the research is warranted to be tested, Just saying that THC is easy to handle, available medicinally and legally and you don't have to have taken Organic Chem to understand it, that's all

MDMA could in theory be used safely in the home as opposed to a Hallucinogen but until you can get it in pharmaceutical manner I think it's a moot point to recommend house wives to go out and try to acquire Real MDMA for their autistic children, there is no telling what could happen given the frequency of evil bunk

You know what also helps autism? That doesn't require smoking a weird substance?

Hyperbaric chambers.

When I had my hyperbaric fiesta this past summer, they were talking about how helpful the chambers are for all sorts of things, including autism.

First off, autism isn't a disease. Some autistic people have disabilities, many do not, and live pretty normal lives, many of them never even calling themselves autistic. We have problems in life, but so does everybody. Autistic people aren't automatically disabled, but the list of things that come naturally to us is different from your list, and the list of things that escape us is different too. Different is not wrong. Different is not disabled. Different is variety. Autism, I believe, is an archetype like any other, a necessary piece of humanity. Our brains are biologically different, in the same way that the male and female brains are different. Women are not disabled because they sit down to pee. Men are not disabled because they do not have a womb. They are necessarily different.

However, if you take a child, any child, and from an early age tell them that they are different, they are disabled, they can't do that, and you lower your expectation of them and lower the level of discipline you teach them, you will not end up with a well balanced, functioning adult 20 years later. Our kids get many of their answers about who they are and what they are capable of from us, the generations before them.

I have tried mj and mdma, both because I had heard of benefits to autistic folk, and if taken correctly, as a medication and not as a party drug, both can have great benefits. Anyone who takes too much of anything risks damaging themselves, and drugs are no exception. You take on the responsibility for each of your actions. If you abuse a drug and take it irresponsibly, it is not the fault of the drug or a sign that it should be banned. If that were true we should ban pies because some people just don't stop eating them and get fat.

I was well into adulthood before I tried either mj or mdma, and I have had no negative effects. MJ allows me to hone my focus and gain a greater control of it. Autists generally have immense focus, but it requires great control. It's very easy for me to get lost in a task or activity, so focused on it that shifting or ending that focus can become painful. I often find myself unable to sleep because I need to be working on a project I'd not finished before bed, and end up sitting up all night because I can't switch off until it's finished.

MDMA was very different. It opened up doors to emotions I'd never experienced before. What made the experience successful, by my reckoning, was my ability to incorporate those emotions into my day to day life, and didn't need the drug to feel them.

Drugs are like everything else. Things are neutral, neither good or bad. Our usage or abusage of them causes benefit or harm, and it's entirely up to us which we experience, and it's our responsibility for any damage caused to ourselves or other people as a result to any action we choose to take, be that smoking a joint or driving a car.

Good for you... Good for you...

Second line... Second line...

Originally posted by TheIrvy
First off, autism isn't a disease. Some autistic people have disabilities, many do not, and live pretty normal lives, many of them never even calling themselves autistic.

All Autistic people have a social handicap. Some just learn how to bypass their social instincts by using logic and common sense instead. Unfortunately, this often requires an above-average intelligence and the ability to focus very hard and very long, which is something lacking for many Autists.

Originally posted by TheIrvy
Different is not wrong. Different is not disabled. Different is variety. Autism, I believe, is an archetype like any other, a necessary piece of humanity. Our brains are biologically different, in the same way that the male and female brains are different. Women are not disabled because they sit down to pee. Men are not disabled because they do not have a womb. They are necessarily different.

Of course you're right, however the lack of social instincts is a handicap within a neurotypical environment.

Originally posted by TheIrvy
However, if you take a child, any child, and from an early age tell them that they are different, they are disabled, they can't do that, and you lower your expectation of them and lower the level of discipline you teach them, you will not end up with a well balanced, functioning adult 20 years later. Our kids get many of their answers about who they are and what they are capable of from us, the generations before them.

True. If my children were Autistic, I would treat them no different than "regular" children. I would expect no less from them, enabling to gain the strength necessary to survive in the dog eat dog real world out there...

Originally posted by TheIrvy
I was well into adulthood before I tried either mj or mdma, and I have had no negative effects. MJ allows me to hone my focus and gain a greater control of it. Autists generally have immense focus, but it requires great control. It's very easy for me to get lost in a task or activity, so focused on it that shifting or ending that focus can become painful. I often find myself unable to sleep because I need to be working on a project I'd not finished before bed, and end up sitting up all night because I can't switch off until it's finished.

So you used MJ to slow everything down, to make it less stressful to focus and to more easily release focus when you need to? Makes sense....

Originally posted by TheIrvy
MDMA was very different. It opened up doors to emotions I'd never experienced before. What made the experience successful, by my reckoning, was my ability to incorporate those emotions into my day to day life, and didn't need the drug to feel them.

That's the reason why I so strongly believe in the therapeutic effect of empathogenics. Even the singular use of MDMA can have farreaching positive results for people with decreased empathic abilities.

Originally posted by TheIrvy
Drugs are like everything else. Things are neutral, neither good or bad. Our usage or abusage of them causes benefit or harm, and it's entirely up to us which we experience, and it's our responsibility for any damage caused to ourselves or other people as a result to any action we choose to take, be that smoking a joint or driving a car.

Amen!

Originally posted by PC equals Newspeak

All Autistic people have a social handicap. Some just learn how to bypass their social instincts by using logic and common sense instead. Unfortunately, this often requires an above-average intelligence and the ability to focus very hard and very long, which is something lacking for many Autists.

Again, different is not handicapped, and neurotypicals are just as socially handicapped as their autistic brethren. In my experience, neurotypicals cannot deal with direct honesty in a social setting, and resolve this by knowingly and openly lying. This happens in the work place, in relationships, friendships, every avenue of life where honesty may cause an issue or discomfort, and neurotypicals cannot function, either with relaying honesty or being the recipient of honesty. Don't believe me? Next time that woman in work gets her hair cut, tell her what you Really think of it. I dare ya.

Unfortunately, honesty requires you to have the courage of your own convictions, which is something lacking in many neurotypicals.

If you're able to get outside of the "different=wrong" frame of mind, something quite obvious pops up. In this world, there are 2 types of brain, the "neurotypical" brain, and that's just a name we've given it, and the "autistic" brain. Each of those brain types has a male and a female version. The happiness and comfort of the owner of the brain is largely affected by their surroundings and environment.

A percentage of people, both neurotypical and autistic, have disabilities stemming from learning, physical and developmental issues that we do not fully understand yet. There are "normal" people in both brain types, and there are also disabled people in both brain types.

Why are neurotypicals so vehemently opposed to this notion? Why are you frightened of us?

I personally am a firm believer in the many therapeutic benefits of cannabis. I was going to dedicate a thread to this link but unfortunately I don't have enough posts Any way here is a thread i stumbled across on another forum which is a list of many therapeutic benefits from cannabis and direct links to the studies that explain them....

Granny Storm Crow's list-July 2009

The dosage for the kid according to his mom is 1 biscuit with some medical marijuana in it every 2 days versus the old prescription which was 16 prescription drugs every 6 hours or 12 hours...I mean geez, BIG PHARMA is going to loose so much money!

Also problem is that many autistic people don't want to take their drugs because they can feel they put them down. I see no problem with a cookie every 2 days.

[edit on 1-2-2010 by spacebot]

reply to post by PC equals Newspeak


I am sorry but did you say to give a kid that has autism, 4-FA?? If I’m not mistaken but your talking about 4-Fluoroamphetamine a research chemical. Its called a designer drug or research drug for a reason. Meaning there’s hardly no testing. For the cannabis, there are cannabinoid receptors in the stomach as well making it easier for a kid who has autism to eat. Out of MDMA, '___' and Cannabis...Cannabis has been studied the most as it is the most socially acceptable out of all illegal drugs. I think it is great that this kid has found a way to function better in society. Its not like he is even smoking it. He is given a brownie every 2 days or something. It might not be the best thing for every kid who has autism, but you can tell it definatly worked for this kid.

people who crucify those using medical marijuana have usually only seen the teens and other pot heads with the 250 dollar purchased recommendation who frequent dispensaries, while they may be the majority,

there isnt a single person with an ounce of compassion in their hearts that could actually witness some of the things i have, and still say they should be prosecuted for their use of the drug

i know for a fact, the only way you could find it reasonable to deny this treatment to certain individuals is that you would have to be heartless

i have personally been present while watching severely ill people medicate, and you can see the benefits within minutes of consumption


i by no means am talking about miraculous recoveries, but when you are personally watching a small, thin, fragile individual, in a wheel chair, who cant control their arms, cant control their legs, looks in a way that i can best describe as stephen hawking, without the money and technology, in almost a vegetative state, consume medical marijuana and within moments see improvements in that person, even a single smile, if you think marijuana is so bad that the person shouldnt have access to it, even if for that one single moment of happiness during an incredibly hard life, then you are simply heartless


anyone who opposes the medical situation, or who can criticize a mother for helping her son, or anyone else trying to help someone, has simply no true first hand knowledge or experience of the actual circumstances

if we did a jerry lewis telethon and showed how some of those kids and people could benefit from medical marijuana, and we actually showed them consuming it, and the effects afterwards, this debate in america would be over that night