{"id":943,"date":"2021-10-22T19:24:37","date_gmt":"2021-10-22T19:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/?p=943"},"modified":"2022-03-03T17:01:46","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T17:01:46","slug":"this-is-how-cannabis-effects-consciousness-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/this-is-how-cannabis-effects-consciousness-study-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"This Is How Cannabis Effects Consciousness. (Study Finds)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just like alcohol legally alters your state of consciousness, cannabis does the same, but in a very different way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When consumed, the THC compound interacts directly with CB1<\/a> receptors in the brain which can cause an altered state of consciousness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is commonly known as a \u2018high\u2019 feeling.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what exactly is consciousness ? And how exactly does THC affect it. What’s happening when you’re “high”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defining exactly what consciousness is has challenged scientists for years\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are there levels of being conscious ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Are you more of less conscious when you\u2019re drunk ?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you more or less conscious when you\u2019re \u2018high\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All tough questions which we\u2019ll look to explore in this article\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does it Feel Like to Get \u2018High\u2019 on Cannabis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Speaking from personal experience, you’re environment has a huge impact on what it feels like to be high. You want to be somewhere that you’re comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Being high on a nature walk, will be a completely different experience that being high while playing video games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally, being high feels like you have a heightened perception. You feel like there is space to think between you and your emotions.

You may feel relaxed or you may feel a flow of ideas, epiphanies, or breakthroughs in deeper understanding. You can also feel forgetful, the urge to laugh, and hungry afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Although everyone experiences cannabis differently, to a certain degree, consuming THC is similar to consuming alcohol, in the sense of having an altered state of consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the effects are quite different.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alcohol, in excess, reduces self-awareness resulting in an impaired sense of consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THC consumption, in excess, may result in over-awareness, which some people refer to as feeling paranoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, those who practice meditation, yoga, or mindfulness rarely have this problem, as their minds are ‘strength trained’ against wandering thoughts and overthinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I personally use the feeling of being ‘high’ to meditate and facilitate deep thinking for problem solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THC is also used by many athletes to become more in-tune with their bodies during workouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bruce Lee <\/a>was a notorious cannabis user while practicing and perfecting martial arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cannabis and Consciousness: THC vs. CBD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cannabis<\/a> has over\u00a0114<\/a>\u00a0compounds, but two of them are getting all the attention, THC & CBD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Both CBD and THC affect consciousness differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THC gets you \u2018high\u2019. CBD does not.<\/strong> But there\u2019s a bit more to cannabis’s effect on consciousness than that…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THC and CBD are both compounds produced by the cannabis plant. These compounds are called Cannabinoids<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cannabinoids are important because they interact with a network of receptors which are part of our Central Nervous System \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This network of receptors is known as the Endo-Cannabinoid System.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does the endo-cannabinoid system effect consciousness? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBD vs. THC: Interacting with the ENDO-CANNABINOID SYSTEM (ECS)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Endo-Cannabinoid System is one of our most important internal bodily systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The ECS is responsible for maintaining balance in the human body. The endo-cannabinoid system works similar to a thermostat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the temperature in your house if too cold or too hot, the thermostat kicks on to normalize the temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If anxiety, inflammation, or a pain response  is activated in the body, the endo-cannabinoid system kicks on to normalize (or balance) the body’s response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBD vs. THC: INSIDE YOUR BODY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CBD and THC both interact (although differently) with two types of \u2018endo-cannabinoid receptors\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cannabinoid Receptors Type 1 (CB1<\/u>) \u2013<\/strong> CB1 receptors are critical to our central nervous system and are most heavily concentrated in our brain and spinal cord.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cannabinoid Receptors Type 2 (CB2<\/u>)<\/strong> \u2013 CB2 receptors are concentrated in various parts of the immune system, the skin cells,<\/strong> and most internal organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers have found that it\u2019s THC\u2019s interaction with the CB1 receptor that is responsible for the psychoactive \u2018high\u2019 feeling. Raising your conscious awareness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being \u2018high\u2019, much like being drunk, can result in an altered \u2018state of consciousness\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both THC and CBD interact with the CB1 receptor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while THC fits directly into the CB1 receptor (causing a high feeling)\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBD attaches to the CB1 receptor differently, which actually blocks THC from the receptor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why some people take CBD after accidentally taking too much THC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when we\u2019re talking consciousness and cannabis, we\u2019re talking THC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THC, Consciousness, and Human Brain Connectivity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers <\/a>found that cannabis consumption over long periods of time increase brain connectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to \u2018The journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u2019,\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers found that the brains of chronic marijuana users<\/a> showed greater connectivity, which is generally a measure of how well information travels between different parts of the brain.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More connections could lead to deeper perspectives and a more efficient understanding of the world surrounding you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s Consciousness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The dictionary<\/a> defines consciousness as <\/strong>\u201cThe state of being awake and aware of one’s surroundings.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts<\/a> at Harvard<\/a> agree that there are different levels of awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on our own research<\/a>, we found that consciousness is the level to which you are self aware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example: A 6 year old kid\u2019s level of <\/strong>awareness in comparison,  <\/strong>is much less than the awareness of a self-made 52 year old billionaire female chemist.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When compared side by side, both the 6 year old kid and the 52 year old billionaire are conscious, but they have different levels of awareness of the world around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are on different levels of consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The consciousness of the person who is more aware of their surroundings encompasses a deeper understanding and awareness of the world around them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cannabis heightens awareness and may temporarily increase your level of consciousness. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion: 4 Take-aways on Cannabis vs. Consciousness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what we do know about consciousness and cannabis…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. THC from cannabis fits directly into our naturally occurring CB1 receptors in the brain.
    <\/li>
  2. It is this interaction that causes the \u2018high\u2019 feeling which may alter your state of consciousness (similar to feeling drunk but sort of the opposite)
    <\/em><\/li>
  3. Aside from other findings, researchers found that long-term marijuana users had regions of \u201cincreased  connectivity in the brain\u201d.
    <\/li>
  4. Scientists agree that there are levels of consciousness.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The state of consciousness when you consume THC is different for everyone\u2026,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Experienced cannabis users learn to control their thoughts which helps curb paranoia and increase self awareness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Others use Cannabis\u2019s boost in creativity to think deeply about daily problems, struggles, and internal conflicts. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cannabis also help people (myself included) to come up with simple and creative solutions to problems that may have been previously overlooked.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cannabis is a tool, and when used correctly can unlock a deeper consciousness and understanding of yourself and your environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Loved what you read? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hit that share button and let the world in on the secret \u2013 we\u2019d be thrilled!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Got thoughts? We\u2019re all ears for your feedback, corrections, or a good old chat. Don\u2019t be shy; drop us a line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And hey, don\u2019t miss out on our curated list of must-reads in the recommended books section<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Big thanks for diving in with us today!<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"\"<\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    ust like alcohol legally alters your state of consciousness, cannabis does the same, but in a very different way.<\/p>\n

    When consumed, the THC compound interacts directly with CB1 receptors in the brain which can cause an altered state of consciousness.<\/p>\n

    This is commonly known as a \u2018high\u2019 feeling.<\/p>\n

    But what exactly is consciousness ? And how exactly does THC affect it. What’s happening when you’re “high”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,38],"tags":[],"acf":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/943"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=943"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/943\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2390,"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/943\/revisions\/2390"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theconsciousvibe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}