Medical Cannabis Helps Autism: New Study | Ask Dr. David



While I have seen medical cannabis bring improvements in people with many different medical conditions, some of the most …

50 Comments

  1. My Problem with this is that 20 People is not a good study.
    And normally you would need a group that takes the placebo too.
    Also a 5 year old a 15 year old a 25 and a 50 year old person all could react differently to Cannabis.

    Tbh. i hope it helps but we dont really have scientific evidence.

  2. When my state legalized cannabis, I decided to try it. It changed my life. I'm autistic, and it was like my life got magically easier. I smoke about once a week on average, just one or two puffs, and it makes a world of difference. I know there are healthier ways to utilize it, but I enjoy it. I started in part because my other neurodivergent friends all smoked, and they all consistently said that cannabis helped them as much as or more than their mental health meds. It has helped MONUMENTALLY with my social struggles, my anxiety, and especially my sensory issues.

  3. I'm not diagnosed with autism but am diagnosed with OCD and PTSD. Cannabis helps me enormously. I always thought it was an addiction but I went 10 years without it and was so much worse off for it. My doctors won't prescribe me THC but have prescribed CBD because I had a long psychotic episode 20 years ago. I don't have anything like that anymore, I think my psychosis was mostly related to my inability to make sense of the world with such a developmental disorder I grew up with. I need THC so I do it illegally now. I need to get out of this situation too, it is causing me to have problems because I'm always arguing with my Mum who is my landlord. I bought a van to hit the road and live in my own 'safe space'. I'm really looking forward to it.

  4. I am an old adult, starting to recognize that I am probably on this spectrum; coincidentally, I’ve also utilized cannabis for a very long time for the very reasons you stated here. So I’ve been dealing with the conflict of am I doing the right thing (according to society), especially during the decades when it was illegal, and knowing that this was actually helping me. So I’ve maintained a moderate dosage (which has worked) all of this time
    ❤Thank you
    PS (interesting note.) at some point I noticed I never got the job if I went to the interview without cannabis; so, at some point I would get frustrated with trying to do it the “correct way“ and go ahead and have some cannabis before the interview … & usually got the job or assignment.
    Weird right?😊

  5. The stuff is illegal here, so I'd have to hop across to the next country. Getting a proper individual approach by a doctor would be difficult. Can this be done by oneself, and if so, what is a safe approach?

  6. ADHD and I haven’t slowed in 51 years. What I’ve learned (about me) is that less physical activity with age only creates more activity in the head. I work for myself and by myself, I can move freely and sort-of efficiently that way (design-build).

    I took the plunge at 30 and started to get things somewhat sorted, willingly took the prescribed medications, active in doing work on my own condition.

    In the end, a very simple and natural solution made itself clear. Even with its benefits my step counter is ridiculous.

    I’m an artist that draws and makes music and all that jazz, too, no good on valioops.

  7. Nah, i have autism and ADHD, weed makes me feel agitated and a sense of impending af and ive tried with a prescriber various strains, methods and quantities. Its impossible for me to be productive on it as everything suddenly becomes an overwhelming trial.

    I wish videos like this weren't so all 'this is good' as it puts people who find weed not working for them in a bad place.

    Good for you if it works for you but not everyone has the same experience at all.

  8. Cannabis has helped me through most of my life. I can't take antidepressants and i have an eating disorder too. It also helps with anxiety, depression and my ptsd. It also makes it easier for me to work. I honestly dont know what I'd do without it. It has saved my life more than a few times. ASD and ADHD here.

  9. It’s wild and validating how this is actually as helpful as I felt it was when I was a younger—except now I live where it’s legal and I was finally diagnosed with ASD in my late thirties. 🎉❤

  10. Was misdiagnosed with generalized anxiety for years, recently diagnosed Autistic. Can definitely attest to benefits of CBD oil: lower tension, irritability and anxiety, improved sleep, reduced physical discomfort from sensory overstimulation (I can always tell it’s wearing off when my skin itches and my clothes hurt), fewer tension headaches, less easily triggered by unexpected change. No more road rage, less rage-cleaning. Not as moody/reactive. For sleep, balanced CBD/THC works best for me.

  11. The biggest advantage I've found with THC is that it just lowers the volume of the overstimulation, I can even enjoy some things that would normally stress me out or disgust me. Im trying to untangle the cause of my chronic fatuige and unexplained pain, and I'm coming to realise how much of my internal resources go into masking and trying to block out all the irritating sensations, because just having skin is a burden for me.

    The major one though, is that i can feel my body. I keep hearing from therapists that emotions have a physical element to the experience, so I've been trying to tune into those feelings. I either have a very dull physical experience or none at all (think of butterflies in your stomach, your chest filling with pride etc.). I take some THC and then suddenly its all there, i can feel all these feelings I've seen described in books or completely new ones, and my range of emotions instantly improves (or my ability to unscramble them). Even when i was chronically depressed, it allowed me to experience the emotions that were being blanketed by the gloom, which is probably the only thing that saved my life at that time, even though this is one of the use cases that is highly demonised by society.

  12. I feel like occasional cannabis usage is like a "reset" for me. It helps with overstimulation in that way.

    Secondly, when I am high I feel "more autistic" in a good way. I stim more, etc. It's very therapeutic.

    Thirdly, on a non-impairing low dose I feel much more capable of socializing and just going out in general.

    Finally, even while sober I feel better at socializing in the last few years. I have no idea why, but I have taken to crediting cannabis.

  13. Living on my living room floor, kitchen is literally getting mouldy, I smoke a bit of cannabis and I'm motivated beyond belief, I walk my dog miles, tidy up, it has the opposite effect on me to other people but it's illegal to buy, doctors scoff at me when I tell them about how it helps me

  14. I'm not autistic (i don't think i am but lots of people do) but i am adhd and I've smoked the marihuana every day for years and most people wouldn't even know it, i think for some people it's a huge detriment and to others it's just the baseline i need this to work hard enough to not be homeless. Case by case, some people just shouldn't habitually partake.

  15. As an autistic stoner with a lotta autistic friends… yeah there uptight 95% of them could definitely stand to smoke some weed man. Lets be real just being a bit too uptight is like at least a 60% accurate description of autism. So yeah weed helps.

  16. Gen-x late diagnosed autism with ADHD and Trygyminal neurlagia .The pain meds and ADHD meds put me off my rocker ! Adderall made me psycotic , zoloft etc I hullucinated. DId an ounce of shrooms with only "waves" in my vision . Medical MJ seems like a scam to be honest . No one see's what strains are working etc. Just a free for all. Had to live with"stoner"stigma and " get over it " when it came to pain . Migrain drugs did not touch it and anti depressents did not "cure" my autism . Glad to see you out there doing this and advocating early !! It helps alot !

  17. The 4:1 ratio of men:women with ASD is simply because of misdiagnoses or missed diagnoses particularly in high masking women. We largely don’t play with trains and we usually have had to learn to look you in the eye. It’s a travesty.

    I appreciate your video, I have found weed to be life changing and particularly good for regulating chronic pain and extreme dissociation, but I’m also afraid to use it too often or use too much or too high a strain. Of course what you are talking about with the ratio of CBD to THC 50:1-3:1 the person may not really even get high at 30:1 or higher ratio, but if someone is self medicating you do need to be aware of weed induced psychosis especially if using more potent modern strains and be safe and monitor yourself appropriately.

    Weed CAN absolutely help autistic people. It MAY not be right for all autistic people (as many here are saying for themselves). But if it helps many autistic individuals (and I personally know more in my life that are helped by it than harmed) then it’s absolutely worth looking into it as possible individual treatment and absolutely needs to be studied more on a broad scale. I’d be curious to see the breakdown of ASD3, ASD2, ASD1, what autistic phenotypes are represented (make sure high masking late diagnosed women presentations are also represented for example), and what outcomes are observed during and after treatment (some benefits may only be seen after ending the treatment and realizing it was helping more than was noticed at the time). It sucks that there are so few treatments that help- it would be great to see more studies on this.

  18. A lot of cannabis positive responses here. As a dual diagnosis ASD & ADHDer i gotta say its exactly the opposite for me. Cannabis is poison for me, makes everything worse and is a deeply unpleasant disorientating nauseating experience.

  19. 75 year old here who had focal seizures all my life. But because I could mask well and got good grades in school, I was never diagnosed, just kept busy…Ive used cannabis since I was 19, and am so glad that it is a legal choice now. 🙏🏻💜🙏🏻

  20. Is there a study of how it affects people with both Autism, and inattentive type ADHD, or do the studies already factor those individuals as well as the people with just ASD? Do they just use the strains or do they use the more stimulant strains like Sativa? I've avoided drugs and alcohol most of my life that were depressants as I'm already tired as it is and don;t need help sleeping, and thiose knock me out. I just learned about Sativa being a stimulant recently.
    I also Just moved out of FL otherwise would consider taking part in the study.

  21. As a person with autism, the problem I see when using cannabis is the rebound effect. Essentially when you don’t have it or don’t use it your symptoms that you’re controlling with it get worse. Thus creates dependency. In my opinion, it would be better used as an intermediate way to get a person to baseline to learn the skills that it takes to manage the autism. A way to slow them down and give them more information that they can use so to speak. Using it regularly, I have found in myself and other people I’ve known with autism can create other long-term problems.

  22. I’m delighted your video popped up for me, and I’ve enjoyed reading all of the comments! My primary mainstream dr has been prescribing MMJ for me since 2017 when I started having hip surgeries. I’m in AZ-it’s fully legal here but medical card gets reduced taxes, access to higher doses. I love my dispensary! I paint for them, they love me.

    Many of us autistic folks with hEDS process meds differently and can’t take opioids. I have a CYP450 genomic report that fully justifies my non use of pharma. I think it’s helped me really land in myself softly after late diagnosis and 40 years of trauma in my family, career, hobbies, marriage, etc from not knowing, AKA traumatism. It’s helped with multiple forms of PTSD I developed. Helped me recover from vax injury. Helps with malabsorption symptoms, nausea and appetite. Reduces restless leg syndrome. I use concentrates and edibles, oils, salves. No smoky, asthma. My dog uses a strong CBD too for his joints and allergies. 💚 🌱

  23. Not saying don’t use it if its something that helps you, but I have to say that I know about 10 people who smoke a lot of cannabis, and 4 of them have had psychosis since starting.

  24. Cannabis helps me stay focused, grounded, and in the moment. It keeps me from ruminating. It decreases irritability, increases openness, and helps me stay regulated to avoid meltdown. It helps with pain and tension in my muscles and ligaments.

    With cannabis I can go to the cinema, a concert, or a crowded mall. I can stretch, relax, and work out. I process complex ideas and emotions withoit becomong overwhelmed. I can't do any of those things without it.

  25. As a former PCA for a public school system, I saw a little boy, who I spent on the floor helping him through his 200+ seizures in six hours a day have miraculous results for medical marijuana. As I said he went from having 200+ seizures in a six hour period to about two a week! God gave us this plant for a reason. Or the universe or whatever you believe in or whatever you don't believe in. Big pharma just wanted to make sure they could make money off of it.

  26. Female Autistic &ADHD here. Cannabis is the only medication that helps me get through the day without feeling crippling self hatred…
    In other words it has kept me alive. If only society didn’t judge me for it…
    If you are autistic and struggling, I recommend at least trying it!

  27. Just be careful, I’m autistic and weed (even in very small amounts) absolutely destroys my ability to be productive.

    It also messes up my sleep (makes me very sleepy & sleep more, but my sleep is not restful)

    I also have friends who’ve had “medical marijuana” or self medicated and they WAY overuse it

    I am sure it's helpful for some in the correct doses, but I feel exploring these nuances is critical

  28. I wonder if it also works by restoring the microbiome among other mind altering functions? I know L reuteri, an important probiotic from breastmilk often missing in autism helps with social phobia and I know thc helps restore the microbiome.

  29. *medical cannabis helps autistic people. I do not possess an autism that you could separate from the rest of me. I AM autistic. My ENTIRE brain and experience is informed by my monotropic neurotype. Cannabis does not "help my autism" it helps me survive in a world that is inhospitable to autistics.

  30. Before I watch, my experience is that cannabis increases my openness to experience. This allows me to handle both the unexpected in life and my constant sense of the brokenness of the systems I am part of, less emotionally reactively.

  31. It helps keep my rage in check. It calms me and even lessens ADHD/OCD symptoms (or makes them less compulsive)
    I can function.

    And people still call me a pothead.
    I'm not doing this out of choice.

  32. I have the ability to socialise but usually can't accept people talking idiocy and try to prove them wrong. I've spent like an hour of my life trying to convince a flat earther the Earth isn't flat lmao. That's how irritated I get when people are wrong. With weed I can just ignore people's stupidity. Without it I physically cannot talk to stupid/ignorant people because they just infuriate me to no end with how confidently incorrect and brazen they are with their lack of knowledge and/or stupidity/ignorance.

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