Have you ever wondered why marijuana affects us the way it does? Why do we have these cannabinoid receptors built into our bodies? Were we pre-destined to enjoy marijuana? As crazy as they sound, these are all valid questions. Our brain releases these things called endocannabinoids and they control the dopamine levels in our brain. That’s why we have the receptors. For instance, THC really wraps around the anandamide receptor. This particular receptor is sometimes referred to as the “bliss chemical” because that’s the thing that makes you happy.
What the Hell is Anandamide?
When you go out for a run, you could say you feel kind of blissful at the end, kind of fulfilling. That was your brain releasing anandamide. You can also find this bliss chemical in chocolate, which is why a lot of people eat it when they are depressed. So, it is not that we were engineered to be susceptive to weed but it simply shares similar properties as raw dark chocolate and running.
It is important to emphasize that THC is a relevant component of cannabis but there are a number of compounds in marijuana that define it and make weed what it truly is. CBD is another cannabinoid that can affect our condition. So you could say weed belongs to a group that induces blissful chemicals in your brain. And there is nothing wrong with that. If there is a plant out there that surpasses medical traits of cannabis, we would love to hear about it.
Endo-Canna-Come Again?
The endocannabinoid system is not only related to sensation. It encompasses pain, appetite, memory and mood. Because it covers pain, medical marijuana can also relieve it. We presume everyone has been there and had a severe case of the munchies? Well, now you have a better understanding on where that exactly comes from. Have you ever started forgetting things after longer periods of consuming marijuana? That’s because it affects your short-term memory. For now, there are no valid research studies that claim that marijuana affects long-term memory. Obviously, if you consume it long enough, your short-term memory will become your long-term memory and then you might need more time bounce back. Then there’s mood. It obviously elevates it or mellows it out but sometimes frequent consumers noticed that it keeps them agitated the very next day. Which one of the reasons you can form a mild addiction to it.
The point of this is that the endocannabinoid system should not be abused because you develop a tolerance fairly quickly. That’s why when you get addicted to pain medication, you need more pills to keep on you the same level. Or you need more weed to get stoned. Or you need more weed to keep your mood up, etc. This has been said a million times before but you should be moderate with weed as much as possible, especially if you consume it recreationally.
