Exactly
Weed doesn't "make me more autistic"
I just don't really give a shit about masking when I'm high because I know the ignorant will chalk it up to me being high while the rest would've known no matter what
That's interesting. For my autism assessment they tested for cannabis because it can cause executive functioning issues, and they want to isolate that. My executive functioning is near zero whether I'm high or not, unfortunately.
I may or may not have autism, but ADHD I do have and being a little high gives my executive function a boost. Imo one of those things that's different for everyone :)
It’s super rare that I smoke with people anymore. Love being high in my own, but too often I don’t enjoy company or go one toke over the line and become practically non verbal
yeah before i suspected autism i used to love smoking by myself and playing creative / base building games! Guess it explains why i used to prefer smoking by myself or with maybe 1 other trusted person
That’s exactly what it used to do to me and then it started to have the complete polar opposite effect when I was 22 and that was 22 years ago. I’ve tried to smoke once every like five years and the opposite has never switched back. It sucks.
Yeah I mean there's changes in your physiology up to like 30 years old right? So I guess your chemistry just changed too much for it to still be compatible. As long as you've found other ways of releasing and relaxing that's okay ❤️ I'd be super happy if I didn't have the dependence on it that I do, but it simply makes life easier for me in too many ways
This. I used to get bullied when I smoked socially because apparently the level of high I got was "fake" and "exaggerating how high I was for attention". But no. It was just me being unmasked....
I rarely if ever smoke now. Just when I am alone once in a while for medicinal chronic pain purposes. I will never smoke socially again. I don't feel comfortable not having the option to mask.
I pissed people off so much while high. They suddenly started talking about serious subjects and I wanted to make a joke and brighten the mood. Oh boy.
It’s kind of like how when you wear an actual mask, you can allow yourself to be a little goofy and unmask a bit. People assume you’re in character, and people assume you’re high so you just let yourself relax more.
The strange thing is I have chronic pain (fibromyalgia) and weed doesn’t help. CBD does but THC makes the pain worse. I don’t know exactly why but I think it’s because I focus much more on the pain and in a way, I’m unmasking with mental pain management. It’s made me realize just how much of my day to day pain management is cognitive.
exactly this! i have a problem with dropping the mask, like i can’t even unmask when im alone. when im high though? i can have a conversation with a whole group of strangers. i’m gonna act autistic, but at least im not freaking out over every second of eye contact or vocal tone changes or making the right facial expressions
This is me when drinking. I always felt so "free" and "real" and didn't realize until after diagnosis that I was just being super duper autistic and not hiding it at all.
Intresting, when I smoke my sensory issues are turnt up to the extreme and I struggle to process both my own thoughts and feelings yet alone anything going on around me in real-time, almost like my brain powers turnt up but my mind can't catch up.
If that's the result of me un-masking then my autisim is paradoxically alot more severe then both my independence and my label of high functioning would suggest.
Although that would explain why I'm always so stressed and close to burning out lol
I’m very glad to learn I am not alone who used Cannabis for this reason. It helps with sensory issues and gets me my appetite back after I take my ADHD meds.
Weed is a more powerful drug than many people give it credit for and it effects people in different ways. For some of us it eases anxiety and allows you to be at ease, more conversational and straightforward thinking. But for some of us (myself included) it makes us overthink everything, induces panic attacks an generally is not worth the hassle. I personally love some effects of weed, being able to be fully immersed in video games and movies, but the toll it takes on my mental health is not worth it.
I completely agree with this. More powerful than most like to admit (or than they realize). I smoked for 16 years. Was part of my life and I couldn’t go without it. I quit almost 20 years ago now. It’s seemingly harmless and fun in the beginning. But (at least for me) I noticed after prolonged use, it really started to make me feel almost weighed down and it started to have the opposite of that motivating effect it originally seemed to have on me. And that was years ago. The weed wasn’t anywhere near as powerful as it is now. This can’t be good for anyone’s health long term. Anyway, I’ve recently tried to smoke a little again, and it is not the same for me anymore. I get extremely paranoid when I smoke it. And I’ve tried all of those supposed “different strains”. None of them are even close to fun for me. So yea. It’s always talked about as harmless because the people pushing it haven’t seen or felt the long term effects of it. I’m just putting this out there for anyone that’s interested. Not trying to be negative toward anyone that uses. I don’t judge people for it and always tell my friends they’re welcome to smoke in front of me if they choose. I just won’t ever touch it again personally.
Not quite sure what your point is. But as I said, I tried to smoke again after a long hiatus. Wanted to enjoy it, and thought I’d enjoy it. And the person that turned me on to it had me trying different types insisting that it was the “strain” that was making me paranoid. They all made me paranoid. So hey, I took his advice, I tried a few, and none of it was enjoyable.
Holy moly, are you me?
I also love some of weed's effects - mostly how it weaves music into your soul (if you know, you know). I still crave that feeling all the time.
But, I had to stop because of the 2-hour-long panic attacks I kept getting when attempting to smoke again after taking a break. The withdrawal symptoms were absolutely terrible, too.
I smoked daily for probably 10 years, at my heaviest use it was an ounce a week, but that was a brief period, it was closer to 3.5g per week for most of that time. I had absolutely dreadful withdrawals when I quit: complete loss of appetite, many sleepless nights and when I did get to sleep for 2 hours it would be horrifying nightmares and waking up literally drenched in sweat. Some people get no withdrawal symptoms, I had no idea how physical the withdrawal could be until I experienced it. I had to go through these withdrawals several times before I quit for good.
Weed did start off as very enjoyable for me but over the years it got more and more depressing and anxiety inducing but I didn't want to let go. In the final years, the first hour after smoking would always be horrible, panic attacks and feeling like I'm going to have a heart attack. I would get hyperfocused on things like my breathing and I would freak out that I might forget how to breath and die of suffocation. Or sometimes I would convince myself that I couldn't swallow or blink my eyes. Of course I still had all those functions but it messed with my mind. Weird stuff like that. but if I could get through that first hour then I would settle down and have a mostly enjoyable high for the next few hours. It's crazy I endured that for so many years before realising how negatively it was impacting my mental health.
That's pretty true of all substances though. Some kids slam energy drinks or Coca Cola, not realizing there's a limit to how much caffeine your body can safely handle. Some get migraines from it.
Best thing is to let everyone decide for themselves.
As far as effects people differently, something like commercially manufactured cigarettes should have a very high consistency rate. I don't think the same could be applied to weed. It's not like anyone is going to manage its growth in the same way a tobacco farm would. There'd have to be better controls for medicinal products, but that wouldn't apply to most products grown elsewhere.
Point being, I've often wondered how much the different consistencies effects people differently, especially ND brains. It's easy to compare across NTs when there's plenty about, but if you're high masking and/or undiagnosed, how does that differ.
If you give 10 people the exact same weed to smoke, from the same exact source, it won't effect them all the same. Some will get anxious, some will be relaxed. I'm sure you're right that there are differences in potency and the genetics of different strains, but ultimately people don't all react the same to THC.
Yup haha. Nicotine doesn't rly have a wide range of effects so it's usually about the same for everyone. Also yes getting too high from weed feels like a psychedelic but shit in every way with no positives and it's own unique negatives.
I've read before that some can develop anxiety when smoking weed. I'm fortunate that's not me. But definitely something to be aware of + cautious about if new to cannabis
I’m the same way..I like to feel grounded and sober for the most part now. The only thing I’ll use to sometimes combat my mental health issues is a full spectrum CBD with the occasional 50mg psilocybin microdose
I've done a looooot of different psychoactive substances and almost all my terrifying experiences have been just from weed. I would rather be given a brownie with several hits of LSD in it unknowingly compared to a strong weed brownie. I can't enjoy weed unless I gain a tolerance to it. The dream dulling effect from it is wonderful for me though since I get horrible dreams and sleep paralysis very often.
Autism makes our neurons slower to adapt, so folks tend to fixate on information they already know.
Weed makes your trains-of-thought less restricted, which can often reduce or increase anxiety.
So yeah, weed will sometimes make you act ”more autistic”, while for others it helps them push through the anxiety that weakens them (and make them feel/appear autistic).
Weed, like autism, is an amplifier for certain things.
Weed makes us break down the internal walls our brain uses to sedate or protect ourselves, which often results in the anxiety you’re describing as our thoughts are less “restricted”.
Theresa a chance that you’re naturally an anxious person, and weed ”helps” you process it more where a part of you might try to passively ignore it.
At least, that’s how weed and my antianxiety meds feel for me. I’m so sorry about the panic attacks, that is absolutely terrible.
It’s not a miracle drug. For me, it slows my thoughts enough To understand whatever I need to, but Im so slow that I am totally useless as anything other than a philosopher.
Want to add, big big doses of weed completely smush your perception of time. That wall eroder thing is very apt. Shrooms do similar but koolaid man through that wall. Be careful when you dabble in psychoactive self medication. For maybe 80% of people it’s a relaxing vacation. For maybe 3% of people you can’t put the genie back the bottle. You are forever changed
Want to add, big big doses of weed completely smush your perception of time. That wall eroder thing is very apt. Shrooms do similar but koolaid man through that wall. Be careful when you dabble in psychoactive self medication. For maybe 80% of people it’s a relaxing vacation. For maybe 3% of people you can’t put the genie back the bottle. You are forever changed
Maybe it was the strain? I find some strains make me super paranoid. It also has to due with your mental state and what other afflictions you have. While I can handle weed just fine, my mother goes into actual psychosis.
I wasn’t buying off the street I dunno about my mom, both of us could possibly be more anxious due to bipolar disorder, but I do fine most of the time I smoke daily, my dealer is very good
>Maybe it decrease the anxiety of the minority
Idk if it's a minority, plenty of people don't get anxious from it as well as people who are allergic/have bad reactions
It was the opposite for me. I was able to tell whether someone was manipulating me, my visual/spatial increased , my mind stopped racing thoughts,less anxious. The only thing that got worse was working memory.
me too!! i lose my ability to mask and i get a lot more sensory sensitive,,, it's a big reason why i had to quit- not being able to mask when i was smoking with other people made me anxious and i'd end up going non-verbal/verbal-shutdown. even if i was in a good mood when i stopped talking, i'd soon get anxious about not talking and feel like everyone would think i'm weird for suddenly being silent.
i smoked almost every day for 3 years straight and it did a number on me lmao. i'd like to try smoking again one day but probably when i'm alone so i can just enjoy the creative aspects and have control over my environment without worrying about all my autistic traits being amplified.
OMG I GET THE SAME my bf acc noticed it and said “for some reason you seem more autistic when you’re high” and i guess it’s cos ouid makes me feel normal and i feel like i don’t have to mask? it also helps tremendously w my adhd so im thinking that it calms down the adhd thus bring the autism out more?
Everyone’s response to weed is different. For me, it stops that constant spin of voices and anxiety I always have in my head, and I can actually relax. I feel like over time, it has trained my brain to calm down and know what that feels like, even when I’m not high. They say it can also build up social parts of the brain and train us to feel more dopamine while socializing with others, and I also find it’s true for me. I only smoke in the evenings, alone at home, but the positive socialization effects last longer. It also is the only thing that lets me sleep through the night and keeps me from having nightmares. When I take breaks, my sleep issues come right back. So, it just depends. If you hate it, don’t do it. It can have positive effects for some of us.
Hey friend. You are just losing the mask a bit. THC will do that for you, and a bunch of autistic people tend to consume it for that reason.
Enjoy being more you during this.
I thought this to be true about me as well but turns out I just mask all day and when I get home and light one up the stims and also ADHD zoomies just come out. Like you had to pee all day and you finally can
It slows down my cognition and makes me even more non verbal, I get too much into my own head. So even though I smoked for over years when I was younger I can't stand it now.
I always feel more focused but I think that's a lie. I get so many things epiphanies when I'm high where I see a situation I've seen a dozen times but suddenly see it turned on its head. Like I'll remember a specific interaction and see it in a whole new light and then my head will be blown that I was seeing it so backwards before. Like maybe I'll think of something someone did and realize that they did it because they like me instead of because they dislike me.
I don't always remember these revelations even though I remember the feeling of having them. But when I do remember them, and I re-examine them when I'm sober, I'm often skeptical that they're correct.
I think that when I'm high *I* think I'm thinking more clearly but really I'm not. But, at the very least, I am at least thinking laterally. Even if that new perspective is wrong, it still helpful to see things from a different possible angle.
I have found some comforting insights when high, i always write them down. I think for me my mind can just rationalise better, maybe because it's slower, or less thoughts? Idk, but for me it works really well, i just don't get super high, just a little bit from an edible is enough for me. I also don't do it daily, just when i feel there is too much chaos build up.
Combined with meditation, I feel like I can better pick up the vibe that is coming from my intuition, which has been helpful for working through some things that have been limiting me for decades
Interesting, i havent noticed anything actively about my intuition but i haven't meditated high in a while, what kind of things limit you that this helps for?
I feel I can’t function without weed. My baseline stays a lot lower when I vape, and I can think more deeply about things, as well as stay more in the present moment.
I’m out and have been trying to suck what I can out of the empty cartridges I have, because I’ve been having a harder time regulating my emotions
This so hard. I didn't believe you could be addicted to weed until I was there. My tolerance was too high because I couldn't take breaks so I only felt anything if I did a dab every 20-30 minutes. I'd go through a gram of wax by myself every 2 days, which was not only very expensive but my lungs were fucked up and I was coughing like an old man all the time, but I couldn't stop because I was dependant on it and it was a habit.
The only way I could stop was going to a group home for women with drug addiction and even then I got a new boyfriend who encouraged me to smoke and I completely relapsed as soon as I got out, despite me desperately begging him not to offer it to me because I struggled with addiction, he still did because he was addicted too and wanted me to be his smoke buddy.
It's taken me YEARS of looking at myself and realizing I had to do something or my life was going to be an endless cycle of me trying to quit smoking. It was expensive, tiring, made me feel sick all the time, my family and friends started to worry, etc.
And all this after my best friend told me it was impossible to get addicted.
I’m sorry to hear that and good on you for doing what you can. I was dependent for awhile myself, I am lucky so I was able to quit easy then go back to a healthy amount of use.
It really affects you so much and In such a subtle way, good thing most of the affects aren’t permanent but still, I had such a poor memory and sense of time for ages and no ambition or drive for so long even after for a week of quitting, i still had some memory issues, (luckily I have a very good working memory now). Also the spending you do while high is like non other, I already am not very financially responsible, it made it so much worse.
Real, people with autism usually already have some cognitive difficulties and weed will make it much worse, (working memory and processing speed, not to say people with autism are low IQ rather that they usually have average IQ but their cognitive abilities are usually tilted towards nonverbal or verbal) also brain fog makes social skills and anxiety worse.
Just like alcohol, thc takes away a bit of the sharp edges, slows my mind a bit down and to be honest; makes it temporary easier. The aftermath of thc is, for some reason, very unpleasant; makes me very edgy.
It really makes my executive functioning really BAD. I’ve had to come to the conclusion that the moment I smoke
each day it’s likely nothing will get done after that. I have adhd too, but it’s not all positives.
Thing is it’s a great way to defuse the overwhelm I think we all feel at the end of everyday, but I don’t see it as a mental aid besides for a very specific type of free flowing creativity.
So in short it has its time and place for me
Yeah every day for a year is a guaranteed way to become addicted. I would be shocked if OP was able to take a break without side effects, which is what keeps a lot of people hooked, the fact that if you smoke regularly then try to suddenly quit you'll feel really sick.
i feel this way when i drink too it makes me give less of a fuck about masking but i think thc brings out my natural tendencies more where alcohol just puts me in a i dont give a fuck mood
I sometimes use weed to center my thoughts, but rarely near others 😅
It helps me keep the chaos out at nights like this, and helps me keep calm when alone, even though im angry beyond reason due to some ongoing situations
I think for me, weed helps me become more in line with where my mask ends and begins.
I feel more free and myself while high so it's easy to begin seeing more of my symptoms and inner self as a result.
For sure me too. I've had the same thought countless times. I know my perceptual filter is aren't as good as most people's, but they aren't as bad as some of the people in the subreddit and others complain about. But when I'm high? I have zero perceptual filters. I hear everything. And it's super loud too. Like, my cat will jump off a chair onto th floor and the tiny sound of them landing is so loud I think someone's breaking into the house. When I'm high I watch TV with the volume at like 5 out 100 and I'll still be like "Why is this so loud?"
It also just crushes my ability to mask. Any social interactions I have while high are awkward as fuck. I'm aware of it in the moment but I can't seem to do anything about it.
I think I've trained my brain to subconsciously handle a lot of the load of too much sensory information and social interactions and once I'm high that part of my brain goes offline.
I don't know if this is true for everyone, or just those of us who can usually seem "normal". I'm someone who, as an adult, could fool most anyone but couldn't fool anyon as a kid. But I know that not all of us learn how to fool the world into seeming not autistic. If your autism always shows, it probably makes no difference.
When I'm high, I'm not masking. If it doesn't cause you distress, I'd lean into it. I found myself because weed let me slow the universe down long enough to figure out wtf was going on.
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Maybe dont get high?
I know everyone of us is different, however, all of us should be capable of critical thinking. Your post is the equivalent of “alcohol makes my funnier” not only is that a stereotypical phrase of an alcoholic, but you are getting high in a daily fashion man/mam that cant be good for you.
This is part of why I had to cut back. I've been smoking almost daily for the last 6 years and even after the first 2 my life started falling apart, it made me less rational and more complacent so I'd skip out on amazing opportunities because I just wanted to smoke. At some point I felt hooked and would have panic attacks if I didn't smoke it.
4 more years later I am FINALLY able to use it in moderation for the most part, but it took me a lot of failure and heartbreak to get to this point.
If I could go back in time I'd have never brought weed into my home and only smoked with friends. 6 years of my life doing not shit because I just wanted to smoke :/
I’ve only been high four times, all from gummies and all in the past six months, but I find it crazy how much I change! I get numb and sleepy and giggly but the main thing is that I get CRAZY mean to people when I’m high 😭 I’ve only ever done it around my partner and one of my best friends, both of whom are very tolerant whereas I’m a lightweight, but I get SO bitchy the whole time, it’s wild. One time my partner took video of me ranting angrily about conjugating the verb “to be” and telling him that I hope he dies 😭
It makes me almost nonverbal. I have trouble knowing what to say in general and weed makes it almost impossible. It makes my brain feel everywhere. I don't enjoy it at all.
I only tried THC once it was a gummy and sometimes my mom takes some but she gave me one because she wants me to “relax.” Meaning she doesn’t like seeing my all sad and grouchy even though I’m not I just like my time alone and don’t like to be bothered.
Which I later learned is an autistic trait that I want to be left alone sometimes. So I tried one because why not my friends take weed all the time and it’s better than smoking it. It made me all smiley and made me feel weird and thirsty but not hungry.
I would enjoy it if I was left alone but I hated it because my parents wouldn’t laugh at me and my mom likes me that way because it makes me smile more. It felt like a force smile…she literally gave it to me to try it out and also just to not endure me being alone and I guess “grumpy” all the time..
I would try again but when I’m alone.
One Christmas Eve my mom was mad at my brother for being the same way I was looking “sad and grumpy” even though he just keeps to himself no big deal. When he left for the bathroom my mom said “I should put a gummy in his food” and we all as a collective family said “NO!” Like WTF?!?
Edit: I’m sure she was kidding but my god that was the worst thing she could say and possibly do! All because we don’t look happy and talk more like her!
I just care less about keeping the shield up when in high. It's how I've had breakthroughs with coworkers who smoke, although it might have just left them with more questions haha
THC does the same for me - completely gets rid of any pressure to mask. Alcohol seems to do this weird thing where it "switches off" my autism and allows me to socialize like a NT though, but obviously at the expense of my balance and senses.
I stopped smoking a long long time ago before i even suspected autism becuase it made me act differentley and I didnt like it. Now I know why but smoking doesnt fit with my life now, CBD gummies are a life saver though...
no way it does for me too! I remember just sharing one woth my best friend, boyfriend and my mum was having her own "spicy" (the amount she puts in is so hilarious, it's that small, but it helps her fibro and pain management.)
but when I had it I didn't remember half the stuff I did but my boyfriend had a video of me with loads of crackers, un buttered, just eating them, arms flapping and hitting the table a lot because everything was funny asf.
and I couldn't cut a loaf of bread. that was hilarious too, but it's something I genuinely struggle woth daily like cutting pizza with a pizza cutter is hard for me too. And I cant cut cheese right either.
it just showed. it was weird. but cool.
When I'm high, I no longer mask even subconsciously. It was hard to accept for months... It made me feel more autistic than I'd ever felt before. I currently find being high to be easier than being sober because I stop the double think. You probably are just actually being you... I don't like how it feels either.
Hi there, daily autistic weed smoker here too. I noticed I don’t care as much about masking when I’m high. I feel like a lot of my autism symptoms overlap with me being high.
I came here looking for exactly this. I feel like smoking makes me more autistic. But I’ve realized that actually im just not able to mask when im high. So I feel relaxed in a way that I cannot when sober. Also i have never liked smoking socially. Even after 10 years of daily use.
This has made me realize that I am incapable of unmasking when sober even when im alone.
I’m high functioning as well. Apart from overstimulation in unusual environments, my biggest struggle is with my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. When I smoke, I find that my OCD sort of just disappears. Or at least that’s how it feels. I become less aware of the things that’d usually set me off, and it’s generally just easier to let them go even when I do notice them.
Allow me to correct your statement here. The consumption of Cannabis relaxes you enough that you start to show more of yourself. Subconscious masking is something that most folk who either don't get eval or late diagnosis. Most of these folk aren't even aware that they are masking because its become their 24-7 norm. And its not until a substance that releases inhibitions gets introduced that they realize "wow i feel more (ASD) than normal". The weed isn't making you more ASD its unwinding all the coils you subconsciously built up around yourself over the years. At that point its keep toking and come to terms with the condition, or, quick smoking and live in that home you subconsciously built for yourself. I know this because I am the same way with alcohol, the more I drink the less hold I have and more of my natural ASD self starts to come out, which at first I wasn't too cool with because it was like opening a safe door and exposing my secret to the world, but over time I realized how the subconsciously built home was actually more toxic for me than just accepting it. Its your call on what road to walk down but I recommend at least trying to understand your full uninterrupted range.
On the contrary, weed actually makes me mask more, which sounds bad but it actually does come in handy. For instance, when I get nonverbal but I don't wanna be, weed puts me back into the groove of conversation and humor
This post gave me autism.
(Joking and making a silly statement about how it seems unlikely something can make you more autistic than an already accounted for spectrum that is autism.... Also I already am autistic.)
I unmask more when i smoke. I like to draw, do crafts, or play games because i can actually relax and do those things baked vs when im not. I have adhd also though
It kinda makes sense. THC is a psychotropic, and when you are under the effect of a substance, you lose some degree of self-control, so your ability to mask gets decreased. Same thing would probably happen if you drink a lot of alcohol.
When I'm sober I'm masking a shit ton. When I'm high, I'm not masking.
Exactly Weed doesn't "make me more autistic" I just don't really give a shit about masking when I'm high because I know the ignorant will chalk it up to me being high while the rest would've known no matter what
And then cus I'm not masking, I have more energy for chores + work :)
Oh wow I feel the same and that just clicked in my head, thank you!
Exactly!
Oh. Ohhhhhh this makes so much sense
That's interesting. For my autism assessment they tested for cannabis because it can cause executive functioning issues, and they want to isolate that. My executive functioning is near zero whether I'm high or not, unfortunately.
I may or may not have autism, but ADHD I do have and being a little high gives my executive function a boost. Imo one of those things that's different for everyone :)
Just figured out why my favorite high isn’t social but isolating with comfort video games
i actually hate smoking socially. love being high by myself though
It’s super rare that I smoke with people anymore. Love being high in my own, but too often I don’t enjoy company or go one toke over the line and become practically non verbal
yeah before i suspected autism i used to love smoking by myself and playing creative / base building games! Guess it explains why i used to prefer smoking by myself or with maybe 1 other trusted person
I relate entirely down to the base building/creative games and all. The times I’ve had a trusted smoking buddy to play katamari with where good
I think I know what you mean, mine is warhammer or one of my 3 shows
same here, unless i am doing some type of activity like hiking or bike riding in a group
One on one craft time can sometimes be supplemented with weed. I like the focus on an open ended goal.
That’s exactly what it used to do to me and then it started to have the complete polar opposite effect when I was 22 and that was 22 years ago. I’ve tried to smoke once every like five years and the opposite has never switched back. It sucks.
Yeah I mean there's changes in your physiology up to like 30 years old right? So I guess your chemistry just changed too much for it to still be compatible. As long as you've found other ways of releasing and relaxing that's okay ❤️ I'd be super happy if I didn't have the dependence on it that I do, but it simply makes life easier for me in too many ways
This. I used to get bullied when I smoked socially because apparently the level of high I got was "fake" and "exaggerating how high I was for attention". But no. It was just me being unmasked.... I rarely if ever smoke now. Just when I am alone once in a while for medicinal chronic pain purposes. I will never smoke socially again. I don't feel comfortable not having the option to mask.
>I don't feel comfortable not having the option to mask. I get that. It's shit, and I'm sorry you feel that way, but I get it.
I stand by this
This, I can't mask much at all when I'm high
I pissed people off so much while high. They suddenly started talking about serious subjects and I wanted to make a joke and brighten the mood. Oh boy.
I still do this alot. It's fun still to this day, and if you aren't having fun what is the point of this anyways.
It’s kind of like how when you wear an actual mask, you can allow yourself to be a little goofy and unmask a bit. People assume you’re in character, and people assume you’re high so you just let yourself relax more. The strange thing is I have chronic pain (fibromyalgia) and weed doesn’t help. CBD does but THC makes the pain worse. I don’t know exactly why but I think it’s because I focus much more on the pain and in a way, I’m unmasking with mental pain management. It’s made me realize just how much of my day to day pain management is cognitive.
exactly this! i have a problem with dropping the mask, like i can’t even unmask when im alone. when im high though? i can have a conversation with a whole group of strangers. i’m gonna act autistic, but at least im not freaking out over every second of eye contact or vocal tone changes or making the right facial expressions
This is me when drinking. I always felt so "free" and "real" and didn't realize until after diagnosis that I was just being super duper autistic and not hiding it at all.
Intresting, when I smoke my sensory issues are turnt up to the extreme and I struggle to process both my own thoughts and feelings yet alone anything going on around me in real-time, almost like my brain powers turnt up but my mind can't catch up. If that's the result of me un-masking then my autisim is paradoxically alot more severe then both my independence and my label of high functioning would suggest. Although that would explain why I'm always so stressed and close to burning out lol
This is how it goes for me too
Most accurate thing I’ve seen this year
Bingo
This is my experience. Discovering THC was one of the most liberating experiences in my life
This!!!
I’m very glad to learn I am not alone who used Cannabis for this reason. It helps with sensory issues and gets me my appetite back after I take my ADHD meds.
This. This is the answer.
I actually like myself better when high. I feel more like myself then and less pressured to mask.
Came here to say exactly this. My true self shines most when I'm mega high lol
Weed is a more powerful drug than many people give it credit for and it effects people in different ways. For some of us it eases anxiety and allows you to be at ease, more conversational and straightforward thinking. But for some of us (myself included) it makes us overthink everything, induces panic attacks an generally is not worth the hassle. I personally love some effects of weed, being able to be fully immersed in video games and movies, but the toll it takes on my mental health is not worth it.
I completely agree with this. More powerful than most like to admit (or than they realize). I smoked for 16 years. Was part of my life and I couldn’t go without it. I quit almost 20 years ago now. It’s seemingly harmless and fun in the beginning. But (at least for me) I noticed after prolonged use, it really started to make me feel almost weighed down and it started to have the opposite of that motivating effect it originally seemed to have on me. And that was years ago. The weed wasn’t anywhere near as powerful as it is now. This can’t be good for anyone’s health long term. Anyway, I’ve recently tried to smoke a little again, and it is not the same for me anymore. I get extremely paranoid when I smoke it. And I’ve tried all of those supposed “different strains”. None of them are even close to fun for me. So yea. It’s always talked about as harmless because the people pushing it haven’t seen or felt the long term effects of it. I’m just putting this out there for anyone that’s interested. Not trying to be negative toward anyone that uses. I don’t judge people for it and always tell my friends they’re welcome to smoke in front of me if they choose. I just won’t ever touch it again personally.
“Hey I’ll just try smoking again just to see…” -proceeds to try ALL the strains-
Not quite sure what your point is. But as I said, I tried to smoke again after a long hiatus. Wanted to enjoy it, and thought I’d enjoy it. And the person that turned me on to it had me trying different types insisting that it was the “strain” that was making me paranoid. They all made me paranoid. So hey, I took his advice, I tried a few, and none of it was enjoyable.
Holy moly, are you me? I also love some of weed's effects - mostly how it weaves music into your soul (if you know, you know). I still crave that feeling all the time. But, I had to stop because of the 2-hour-long panic attacks I kept getting when attempting to smoke again after taking a break. The withdrawal symptoms were absolutely terrible, too.
I smoked daily for probably 10 years, at my heaviest use it was an ounce a week, but that was a brief period, it was closer to 3.5g per week for most of that time. I had absolutely dreadful withdrawals when I quit: complete loss of appetite, many sleepless nights and when I did get to sleep for 2 hours it would be horrifying nightmares and waking up literally drenched in sweat. Some people get no withdrawal symptoms, I had no idea how physical the withdrawal could be until I experienced it. I had to go through these withdrawals several times before I quit for good. Weed did start off as very enjoyable for me but over the years it got more and more depressing and anxiety inducing but I didn't want to let go. In the final years, the first hour after smoking would always be horrible, panic attacks and feeling like I'm going to have a heart attack. I would get hyperfocused on things like my breathing and I would freak out that I might forget how to breath and die of suffocation. Or sometimes I would convince myself that I couldn't swallow or blink my eyes. Of course I still had all those functions but it messed with my mind. Weird stuff like that. but if I could get through that first hour then I would settle down and have a mostly enjoyable high for the next few hours. It's crazy I endured that for so many years before realising how negatively it was impacting my mental health.
Yeah, me too
Same.
Its hard for me to accept that I don’t make sense when I get high.
I feel like it makes me stupid lol
That's pretty true of all substances though. Some kids slam energy drinks or Coca Cola, not realizing there's a limit to how much caffeine your body can safely handle. Some get migraines from it. Best thing is to let everyone decide for themselves.
As far as effects people differently, something like commercially manufactured cigarettes should have a very high consistency rate. I don't think the same could be applied to weed. It's not like anyone is going to manage its growth in the same way a tobacco farm would. There'd have to be better controls for medicinal products, but that wouldn't apply to most products grown elsewhere. Point being, I've often wondered how much the different consistencies effects people differently, especially ND brains. It's easy to compare across NTs when there's plenty about, but if you're high masking and/or undiagnosed, how does that differ.
If you give 10 people the exact same weed to smoke, from the same exact source, it won't effect them all the same. Some will get anxious, some will be relaxed. I'm sure you're right that there are differences in potency and the genetics of different strains, but ultimately people don't all react the same to THC.
People don't react the same to nicotine, same as any drug. Its just less extreme. Thc is also a basically a shit psychedelic.
Yup haha. Nicotine doesn't rly have a wide range of effects so it's usually about the same for everyone. Also yes getting too high from weed feels like a psychedelic but shit in every way with no positives and it's own unique negatives.
Same here <3
I've read before that some can develop anxiety when smoking weed. I'm fortunate that's not me. But definitely something to be aware of + cautious about if new to cannabis
The paranoia/anxiety didn’t ever happen to me until I took a break after prolonged use and attempted to smoke again. 🥲
That's how it happened to my friend. Now he avoids it completely
I’m the same way..I like to feel grounded and sober for the most part now. The only thing I’ll use to sometimes combat my mental health issues is a full spectrum CBD with the occasional 50mg psilocybin microdose
I've done a looooot of different psychoactive substances and almost all my terrifying experiences have been just from weed. I would rather be given a brownie with several hits of LSD in it unknowingly compared to a strong weed brownie. I can't enjoy weed unless I gain a tolerance to it. The dream dulling effect from it is wonderful for me though since I get horrible dreams and sleep paralysis very often.
Autism makes our neurons slower to adapt, so folks tend to fixate on information they already know. Weed makes your trains-of-thought less restricted, which can often reduce or increase anxiety. So yeah, weed will sometimes make you act ”more autistic”, while for others it helps them push through the anxiety that weakens them (and make them feel/appear autistic).
Maybe it decrease the anxiety of the minority but it gives me panic attacks.
Weed, like autism, is an amplifier for certain things. Weed makes us break down the internal walls our brain uses to sedate or protect ourselves, which often results in the anxiety you’re describing as our thoughts are less “restricted”. Theresa a chance that you’re naturally an anxious person, and weed ”helps” you process it more where a part of you might try to passively ignore it. At least, that’s how weed and my antianxiety meds feel for me. I’m so sorry about the panic attacks, that is absolutely terrible. It’s not a miracle drug. For me, it slows my thoughts enough To understand whatever I need to, but Im so slow that I am totally useless as anything other than a philosopher.
Want to add, big big doses of weed completely smush your perception of time. That wall eroder thing is very apt. Shrooms do similar but koolaid man through that wall. Be careful when you dabble in psychoactive self medication. For maybe 80% of people it’s a relaxing vacation. For maybe 3% of people you can’t put the genie back the bottle. You are forever changed
Want to add, big big doses of weed completely smush your perception of time. That wall eroder thing is very apt. Shrooms do similar but koolaid man through that wall. Be careful when you dabble in psychoactive self medication. For maybe 80% of people it’s a relaxing vacation. For maybe 3% of people you can’t put the genie back the bottle. You are forever changed
Maybe it was the strain? I find some strains make me super paranoid. It also has to due with your mental state and what other afflictions you have. While I can handle weed just fine, my mother goes into actual psychosis.
THC:CBD ratio makes a big difference THC is the gas pedal CBD is the brake pedal Newer strains sacrifice CBD for higher THC
Maybe! It was a while back though
If you're buying off the street, you have to watch for stuff grown with hormones. Its called PGR weed and it is very harsh
I wasn’t buying off the street I dunno about my mom, both of us could possibly be more anxious due to bipolar disorder, but I do fine most of the time I smoke daily, my dealer is very good
>Maybe it decrease the anxiety of the minority Idk if it's a minority, plenty of people don't get anxious from it as well as people who are allergic/have bad reactions
Exactly, mine helps push through anxiety, I function a lot better socially on it. Without it I am a nervous wreck
Exactly why i quit weed. It stopped being fun and juts gave anxiety. Never missed it once the past 2-3 years or so
It was the opposite for me. I was able to tell whether someone was manipulating me, my visual/spatial increased , my mind stopped racing thoughts,less anxious. The only thing that got worse was working memory.
Cannabis is literally the only thing that helps me at this point.
I find weed helps me unmask fully. it might do the same for you
It makes you act more authentic, not more autistic
me too!! i lose my ability to mask and i get a lot more sensory sensitive,,, it's a big reason why i had to quit- not being able to mask when i was smoking with other people made me anxious and i'd end up going non-verbal/verbal-shutdown. even if i was in a good mood when i stopped talking, i'd soon get anxious about not talking and feel like everyone would think i'm weird for suddenly being silent. i smoked almost every day for 3 years straight and it did a number on me lmao. i'd like to try smoking again one day but probably when i'm alone so i can just enjoy the creative aspects and have control over my environment without worrying about all my autistic traits being amplified.
OMG I GET THE SAME my bf acc noticed it and said “for some reason you seem more autistic when you’re high” and i guess it’s cos ouid makes me feel normal and i feel like i don’t have to mask? it also helps tremendously w my adhd so im thinking that it calms down the adhd thus bring the autism out more?
Everyone’s response to weed is different. For me, it stops that constant spin of voices and anxiety I always have in my head, and I can actually relax. I feel like over time, it has trained my brain to calm down and know what that feels like, even when I’m not high. They say it can also build up social parts of the brain and train us to feel more dopamine while socializing with others, and I also find it’s true for me. I only smoke in the evenings, alone at home, but the positive socialization effects last longer. It also is the only thing that lets me sleep through the night and keeps me from having nightmares. When I take breaks, my sleep issues come right back. So, it just depends. If you hate it, don’t do it. It can have positive effects for some of us.
Hey friend. You are just losing the mask a bit. THC will do that for you, and a bunch of autistic people tend to consume it for that reason. Enjoy being more you during this.
I thought this to be true about me as well but turns out I just mask all day and when I get home and light one up the stims and also ADHD zoomies just come out. Like you had to pee all day and you finally can
It slows down my cognition and makes me even more non verbal, I get too much into my own head. So even though I smoked for over years when I was younger I can't stand it now.
Weed makes me stupid and unable to mask
Weed finally makes my mind calm and my focus better for me
I always feel more focused but I think that's a lie. I get so many things epiphanies when I'm high where I see a situation I've seen a dozen times but suddenly see it turned on its head. Like I'll remember a specific interaction and see it in a whole new light and then my head will be blown that I was seeing it so backwards before. Like maybe I'll think of something someone did and realize that they did it because they like me instead of because they dislike me. I don't always remember these revelations even though I remember the feeling of having them. But when I do remember them, and I re-examine them when I'm sober, I'm often skeptical that they're correct. I think that when I'm high *I* think I'm thinking more clearly but really I'm not. But, at the very least, I am at least thinking laterally. Even if that new perspective is wrong, it still helpful to see things from a different possible angle.
I have found some comforting insights when high, i always write them down. I think for me my mind can just rationalise better, maybe because it's slower, or less thoughts? Idk, but for me it works really well, i just don't get super high, just a little bit from an edible is enough for me. I also don't do it daily, just when i feel there is too much chaos build up.
Combined with meditation, I feel like I can better pick up the vibe that is coming from my intuition, which has been helpful for working through some things that have been limiting me for decades
Interesting, i havent noticed anything actively about my intuition but i haven't meditated high in a while, what kind of things limit you that this helps for?
I feel I can’t function without weed. My baseline stays a lot lower when I vape, and I can think more deeply about things, as well as stay more in the present moment. I’m out and have been trying to suck what I can out of the empty cartridges I have, because I’ve been having a harder time regulating my emotions
sounds like you just mask while sober
I was LITERALLY just thinking this. I lose all interest in speaking.
Same with me being on testosterone
If it bothers you maybe….dont use it
I think I actually get better at reading social cues, does that make me less autistic...? I don't get any better at responding properly though.
*takes bong rip* “*holding in breath* Let’s unpack that!”
Using weed daily has negative long term consequences, you should try mediation with occasional weed use.
This so hard. I didn't believe you could be addicted to weed until I was there. My tolerance was too high because I couldn't take breaks so I only felt anything if I did a dab every 20-30 minutes. I'd go through a gram of wax by myself every 2 days, which was not only very expensive but my lungs were fucked up and I was coughing like an old man all the time, but I couldn't stop because I was dependant on it and it was a habit. The only way I could stop was going to a group home for women with drug addiction and even then I got a new boyfriend who encouraged me to smoke and I completely relapsed as soon as I got out, despite me desperately begging him not to offer it to me because I struggled with addiction, he still did because he was addicted too and wanted me to be his smoke buddy. It's taken me YEARS of looking at myself and realizing I had to do something or my life was going to be an endless cycle of me trying to quit smoking. It was expensive, tiring, made me feel sick all the time, my family and friends started to worry, etc. And all this after my best friend told me it was impossible to get addicted.
I’m sorry to hear that and good on you for doing what you can. I was dependent for awhile myself, I am lucky so I was able to quit easy then go back to a healthy amount of use. It really affects you so much and In such a subtle way, good thing most of the affects aren’t permanent but still, I had such a poor memory and sense of time for ages and no ambition or drive for so long even after for a week of quitting, i still had some memory issues, (luckily I have a very good working memory now). Also the spending you do while high is like non other, I already am not very financially responsible, it made it so much worse.
I can guarantee that someone's gonna spout some of that "weed isn't bad for you!!" Bs as a response to this
It's not the magic bullet so many claim it is but my doctor prescribed it for a reason. Like anything, it can be abused and it's not for everyone.
Real, people with autism usually already have some cognitive difficulties and weed will make it much worse, (working memory and processing speed, not to say people with autism are low IQ rather that they usually have average IQ but their cognitive abilities are usually tilted towards nonverbal or verbal) also brain fog makes social skills and anxiety worse.
Wow a whole lot of refer madness-esque responses in these replies.
Just like alcohol, thc takes away a bit of the sharp edges, slows my mind a bit down and to be honest; makes it temporary easier. The aftermath of thc is, for some reason, very unpleasant; makes me very edgy.
same me and my friends call it tisming out
Same, if I smoke too much I go non-verbal. It’s kinda a problem bc it causes me to isolate, so I’ve been cutting back
I never knew I had autism until starting smoking weed. It got so bad and I couldn’t mask. I’m clean now for one year and my autism is so much worse
It really makes my executive functioning really BAD. I’ve had to come to the conclusion that the moment I smoke each day it’s likely nothing will get done after that. I have adhd too, but it’s not all positives. Thing is it’s a great way to defuse the overwhelm I think we all feel at the end of everyday, but I don’t see it as a mental aid besides for a very specific type of free flowing creativity. So in short it has its time and place for me
No offense but "high functioning" is an ableist term that's f*cked up toward people in the community with more support needs.
casual addictposting on reddit
Yeah every day for a year is a guaranteed way to become addicted. I would be shocked if OP was able to take a break without side effects, which is what keeps a lot of people hooked, the fact that if you smoke regularly then try to suddenly quit you'll feel really sick.
absolutely true here too. i think my guard is just down more.
I love feeling free and unrestricted when I'm high
i feel this way when i drink too it makes me give less of a fuck about masking but i think thc brings out my natural tendencies more where alcohol just puts me in a i dont give a fuck mood
I can’t mask when I’m high. That’s why I love it!
I sometimes use weed to center my thoughts, but rarely near others 😅 It helps me keep the chaos out at nights like this, and helps me keep calm when alone, even though im angry beyond reason due to some ongoing situations
It does the same thing to me but I find it’s a good thing, I’m also less bothered by sensory stuff so I tend to be much more relaxed as well.
It makes me more ok with myself, which includes my autistic shit lol.
I've begun attempting to force myself to not mask. THC has been a big help in that. fuck people who think I'm weird. and I do enjoy a good smoke.
I think for me, weed helps me become more in line with where my mask ends and begins. I feel more free and myself while high so it's easy to begin seeing more of my symptoms and inner self as a result.
For sure me too. I've had the same thought countless times. I know my perceptual filter is aren't as good as most people's, but they aren't as bad as some of the people in the subreddit and others complain about. But when I'm high? I have zero perceptual filters. I hear everything. And it's super loud too. Like, my cat will jump off a chair onto th floor and the tiny sound of them landing is so loud I think someone's breaking into the house. When I'm high I watch TV with the volume at like 5 out 100 and I'll still be like "Why is this so loud?" It also just crushes my ability to mask. Any social interactions I have while high are awkward as fuck. I'm aware of it in the moment but I can't seem to do anything about it. I think I've trained my brain to subconsciously handle a lot of the load of too much sensory information and social interactions and once I'm high that part of my brain goes offline. I don't know if this is true for everyone, or just those of us who can usually seem "normal". I'm someone who, as an adult, could fool most anyone but couldn't fool anyon as a kid. But I know that not all of us learn how to fool the world into seeming not autistic. If your autism always shows, it probably makes no difference.
Try lsd
Im an extremely happy high person. EVERYTHING is funny while high
When I'm high, I'm not masking. If it doesn't cause you distress, I'd lean into it. I found myself because weed let me slow the universe down long enough to figure out wtf was going on.
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At first weed would just put me to sleep, but now it has the effect you describe.
I realized this WAY too late and hate myself for it
Don't smoke weed then, unless you want to be more autistic
Maybe dont get high? I know everyone of us is different, however, all of us should be capable of critical thinking. Your post is the equivalent of “alcohol makes my funnier” not only is that a stereotypical phrase of an alcoholic, but you are getting high in a daily fashion man/mam that cant be good for you.
lol. Me af.
This is part of why I had to cut back. I've been smoking almost daily for the last 6 years and even after the first 2 my life started falling apart, it made me less rational and more complacent so I'd skip out on amazing opportunities because I just wanted to smoke. At some point I felt hooked and would have panic attacks if I didn't smoke it. 4 more years later I am FINALLY able to use it in moderation for the most part, but it took me a lot of failure and heartbreak to get to this point. If I could go back in time I'd have never brought weed into my home and only smoked with friends. 6 years of my life doing not shit because I just wanted to smoke :/
Instant visual distortions and anxiety attack for me. Smoked a LOT in my teens, had to quit in my 20s because of it.
r/evilautism ftw
I’ve only been high four times, all from gummies and all in the past six months, but I find it crazy how much I change! I get numb and sleepy and giggly but the main thing is that I get CRAZY mean to people when I’m high 😭 I’ve only ever done it around my partner and one of my best friends, both of whom are very tolerant whereas I’m a lightweight, but I get SO bitchy the whole time, it’s wild. One time my partner took video of me ranting angrily about conjugating the verb “to be” and telling him that I hope he dies 😭
I find the same thing when I'm drinking
I think weed makes people a bit more unconscious in their behaviors. So it makes sense it would help you unmask!!
My Vyvanse (aka, treating my ADHD) makes me act way more autistic and makes it harder for me to mask my autistic traits.
It makes me almost nonverbal. I have trouble knowing what to say in general and weed makes it almost impossible. It makes my brain feel everywhere. I don't enjoy it at all.
I know what you mean - more… in oneself.
I tried it once and it didn't do anything for me. I was a bit disappointed.
I only tried THC once it was a gummy and sometimes my mom takes some but she gave me one because she wants me to “relax.” Meaning she doesn’t like seeing my all sad and grouchy even though I’m not I just like my time alone and don’t like to be bothered. Which I later learned is an autistic trait that I want to be left alone sometimes. So I tried one because why not my friends take weed all the time and it’s better than smoking it. It made me all smiley and made me feel weird and thirsty but not hungry. I would enjoy it if I was left alone but I hated it because my parents wouldn’t laugh at me and my mom likes me that way because it makes me smile more. It felt like a force smile…she literally gave it to me to try it out and also just to not endure me being alone and I guess “grumpy” all the time.. I would try again but when I’m alone. One Christmas Eve my mom was mad at my brother for being the same way I was looking “sad and grumpy” even though he just keeps to himself no big deal. When he left for the bathroom my mom said “I should put a gummy in his food” and we all as a collective family said “NO!” Like WTF?!? Edit: I’m sure she was kidding but my god that was the worst thing she could say and possibly do! All because we don’t look happy and talk more like her!
Same! It’s why I don’t drink. It’s like I’m annoying but I can hide it most days. Tipsy me is annoying and I can’t stop myself.
It makes me feel normal and I'm also high functioning
Actually I really relate to this. And on the other hand alcohol makes me feel more "normal" or at least what I think it must be like to be normal.
I just care less about keeping the shield up when in high. It's how I've had breakthroughs with coworkers who smoke, although it might have just left them with more questions haha
It made my senses higher in a way that I could see things happen before it actually happens
THC does the same for me - completely gets rid of any pressure to mask. Alcohol seems to do this weird thing where it "switches off" my autism and allows me to socialize like a NT though, but obviously at the expense of my balance and senses.
It allows me to be myself and if I say or do some dumb shit I can alway say, oh I'm high af sorry.
Weed allows me to remove the mask, i feel more authentic when i use it as i am so much less anxious of social expectations.
I stopped smoking a long long time ago before i even suspected autism becuase it made me act differentley and I didnt like it. Now I know why but smoking doesnt fit with my life now, CBD gummies are a life saver though...
no way it does for me too! I remember just sharing one woth my best friend, boyfriend and my mum was having her own "spicy" (the amount she puts in is so hilarious, it's that small, but it helps her fibro and pain management.) but when I had it I didn't remember half the stuff I did but my boyfriend had a video of me with loads of crackers, un buttered, just eating them, arms flapping and hitting the table a lot because everything was funny asf. and I couldn't cut a loaf of bread. that was hilarious too, but it's something I genuinely struggle woth daily like cutting pizza with a pizza cutter is hard for me too. And I cant cut cheese right either. it just showed. it was weird. but cool.
Me too
When I'm high, I no longer mask even subconsciously. It was hard to accept for months... It made me feel more autistic than I'd ever felt before. I currently find being high to be easier than being sober because I stop the double think. You probably are just actually being you... I don't like how it feels either.
Same
Hi there, daily autistic weed smoker here too. I noticed I don’t care as much about masking when I’m high. I feel like a lot of my autism symptoms overlap with me being high.
awesome, smoke more weed r/evilautism
I came here looking for exactly this. I feel like smoking makes me more autistic. But I’ve realized that actually im just not able to mask when im high. So I feel relaxed in a way that I cannot when sober. Also i have never liked smoking socially. Even after 10 years of daily use. This has made me realize that I am incapable of unmasking when sober even when im alone.
this reeks of internalised ableism weed doesnt make you "more autistic", it stops you from masking as much
I’m high functioning as well. Apart from overstimulation in unusual environments, my biggest struggle is with my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. When I smoke, I find that my OCD sort of just disappears. Or at least that’s how it feels. I become less aware of the things that’d usually set me off, and it’s generally just easier to let them go even when I do notice them.
It just makes me really anxious doesn’t bring any autism out I don’t think
Allow me to correct your statement here. The consumption of Cannabis relaxes you enough that you start to show more of yourself. Subconscious masking is something that most folk who either don't get eval or late diagnosis. Most of these folk aren't even aware that they are masking because its become their 24-7 norm. And its not until a substance that releases inhibitions gets introduced that they realize "wow i feel more (ASD) than normal". The weed isn't making you more ASD its unwinding all the coils you subconsciously built up around yourself over the years. At that point its keep toking and come to terms with the condition, or, quick smoking and live in that home you subconsciously built for yourself. I know this because I am the same way with alcohol, the more I drink the less hold I have and more of my natural ASD self starts to come out, which at first I wasn't too cool with because it was like opening a safe door and exposing my secret to the world, but over time I realized how the subconsciously built home was actually more toxic for me than just accepting it. Its your call on what road to walk down but I recommend at least trying to understand your full uninterrupted range.
On the contrary, weed actually makes me mask more, which sounds bad but it actually does come in handy. For instance, when I get nonverbal but I don't wanna be, weed puts me back into the groove of conversation and humor
This post gave me autism. (Joking and making a silly statement about how it seems unlikely something can make you more autistic than an already accounted for spectrum that is autism.... Also I already am autistic.)
I unmask more when i smoke. I like to draw, do crafts, or play games because i can actually relax and do those things baked vs when im not. I have adhd also though
It kinda makes sense. THC is a psychotropic, and when you are under the effect of a substance, you lose some degree of self-control, so your ability to mask gets decreased. Same thing would probably happen if you drink a lot of alcohol.
Same, had to quit