I realize that this turned into a wall of text. See TLDR.
I made the decision to seek psychiatric care for what I believe to be ADHD. At my new patient appointment, after being drug tested at the door, we discussed my occasional use of marijuana. They made me agree to completely stop consuming weed and in no certain terms said they would drug test me in a month’s time to make sure I actually quit.
I understand that there is some concern that marijuana can worsen ADHD. I am not in a position to challenge my care provider on the science of the matter. What I don’t understand is why they are taking such overbearing measures to make sure I abstain from marijuana.
For example, when I had a colonoscopy performed a couple of years ago, I was advised by my doctor not to consume any food or liquids within a certain window before the procedure. I simply agreed to fast during that period and that was it. They trusted me to be an adult and follow their instructions. They didn’t check for food in my stomach when I arrived at the hospital.
I should note that this practice primarily practices substance abuse treatment. Could this be a side effect of some zero-tolerance policy? Or do they really believe that smoking marijuana is that detrimental to my well-being?
TLDR; Dr asked me to quit smoking weed in order to get access to treatment. And said they would drug test me.
- Did your Dr also mention marijuana?
- Did they drug test you?
I’m sure it all depends on the individual, but from my experience my heavy cannabis use enhanced my adhd symptoms. My ability to recall information was compromised, as was my ability to comprehend larger, more complex topics. I would routinely forget what I was saying mid-sentence. It also severely affected my anxiety levels, and promoted general depression.
I decided to quit at the beginning of the year, and since then my memory has drastically improved. I almost never loose my focus mid-sentence, and if I do, I am now able to recover. More involved, complex topics I needed to ingest for work became much easier to accomplish, where as I simply could not do it when habitually smoking.
As for my psychiatrist, she was well aware of my marijuana use, and advocated for cessation, but wasn’t adamant about it. I still got my methylphenidate filled every month.
I am far from a heavy user. I vape to a mild buzz maybe 2-3 times a month. But I will be cutting it out. Doctors orders