Is It Okay to Smoke Pot After a Brain Injury?

I disagree with this article completely. I've had a hard time writing and reading since my brain injury in January 2014, but when I smoke a little, I have no problems! I usually have a hard time writing papers and articles because my brain has a really hard time trying to organize my thoughts. However, after a few hits, I have zero problems and I feel like my brain can function as well as it did before.

Also, weed has helped me immensely with the stress and depression I experienced after the brain injury. If I start having one of my brain injury mood swings (as I call them), a few hits of high quality weed stops it completely and I can think straight again, and this is the kind of mood swing that causes me to cry, scream and break things (something I didn't experience pre-TBI). 

My personal opinion is to smoke. If one strain doesn't work, try another. Neurologists were so quick to try to prescribe me antidepressants, sleeping pills, pain killers and anti-seizure meds, but weed can do most if not all of the things those pills can do. Plus, you won't have to go through the withdrawal in the future if you just smoke instead. 

I find that a few hits does the trick so you don't have to get completely stoned to experience the benefits of this herb.

Can you smoke cigarettes while in recovery?, if not, list the reasons? Thanks whoever.

I had a concussion and i found i couldnt smoke marijuana because it simply made my brain hurt maybe because the brain can't handle the cannibal in the cannabinoid receptors during this type of trauma

I have TBI and all the problems that go along with it.  The issue about all the meds is they are we're side affects and highly addictive than marijuana!  I have done it a few times and it has helped with my pain a bit.  With my TBI I have learned that docs and pharms are quick to drug you with pills but want elaborate on the pills and the long term consequences.  Weed is natural and if helps a little bit is better than blowing out my liver in ten or fifteen years because of pills.  I'm tired of the subjective opinions from these so called health professionals who really could care less about you but more about there money that's burning a hole in there pockets.  I'm a Vet from Iraq and Afghanistan.  I have every right to try to heal myself including using herbal meds.  Thanks for letting me put my subjective opinion.

Darrell Retired USMC 0311

I have survived a traumatic brain injury it helps with my headaches lowers my stress helps my concentration I think people saying god got it wrong are wrong them selves!

Omg it truly is amazing to hear someone else that has a TBI cause it has worked wonders for me I hope my gf doesn'tread this because I still haven't told her but I couldn't remember her at all after the coma I was inand then one day I want some buddies came up to Chicago to hang out and they smoked with me and that it was miraculous

my son has a very severe tbi.we are lobbying tomorrow in nashville because they want to legalize mmj...we are for having that option...he hasn t had any since his accident because it s illegal and we re afraid that they will kick him out of pain mgmt ,which is only legal option he has and afraid if caught state would take him in to  protective custody even tho he s an adult.wish us luck.this guy is dead wrong ,all the studies that are newly surfacing prove he s wrong .http://medicalmarijuana.com/experts/expert/title.cfm?artID=147

I'm a female, 25 who suffered a minor t.b.i. after getting hit by a car about 3 weeks ago. I also suffered a hair line fratcure to my hip and broke my left ankle. My first week home was very painful, they prescribed me percocets and would end up taking the maximum dose despite my efforts to cut back. I was so drugged up while I was in the hospitle that I didn't feel shit and it definately didn't help my memory. For the first 3-4 days I thought I was waking up in Japan and Tijuana. I told the doctor that I was a medical marijuana avocate (once I was in my head enough to express myself) and former patient, for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. His opinion was that I shouldn't use for at least 6 months. As soon as I got home I took it apon myself to reserch the effects of marijuanas effects on brain injuries, because I'd rather use that for the pain then opiates (shitty withdrawls suck!) Or high doses of NSAIDs, which I know can have long term effects on your stomach, kidneys, and liver. At first it was hard to find info that wasn't biased either way..... but boy was I suprised when I found info on the study done at Tel-Aviv Uni. on mainstream news sights! I actually have a theory now that my marijuana use (not a big head, although I use to be when I was younger) might have helped prevent my head injury from being worse then it was.... of course thats just speculation, but I'm obivously quite articulate and capable of expressing myself just three weeks after my accident. I have yet to try marijuana since I've been home but a friend has made some treats and I want to take a nibble to see how it effects me, considering any negitive effects that might result, would be only temporary. I have a hard time beileving that the opiates they had me on are any better for my cognative process and my memory then cannabis. Anothr friend was nice enough to look into specific strains that are beneficial to those in my condition, although they're hard to come by I will list them in hopes it will help others. Skunk haze, yummy kush, shark shock, mango haze, critcal mass, and medi-haze. I hope this helps! Thank you for taking the time to read my comment, Feel better and stay strong! (Sorry about sp errors, not my strong point, even in my pre-mj days)

I was told to stay away from it, because there wasn't any medical proof it worked for brain injuries, and 'probably' compromised your injury and thought process. The main reason there wasn't medical proof, was because it couldn't legally be studied. Ever since medical marijuana has become legal in some states, studies are finally being done, and what they are finding, is that yes it can help a person wt a TBI. It contains many compounds that are extremely helpful for people with brain injuries.

Marijuana is not a drug for everyone, both pre or post TBI. In college, pre injury, when I first tried it, Marijuana gave me too much paranoia. I also smoked it, 15 years post injury, but at that time, I did not like how it altered my thinking. Everyone is different. Still at least for me, 20 years post injury, I found it to have very positive effects. My balance, thinking ability, creativity, use of muscles, and general outlook are 'very' much improved. The good effects for me last much longer then the few hours of the high. Even days after smoking it, all of these things are still improved. I have found that usage for me is only desired about once a month. Still the effects vary, depending on the individual, and the strength of the marihuana. Fortunately you cannot OD, on pot, and the worst effect it can have, is an over abundance of thought, something a person wt a brain injury needs. It 'will' become legal in every state sooner then later, and hopefully when it finally is, plants sold, will be properly labeled as to the THC content, much like alcohol is today.

I've used MMJ for pain relief and a sleep aid for an auto accident and it has been very effective. However, I also sustained a mild traumatic brain injury with visual trauma and have noticed that due to this, I am much more sensitive to the effects and have to be very careful with usage. If I have any when my brain function seems to be compromised, decreased concentration and fogginess, even a very small amount of MMJ can put me in a stupor and knock me down for the day. When it comes down to it... it seems to vary per individual and the type of traumatic brain injury that has been incurred as to how they will react to MMJ.

I was on a site that stated medical marijuana can help people with tbi and now I read to stay away from it? I am so confused. Then I read these people that were helped by using it. I know for myself that this headache that I have had for 11 months that the only thing that has helped it has been medical marijuana. Percocet, vicodin did not touch it. All the other migraine meds did not nothing. My doctors will not sign the card, so I will be going to someone else who will. This pain is driving me crazy. My tbi was not diagnosed until 5 years after the fact, so my symptoms I am stuck with anyways. I am 10 years into it. So, I am not going to live with this pain if I dont have too!

As someone who had a TBI more than 25 years ago and as someone who in his teenage years briefly smoked pot (I had my injury when I was ten), I can say for me at least that it completely destroys my ability to concentration and function normally. In the past 15 or so years I might have smoked maybe a half dozen times, and each time I say "never again". Just completely destroys my ability to do anything except have deep thoughts.

As I suffer.. With TBI and other injuties from a car accident. I find THC brings the most relief with out making me wacked out like other pain meds. I need to function with Children. After 2 years of trying perscription pain killers handed out by doctors and the hospital visits. THC has been the safest.

Maruina makes me feel a lot better

Honestly pot helps me out honestly it does!