How Is Smoking Marijuana Preventing Me From Making Progress Towards Self-actualization?

[Henri]

Don`t reinvent the wheel again mate, that`s why one needs a teacher (guru).

The dutch are champs of developing the weed, practically and theoretically. Anyway, losing the subject here. Tell me of a profound master who tells you it is not dangerous to smoke pod on the path. The ones I know are fake or bush-people with tribal mentality.

It`s so useless to talk about this stuff compared to the goals you really want to achieve. Move on mate!

Jai Guru Dev

[Markus]

Is there any set-in-stone rule that will prevent you from self-actualizing if you smoke weed? Nope. Weed may cause problems with short term memory, paranoia, laziness, and brain damage (the science spread in the weed community is cherry-picked, regular use of weed absolutely may cause brain damage, especially in adolescents). Is it guaranteed that you will have these problems with weed to a significant extent? No. But if you do, it certainly doesn't help. Addiction as itself is something that goes against the definition of a self-actualized person. A self-actualized person definitely wouldn't need weed and probably wouldn't desire it either, since they're happy on their own and weed is not fulfilling.

[ttm]

@Henri I totally agree that this conversation is useless. You just blew my mind.

 

Edited February 14, 2016 by ttm

[Vamptacular]

In reading many responses and not trying to reply with the same thing, my response is:  think of 'why' you want/need the state change that pot and/or alcohol brings.  That is the real question, not the substance at hand.  The substances or distractions you might use are infinite; it's all about the why. 

You say you've begun meditating, so is that for relaxation?  Do you have a night routine that is not conducive to helping you relax for bed? Do you have trouble sleeping? Ask all these questions as to the why for using the substances.  Yes, long-term certain use of certain substances does in fact change brain chemistry and 'wiring'.  Our habits- of any kind (better or worse) shape our neuropathways and the more you do something, the stronger "x" pathway becomes. It's up to you to see if you are strengthening yourself for the better or holding yourself back in creating poor habits period.  

In observing others and in my own life, I know that so many things serve to distract us from inner focus and making changes.  Those things can be made doubly hard by adding someone else who does the same habitual thing- unless the habitual things are positive and promote successful outcomes.  

[ZenTwizzle]

Does anyone else see the humor in this conversation? seems to me the one and only rule is There are no rules. Any perception through any unenlightened filter can not be believed. From my perspective humans just like to make up a bunch of rules.

[Mal]

 

[Richard Alpert]

I dont smoke much anymore, but sometimes few hits before going to bed can be good

[Leo Gura]

It's all just one giant distraction from doing serious inner growth & living life.

If you were conscious, you'd feel so good you wouldn't need it.

But since you're not conscious, you use it because that's the best shortcut you can find.

And of course because you're not conscious, you're not conscious of the rationalizations your mind concocts, which keep this whole thing in place.

[RawLSD]

On 2/12/2016 at 3:26 PM, David Miller said:

 

Just like a few have said on here, I think marijuana has it's place, but it's not something that will help you get self actualized any faster.  For many, it will be a hindrance depending on your own psychology. 

I have friends who can have a lot of energy on Marijuana.  I believe I've read a study on how people with ADHD or ADD can have an uplifting effect on their energy when it comes to smoking, however, I do not have either condition so I don't know if theres some other underlying negative effect from it.  For example, I have a buddy who can smoke marijuana before doing anything productive and have even more energy afterwards.

Marijuana will spike your dopamine and therefore, you will not have it when you need it to keep motivated doing more difficult or focused tasks. 

Some may say marijuana doesn't lower motivation, but I urge you to check some studies and see how the SHORT-TERM effects of it can lower motivation.  The issue is that when you are a daily smoker, you are almost always under the short term effects!

I AM a daily smoker!  I find meditation easier, which is a crutch and not purely helping me, because I'm not feeling the sober thoughts that actually drive me to depression or negativity. 
I have IBS so I use it medicinally more so, but without my ego, I can say that all I have to do is eat healthier and I'd get the same effects.  Smoking just makes it so  I can eat a cheese burger and the marijuana will lower stomach discomfort due to its effect on the intestine.  If I smoke to make everything that is boring more fun, or to make things that are inherently bad less discomforting, then what favor am I really doing myself???

I used to smoke 2 grams a day, now I smoke 0.5, and during my job search, I didn't use someone elses pee like back in the day of my desperate stoner dependence, I stayed clean for 2 weeks.  After 5 years of daily heavy smoking, I'm making some good progress.

Just like a lot of drugs, including psychedelics, I find that all effects are temporary if you are not in a state of trying to improve yourself.  Even when you are trying to improve yourself, you may find your motivation in your sober state lacking because your brain isn't short cutted to the "right" answers as soon as it would be on Marijuana on any psychedelic.
 

Edited December 3, 2016 by RawLSD