Marijuana use affects long-term memory loss by removing 2 to 3 hours of memories each time a joint is smoked. In other words, during the days, months, and years of marijuana use, all those nuances and repartees that are shared with family and friends when the user is high, do not even exist in the user’s memory (not in any accurate way). Therefore, the bonds that are established with these personal and subtle exchanges do not exist in the user’s mind, to be looked back on and appreciated, as they should. Even more troubling is the fact that those nuances and repartees which help build relationships probably do not even happen, since during intoxication, attention, judgment, short term memory, and other cognitive functions are quite impaired.
How could they happen? To perceive subtle differences or nuances while intoxicated is next to impossible, and responding with witty retorts or repartees while high is much too complex a task.
One of the most embarrassing things that can occur to someone that has smoked marijuana, and then said that they had a very deep and intelligent discussion, is to play a recording of that “deep and intelligent discussion” when they are sober. The revelations and profound thought that they somehow no longer remember were actually superficial, simple, and dull. They see how dim-witted they become when they smoke marijuana and how family and friends are viewing them. If this recording ploy moves the person to quit, then great. However, marijuana is addictive, so chances are, seeing how addled their brain becomes, and realizing that they sound ignorant and act doltish in front of family and friends would just be a huge embarrassment that may contribute to more problems in the future.
Marijuana use affects long-term memory loss by not allowing memories to take hold while the user is high. So not in the traditional sense of long-term memory loss but since marijuana use plays out over a long period of time and memories can not be made accurately, looking back 10, 20, or 30 years, it does become long-term memory loss.
So what long-term memories are affected? According to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) 2005 Report, Working Americans, spend 4 to 5 hours a day caring for their family members and spending leisure time. The rest of the day is spent sleeping, working, grooming, eating, shopping, cooking, yard care, pet care, vehicle maintenance and repair and home maintenance, repair, decoration, and renovation. This family/leisure 4 to 5 hours a day becomes the most obvious time for the marijuana user to “relax”. Since the high lasts about 2 to 2 ½ hours each time they smoke, that means that half of the family/leisure time is not turned into memories and if they smoke twice then none of the family/leisure time is turned into memories (accurate ones anyway).
For the daily user, this means that 50 to 100 percent of the time in life when they have the capability to build strong, fun, intelligent, and loving relationships has instead opted to become a witless, tedious and very simple partner or loner that cannot help but pursue an illegal, expensive, and mind dulling addiction.
Transitions Recovery is a nationally accredited, state-licensed drug and alcohol rehabilitation service provider with drug treatment and alcohol addiction treatment facilities based in North Miami Beach, Florida.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Mackey
