What is Asperger's Syndrome and How Can Cannabis Help?

What is Asperger's Syndrome and How Can Cannabis Help?

marijuana for asperger's

When you get to know someone with Asperger’s, two things are standing out right away. There is no problem with the intelligence with the person, in fact, he is just as smart as anyone else. But there is a problem with social skills. There is also an obsessive focus on one topic, or the same behavior will be performed over-and-over again. Initially, Asperger syndrome was classified on its own. Now, it falls under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). People diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome have less severe symptoms than others diagnosed with ASD. Doctors call it a high functioning ASD. Because the symptoms are lighter than other autisms spectrums, people with Asperger’s often get misdiagnosed when they are children. They often get seen as difficult and naughty, but one psychologist, professor, Tony Atwood from Australia, says that Asperger’s is rather a gift and can’t be fixed. In fact, he is wondering if Asperger Syndrome is not the next level of evolution as they are people thinking out of the box.

What is Asperger Syndrome?

Asperger Syndrome (AS), or also known as Asperger Disorder (AS) is an autism spectrum disorder. It is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and non-verbal communication. It also has repetitive and restrictive patterns of behavior and interests. What makes it different from other autism disorders, is that it has relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. They have trouble talking and writing, but they are normal and intelligent.

How do you know a person has Asperger’s?

The symptoms start already early in life. Like with other autism disorders, a child would avoid eye contact. The child will also behave awkwardly in social situations, and have a hard time responding to a conversation. Certain obvious social skills are also easily missed, like body language and the expression on other people’s faces. He might not read the body language of an angry person or when he is scolded.

Facial expressions where emotions are entailed are also fewer. He might not smile when he is happy or laugh at a joke. He might also speak flat and robot-like. A child with Asperger’s might also talk to himself a lot most of the time. He would also zoom in with intensity on a specific topic where he would know all the facts. The same movements are also overly repeated. Change is also not a thing they take easily too.

The exact cause is unknown, but doctors think it is genetically based. People diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome often feel that they don’t fit into society. They could feel very alone and isolated. Most of them possess significant cognitive capabilities and impressive creativity.

Many Heroes in Life had Asperger Syndrome

As mentioned above, Professor Attwood, who has studied Asperger syndrome for years now, believes that a person diagnosed with AS should rather be congratulated because they have rather skills and abilities other ordinary people don’t have. He believes that many great scientists and artists have Asperger syndrome. The intense focus on special interests leads them to great achievements. Under those who had Asperger’s, count names like Albert Einstein, Peter Sellers, Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, and Courtney Love.

Treatment for Asperger Syndrome

There is no particular single treatment for this disorder. Intervention is rather aimed at improving symptoms and function. Every person is different, and treatment will be focused on each individual. Treatment could include:

Social skills training – a child gets taught to interact with others and express himself.

Speech-language therapy – the aim is to improve communication skills and social cues like hand movements and gestures.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy – here he gets taught to control his emotions and repetitive behaviors

There are no drugs approved for the treatment of AS, but conventional medicine for anxiety, depression, and psychosis are often prescribed.

How Can Marijuana Help?

Autism is a disorder relating to neural development. Autism directly affects the processing of information in the brain by altering nerve cells and their proper synapsis. Medical marijuana shows promising results in alleviating outbursts of rage, seizures, and temper tantrums under autism patients. Cannabis-based products such as concentrates, and tinctures help to reduce erratic behavior. Cannabis helps to relax the patient and allow them to focus attentively on what they are doing.

For those suffering from Asperger’s syndrome, cannabis helps them to unlock the creative and talented aspects of their minds. Both THC and CBD are effective in treating Asperger’s. Patients should look for high-quality medical cannabis with a high CBD to THC ratio. Tinctures and edibles are good for long-lasting effects. It is good to use leaves and bud together to up the CBD content when it is smoked or vaped for a quick fix.

Because Aspies are often ruled by their emotions, smoking, or vaping is excellent to take immediate control. Marijuana slows thought processes down, enabling the brain of an Asperger to think clearly and calmly.

As with everything, each person is different. Experimenting with Cannabis to find the best ratio, is the best way to go. The pudding lies in the proof.