The Ecstasy of Empathy – Breaking cannabis news today

Through empathy, you really gain insight into another person’s pressures and limitations. In today’s cutthroat world, the need for empathy and compassion is more than ever. But you might be wondering, “But what does empathy have to do with cannabis use?” The answer might surprise you. Indeed, cannabis has the potential to better understand others and become more aware of their feelings, according to cannabis education experts.

Photo by Yash Lucid, courtesy of Pexels

We are not saying you are a joint away from holiness, however. As experts point out, such cannabis-induced empathy is highly dependent on the type of strain, the intent of the user, and the amount of cannabis consumed. If you consume too much, your emotions may become too suppressed and too little of the substance may not work. Notice that I have used the words “empathy” and “compassion” interchangeably for this article. Accordingly, it is important to note what empathy means and what its physiological nature is.

Our neural networks make us more receptive to the needs, experiences and desires of other people. It enables us to appreciate and feel one with other people’s emotions, understand their point of view, and understand how and why it is different from ours.

Empathy is an indispensable part of social interaction itself. It enables us to communicate ideas and understand each other’s ideas. As a result, all can benefit from a more compassionate world that is more emphatic than it is now.

The powerful effects of cannabis

Recent research contradicts the popular belief that empathy is an innate trait. Indeed, it is something that can be taught to others. But the process is quite complex due to the intricate physiological and psychological processes involved. For example, cannabidiol or CBD, one of the essential components of cannabis, can potentially impair empathy due to the abundance of cannabinoid receptors in the brain’s emotional and decision-making centers. These areas include the medial prefrontal cortex and the amygdala.

In addition, THC, the other main constituent of cannabis, reduces the perception of social threats and the amygdala’s response to them. In this regard, we can cite observations from a 2008 study in which oral ingestion of THC for recovery reduced reduced amygdala signals in response to angry faces. Note, however, that the observations were dose dependent and that the motor and visual cortex were not affected by the THC. The hypothesis is therefore that THC has a significant influence on central physiological mechanisms under emotions.

The role of cannabis in social interactions

There are both long-term and immediate effects of cannabis use on the processing of emotions. Cannabis changes the process and with it the emotional behavior. Such results are not limited to physiology or psychology as the drug affects both. The most powerful effect of cannabis use lies in appetite and sleep patterns. What is less well known, however, is that it has a significant impact on emotions and executive functions. Sometimes the brain structure itself is changed and the regions that process emotions themselves change.

According to the results of a 2016 study, THC suppressed the perception of negative facial expressions such as anger and fear. However, little, if any, effect was observed in the perception of sad or happy facial expressions. The complexity of the matter, however, lies in the fact that scientists have observed the restoration of such a performance upon subsequent administration of CBD. This shows the complexity of the affective process. Chemical profiles, dosage, and intent to use are essential factors in the empathy functions of cannabis.

The emphatic effects are personal and vary

Many leading cannabis researchers agree that we need to take a personal approach to studying empathy and cannabis use. For example, they believe that people with increased stress or trauma (present or past) may need higher doses of CBD or CBN in order to make them feel more emphatic. Cannabis allows people to overcome their defenses and ego, which makes it easier to connect. But the effect differs depending on the mind, body and spirit of the person.

To sum up

Finding the emphatic sweet spot for cannabis is to pay more attention to the cannabinoid profile. With science figuring this out, cannabis can be an excellent way for people to empathize with others and act as a social glue.