Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol THC is one of the over 120 active ingredients in the Cannabis Sativa plant. It’s no secret that this compound has numerous therapeutic benefits. Despite society’s advances in legalizing marijuana, a negative stigma may still be attached to those who use it medically or recreationally.
However, many people are unaware that cannabis can effectively improve overall work quality. It can not only help you access the more creative parts of your imagination, but it can also help you clear away the clutter and improve focus. This begs the question, could cannabis improve work ethic and productivity?
Contrary to popular misconception, marijuana alone does not make people lose motivation or ambition. Recent laboratory research found that people who received high doses of marijuana over a long period did not experience any loss of motivation or productivity at work. In contrast, over 50% of users report having more creative ideas after using marijuana, according to one study. Weed users are also happier at work, with 64 percent reporting that they like their job versus 54 percent for those who never indulge.
There’s been a lot of research on the impact of THC on creativity. Read on to find out how THC works to improve originality.
1. May Help Decrease Stress and Anxiety
Some anxieties, such as an overwhelming sense of perfectionism, can stifle creative thought and be crippling in various areas of daily life. If you believe your anxiety is interfering with your creative side, THC oil may help alleviate anxiety symptoms. Surveys of cannabis users point to evidence that the drug may be helpful. Many users report using marijuana to cope with their anxiety.
A 2018 survey looked at the use of cannabis to treat depression and anxiety symptoms. The study indicates that medical cannabis users reported a 58% decrease in anxiety and stress. According to a report by the University of Washington, THC reduces anxiety at low doses. However, the report also states that it could increase stress at high doses. As such, it’s essential to avoid high doses if you have anxiety symptoms.
2. Improve Mental Clarity in People with Low Creativity
A study on the effect of THC on divergent thinking found that cannabis has benefits that can help people connect seemingly unconnected concepts, which may aid some people in their creative endeavors. Researchers divided test subjects into “low creativity” and “high creativity” groups. Both groups underwent verbal fluency tests to see how many words they could recall from memory when sober and while high on cannabis.
According to the study, those who don’t believe themselves to be particularly creative in the first place benefit from the substance quite significantly. They became more relaxed as a result, and some thoughts they might not have had when sober became apparent.
The “low creativity” group discovered that their verbal fluency scores, typically lower in the baseline measurement, increased to the level of the “high creativity” group after a week of cannabis use. The “high inventiveness” group’s performance under the influence of cannabis did not improve.
3. Increases the Brain’s Dopamine Levels
Dopamine levels in the brain are directly related to increased productivity. Studies have found that dopamine serves as a motivator. When the brain’s dopamine levels rise, there is more of a drive or need to complete tasks, even though it is typically associated with feelings of pleasure or reward. Like other drugs, marijuana releases dopamine chemicals in the brain. One of the many substances in the brain that aids in controlling brain function is dopamine. Neurotransmitters are another name for these substances.
By inhibiting the action of another neurotransmitter called GABA, cannabinoids enhance the flow of dopamine when a person consumes or inhales cannabis. GABA “waters down” the supply of dopamine to the brain under typical conditions. But when THC and cannabis block GABA, the brain produces more dopamine. People experience a calmer, more focused, and sometimes even more creative state due to this dopamine increase.
In addition, cannabis may affect brain regions associated with creativity. Cannabis consumption may increase cerebral blood flow in the brain’s frontal areas, stimulating creativity in some people. The frontal lobe of the frontal cortex, in particular, is thought to be the brain’s hub or center of creativity. When the chemical compounds in cannabis (particularly the psychoactive substance THC) reach the frontal lobe, you may experience increased creativity. This is because cannabis alters the way the brain thinks.
In Conclusion
Marijuana, a psychotropic plant, has been used for its recreational and therapeutic properties for quite some time. Long-term cannabis users frequently praise the drug’s ability to stimulate their imagination as one of its chief benefits. Since there is so much anecdotal evidence connecting cannabis to creativity, this theory has garnered interest in today’s cannabis society.
Research has shown that some users of cannabis may experience increased creativity at lower dosages. But not everyone will experience creative inspiration from cannabis, and higher doses may even have the opposite effect on some people, impairing creativity and other cognitive abilities. Consult your physician before using THC for creativity.
