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Ask HN: Does using Cannabis actually enhances focus and creativity?

5 points by hotshot 12y ago

Red_Tarsius 12y ago
I never used it, so take my post very lightly: I think it's mostly a placebo effect, plus the whole cultural heritage. Much like alcool, we give ourself permission to be more daring and out of the box. Think about tea: when we drink it, we don't do it just for the flavor, but the "relaxing experience" label attached to it. We think of asian monasteries or comfy London cafè, nature and meditation. We want to shape the experience in the same way that it's sold to us. Cannabis means peace, nature, harmony, media representation of the "trip", enlightenment. Also, creativity. Placebo effect is the most powerful trick.
- hotshot 12y ago
  So its basically my mind, something within my control that does all the enhancement that I feel after doing it?
  - Red_Tarsius 12y ago
    Mostly. There's something about the cannabis that is indeed relaxing, but you shouldn't rely too much on external sources, no matter the benefits. You will start to think that your creativity only comes from such dependency. Give a try to meditation and mindfullness – there are many kinds and one will surely fit your needs. Meditation is placebo to an extent, but it comes from you (no external sources), it can be done anywhere and it makes you more aware of yourself. Everyone I know that started practicing self-awareness is happier, more creative AND more disciplined.
- AnEro 12y ago
  I would say that it, induces creativity because it forces you into a different mindset. Even if it is a placebo for general creativity, it still puts you into a different state of mind which can change the way you approach things. Whether your are more creative or not you will approach issues differently.
- coralreef 12y ago
  There is a real, physiological response going on in the brain which affects creativity. Tea has chemical compounds that induce relaxation, just like coffee has chemicals that make us alert.
- meowface 12y ago
  While there is a placebo effect, when it comes to substances like cannabis you can experience serious temporary mind alteration if you consume enough, to a degree that is far more than a placebo ever could. Just like alcohol if you drink enough of it. So, I disagree with you quite a bit here. Your mind will pump out ideas at a much faster rate when you consume a sufficient quantity of cannabis. Many of these ideas may be awful, but it's an experience shared by millions of people. Your mind begins to freely associate things haphazardly.
- staunch 12y ago
  You're (admittedly) just making this shit up. Why would you pretend to have a useful opinion when you have absolutely zero experience? It's just weird. Most tea contains caffeine which is a psychoactive drug. Caffeine is absorbed into your bloodstream and crosses into your brain. It gets you high.
  - Red_Tarsius 12y ago
    I'm not making "shit up", it's called an opinion and you should respect it. I said "mostly" and I also wrote "There's something about it that is indeed relaxing". However: "Does using it actually enhances focus and creativity?" My answer is a definitive NO, and I described a better alternative. I see people trying it because they believe they'll become creative geniuses and it's just delusional. There's no magic trick for getting more focused and creative except practice and consistency.
    - staunch 12y ago
      > I'm not making "shit up" Yes you are. Unless you're citing scientific studies you can not possibly be drawing on your own declared lack of experience. > it's called an opinion and you should respect it Nothing here is "called an opinion". You should probably stop using that phrase because it's ridiculous. I'm showing you respect by pointing out that you're wrong. If you don't like my choice of words then perhaps you should question your own. > "Does using it actually enhances focus and creativity?" My answer is a definitive NO, and I described a better alternative. The idea that you would attempt to answer this question based on zero experience is hilarious. That you would take an authoritative tone makes you a bit of an idiot.
      - deleted 12y ago
        [deleted]
      - hnbro2 12y ago
        > Unless you're citing scientific studies you can not possibly be drawing on your own declared lack of experience. what does "drawing on your own declared lack of experience" even mean? how do you draw on a lack of experience, exactly? is this some sort of allusion to necessity driving invention? also, if he was "citing scientific studies" would he then necessarily be "drawing on his own experience"? aren't the two distinct things? > Nothing here is "called an opinion". You should probably stop using that phrase because it's ridiculous. I'm showing you respect by pointing out that you're wrong. of course it's an opinion, it's very clearly one. it's staggeringly obvious. what is the point of your belligerent idiocy? are you pissing yourself over particular phrasing? > The idea that you would attempt to answer this question based on zero experience is hilarious. That you would take an authoritative tone makes you a bit of an idiot. what's rather amusing in this tirade is that you completely fail to understand the implications of "placebo" in the context of "experience". just because you "experience" something, does not make you an authority, precisely because of (among other things) the placebo effect. it's always amusing when fools cast stones. lol!
ranty 12y ago
Creativity and appreciation but not focus.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
todd8 12y ago
It enhances silly fascination with almost anything, but certainly not focus.
jordsmi 12y ago
I think it changes from person to person. I have friends who get much more work done when stoned. If I am I can't get a single thing done and just zone out all the time.
staunch 12y ago
George Carlin answered this question better than anyone in the world. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj5Sd3BRm_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj5Sd3BRm_I
meowface 12y ago
My personal experience, which will very likely differ from others since that's just how it seems to be with substances like cannabis: In small to moderate quantities, it can definitely increase creativity and generally speeds up the flow of ideas. Now, many of those ideas are bad ideas, but some end up being good ones that may not have occurred to you otherwise. Consume too much at once though and it may be harder to differentiate between the good and the bad ideas, which is why it's often wise to write down what you're thinking and read it the next day when you're sober. I've done this and sometimes thought "oh wow, that's a good idea" and sometimes thought "what in the hell does this even mean / this is a terrible idea". You will definitely lose short term attention span though, and temporarily gain symptoms similar to ADD/ADHD. You might become hyperfocused on something for a minute or 2, but your mind will quickly wander off afterwards. In small quantities this can actually work well for programming, but even moderate amounts often make it impossible for me to be productive when programming.
arisAlexis 12y ago
You may become fixated with something so you can think about it in depth sometimes in novel ways. You can't be programming stoned or your code will suffer, it's more for relaxing/exploratory. Now I know some people program under the influence but it has never worked for me.

5 points by hotshot 12y ago

I never used it, so take my post very lightly: I think it's mostly a placebo effect, plus the whole cultural heritage. Much like alcool, we give ourself permission to be more daring and out of the box. Think about tea: when we drink it, we don't do it just for the flavor, but the "relaxing experience" label attached to it. We think of asian monasteries or comfy London cafè, nature and meditation. We want to shape the experience in the same way that it's sold to us. Cannabis means peace, nature, harmony, media representation of the "trip", enlightenment. Also, creativity. Placebo effect is the most powerful trick.

hotshot 12y ago
So its basically my mind, something within my control that does all the enhancement that I feel after doing it?
- Red_Tarsius 12y ago
  Mostly. There's something about the cannabis that is indeed relaxing, but you shouldn't rely too much on external sources, no matter the benefits. You will start to think that your creativity only comes from such dependency. Give a try to meditation and mindfullness – there are many kinds and one will surely fit your needs. Meditation is placebo to an extent, but it comes from you (no external sources), it can be done anywhere and it makes you more aware of yourself. Everyone I know that started practicing self-awareness is happier, more creative AND more disciplined.
AnEro 12y ago
I would say that it, induces creativity because it forces you into a different mindset. Even if it is a placebo for general creativity, it still puts you into a different state of mind which can change the way you approach things. Whether your are more creative or not you will approach issues differently.
coralreef 12y ago
There is a real, physiological response going on in the brain which affects creativity. Tea has chemical compounds that induce relaxation, just like coffee has chemicals that make us alert.
meowface 12y ago
While there is a placebo effect, when it comes to substances like cannabis you can experience serious temporary mind alteration if you consume enough, to a degree that is far more than a placebo ever could. Just like alcohol if you drink enough of it. So, I disagree with you quite a bit here. Your mind will pump out ideas at a much faster rate when you consume a sufficient quantity of cannabis. Many of these ideas may be awful, but it's an experience shared by millions of people. Your mind begins to freely associate things haphazardly.
staunch 12y ago
You're (admittedly) just making this shit up. Why would you pretend to have a useful opinion when you have absolutely zero experience? It's just weird. Most tea contains caffeine which is a psychoactive drug. Caffeine is absorbed into your bloodstream and crosses into your brain. It gets you high.
- Red_Tarsius 12y ago
  I'm not making "shit up", it's called an opinion and you should respect it. I said "mostly" and I also wrote "There's something about it that is indeed relaxing". However: "Does using it actually enhances focus and creativity?" My answer is a definitive NO, and I described a better alternative. I see people trying it because they believe they'll become creative geniuses and it's just delusional. There's no magic trick for getting more focused and creative except practice and consistency.
  - staunch 12y ago
    > I'm not making "shit up" Yes you are. Unless you're citing scientific studies you can not possibly be drawing on your own declared lack of experience. > it's called an opinion and you should respect it Nothing here is "called an opinion". You should probably stop using that phrase because it's ridiculous. I'm showing you respect by pointing out that you're wrong. If you don't like my choice of words then perhaps you should question your own. > "Does using it actually enhances focus and creativity?" My answer is a definitive NO, and I described a better alternative. The idea that you would attempt to answer this question based on zero experience is hilarious. That you would take an authoritative tone makes you a bit of an idiot.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
    - hnbro2 12y ago
      > Unless you're citing scientific studies you can not possibly be drawing on your own declared lack of experience. what does "drawing on your own declared lack of experience" even mean? how do you draw on a lack of experience, exactly? is this some sort of allusion to necessity driving invention? also, if he was "citing scientific studies" would he then necessarily be "drawing on his own experience"? aren't the two distinct things? > Nothing here is "called an opinion". You should probably stop using that phrase because it's ridiculous. I'm showing you respect by pointing out that you're wrong. of course it's an opinion, it's very clearly one. it's staggeringly obvious. what is the point of your belligerent idiocy? are you pissing yourself over particular phrasing? > The idea that you would attempt to answer this question based on zero experience is hilarious. That you would take an authoritative tone makes you a bit of an idiot. what's rather amusing in this tirade is that you completely fail to understand the implications of "placebo" in the context of "experience". just because you "experience" something, does not make you an authority, precisely because of (among other things) the placebo effect. it's always amusing when fools cast stones. lol!

ranty 12y ago

Creativity and appreciation but not focus.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

todd8 12y ago

It enhances silly fascination with almost anything, but certainly not focus.

jordsmi 12y ago

I think it changes from person to person. I have friends who get much more work done when stoned. If I am I can't get a single thing done and just zone out all the time.

staunch 12y ago

George Carlin answered this question better than anyone in the world. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj5Sd3BRm_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj5Sd3BRm_I

meowface 12y ago

My personal experience, which will very likely differ from others since that's just how it seems to be with substances like cannabis: In small to moderate quantities, it can definitely increase creativity and generally speeds up the flow of ideas. Now, many of those ideas are bad ideas, but some end up being good ones that may not have occurred to you otherwise. Consume too much at once though and it may be harder to differentiate between the good and the bad ideas, which is why it's often wise to write down what you're thinking and read it the next day when you're sober. I've done this and sometimes thought "oh wow, that's a good idea" and sometimes thought "what in the hell does this even mean / this is a terrible idea". You will definitely lose short term attention span though, and temporarily gain symptoms similar to ADD/ADHD. You might become hyperfocused on something for a minute or 2, but your mind will quickly wander off afterwards. In small quantities this can actually work well for programming, but even moderate amounts often make it impossible for me to be productive when programming.

arisAlexis 12y ago

You may become fixated with something so you can think about it in depth sometimes in novel ways. You can't be programming stoned or your code will suffer, it's more for relaxing/exploratory. Now I know some people program under the influence but it has never worked for me.