4 ms·

As a programmer I'm very protective of my higher level brain functions. Marijuana's effects on short term memory are especially concerning to me. Do any of you

by guelo 12y ago

As a programmer I'm very protective of my higher level brain functions. Marijuana's effects on short term memory are especially concerning to me. Do any of you long term smokers feels like it has affected your programming skills for the worse or better?

Synaesthesia 12y ago
As a Marijuana addict, It has negatively affected mine, although that may be due to the underlying pschological problems that cause me to be an addict. I find that with infrequent use, it is a legitimate psychedelic which can be very intense. It can however give one deep insights into your topic of study under the effects. With frequent use the character of the drug changes, and it becomes almost a normal state, where I am, probably, slightly less functional than normal. If I were abusing almost any other drug as much, I'd be looking at far greater cognitive damage, IMO.
- PaulHoule 12y ago
  There is no doubt at all that is affects short term memory when you are using it. The long term affects of cannabis use is difficult to study and there is the whole problem that the median scientific paper is wrong.
madaxe_again 12y ago
Neutral in my experience - I find sleep deprivation is far, far, far more damaging to my ability to think clearly. If I code while stoned, I find I take longer, but come up with ideas I may not have otherwise considered - and I take way more notes and actually document my code, due to the whole memory thing - which is only while you're stoned, rather than permanent. I mean, if you inject most of the LD50 of THC into your blood stream every few hours from infancy to adulthood, you're going to have some significant neurological problems - just like the lab rats used in the study I think you're referencing.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
jMyles 12y ago
Everyone's mileage varies - you'll find no shortage of people who lament the long term effects (although abstinence for even a month or so seems to cause complete reversal). For my part, smoking cannabis is great for me, especially for programming. I find both that I feel more focused and that I am more capable of juggling multiple tasks. The "listener" in me comes alive, and I'm better able to empathize with the author who, three years ago, wrote the class from which I'm inheriting for a slightly different use case. Sometimes I spend the morning under coffee's spell, writing really great tests, to then get as high as I want and spend the afternoon making them pass, with the aesthetic sensibilities from some high-quality indica powering me through ensuring that my code is readable, reusable, and maintainable. Even if I get a little too high, I always know that the tests I wrote will keep me tethered to a more grounded demeanor. However, the effect of the herb that I most treasure is that just a little bit of weed tells me what I so often forget: that I need to get up and go for a walk to get some real thinking done. Sometimes the reefer also tells me other things about my habits: I've had too much coffee. I was too hard on a colleague or friend earlier. I need to stop fussing and just merge that pull request. After smoking fairly consistently for 13 years, I seem to be blessed by having no negative effects of which I am aware. I think it's just a great plant and part of a healthy, whole-food-and-drugs lifestyle.
- PlzSnow 12y ago
  "After smoking fairly consistently for 13 years, I seem to be blessed by having no negative effects of which I am aware." Your prose suggests otherwise.
  - jMyles 12y ago
    I think you're suggesting that there's an error in the snippet you've quoted? I don't immediately see it. Can you point it out?
    - PlzSnow 12y ago
      Your prose exhibits that rambling not-to-the-pointness that I often encounter when interacting with habitual blunters.
Zelphyr 12y ago
One of the most brilliant programmers I know is a regular smoker and he has an amazing short-term memory. Though now I have to wonder what his memory would be like if he didn't smoke?
- innguest 12y ago
  Same here, I know someone very smart and prolific and I've sat next to him and watched him code page after page smoking bowl after bowl for almost a year. That's what makes me think it's all about the person and nothing to do with the substance.
cnp 12y ago
I've solved more tough, intractable programming problems after a hit of weed than I'd like to admit. IMO its a wonder drug for getting you out of patterns of thinking. And no, zero detrimental effects on my mind (at least thus far). In fact, I would say that it has made me at least 5-10% smarter in the sense that indica marijuana (the strain is key) was the first thing I discovered that allowed me to get a solid 8 hours of rest every night. It has had a remarkable cascading effect throughout my life, leading to much (much) greater clarity, attentiveness and focus during the day.
eloff 12y ago
A lot of the science that says it drops your IQ seems to have been poorly done. Smokers are dumber in general, but that may well say more about their socioeconomic backgrounds. However, I personally wouldn't risk it. Do you know what I would pay to raise my IQ by a half-dozen points? I seriously considered taking Ritalin at one point, to see if it might give me a boost (actually I still haven't ruled it out, just shelved the idea.) I wouldn't dare use a substance that had the potential to lower my IQ, or reduce my ambition/motivation.
- mod 12y ago
  What's the risk? I mean, it's not going to permanently lower your IQ, or reduce your ambition, correct? And if it does, what's the benefit you get in return? Does lowering your ambition make you happier, for instance? Why did you shelve ritalin? Does it have risks as well? Do you know why you prefer not to risk iq/ambition but you're potentially okay with risking whatever ritalin can be a detriment to? I ask all this as a curious non-user of anything but a daily multi-vitamin, forced by a loved one...
  - eloff 12y ago
    Just because much of the science has flaws does not mean that the effect is temporary, we don't really know what the long term effects might be. But even assuming it had no bad long term effects on the brain, if one were a regular user then it would regularly drop your intelligence and motivation, which itself is a disadvantage. This is no different than drinking regularly. I may be more keenly aware of this than people in the US, but life is a global competition for resources, and it's unwise to squander your competitive edge. Ritalin probably has more risks, I've not decided that it's worth the tradeoff yet. I guess the core of your question is a deeper one about life, happiness, and the tradeoffs we make. I think the answer to that is different for everyone. Life is short and without intrinsic meaning. You have to focus on what gives it value for you, which is likely very different from the next person. For me, I enjoy creating things, and I feel most alive when in the zone churning out code. Most other people probably enjoy activities that are more social.

by guelo 12y ago

Synaesthesia 12y ago

As a Marijuana addict, It has negatively affected mine, although that may be due to the underlying pschological problems that cause me to be an addict. I find that with infrequent use, it is a legitimate psychedelic which can be very intense. It can however give one deep insights into your topic of study under the effects. With frequent use the character of the drug changes, and it becomes almost a normal state, where I am, probably, slightly less functional than normal. If I were abusing almost any other drug as much, I'd be looking at far greater cognitive damage, IMO.

PaulHoule 12y ago
There is no doubt at all that is affects short term memory when you are using it. The long term affects of cannabis use is difficult to study and there is the whole problem that the median scientific paper is wrong.

madaxe_again 12y ago

Neutral in my experience - I find sleep deprivation is far, far, far more damaging to my ability to think clearly. If I code while stoned, I find I take longer, but come up with ideas I may not have otherwise considered - and I take way more notes and actually document my code, due to the whole memory thing - which is only while you're stoned, rather than permanent. I mean, if you inject most of the LD50 of THC into your blood stream every few hours from infancy to adulthood, you're going to have some significant neurological problems - just like the lab rats used in the study I think you're referencing.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

jMyles 12y ago

Everyone's mileage varies - you'll find no shortage of people who lament the long term effects (although abstinence for even a month or so seems to cause complete reversal). For my part, smoking cannabis is great for me, especially for programming. I find both that I feel more focused and that I am more capable of juggling multiple tasks. The "listener" in me comes alive, and I'm better able to empathize with the author who, three years ago, wrote the class from which I'm inheriting for a slightly different use case. Sometimes I spend the morning under coffee's spell, writing really great tests, to then get as high as I want and spend the afternoon making them pass, with the aesthetic sensibilities from some high-quality indica powering me through ensuring that my code is readable, reusable, and maintainable. Even if I get a little too high, I always know that the tests I wrote will keep me tethered to a more grounded demeanor. However, the effect of the herb that I most treasure is that just a little bit of weed tells me what I so often forget: that I need to get up and go for a walk to get some real thinking done. Sometimes the reefer also tells me other things about my habits: I've had too much coffee. I was too hard on a colleague or friend earlier. I need to stop fussing and just merge that pull request. After smoking fairly consistently for 13 years, I seem to be blessed by having no negative effects of which I am aware. I think it's just a great plant and part of a healthy, whole-food-and-drugs lifestyle.

PlzSnow 12y ago
"After smoking fairly consistently for 13 years, I seem to be blessed by having no negative effects of which I am aware." Your prose suggests otherwise.
- jMyles 12y ago
  I think you're suggesting that there's an error in the snippet you've quoted? I don't immediately see it. Can you point it out?
  - PlzSnow 12y ago
    Your prose exhibits that rambling not-to-the-pointness that I often encounter when interacting with habitual blunters.

Zelphyr 12y ago

One of the most brilliant programmers I know is a regular smoker and he has an amazing short-term memory. Though now I have to wonder what his memory would be like if he didn't smoke?

innguest 12y ago
Same here, I know someone very smart and prolific and I've sat next to him and watched him code page after page smoking bowl after bowl for almost a year. That's what makes me think it's all about the person and nothing to do with the substance.

cnp 12y ago

I've solved more tough, intractable programming problems after a hit of weed than I'd like to admit. IMO its a wonder drug for getting you out of patterns of thinking. And no, zero detrimental effects on my mind (at least thus far). In fact, I would say that it has made me at least 5-10% smarter in the sense that indica marijuana (the strain is key) was the first thing I discovered that allowed me to get a solid 8 hours of rest every night. It has had a remarkable cascading effect throughout my life, leading to much (much) greater clarity, attentiveness and focus during the day.

eloff 12y ago

A lot of the science that says it drops your IQ seems to have been poorly done. Smokers are dumber in general, but that may well say more about their socioeconomic backgrounds. However, I personally wouldn't risk it. Do you know what I would pay to raise my IQ by a half-dozen points? I seriously considered taking Ritalin at one point, to see if it might give me a boost (actually I still haven't ruled it out, just shelved the idea.) I wouldn't dare use a substance that had the potential to lower my IQ, or reduce my ambition/motivation.

mod 12y ago
What's the risk? I mean, it's not going to permanently lower your IQ, or reduce your ambition, correct? And if it does, what's the benefit you get in return? Does lowering your ambition make you happier, for instance? Why did you shelve ritalin? Does it have risks as well? Do you know why you prefer not to risk iq/ambition but you're potentially okay with risking whatever ritalin can be a detriment to? I ask all this as a curious non-user of anything but a daily multi-vitamin, forced by a loved one...
- eloff 12y ago
  Just because much of the science has flaws does not mean that the effect is temporary, we don't really know what the long term effects might be. But even assuming it had no bad long term effects on the brain, if one were a regular user then it would regularly drop your intelligence and motivation, which itself is a disadvantage. This is no different than drinking regularly. I may be more keenly aware of this than people in the US, but life is a global competition for resources, and it's unwise to squander your competitive edge. Ritalin probably has more risks, I've not decided that it's worth the tradeoff yet. I guess the core of your question is a deeper one about life, happiness, and the tradeoffs we make. I think the answer to that is different for everyone. Life is short and without intrinsic meaning. You have to focus on what gives it value for you, which is likely very different from the next person. For me, I enjoy creating things, and I feel most alive when in the zone churning out code. Most other people probably enjoy activities that are more social.