Does Cannabis Strains Enhance Your Creativity

For artists, creativity is their reason for being. No matter how bad their inner demons get and regardless of the numerous rejections the world can hold against them, they can still push forward and pursue their artistic endeavors if creativity is overflowing.

But when there is a shortage of creativity, and everyday thoughts take their place, artists often become frustrated and desperate to unravel what’s blocking their imagination. Journaling, walking, and taking a proper break are all good ways to deal with a creative block, but if you want something that works fast, then Cannabis might be the option for you.

Why artists turn to Cannabis to unblock their imagination

Cannabis strains with a high level of THC have long been popular among creatives. THC is one of the hundreds of cannabinoids found in the Cannabis Sativa plant. A protagonist of marijuana, THC is what causes users to become high.

There are different derivatives of THC. The two most common ones are delta-9-THC and delta-8-THC. Both cannabinoids have intoxicating psychoactive effects, but Medical Potential of Delta-8 THC users by providing the high without the paranoia or anxiety that often follows when you take delta-9-THC.

For creatives looking to do away with their inhibitions, THC is the tool that can help them reach divergent thinking. When life gets in the way and practical thoughts take over, your mind is practicing what is known as convergent thinking. In this state, you focus on practical thoughts like where your next paycheck will come from or how you’ll be able to pay next month’s rent.

Although convergent thinking is essential, it impedes your imagination. What your mind needs to experience creative flow is divergent thinking. The primary entity of this type of thinking is the imagination. Divergent thinking promotes what scientists have deemed as “vertical” thoughts. It’s the state of mind where inspiration, brainstorming, new ideas, and creativity flow. 

How Cannabis can promote creativity

Cannabis can temporarily loosen your inhibitions so your mind can shift from “horizontal” thoughts to “vertical” ideas. The studies regarding cannabis’ potential benefits for creatives are encouraging. In one study, researchers noted how cannabis use led to psychomimetic symptoms. These types of symptoms helped users to perceive connections between unrelated concepts. Scientists explain that this type of perception results from divergent thinking. 

The researchers used high-performing creatives and people with low creativity skills for the study. Both sets of participants showed a high level of divergent thinking when the researchers gave them a dose of Cannabis. 

Besides encouraging creative thinking, Cannabis can promote creativity through its effects on certain hormones. Researchers have shared how cannabinoids play a role in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and its receptors. The ECS is the cell-signaling system that manages body functions such as pain, appetite, and mood by having its receptors moving through the mind and body and implementing change for the body to be in continual homeostasis. 

Cannabinoids such as THC and CBD can bind or signal to the receptors and trigger a change in the body. When creatives take THC, one of its benefits is that it alters dopamine levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter the nervous system uses to send messages between nerve cells. This chemical messenger plays an essential role in how we experience pleasure. When we have low dopamine levels, our mood is significantly affected, and so is our creativity. 

THC triggers a rise in dopamine—it’s one of the primary reasons cannabis users are so happy when high. THC binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and causes a surge of the neurotransmitter. These feelings of happiness have led to some creatives feeling more inspired and able to create innovative work when they smoke a joint before beginning their creative process. 

The best time to use Cannabis for creativity

Unlike traditional medication, there’s no one size fits all for Cannabis, and the same goes for the right time to smoke a joint or take an edible. For some creatives, the right time to use Cannabis for creativity is before they begin their work, which means they work while they are high. 

In contrast, some creatives prefer to work without the help of Cannabis. Instead, they use the cannabinoid to fuel their creativity during their moments of rest so that when it’s time to work, they can tap into the ideas that occurred to them when they were high.

Time and experience are the ones that can tell you when Cannabis works best for you and if it’s the answer to your creative block. If you are new to this world, you must start slow. Experienced users have a higher tolerance to THC, but as a newbie, you’ll find that one hit is often enough at first. 

THC can help you creatively, but it can’t solve all of your artistic issues. The tools, ideas, and the work must be there already, at least subconsciously, for THC to help. While THC encourages a boost in dopamine, extensive use of Cannabis can cause the brain to overwork the neurons in charge of this neurotransmitter. As a result, the effect may become blunted.