Marijuana and its effects on mental health

Marijuana and its effects on mental health Marijuana is a drug used commonly in the world among teenagers. The countries most affected are New Zealand, United States of America, Australia and several countries in Western Europe. It is estimated that around162 million people all over the world use marijuana and this represents 3.9 percent of the population worldwide (Sundram, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marijuana and its effects on mental health specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is believed that the consumption of this drug is associated with several negative impacts on human health. Therefore, this paper seeks to analyze the epidemiological research study findings that will show the relationship between marijuana and its effects on mental health. Marijuana is a drug that is smoked like a cigarette. Studies show that the drug has adverse effects on the brain of the users. It has an active herbal component that is referred to as tetrahydrocannabina l that is known for its negative effects on cannabinoid receptors (Murray Bevins 2010). Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal greatly affects the CB receptors. To understand the altering role of cannabis, it is necessary to understand that CB receptors are divided into CB1 and CB2. CB1 plays a variety of regulatory roles in the body and is found in many parts of the brain. On the other hand, CB2 receptors play the role of regulating the immune system. CB! Activates G-proteins then reduce the production of Calcium ions while increasing Potassium ion distribution. These processes lead to â€Å"†¦depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition† (Murray and Bevins, 2010, p. 266). This process generally leads to impeding of transmission from the presynaptic terminal.† Endogenous cannabinoid becomes more at the post synaptic stage causing further postsynaptic excitation. The effect of marijuana on the CB1 receptors have has great impacts on the daily activities of an individual . The synaptic processes are great factors in learning and the process of memorization. In precision, use of marijuana affects an individual’s memory and learning process through the impact of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal component that affects the CB1 receptors. This happens through the inhibition of endocannabinoid signaling which is a prerequisite for the learning process that takes place in the cerebrum. Furthermore, the same endocannabinoid signaling is a prerequisite for the processes of memorization that take place in the amygdale (Murray, Morrison, Henquet Forti, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other studies have also pointed out that early stages of marijuana use leads to reduced blood flow to the brain. This is referred to as cerebral blood flow. However, the effect is not similar with experienced marijuana users of whom the study pointed out increa se in cerebral blood flow. As compared to placebo, the use of marijuana generally increased cerebral blood flow in the globe especially in the frontal lobe and the right hemisphere. Another study pointed out increased metabolism in the cerebral after induction of marijuana (OLeary, Block, Koeppel, Flaum, Schultz, Andreasen,Ponto, Watkins,Hurtig Hichwa,2002). Short-term memory is another victim of increased use of cannabis. According to Iversen (2003), several studies have been carried out and proved that short term memory is greatly impaired by increased use of cannabis. It has been proved that most users of marijuana faired poorly in tests that included attention. On other studies carried out on animals, it was clearly founded that THC which is the most active component of marijuana, synthetic cannabinoids and anandamide affect an individual’s short term memory. This was very evident also in tasks that involved spatial learning. He further shows that cannabinoids affect to a great extend the hippocampus. The effects of the use of marijuana can be comparable to those exhibited by the removal of this important part of the brain (Richardson, 2010). Cannabinoids impair with the ability of this part to process the sensory information through disrupting of the hippocampal circuits. There are other effects of marijuana on the brain that have not been scientifically proved. For instance, medical research on deceases associated with brains show that there is an increase in chances of having several of these deceases in individuals who smoke marijuana. For instance, Sundram (2006) argues that the use of marijuana can be associated with most of the common mental health problems. Among them are strong links between use of cannabis and depression. In addition, cannabis was also linked to anxiety, bipolar disorder, manic and hypomanic symptoms, psychosis et cetera.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marijuana and its effects on mental health s pecifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In his conclusion, it is clear that there is a complex relationship between the use cannabis and these mental diseases. However, it calls for further research because so far no clear causes have been identified. Even so, use of cannabis has been scientifically tested and proved to have exacerbate the symptoms of most of the mental diseases. Murray et al (2007) bring out another negative effect of marijuana on the brain. In their argument, they purport that use of marijuana negatively implicates on higher brain functions. This can be attributed to the effects of THC on the neocortex. Neocortex is affected by marijuana given the high concentration of CB1 in it. The effect of THC on pre and post synaptic processes is explained earlier in the paper. As a result of these, marijuana users tend to experience time moving faster than the normal speed at which the rest of the people experience. If asked t estimate the t ime spent during a period, they tend to over-estimate time. On the other side, if asked to give cue after an estimated period of time, they tend to give the cue after a shorter duration that outlined. Laaris, Good Lupica (2010) argue that marijuana has great effects on the hypothalamus. The endocannabinoid anandamide had been proved to be a great stimulant of food intake in animals. The study concluded that the hypothalamus contained the endocannabinoids which play an integral role in regulation of food intake. This points out that impairment of the CB1 receptors in the hypothalamus might have effects on the control of food intake. Use of marijuana (which is actually the injection of THC) inhibits the production of leptin and hence increases the appetite of the individual. This means that use of marijuana impairs with an individual’s ability to control food intake. In conclusion, research has clearly pointed out that use of marijuana has drastic effects on the functioning of the brain. The CB1 receptors which are very common in the brain when impaired can have negative effects on high level functioning of the brain, short term memory, food intake regulation, increase in cerebral blood flow and exacerbation of symptoms of mental health complications. All these effects of marijuana are caused by the Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal, and other active chemical elements found in marijuana that alter the functioning of the CB1 elements in the brain. Although the use of marijuana has been associated with some few positive effects, the negative ones simply outweigh them.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is therefore important that an individual understands the effects that the drug has on their brain and how this impacts their day to day lives before making the decision of using marijuana. Reference List Iversen, L. (2003). Cannabis and the brain. Brain, 126, 1252-1270. Laaris, N., Good, C., Lupica, C. (201O).Tetrahydrocannabinol is a full at CB1 Receptors on GABA neuron axon terminals in the hippocampus.  Neuropharmacology, 59, 121-127. Murray, J., Bevins, R., (2010). Cannabinoid conditioned reward and aversion: Behavioral and neural process. ACS Chemical neuroscience, 1, 265 -278. Murray, R., Morrison, P., Henquet, C., Forti, M. (2007). Cannabis, and mind the Society: the hash realities.Science and society, 8, 885. OLeary, D., Block, R., Koeppel, J., Faum, M., Schultz, S., Andreasen, A., Ponto, L.,Watkins, G., Hurtig, G., Hichwa, R. (2002). Effects of smoking marijuana on perfusion and cognition. Neuropsychopharmacology, 26(6), 802-816. Richardson, T. (2010). Cannabis us e and mental health: A review of recent epidemiological research. International journal of pharmacology, 6(6), 796-807 Sundram, S., (2006).Cannabis and neurodevelopment: implications for psychiatric disorders. Human psychopharmacology, 21, 245.

Quotes From Leo Tolstoys Classic Anna Karenina

Quotes From Leo Tolstoy's Classic 'Anna Karenina' Anna Karenina  has long been considered one of the greatest works in  world literature. First published in 1877, the Russian classic was inspired by a tragic incident that author Leo Tolstoy witnessed. The lengthy novel spans a wide breadth  of subject matter, including love, infidelity, and death. Get better acquainted with its themes with the following quotes, or revisit Anna Karenina if youve read the novel already but havent done so recently. This expansive novel is divided into several different books. Excerpts From Book  1 Book 1, Chapter 1 Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Book 1, Chapter 9 The place where [Kitty] stood seemed to him a holy shrine, unapproachable, and there was one moment when he was almost retreating, so overwhelmed was he with terror. He had to make an effort to master himself, and to remind himself that people of all sorts were moving about her, and that he too might come there to skate. He walked down, for a long while avoiding looking at her as at the sun, but seeing her, as one does the sun, without looking. Book 1, Chapter 12 The French fashion - of the parents arranging their childrens future - was not accepted; it was condemned. The English fashion of the complete independence of girls was also not accepted, and not possible in Russian society. The Russian fashion of matchmaking by the officer of intermediate persons was for some reason considered disgraceful; it was ridiculed by everyone, and by the princess herself. But how girls were to be married, and how parents were to marry them, no one knew. Book 1, Chapter 15 I see a man who has serious intentions, thats Levin; and I see a peacock, like this featherhead, whos only amusing himself. Book 1, Chapter 18 And as soon as her brother had reached her, [Anna] flung her left arm around his neck and drew him rapidly to her, and kissed him warmly, with a gesture that struck Vronsky by its decision and its grace. Vronsky gazed, never taking his eyes from her, and smiled, he could not have said why. But recollecting that his mother was waiting for him, he went back again into the carriage. Book 1, Chapter 28 Ive been the cause of that ball being a torture to her instead of a pleasure. But truly, truly its not my fault, or only my fault a little bit, she said, daintily drawling the words a little bit. Passages From Book 2 Book 2, Chapter 4 The highest Petersburg society is essentially one: in it everyone knows everyone else, everyone even visits everyone else. Book 2, Chapter 7 Steps were heard at the door, and Princess Betsy, knowing it was Madame Karenina, glanced at Vronsky. He was looking toward the door, and his face wore a strange new expression. Joyfully, intently, and at the same time timidly, he gazed at the approaching figure, and slowly he rose to his feet. Book 2, Chapter 8 Alexey Alexandorivich had seen nothing striking or improper in the fact that his wife was sitting with Vronsky at a separate table, in eager conversation with him about something. But he noticed that to the rest of the party this appeared to be something striking and improper. He made up his mind that he must speak of it to his wife.   Book 2, Chapter 21 She flew over the ditch as though not noticing it. She flew over it like a bird; but at the same instant Vronsky, to his horror, felt that he had failed to keep up with the mares pace, that he had, he did not know how, made a fearful, unpardonable mistake, in recovering his seat in the saddle. All at once his position had shifted and he knew something awful had happened. Book 2, Chapter 25 He vividly recalled all the constantly recurring instances of inevitable necessity for lying and deceit, which were so against his natural bent. He recalled particularly vividly the shame he had more than once detected in her at this necessity for lying and deceit. And he experienced the strange feeling that had sometimes come upon him since his secret love for Anna. This was a feeling of loathing for something - whether for Aleksey Alexandrovich, or for himself, or for the whole world, he could not have said. But he always drove away this strange feeling. Now, too, he shook it off and continued the thread of his thoughts. Highlights From Book 3 Book 3, Chapter 1 To Konstantin, the peasant was simply the chief partner in their common labor. Book 3, Chapter 5 The longer Levin mowed, the oftener he felt the moments of unconsciousness in which it seemed that the scythe was mowing by itself, a body full of life and consciousness of its own, and as though by magic, without thinking of it, the work turned out regular and precise by itself. These were the most blissful moments.   Book 3, Chapter 12 He could not be mistaken. There were no other eyes like those in the world. There was only one creature in the world who could concentrate for him all the brightness and meaning of life. It was she. It was Kitty. Book 3, Chapter 23 I want you not to meet that man here, and to conduct yourself so that neither the world nor the servants can reproach you...not to see him. Thats not much, I think. And in return you will enjoy all the privileges of a faithful wife without fulfilling her duties. Thats all I have to say to you. Now its time for me to go. Im not dining at home. He got up and moved toward the door. Book 3, Chapter 32 Levin said what he had genuinely been thinking of late. He saw nothing but death or the advance toward death in everything. But his cherished scheme only engrossed him all the more. Life had to be got through somehow till death did come. Darkness had fallen, upon everything for him; but just because of this darkness he felt that the one guiding clue in the darkness was his work, and he clutched it and clung to it with all his strength. Quotes From Books 4 and 5 Book 4, Chapter 1 The Kareninas, husband and wife, continued living in the same house, met every day, but were complete strangers to one another. Aleksey Aleksandrovich made it a rule to see his wife every day, so that the servants might have no grounds for suppositions, but avoided dining at home. Vronsky was never at Aleksey Aleksandrovichs house, but Anna saw him away from home, and her husband was aware of it. Book 4, Chapter 13 Levin got up and escorted Kitty to the door. In their conversation everything had been said; it had been said that she loved him and that she would tell her father and mother that he would come tomorrow morning. Book 4, Chapter 23 Oh, why didnt I die? It would have been better! Book 5, Chapter 1 What doubt can you have of the Creator when you behold His creation? the priest went on in the rapid customary jargon. Who has decked the heavenly firmament with its stars? Who has clothed the earth in its beauty? How could it be without the Creator? he said, looking inquiringly at Levin. Book 5, Chapter 18 Levin could not look calmly at his brother; he could not himself be natural and calm in his presence. When he went in to the sick man, his eyes and his attention were unconsciously dimmed, and he did not see and did not distinguish the details of his brothers condition. He smelled the awful odor, saw the dirt, disorder, and miserable condition, and heard the groans, and felt that nothing could be done to help. It never entered his head to analyze the details of the sick mans situation. Book 5, Chapter 18 But Kitty thought, and felt, and acted quite differently. On seeing the sick man, she pitied him. And pity in her womanly heart did not arouse at all that feeling of horror and loathing that it aroused in her husband, but a desire to act, to find out the details of his condition, and to remedy them. Book 5, Chapter 20 In spite of death, he felt the need for life and love. He felt that love saved him from despair, and that this love, under the threat of despair, had become still stronger and purer. The one mystery of death, still unsolved, had scarcely passed before his eyes, when another mystery had arisen, as insoluble, calling to love and to life. The doctor confirmed his suspicion about Kitty. Her indisposition was pregnancy. Book 5, Chapter 33 Hideous! As long as I live I shall never forget it. She said it was a disgrace to sit beside me. Selections From Book 6 Book 6, Chapter 16 And they attack Anna. What for? Am I any better? I have, anyway, a husband I love - not as I would like to love him, still I do love him, while Anna never loved hers. How is she to blame? She wants to live. God has put that in our hearts. Very likely I should have done the same. Book 6, Chapter 18 The one thing, darling, is that I am so glad to have you! said Anna, kissing her again. You havent told me yet how and what you think about me, and I keep wanting to know. But Im glad you will see me as I am. Above all, I wouldnt want people to think that I want to prove anything. I dont want to prove anything; I merely want to live. Book 6, Chapter 25 And he set off for the elections without appealing to her for a candid explanation. It was the first time since the beginning of their intimacy that he had parted from her without a full explanation. From one point of view this troubled him, but on the other hand he felt that it was better so. At first there will be, as this time, something undefined kept back, and then she will get used to it. In any case, I can give up anything for her, but not my independence, he thought. Book 6, Chapter 32 And though she felt sure that his love for her was waning, there was nothing she could do, she could not in any way alter her relations to him. Just as before, only by love and by charm could she keep him. And so, just as before, only by occupation in the day, by morphine at night, could she stifle the fearful thought of what would be if he ceased to love her. Excerpts From Book 7 and 8 Book 7, Chapter 10 Tell your wife that I love her as before, and that if she cannot pardon me my position, then my wish for her is that she may never pardon it. To pardon it, one must go through what I have gone through, and may God spare her that. Book 7, Chapter 11 An extraordinary woman! Its not her cleverness, but she has such wonderful depth of feeling. Im awfully sorry for her. Book 7, Chapter 11 Youre in love with that hateful woman; she has bewitched you! I saw it in your eyes. Yes, yes! What can it all lead to? You were drinking at the club, drinking and gambling, and then you went. Book 7, Chapter 26 Now nothing mattered: going or not going to Vozdvizhenskoe, getting or not getting a divorce from her husband. All that did not matter. The only thing that mattered was punishing him. When she poured out her usual dose of opium, and thought that she had only to drink off the whole bottle to die, it seemed to her so simple and easy that she began musing with enjoyment on how he would suffer, and repent and love her memory when it would be too late. Book 7, Chapter 31 But she did not take her eyes from the wheels of the second car. And exactly at the moment when the midpoint between the wheels drew level with her, she threw away the red bag, and drawing her head back into her shoulders, fell on her hands under the car, and with a light movement, as though she would rise immediately, dropped on her knees. And at the instant she was terror-stricken at what she was doing. Where am I? What am I doing? What for? She tried to get up, to throw herself back; but something huge and merciless struck her on the head and dragged her down on her back. Book 8, Chapter 10 But now, since his marriage, when he had begun to confine himself more and more to living for himself, though he experienced no delight at all at the thought of the work he was doing, he felt absolutely convinced of its necessity, saw that it succeeded far better than in the past, and that it kept on growing more and more. Book 8, Chapter 14 Just as the bees, whirling round him, now menacing him and distracting his attention, prevented him from enjoying complete physical peace, forced him to restrain his movements to avoid them, so had the petty cares that had swarmed about him from the moment he got into the trap restricted his spiritual freedom; but that lasted only so long as he was among them. Just as his bodily strength was still unaffected in spite of the bees, so too was the spiritual strength that he had just become aware of.