New evidence suggests that marijuanaÂ maybe popular because it helps people cope with the pain of loneliness.
Why smoke marijuana? Users would probably reply that numbed-out bliss is its own reward. But if smoothing out the harsh edges of reality is your goal, what bruises are you attempting to avoid?
Newly published researchÂ suggests that, at least for some, the answer is: The intense discomfort of social exclusion.
â€śMarijuana has been used to treat physical pain,â€ť reports a research team led byÂ University of KentuckyÂ psychologist Timothy Deckman, â€śand the current findings suggest it may also reduce emotional pain.â€ť
Interesting. Got me fascinated.
[D]ata on 5,631 Americans, who reported their level of loneliness, described their marijuana usage (if any), and assessed their mental health and feelings of self-worth. Not surprisingly, the researchers found a relationship between loneliness and feelings of self-worth, but it was significantly weaker for regular pot smokers.
â€śMarijuana use buffered the lonely from both negative self-worth and poor mental health,â€ť the researchers write.
Another experiment, featuring 537 people, found those who were experiencing social pain were less likely to have suffered a major depression in the past year if they smoked pot relatively frequently.
Still another experiment, featuring 225 people, used the computer gameÂ CyberballÂ to create an immediate experience of social exclusion. Half the participants in the three-person game received the ball twice early on, and then never again during the course of the game. They then reacted to a series of statements designed to assess whether their need for self-esteem and belonging felt threatenedâ€”statements such as, â€śI had the feeling that the other players did not like me.â€ť
The results: Those who smoked marijuana relatively frequently felt less threatened than those who smoked it less frequently, or not at all.
I’m very interested on the effect mitigating loneliness caused by severe depression.