The Cannabis Closet: Aspergers, Ctd

A reader writes:

Hooray for the "Dealing with Aspergers" stories! My husband has Aspergers and uses marijuana to deal with the symptoms of his neurological disorder.  The biggest struggle he faces each day is the overwhelming anxiety he experiences as a result of his many sensory processing problems.  He can see every flicker in fluorescent lighting, hear every electrical hum of an appliance, feel every fiber in his sweater. He also experiences a great deal of stress as he tries constantly to fit in and behave appropriately in social situations. He oftens says that he doesn't believe neuro-typical people can truly understand how hard it is to live in this society as a person with autism.

He has not tried pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medications because he is afraid of side-effects, but he finds marijuana easy to tolerate and the side-effects for him have been minimal. (The munchies? Not really a big deal.) My husband has not been held back by his marijuana use.  He has a successful career and is often referred to as a model employee that exceeds expectations.  He has friends in every state.  We have a great marriage and smart, wonderful kids. 

I sometimes worry - marijuana is illegal, afterall - but those moments are fleeting because he really does not smoke pot recreationally. In fact, we joke around that "he doesn't get high, he gets normal."