Finding Help for Marijuana Addiction
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Read More ›Marijuana addiction is real and can make a person’s life very difficult. If you are struggling with marijuana addiction, you might be tempted to fight it alone. But depending on how strong your addiction is, you should consider seeking treatment. There are many ways to find help for marijuana addiction.
Why Seek Help for Marijuana Addiction?
According to the USDHHS, marijuana addiction and chronic use can cause or increase the chances of many health effects such as:
- Risk of heart attack
- Respiratory problems
- Risk of schizophrenia
- Lower IQ
- Stunted mental development (in young people who smoke) that can often last years beyond smoking or even be permanent
Marijuana use is also addictive. “Particularly long-term, chronic use or use starting at a young age… can lead to dependence and addiction” (USDHHS). This can cause issues like drug-seeking behavior, abuse of the drug, and effects that are not just health-related but can result in issues for a person’s work, family, and social life. If your addiction to marijuana has caused you any of these problems, you should consider treatment immediately.
What are the Options for Marijuana Addiction Treatment?
Counseling can help you overcome an addiction to marijuana.
There are many ways to get help for marijuana addiction. Treatment is important and regular treatment often helps many individuals through their drug addictions. For marijuana addiction, outpatient treatment is usually recommended. The withdrawal symptoms of marijuana are, as stated by the NIDA:
- Irritability
- Decrease in appetite
- Insomnia or “sleeplessness”
- Cravings for the drug
- Anxiety
These symptoms are usually rather mild compared to most withdrawal symptoms so it’s often beneficial for someone to attend treatment sessions at an outpatient center and then be able to continue on with his or her day. The NIDA states that the methods used by most rehab and detox centers, medication and behavioral therapy, are also recommended for marijuana addiction. Medications are being developed to “ease withdrawal, block the intoxicating effects of marijuana and prevent relapse,” while cognitive-behavioral therapy is used as well to help the patient work toward a solid recovery.
How Do I Find Help for Marijuana Addiction?
There are many ways you can find treatment and other means of help for marijuana addiction. Some resources for finding addiction treatment facilities are:
- SAMHSA‘s treatment locator
- Your doctor
- A clinic
- A community center
- A school counselor
But there are other ways to find help for marijuana addiction as well. First, discuss your problem with one of the individuals or staff members of the places listed above, whomever you feel the most comfortable with. Sometimes just talking about the problem can help. Also hear what the person has to say and listen to whatever options are given to you. Make sure to reach out to friends and family and people you know you can trust. They will provide lots of help and a great support to you throughout your recovery.
Mutual-help groups like Narcotics Anonymous and other drug addiction groups are also very helpful as they are a group of individuals who have experienced the same troubles as you and hope to all succeed together. The more help you get and the more you make sure to cater your treatment to your needs, the more beneficial your recovery will be.
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Finding Relief for Marijuana Withdrawal
- When a person who regularly smokes marijuana stops doing so, they will experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms dissipate in time, and you can find relief. Over the counter remedies and small lifestyle changes go a long way.
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Health Effects of Marijuana
- Smoking marijuana has negative health effects similar to smoking tobacco products. Marijuana use can impact a person's health in other ways, as well.
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Marijuana Street Names
- Marijuana is one of the most commonly abused drugs. Most people do not call it marijuana or even cannabis, and instead use a number of slang names.
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Marijuana Withdrawal Symptoms
- With regular use marijuana dependence develops, and with dependence a person will experience withdrawal when they try to quit. Anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite and vivid dreams are some of the main symptoms.
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Warning Signs of Marijuana Addiction
- An addiction to marijuana makes people act in ways they otherwise would not have. They may be more lethargic, less motivated, and have less interest in doing things they previously enjoyed.