Marijuana Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Treatment & Recovery

If you use it every day, you might get withdrawal symptoms a day or two after stopping. These include insomnia, mood problems, or cravings you can’t control. Medicinal marijuana is used to treat and manage a variety of medical concerns, including physical and mental health challenges. Despite the risks, studies of medicinal marijuana use have shown effectiveness.

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As this action is repeated, more dopamine is produced, which in turn creates pleasurable sensations. For many individuals this action can become addictive, which is the basic mechanism of how substance abuse begins. While not everyone who uses cannabis becomes addicted, some people develop a problematic pattern of use that affects their daily lives, relationships, and overall well-being. If you’re dependent is marijuana addictive on cannabis, you could go through withdrawal for weeks or relapse after you quit. That’s why experts are studying how medicine can ease withdrawal symptoms like bad mood, anxiety, restlessness, and sleep issues.

Even though you may not be able to prevent marijuana abuse and addiction, there are things you can do to reduce the risk. Many studies have been done on the effects of marijuana abuse during pregnancy, and results are conflicting, possibly because of other substances used and/or abused during pregnancy, including tobacco. Protective factors can help people avoid substance use disorders. Things like extended family support, language-based discipline from parents, and a supportive peer group can help counteract some risk factors. How it affects you will depend on a lot of different factors, including your age, the amount and type you use, and any other medications or drugs you take.

Which Treatment Options are Available for Marijuana Addiction?

The first step to overcoming marijuana addiction is to recognize that you have a problem and need help. Recognizing the signs of marijuana addiction can help you determine the severity of your problem. At the same time, the cannabis available today is more potent than ever before. A systematic review published in Addiction found that levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the active ingredient in marijuana—has been increasing for decades. The review found that, in a gram of herbal cannabis, the part typically smoked, THC concentrations have increased by approximately 2.9 milligrams each year since the 1970s.

They may not be aware that this has happened and that their behaviour is causing problems for themselves and others. Addiction is a medical condition, not a personal or moral failing. Support and treatment are available if someone develops cannabis use disorder or wants to stop using cannabis. Treatment for CUD and addiction is similar to treatment for other substance use disorders.

Cannabis use disorder and increased THC concentration

• The top three primary motives (most essential reasons for using marijuana) were curiosity and experimentation, fun/enjoyment, and peer acceptance.
• And so, folks who are using cannabis and smoking tobacco may have a more difficult time in quitting.
• They will continue to smoke it even when doing so causes negative consequences for themselves and those they love.
• Awareness of familial history with substance use is also helpful, as it can highlight a personal susceptibility to addiction.
• Several MRI studies reveal functional and structural differences in the amygdala – a key brain structure in processing emotions – after chronic cannabis use.
• While abstaining from use altogether is a foolproof method to avoid addiction, it’s recognized that some individuals may still want to casually use cannabis without developing a dependency.

Both alcohol and benzos are highly addictive substances linked with potentially fatal withdrawal symptoms, whereas the relationship between cannabis and addiction remains cloudy at best. Cannabis addiction is a very real illness and one that many are struggling with every single day. The good news is that there are many treatment providers around the UK with experience in helping patients overcome their addiction to the drug. However, some with a pot-smoking past claim they had withdrawal symptoms after they quit. Some have even reportedly sought out professional treatment to help put their lives back together.

The next breakthrough in addiction treatment could be just around the corner. At the heart of this green monster lies THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. THC is the reason you feel that euphoric high, but it’s also the culprit behind the potential for addiction. It’s like that friend who’s fun at parties but always gets you into trouble – you know you should probably stay away, but it’s just so darn tempting.

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• Nevertheless, others, including a number of health experts, are of the opinion that cannabis is definitely a drug to which a person can become both physically and psychologically addicted.
• Mental health issues, like an anxiety or a mood disorder, can raise your chances, too.
• Some people experience adverse effects, such as anxiety or fear.
• People are up to seven times as likely to experience marijuana use disorder when they start using before the age of 18.

Cannabis can be addictive due to its effects on the brain’s reward system, particularly through the interaction with the endocannabinoid system. This emotional turmoil can severely affect coping mechanisms and quality of life. Experts are still investigating why some people become addicted while others don’t.

In addition, marijuana dependence has been linked with a lack of motivation. Someone who is addicted may lack the drive to engage in activities, pursue goals, or keep up with responsibilities, including school and work. A 2018 review suggests that cannabis may have less effect on dopamine than alcohol and opioids and highlights the need for further research. Similarly, another 2018 review suggests that cannabis does affect dopamine but to a lesser extent than other drugs.

• Unfortunately, some prescription medications can be addictive, and medical marijuana can also lead to cannabis use disorder.
• If you do smoke, don’t hold it in your lungs for more than a second.
• “Studies show that memory, motivation and executive function improve significantly within weeks to months of stopping,” Caplan says.
• Synthetic cannabinoids, compounds manufactured to replicate individual chemicals found in cannabis, are much more potent than cannabis and therefore could be more dangerous.

Signs of Marijuana Addiction

Not to belabor the point, but from the first time I got high until long after I’d smoked my last bowl, I loved the drug like a best friend. Some people it makes sleepy, others paranoid (due, no doubt, to an unfortunate confluence of neurobiology and genetics), but for me it was nearly perfect. The first few hits of the day were reliably comforting as the gray dust of reality was blown away to reveal beauty and meaning in everyday encounters. For many, it’s difficult to imagine a life in which using drugs is more important than spending time with friends or doing favorite hobbies.