Main Steps To Combat Cannabis Addiction
There are two main strategies for how to give up cannabis and combat addiction abruptly and step-by-step. The first one only seems easier, but for both you need to know some secrets to do it successfully:
- throw out or pass on your gear if you want to quit immediately
- or make a schedule how youd like to taper on gradually
- be ready to deal with triggers stop seeing the same people or watching the same TV shows, find a hobby, avoid stress, try melatonin or some relaxing practices to cope with insomnia, etc.
- talk to close friends and family about your problem
- change your routine, and substitute smoking marijuana with other activities, like reading, surfing the internet, walking, meditating, etc. Stay busy
- set special boundaries and rules when socializing with people who use weed. For example, leave when someone asks you to smoke with them or go outside when they smoke
- if you need help coping with the withdrawal symptoms, seek professional help. You can choose some kind of therapy, special rehab center for cannabis addiction, or even hypnosis.
None of these methods can be a 100% guarantee from slip ups. Remember, it can happen to everyone and it is not the reason to give up.
Addiction Affects Everyone Not Just The Person Struggling With Substance Misuse Here Are 10 Tips That Can Help Family Members Cope With A Loved Ones Addiction
Jonathan Strum graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a… read more
In 2018, about 5.8% percent of American adults were dependent on alcohol or had difficulties relating to alcohol use, and more than 11.7% of Americans aged 12 or older reported using an illicit drug in the prior month.
These statistics represent millions of people struggling with substance misuse and addiction and nearly all of these people have family members and friends rooting for their eventual recovery. Families play a large role in the recovery process, so it is important for spouses, siblings, parents, children, friends and others to understand how to help.
If youre the loved one of someone struggling with addiction, you may have many questions and concerns, such as:
- How to deal with addiction
- How to support your loved one
Avoiding Replacement Addictive Behaviors
Some people find that when they quit or change an addictive behavior, another comes along to replace it. Heavy drinkers and smokers often find themselves overeating and putting on weight. People struggling with sex addiction might find themselves obsessed with exercise.
Addictive behaviors have similar neurological and psychological processes and create rewarding feelings and sensations. So replacement addictive behaviors are common among those trying to overcome an addiction.
The trick to avoiding replacement addictions is to find satisfaction in the experiences of normal life. These experiences may lack the intensity and high of addictive behaviors, but getting to know and like them can introduce a new level of calm you may have never experienced before.
Many people feel they are more in touch with reality and that relationships are more authentic than when they were constantly seeking pleasure.
The other important aspect of avoiding replacement addictions is to address any underlying mental health problems. Addictions can cover up past trauma, or underlying feelings of emptiness, sadness, or fear. Psychological therapies, as well as medications, can provide long-term relief for these problems, which addictions tend to worsen over time.
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The Role Of Shame And Trauma In Addiction
Traumawhether emotional or physicalis a significant risk factor for addiction. Trauma overwhelms a persons capacity to cope and the effects can last for decades. The CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and resulting challenges in health and well-being ever done. 7
The original ACE Study was conducted from 1995 to 1997. Thousands of children were studied, and the results found a strong correlation between exposure to abuse or household dysfunction during childhood and multiple risk factors including the development of addiction.
Trauma can include experiencing fairly common events like divorce, surviving a bad car accident, or a natural disaster. Perhaps you grew up in a household with a mentally ill parent or a parent addicted to drugs or alcohol. Maybe you were raped or sexually assaulted.
All of these experiences have the potential to leave traumatic scarring. Trauma can leave its heartbreaking mark on the mind, heart, and body. One way to cope with the impact is through addiction.
Many clinicians find trauma to be common among those suffering from addiction, although the exact relationship of trauma to addiction is still unclear.8
Trauma can impair the ability to self-regulate and to form healthy attachments. If you grew up with a parent who ignored or trivialized your needs, you learn that asking for help is dangerous.
How To Deal With A Drug Addicted Family Member
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When family members or loved ones abuse drugs, it affects everyone they know. Their addiction can have emotional, psychological, financial, and environmental effects on the people who care about them most. Follow the advice below to cope with a drug-addicted family member or loved one.
Method 1 of 4: Educate Yourself About Addiction
1. Search online for information about your loved ones form of addiction.
The optimal plan for addiction management and rehabilitation may vary according to the substance on which your loved one is dependent.
Priorities reading information from sites with a medical or scientific bias or trustworthy sites such as government or university sponsored information. There is information on the web but not everything you read about drug addiction is true or realistic.
Learning about the characteristics of your loved ones drug and addiction can help you understand what to expect from addicts and how to best address the situation.
2. Look out for organizations such as Al-Anon, Ala-Teen and Nar-Anon which offer 12 Step programs for the families and friends of alcoholics and addicts.
Method 2 of 4: Seek Professional and Specialist Help
2. Search for local anonymous support groups.
3. Speak with a professional therapist or counselor.
4. Encourage your loved one to seek help.
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Prepare Meals And Eat Them As A Family
In todays modern, chaotic world, its all too easy to eat separately. One partner grabs a burger on the way home, the other snacks on salad at work and the kids heat up ready-made foods they can find in the freezer.
A family meal allows everyone to reconnect at the end of a day that may have been stressful, lonely or upsetting. Each meal helps build upon the work done in family therapy, and the ritual of eating together can promote a sense of common ground and togetherness.
The activity doesnt have to stop at the table, either. Spending time making the meal together or cleaning up afterwards can increase the benefits. Even one meal together per week can have a significant impact.
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Go To Family Therapy Sessions
Spouses, siblings and parents of addicts often absorb many of the consequences of their loved ones substance use. Many people have a hard time talking openly about the behavior thats harming them, so they say nothing. Family members can also become distant if theyre tired of fighting with their loved one. They may blame themselves when the addiction persists or blame the addicted person for their unhappiness.
These silences and blame games can hold a family back from getting help. Family members may not have the tools on their own to assist someone in active recovery and they may not have the energy to help themselves.
Family therapy programs are designed to break down distrust and guilt by giving everyone a chance to feel heard. It can help family members understand themselves and each other, and work through conflict in a healthy way.Families that were once defined by anger and addiction can grow into tight-knit units that are able to support one another through honest communication and healthy boundaries.
Family therapy sessions can take time, and it can be tempting to skip a session particularly for families with a number of conflicting appointments and agendas. However, this work is vital to the mental health of everyone involved, so meetings should be attended whenever possible.
Help Someone Overcome An Addiction
One of the best indirect ways to work through your addiction is to assist another person overcome their addiction. When you help someone work through their addiction, you naturally take on a different mental approach. You are no longer thinking like a victim, but rather from a solution-oriented perspective.
Instead of making excuses, you are proactively looking for answers and methods that can help the other person move forward. Moreover, youre asking questions that expand possibilities and help bring about critical insights to the problem at hand.
The more you help another person overcome their addiction, the greater knowledge, and understanding you will have about what it takes to overcome an addiction. And that is ultimately what will help you work through your addiction.
At the end of this journey, all thats left is for you to take your own advice and then start taking steps to improve your life.
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Dont: Shame Or Criticize
Human nature sometimes forces us to shift the blame because its easier to understand a problem if we know its source. But the cause of addictions isnt so black and white, so theres never really just one thing to blame. Most importantly, the person with the addiction is not at fault for the disease.
Avoid implying or outright stating that your loved one is to blame for their addiction. Shaming or criticizing a family member who is struggling with an Alcohol Addiction or an Opioid Addiction is often counterproductive to their Recovery. While tough love may have a small part in helping an alcoholic spouse, this is not the place for it.
Part of practicing compassion for your loved one involves understanding that shaming your loved one may do them more harm than good. Instead, talk with positivity and encouragement, offering the idea of a future of successful long-term Recovery. Provide verbal and physical encouragement rather than lectures or nagging.
Admit There Is A Problem
The hardest part to recovery is admitting you have an addiction. Substance use disorders affect the brain causing it to look for excuses and justifications to keep using.
Admitting a problem shows you have the courage to face your addiction and its underlying causes.
There are several places to turn to for help however, having a solid support system is essential in any treatment approach you choose. If you are not ready to turn to friends or family, consider talking to a therapist, doctor, or rehab facility.
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Action Steps For Quitting An Addiction
Because change is so difficult, it’s useful to have a guide when attempting to kick an addiction to drugs, alcohol or behavior. Research shows that the following steps can help you move toward your recovery goals. You have the greatest chance of success if you adopt all five steps.
1. Set a quit date. It might be helpful to choose a meaningful date like a special event, birthday, or anniversary.
2. Change your environment. Remove any reminders of your addiction from your home and workplace. For example, separate from those who would encourage you to be involved with the object of your addiction . If you are trying to quit drinking, get rid of any alcohol, bottle openers, wine glasses, and corkscrews. If you’re trying to quit gambling, remove any playing cards, scratch tickets, or poker chips. Also, don’t let other people use or bring reminders of the addiction-related substance or behavior into your home.
3. Distract yourself. Instead of giving in to an urge to use, come up with alternative activities, such as going for a walk or calling a friend or family member to talk, so that you keep busy until the urge passes. Be prepared to deal with things that trigger your cravings, such as being in an environment where others are using.
4. Review your past attempts at quitting. Think about what worked and what did not. Consider what might have contributed to relapse and make changes accordingly.
How Does Oud Stigma Compare With Stigma Linked To Other Substances
A survey found that if you use opioids or have OUD, chances are that people around you will probably judge you. But it also showed that their bias against you might be lower than against people who use other substances. This may be because prescription opioids are legal. Most people who took the survey still blamed the user, however.
The survey also showed:
- If you show symptoms of OUD with prescription opioids, people are more likely to see your problem as a physical illness instead of a mental illness, compared with major depression, schizophrenia, or alcohol use disorder .
- If you have OUD, others may see you as less competent at managing your personal affairs and other tasks than people with AUD.
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How To Deal With An Alcoholic Son Or Daughter
Having a son or daughter struggle with alcoholism can be painful and difficult for any parent. Below are some tips for parents with an alcoholic child:
1. Detach with love
Preventing your child from experiencing the consequences of their drinking only enables them to repeat their behavior. As a parent, you have to detach yourself from the situation.
Show them you care but allow them to suffer the effects of their alcohol consumption. You do not have to feel responsible for all of their actions.
For example, if they come home drunk and pass out in the kitchen, you can cover them with a blanket to keep them warm. However, you should not help them go to their room or move them to a more comfortable spot.
2. Establish house rules
When dealing with an alcoholic teenager or an adult child who lives in your home, you must establish age-appropriate house rules. Here are some examples of rules you can set up:
- Teenagers are not allowed to drink or hang out with friends to drink
- Require your child to ask permission and inform you of their plans if they want to go out
- Set a curfew for your son or daughter
- Alcoholic drinks should not be allowed at home
Create clear and reasonable expectations of your child’s behavior. Create appropriate consequences if they break the rules. Remember to enforce these rules consistently and equally among your children.
3. Maintain an alcohol-free environment
4. Talk to your child about alcohol
5. Join support groups for parents of alcoholic children
How To Deal With Emotional Addiction Expert Offers Insights
- Learning how to teach your body to feel safe in peace a journey especially if your nervous system is in chronic dysregulation. Dedicate a few minutes to silence each day. Go outside and take deep breaths remind yourself its ok to not be in crisis, wrote Nicole.
Some of us are not brought up in a childhood home that we hoped for. A lot of our homes have been weaved in threads of emotional instability, anxiety and worries. The homes were replete with a consistent environment of sadness or terror. We were taught to stop ourselves being happy, we were also taught that this is the emotional state that is consistent. Hence, our mind and body got familiar with the environment that we were brought up in. We learnt to deal with stress and anxiety on a daily basis and made such emotions our home. We related to home with the feeling that anxiety gave us.
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Nicole said that some of us get so used to anxiety and trauma as the baseline of our emotional upbringing, that when we are left alone or in an environment that is not anxious, we start missing the hormones that makes us feel at home. Hence, we try to agitate our own relationships or take actions in create anxiety and sadness in our lives just to get back to the emotional state where we feel at home the most.
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Addiction By The Numbers
According to the latest government statistics, nearly 23 million Americansalmost one in 10 are addicted to alcohol or other drugs. More than two-thirds of people with addiction abuse alcohol. The top three drugs causing addiction are marijuana, opioid pain relievers, and cocaine.10,11
The cost of addiction is high and impact life expectancy, crime, and the economy. Here a few of the startling numbers:
- $740 billion: The annual cost related to crime, lost work productivity, and health care as a result of abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use in the United States.
- 165.4 million: The number of people aged 12 or older who used a substance, including alcohol, tobacco, or an illicit drug, in the past month.
- 20.4 million: According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this is the number of people aged 12 or older, with a substance use disorder. More specifically:
- 8.3 million people had a past year illicit drug use disorder
- 1.6 million people had a past year opioid use disorder
- 1.4 million people had a past year prescription pain reliever use disorder
- 904,000 people had a past year methamphetamine use disorder
- 2.4 million people had both an alcohol use disorder and an illicit drug use disorder in the past year.
