How To Overcome Weed Addiction

Figure Out Why You Want To Quit Marijuana

The idea of being free from marijuana addiction sounds great to many people. However, without a reason to break free, achieving every other step on how to quit marijuana becomes harder than it should be.

Before starting any program, treatment or medication, ensure you are clear on what actually is motivating you to go ahead with the process. In the long run, that reason will help spur you to add more days to the count instead of backsliding.

Although every patient has unique reasons to stop using marijuana, here are the common ones. Marijuana addiction is:

• Causing problems with your relationships
• Affecting your concentration, memory and mood
• Becoming your way of dealing with stress
• Becoming spontaneous, almost like you have no control over when you should use it
• Reducing your happiness and causing anhedonia

Help For Marijuana Addicts

People that require assistance in managing their use or ending use of marijuana completely have a number of effective treatment options. They include:

• Patient education.
• Family education.
• 12-step supports.

There are no approved medications that can aid in recovery from addiction to marijuana directly, however pharmaceutical management with more appropriate psychiatric medications may be helpful if marijuana use is a method of self-medication for an underlying mental health issue.

What About Physical Symptoms

The most common physical symptom is headaches. For those who have them, they can last for a few weeks up to a couple of months, with the first few days being very intense.

The next most common physical symptom is night sweats, sometimes to the point of having to change night clothes. They can last from a few nights to a month or so. Sweating is one of the bodys natural ways of getting rid of toxins.

Hand sweats are very common and are often accompanied by an unpleasant smell from the hands. Body odor is enough in many instances to require extra showers or baths.

Coughing up phlegm is another way the body cleans itself. This can last for a few weeks to well over six months.

One third of the addicts who responded to a questionnaire on detoxing said they had eating problems for the first few days and some for up to six weeks. Their main symptoms were loss of appetite, sometimes enough to lose weight temporarily, digestion problems or cramps after eating, and nausea, occasionally enough to vomit . Most of the eating problems were totally gone before the end of a month.

The next most common physical symptoms experienced were tremors or shaking and dizziness.

Less frequently experienced were kidney pains, impotency, hormone changes or imbalances, low immunity or chronic fatigue, and some minor eye problems that resolved at around two months.

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Preferring Activities That Will Get You High

When you start to evaluate your relationships with other people and your activities with them based on your chances of getting high, then you are choosing your bad habit over real and lasting relationships with your loved ones.

Also, ask yourself if youve been able to take on your daily responsibilities. Look around your house and see if youve cleaned it lately or if the dishes have been washed. If the place is dirty and disorganized, then you havent been paying attention to these details because your mind is too focused on getting high.

Get Rid Of All The Gear

This suggestion is crucial.

Most users of marijuana accumulate a wide array of different instruments and accessories. These include anything from pipes and bongs to paper and grinders.

Its important that you immediately remove all of these items as a statement that this is the start of your non-smoking marijuana-free lifestyle.

Besides, not only do these items have no purpose in your weed-free life, there serve as triggers for relapse.

Many of these accessories could set you back quite a bit. So theres an extra incentive for you to make a bit of cash on the back of giving up your dependency on smoking weed.

Get rid of all weed and weed paraphernalia you own.

When you have them handy, it is always easy to postpone your goals and get into the vicious circle of I will do it tomorrow, a typical procrastination sentence.

Remove the option for yourself as much as possible.

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How Marijuana Addiction Affected My Marriage

Jaimeâs husband was a marijuana addict, but together, they were able to overcome his addiction and remain a united family unit.

My husbandâs marijuana addiction nearly derailed our marriage . . . hereâs how we got through it.

My husband had a problem with addictionhe was smoking marijuana in our garage on a regular basis and inviting his relatives to join him. After spending some time in denial about his addiction, I grew concerned that our children would be affected, and I felt the need to set boundaries. One day, I offered him an ultimatum: the pot or our family.

In response, my husband packed his bags and left, which made me feel like his addiction was stronger than his love for our family. I was devastated, but I knew setting boundaries and preventing my children from being affected by his addiction was my priority, and I was willing to put my marriage on the line to protect them.

My husband returned shortly afterward, willing to put aside his love for marijuana and work on overcoming his addiction to save our family. To my knowledge, he has completely stopped smoking and turned his focus to recovery.

While itâs not always possible to resolve addiction issues and save your marriage, itâs certainly worth a shot. Here are some ways you can save your family and help your spouse overcome their addiction.

Face Reality And Be Prepared

If upon your assessment you have identified and acknowledged that you have a marijuana addiction problem, then take this as an opportunity to get back the control of your life. While it is true that it can be a long and arduous journey ahead, recovery is possible and worth it.

The time it takes to treat marijuana addiction and remain sober from it is different from case to case. It may take a few months to a number of years. It may be a life-long struggle to resist the desire to smoke or consume marijuana.

The drug is complex and it has affected your brain so it will take a lot of work for the brain and your system to get back to normal and be able to function properly without the need for marijuana.

Each person is different including how susceptible you are to getting addicted. Recovery also depends on the way your brain gets to rewire itself once you stop using the drug. There have been cases where it took three years to fully recover from marijuana addiction. But again, this may not be the case for you.

It may take sooner or longer depending on your treatment plan and the support that youre getting from your loved ones. Apart from that, you also have to recover socially and economically. The addiction has affected more than your health but other aspects of your life. This is something that you also need to pay attention to.

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Get Some Counseling For Marijuana Addiction

Getting a good therapist is always a good idea to work out kinks in your emotional or behavioral life. It is freeing to be honest and open with a stranger who can give you advice and guidance on beating marijuana addiction. Additionally, a good therapist will assist you in overcoming pressing issues you may have been stuffing or running from.

Remove The Substance Dont Buy Cannabis

This is the most simple and obvious first step to quitting your dependency on weed. After all, if you dont buy it, you wont smoke it. If you dont buy yourself anyway, make sure you just dont get it at all anyway.

The extent of the challenge of not buying weed partly depends on your circumstances. For instance, whether youre living in a place that has legalized marijuana or not. Or, whether your friends and the social group also smoke weed.

Either way, this step certainly involves bucket loads of willpower to get through it. You are almost certainly going to experience strong temptations to go back to your old ways. The best way to counter these urges is to distract yourself by calling a friend for a chat or going out with non-smoking friends for coffee, and to remind yourself the reasons for wanting to quit.

Let us emphasize once again:

Delete your weed dealers phone number .

Change your daily route if there is a cannabis store on your way.

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Child Development In Pregnant Women

There has been a popular belief that marijuana can help pregnant women deal with their nausea. However, medical experts are firm in their warning against it. Marijuana use in pregnant women is known to be linked to low birth weight. Such babies are also observed to have behavioural and brain problems.

When a pregnant woman is a marijuana user, then there may be effects on the way that the brain of the fetus develops. When these babies grow up, they are observed to have problems with memory, problem-solving, and attention. Even THC from breast milk can affect the childs developing brain. The studies regarding these effects of marijuana on babies are still ongoing.

Tips To Quit Smoking Weed

Making the decision to quit smoking weed is life-changing, especially if you commit to it and achieve sobriety. Here are some tips to help you on your journey to recovery:

1. Change your environment

One of the most important things to do when trying to stop smoking weed is to change your environment. Determine your triggers and avoid places, things, and people that tempt you to use weed.

If you have family members or friends who smoke, avoid their company. If your current environment exposes you to marijuana, move someplace else. These changes may seem overwhelming at first, but these are necessary.

2. Set goals

When you set goals, you put yourself in a mindset for success. Ask yourself what you want to achieve after you overcome your battle with marijuana addiction. This will motivate you to work hard toward your goal while living a full life without marijuana in the picture.

3. Get rid of your stash

If you have kept weed “for future use,” it’s time to get rid of them. You’re not going to use them anymore. Deciding to quit smoking weed means you have no use for marijuana stashed somewhere in your house. Throw them out and never look back.

4. Tapering

Some people opt to quit smoking weed cold turkey. However, this method predisposes them to severe withdrawal symptoms. The best way to stop smoking weed is to taper use gradually.

5. Be prepared

6. Keep yourself busy

7. Exercise daily

8. Plan sober activities

9. Have a support system

10. Get professional help

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Behavioural And Social Symptoms Of Cannabis Addiction:

• Apathy and a lack of motivation
• Continuing to take cannabis despite experiencing negative repercussions as a result of this
• Using other drugs alongside cannabis
• Lying or deceiving others regarding your activities, whereabouts and cannabis use
• Using cannabis at times when it is clearly dangerous to do so e.g. before driving
• Engaging in risky and reckless behaviour when under the influence of cannabis
• Avoiding contact with family and friends, leading to social isolation
• Finding that you only tend to spend time with other people who take cannabis
• Devoting an excessive amount of time to obtaining and using cannabis
• Lack of interest in hobbies or activities that you once enjoyed
• Prioritising cannabis use over your friends and family
• Poor attendance and performance at work
• Possession of paraphernalia used for cannabis consumption such as rolling papers and water pipes

The Manor Clinic can help and support those who have been dealing with an Cannabis addiction issue. For further information on treatment and rehabilitation programmes, please call: 023 8046 4721 or click here to book a FREE ADDICTION ASSESSMENT.

Especially Since Consuming Cannabis Or Smoking Marijuana Seems Less Addictive Compared To Other Drugs

There is a lot of misunderstandings about whether smoking weed is addictive. It is often known as a so-called gateway drug to even more harmful drugs. However, there is evidence that smoking weed can be addictive.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 30 percent of people who use marijuana develop a dependency or disorder in relation to the drug.

This also depends on the age when the marijuana user starts. For instance, people under the age of 18 years old are over four times more likely to become dependent on weed consumption than other groups.

So as it becomes like a daily habit, many weed smokers realize it is not easy to quit gradually or cold turkey.

Home-Based Treatment Plan for Weed Addiction

We offer a 4-week intensive virtual program:

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How Long Does Marijuana Withdrawal Last

The duration of withdrawal from Marijuana is different for everyone. For most heavy Marijuana users, withdrawal symptoms begin on the first day after quitting and peak within 48 to 72 hours. Symptoms generally last two to three weeks and dissipate over time.

A Tool: Smart Action Plan For Quitting Weed Gradually

There are 5 important guidelines for sticking to any goal.

They need to be:

• Realistic and
• Time-specific

When making your action plan for cutting off cannabis gradually, make sure that you consider all of these aspects.

Here is an example of a plan using the SMART guidelines:

You may fill out your own measures and ideas.

• Specific: I will stop smoking weed completely in the next 6 months.
• Measurable: I currently smoke 1 gram every day. My goal is to reduce this to 0.5 gram in the first month, in the second month cut this down to every other day, in Month 3 cut this down to 0.25 gram per day, then in Month 4 to 0.25 gram every other day, in Month 4 cut down to 0.25 gram 2 days per week and Month 5 to 0.10 gram 1 day per week. End of Month 5: no marijuana.
• Achievable: I believe it is attainable for me to reduce my weed intake on this gradual plan for the next 6 months. It would be unattainable for me to quit weed cold turkey.
• Realistic: I realize it will be difficult for me to stick to this plan because all my friends smoke weed around me. I realize I will need to either talk to my friends about not smoking around me for a period of time or I will reduce the amount of time I spend with them and I will meet them in places where it is not possible to smoke.
• Time-specific: I have set out this schedule and will stick to this plan. I will review it at the end of each month and see if it needs to be adjusted.

Home-Based Treatment Plan for Weed Addiction

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Make A Plan To Deal With Triggers

Triggers can have a powerful impact. Even after you decide to stop smoking, specific cues you associate with using it may lead to cravings.

These triggers could include:

• journaling
• enjoying a relaxing beverage, like tea or hot chocolate

Keep in mind that changing up routines can be hard, and it usually doesnt happen over night.

Try experimenting with a few options, and dont beat yourself up if you have trouble sticking to your new routine right away.

Look At Quitting One Day At A Time

If you start thinking about beating your marijuana addiction in terms of quitting forever, you might feel overwhelmed. Think about your recovery one day at a time. Each day, commit to staying clean for just that day. It makes quitting feel less daunting and will allow you to take control of each day and situation as it comes.

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Recovery From Marijuana Addiction

If a person cannot quit using the drug, even though there is damage and even failure resulting from use, then this person needs rehabilitation. It is certainly possible to build a strong, sober life but the person who cant do this on their own can repair the damage caused by abuse and can gain the skills needed at a Narconon drug rehabilitation center.

At a Narconon rehab center, no one is ever given substitute drugs as part of their recovery. Only in the case where a medical wean-down from heavy alcohol or drugs such as benzodiazepines, Narconon would arrange for the individual to complete a medical detox prior to starting the Narconon program. Then when they arrive at Narconon they would begin the drug-free withdrawal, using generous amounts of nutrients and techniques that help alleviate the pain and discomfort experienced during withdrawal.

Then the person goes through a thorough detoxification process to help flush out toxic residues of drug use that remain locked deep in fatty tissues. Once these residues are gone and a person feels fresher and brighter, it is much more possible to recover those clear thinking skills. Clearer thinking means a person can learn how to deal with the problems in life they may have been avoiding.

Contact Narconon today to find out how we can help someone you care about overcome their addiction to marijuana.

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