Thursday, April 18, 2024

How To Treat Marijuana Addiction

Lets Take A Look At The Treatment Of Cannabis Problems

Can Marijuana Replace Opioids To Treat Pain, Addiction? UCLA Researchers Want To Find Out

Some people will require detoxification.

It is usually done in an outpatient setting and it can last from a few days to three weeks, depending on the issues associated with cannabis.

Residential treatment is typically needed for moderate to severe dependence. People who have low psychosocial functioning are people who have moderate to severe psychiatric comorbidities.

There is a need for supportive psychosocial intervention. Psychoeducation. And non-pharmacological symptom management. Usually occupational and exercise therapy tends to be part of the treatment. And there is medical and psychiatric diagnosis and treatment for the comorbid condition as needed. The duration varies. It tends to be related to the severity of the comorbidity. For all the cannabis use disorder, it can take several weeks.

There have been some outpatient laboratory pilot trials with lithium, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, glutamate modulator and mucolytic agent, muscle relaxants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics and CB receptor agonists. So thereâs quite a bit of trial that has been conducted.

So the results of those trials have not always been great and there has been no relevant or worsened effect on the cannabis withdrawal symptoms with antidepressants. Venlafaxine has shown to aggravate the withdrawal symptoms. And some people went as far as saying that it actually contributes to the smoking of cannabis.

Health Risks Of Cannabis Usage

Short Term:

  • Anxiety and paranoia about being watched or followed
  • Psychosis
  • Problems with coordination
  • Loss of sense of personal identity
  • Lowered reaction time
  • Reduction in IQ
  • Poor school performance
  • Inability to learn and perform complex tasks
  • Addiction and cross addiction
  • Look, feel, sleep better & regain confidence
  • Learn techniques for relapse prevention
  • 1-year complimentary aftercare support
  • How Do I Know Im Addicted To Marijuana

    Although marijuana addiction doesnt have the same lethal potential as other drugs, addiction to marijuana is just as devastating. All addictions are harmful in that somethinga drug, in this casehas become the most important thing in your life, even above loved ones. Therefore, marijuana addiction has the same hallmark signs as other addictions. They include:

    • Continuing to use marijuana even when it has negative impacts on your life
    • Feeling anxiety when you run out of marijuana or you dont know where to get it next
    • Feeling that you cannot cope with your emotions or circumstances if you dont use marijuana
    • Needing more and more marijuana overtime to get the same high

    Also Check: What Are The 12 Steps Of Addiction Recovery

    Withdrawal Symptoms And Effects

    After you stop using marijuana, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. The longer you used marijuana, and the higher the intensity of your marijuana use, the higher the likelihood that you will experience withdrawal symptoms.

    It is not dangerous to quit marijuana suddenly. However, the withdrawal symptoms may be more intense than those seen in people who gradually decrease their use.

    Mental symptoms of marijuana withdrawal include:

    • Craving for marijuana.
    • Weight gain.2, 3

    Although withdrawing from marijuana can be uncomfortable, it is not life-threatening. Medically supervised detoxification, which includes medications and supervision from a health care professional, can be helpful to avoid relapse in the face of withdrawal. But it is not necessary in every case.

    Timeline

    Withdrawal symptoms begin within 1 to 3 days and peak after about 2 to 6 days.

    Withdrawal symptoms typically begin within 1 to 3 days after the last use of marijuana, peak about 2 to 6 days after the last use and subside in about 2 weeks. The exception to this is sleep disturbance, which may last longer, possibly due to sleep issues being a problem before marijuana initiation.3, 4

    While withdrawal symptoms usually subside within 2 weeks after quitting, some marijuana users experience withdrawal symptoms for up to a year after quitting.3, 4

    What Is Drug Addiction

    What Does A Marijuana Addiction Treatment Program Look Like?

    Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and changes in the brain, which can be long-lasting. These changes in the brain can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who use drugs. Drug addiction is also a relapsing disease. Relapse is the return to drug use after an attempt to stop.

    The path to drug addiction begins with the voluntary act of taking drugs. But over time, a person’s ability to choose not to do so becomes compromised. Seeking and taking the drug becomes compulsive. This is mostly due to the effects of long-term drug exposure on brain function. Addiction affects parts of the brain involved in reward and motivation, learning and memory, and control over behavior.

    Addiction is a disease that affects both the brain and behavior.

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    Getting High Becomes Priority

    How you spend your time is indicative of your possible dependence on the drug. If you spend a lot of your time getting high or waiting for the time when youll smoke another joint or looking for your drug of choice, that is a clear and obvious sign that you are addicted to it.

    When your drug use becomes your priority and it begins to eat up a big chunk of your time, its vital to seek help and start marijuana addiction treatment.

    You may also notice youve stopped doing the activities you once enjoyed. This may include recreational outings, playing sports or spending time with your loved ones. Instead, you spend your time with people who are also using marijuana so that you can get high together and feel that youre having a good time.

    Work or school can also become affected. Since using marijuana has become your priority, you no longer give importance to other things in your life such as your job or attending your classes. This can have very serious consequences down the line such as failing your courses or getting fired from your job.

    Free Cannabis Addiction Assessment At Your Nearest Priory Hospital

    Starting with a free, confidential addiction assessment, Priory is known for providing quality, professional treatment for a wide range of substance misuse concerns. We understand the many ways that cannabis addiction can deprive you of your ability to achieve your full potential, and lead the happy, healthy life that you want and deserve.

    Recommended Reading: Why Is Addiction So Hard To Overcome

    Free Lifelong Aftercare Programme

    We understand that leaving rehab and having to face the reality of day-to-day life can be an incredibly daunting thought. While you may be determined to continue living a clean and sober life, external triggers and temptations exist and dealing with these alone can leave you feeling isolated. To support you during this vital time, we have created a two-tier approach to long-term sobriety.

    Short-term: we provide one years worth of free aftercare support sessions every week in the rehab you attended . Here you will engage with a group based therapeutic approach, with loved ones in attendance but with the opportunity to speak with a counsellor one-to-one.

    Long-term: we have built theUKs first recovery network for all those who have attended a UKAT treatment facility. This lifelong recovery network is called Alumni a gateway to lifelong sober companionship. Events include Christmas parties, dinners, adventure days out and, of course, summer BBQs.

    This is the future of permanent recovery, and we are proud to be the first rehab family in the UK to offer it. Many people fear that putting down the drugs means losing their social life. At UKAT we say its only just begun! Please call to hear more about rehab, recovery and lifelong happiness.

    If you have any questions regarding our cannabis rehab clinic, treatment needs, rehab locations and cost we can answer them!

    Effective Treatment Helps You Build A Satisfying Life Without Drugs

    Concern over the use of medical marijuana to treat opioid addiction?

    Therapy is the centerpiece of treatment for marijuana abuse and addiction. The objective of treatment is to give marijuana users the ability to avoid marijuana use and cope with the situations that can trigger it.

    At Rosecrance, weve developed a program rooted in the 12-Steps that combines clinical, medical, educational and experiential therapies into a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan. Marijuana addiction treatment at Rosecrance provides lifestyle management and problem-solving skills. Successful clients develop relapse skills, such as learning how to refuse the drug when offered. Those skills help them avoid relapsing when theyre put in stressful, unpleasant or challenging situations.

    Group therapy is central to our record of success with marijuana addiction treatment. Ultimately, our treatment programs whether tailored for teenagers unique needs or for adults help individuals build a satisfying life that doesnt need to be augmented or otherwise influenced by drugs.

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    Treatment Of Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome

    Because symptoms of cannabis withdrawal may serve as negative reinforcement for relapse to cannabis use in individuals trying to abstain , pharmacological treatment aimed at alleviating cannabis withdrawal might prevent relapse and reduce dependence.

    Several studies have tested the effects of medications on cannabis withdrawal . These medications are either CB receptor agonists that directly suppress the withdrawal syndrome or are designed to indirectly alleviate symptoms of cannabis withdrawal by influencing the brain circuits that mediate these symptoms. No medication has regulatory approval for the treatment of cannabis withdrawal. The CB receptor agonist THC has shown efficacy in several human laboratory studies and open-label case series. See for description of all pharmacological treatment trials for cannabis dependence.

    Teen Marijuana Addiction Treatment

    Marijuana is often considered harmless. Thousands of people smoked it in the 1960s and they turned out all right. The truth is, todays is a lot more potent than the weed of five decades ago. In just one example, modern pot contains six times more delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC. This chemical is the main active ingredient and the primary reason for the high that occurs.

    Current estimates state that 95 million Americans over the age of 11 have tried marijuana in some form at least once. One out of five high school seniors had reported smoking marijuana in 2010, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse study. The same survey states that an increasing number of high school students are using marijuana daily.

    Read Also: What Drugs Are Psychologically Addictive

    The Saving Grace Of Marijuana

    Yes, there is a treatment for cannabis use disorder or any weed problem and the treatment is typically effective.

    Itâs important to provide individual therapy, and group treatment can also be very useful. What is critical is to address the reason to use and also to develop refusals skills. Family counselling can be helpful because the family is often affected. Providing structure is critical, and itâs usually best to transition from a structured program, residential program to a less structured environment, but to reduce the structure slowly and help the individual build structure in their life. And of course, aftercare is very important.

    So looking at various research, there is some evidence that cannabis can be effective to reduce anxiety.

    It can reduce inflammation and relieve pain. It also has been effective in controlling nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. And there is some preliminary evidence that it can kill cancer cells and slow tumour growth. It will help relax the tight muscle in people who have MS. And it can stimulate appetite and improve weight gain in people with cancer and AIDS who have difficulty with feeding. Itâs also been used quite a bit to control seizure disorders.

    Yes, cannabis can help people cope with certain elements. At the same time, it is definitely not harmless.

    People must use it with caution if they choose to use it. So those who got in trouble with it, there is treatment available.

    How To Treat Marijuana Addiction

    Marijuana Rehab Treatment

    Addiction to Marijuana can be treated in a specified substance abuse treatment facility and detox center. Detox is necessary because the effects of the drug and withdrawal need to be addressed before moving forward with any marijuana addiction treatment plan. Its often difficult for family members to realize addiction is happening to their loved ones, and its even more difficult for them to finally remove them from the temptation.

    Marijuana is readily available all over the world. In order for an individual to completely recover and get the help to break their marijuana addiction, they need to be admitted into a live-in or residential treatment center with a no tolerance policy. The habit can be treated with lifestyle changes and therapy sessions to address the mental health conditions that are causing the need for this drug to be abused.

    At The Villa Treatment Center, we understand the need to reduce dependency on marijuana is just as important as any other substance and have developed treatment plans specifically designed to help lessen marijuana dependence. Working closely with clients, we look strategically at lifestyle, psychological profiles, environments, and previous recovery attempts to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses not only addiction but its underlying causes.

    Join us and surround yourself with people on the same journey of recovery. Call The Villa Treatment Center today for more information.

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    The Truth About Marijuana

    Weed is an antidepressant drug but it also has psychedelic effects when taken in higher doses. It helps to know that there are 2 classified types of marijuana that offer different effects, one is psychedelic and the other is depressant.

    Other experts in the healthcare industry believe in the healing properties of marijuana. They continue to reiterate that the use of marijuana in proper dosage is therapeutic and could even save lives.

    Residential Rehab Treatment For Cannabis Addiction

    Smarmore Castle is a leading addiction centre in Ireland, and our patients receive the highest quality of care from our medical and therapy team. At Smarmore Castle, we immerse patients in an intensive programme of therapeutic activity that has been proven to effectively treat addiction to cannabis and other drugs. Our comprehensive cannabis addiction programme is individually tailored to each patient and involves some combination of:

    In particular, CBT has been proven effective for treating individuals with a cannabis abuse problem. This therapy helps to restructure a patients thought patterns and attitudes towards themselves and their drug use.

    Our dual diagnosis treatment is tailored for individuals who suffer a psychological condition such as depression, anxiety or eating disorders in addition to drug or alcohol abuse.

    In addition to psychological health, we repair a patients physical state with a combined programme of exercise and a healthy diet. Our 22 meter swimming pool and gym is available for our patients to use.

    When the patient completes their treatment for cannabis addiction, Smarmore Castle continues to support them by providing:

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    Medical Marijuana For Depression

    Medical marijuana and recreational marijuana are the two types of cannabis that exist. While cannabis is illegal on a federal level, 10 states legalized the use and possession of recreational marijuana as of December 2018. Currently, medical marijuana is legal in 33 states.

    Recreational marijuana typically comprises high levels of THC and low amounts of cannabinol . THC is the ingredient in the cannabis plant that produces a high. CBD is a nonpsychotic ingredient that partially blocks the euphoric effects of marijuana.

    Medical marijuana usually contains high levels of CBD and low amounts of THC. CBD has shown some effectiveness in treating mental illness and symptoms of epilepsy. The Food and Drug Administration has approved some medications that contain CBD.

    The high levels of CBD in medical marijuana may help treat pain, anxiety and nausea in some individuals. More research is needed to determine whether or not any form of marijuana can help reduce symptoms of depression.

    Treatment For Marijuana Abuse And Addiction

    Should medical marijuana be used to treat opioid addiction?

    This usually focuses on changing your behavior. Options include:

    Talk therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy works well for a lot of people. It helps you understand the thoughts and behaviors that lead to your drug use and replace them with healthier ones.

    Motivational incentives: Sometimes called âcontingency management,â this is when you give yourself a reward for staying drug-free. Youâll work with a mental health therapist or addiction specialist to set your goals and rewards.

    Motivational enhancement therapy : This is designed to help you commit to changing your behavior. It usually involves only two to four sessions, and your counselor will work with you more like a partner than an expert. Itâs often used along with the other types of therapy.

    Medication: The FDA hasnât approved any medicines to treat marijuana abuse, but studies are being done to see if ones used for sleep, anxiety, and other issues may help. If you have a psychological condition like anxiety or depression, treating it with medication may help you stop abusing marijuana.

    Your doctor can help you decide which treatments would be best for you.

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    What Are Signs Of Marijuana Addiction

    Different individuals may develop varying levels of physical dependence and addiction to marijuana. Although anyone can become addicted to marijuana, there are some factors that may increase a persons risk of developing a drug addiction. They include:

    • Lack of family involvement A lack of parental and family involvement has been shown to increase a childs likelihood of developing a substance use disorder later in life.
    • History of family addiction If a child has a parent or close family member who is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, he or she is more likely to develop an addiction later in life.
    • A psychiatric disorder If a person has a psychiatric disorder such as depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety, he or she is more likely to develop a substance use disorder than someone who does not have a psychiatric disorder.

    If a person is addicted to marijuana, he or she will most likely display all or some of the following symptoms:

  • Needing more marijuana to achieve the same high.
  • Having an inability to control marijuana use.
  • Having extreme cravings for marijuana.
  • Experiencing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when the effects of marijuana wear off.
  • Getting into dangerous and/or life-threatening situations while under the influence of marijuana.
  • Neglecting hobbies and important obligations such as school, work, or family.
  • Continuing to use marijuana despite the harmful effects it causes.
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