Marijuana Addiction: Signs, Causes, Withdrawal, Treatment and Prevention

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational enhancement therapy (MET), and contingency management (CM) have all been used in treating cannabis use disorder, and it was found that a combination of all three might be most effective. An overdose can also occur when people smoke marijuana that is laced with hallucinogens or other dangerous drugs. This can cause more severe side effects, such as heart attack, seizure or stroke. If your loved one is hanging Sobriety around individuals who use cannabis, then he or she may be influenced to use the drug.

Marijuana Benefits

Recovery from marijuana addiction is not something that you should try to tackle all on your own. In addition to seeking professional treatment, it is a good idea to have a support network of people who can help you through hard times and celebrate your successes with you. This support network can be made up of family and friends, fellow patients you meet in treatment, people you interact with at 12-step meetings, and even online support groups and forums.

• Thus, it is critical to monitor cannabis use and related consequences among young people, especially as the cannabis market expands and diversifies.
• 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.
• CBT helps people identify why they use, develop relapse prevention and coping skills, and come up with more effective behaviors.
• Once there, it connects to tiny receptors on your nerve cells called cannabinoid receptors.
• When marijuana is laced with fentanyl or other substances, these risks are amplified, intensifying the need for professional treatment.

Resources for Substance Use & Mental Health Professionals

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. Working with a provider that has experience effectively treating how long does weed take to leave your system cannabis withdrawal and cannabis use disorder, like American Addiction Centers, can help you improve your chances of avoiding relapse. Call and let one of our compassionate and experienced Admissions Navigators answer your questions, explain your treatment options, and help you get started on your journey to recovery. If you become addicted to cannabis, you’ll feel compelled to continue to abuse this substance, often in increasingly greater amounts, negatively impacting your physical and mental health.

• One theory is that cannabis use could overactivate the cannabinoid receptors in your brain.
• Psychosis is a symptom of a serious medical condition called schizophrenia.
• Repeated use can lead to physical dependence and tolerance, increasing the risk of addiction.
• Its mind-altering effects have also led to its use as a therapeutic aid for chronic pain and other medical conditions in some jurisdictions.

More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

Patients may wish to hear about treatment alternatives and be partners in clinical decision making. Certain substances do not mix well because they can cause serious health issues in your body. For example, Xanax and weed are not a safe combination because benzodiazepines and weed increase the others’ effects. Thus, if you take both together, you can experience intense sedation, panic attacks, or mental fogginess. The same concept applies to weed laced with other substances, like fentanyl-laced weed.

Periodontal disease doesn’t just cause tooth loss but https://ecosoberhouse.com/ has also been linked to many other health issues, including heart disease and preterm labor. Using marijuana may raise your chances of clinical depression or worsen the symptoms of a mental health condition that you already have. People who have cannabis use disorder may also be at a higher risk of other negative consequences, such as problems with attention, memory, and learning. Many people think marijuana use is harmless, especially because it’s a natural product.

This shows that MET is an effective treatment option for marijuana addiction. Coping with marijuana addiction involves understanding the nature of cannabis dependence, recognizing withdrawal symptoms, and seeking appropriate support. These withdrawal symptoms often complicate recovery efforts and highlight the need for effective treatment strategies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. As societal acceptance of marijuana grows alongside its availability, understanding and addressing cannabis use disorder remains crucial for public health initiatives. This article focuses on treatments with a documented clinical evidence-base.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps individuals recognize and avoid situations that trigger substance use, while family therapy aims to strengthen family support systems and address family dynamics contributing to addiction.
• A 2014 report by the DEA found that depressed teens are twice as likely as their peers who are not depressed to abuse marijuana or become dependent on the drug.
• Although the intervention generally is conducted with families, some evidence supports its utility with a single person 51.
• One of the biggest concerns is the age in which an individual began using marijuana.

The US cannabis policy and retail contexts have markedly changed in the past decade. As of March 2024, 24 states and DC legalized non-medical (i.e., recreational) cannabis 1. During this time, use prevalence increased in adults 2, 3, particularly young adults 4, who increasingly use daily and more heavily 5. Thus, surveillance of adverse cannabis-related outcomes among young people is essential. Preventing frequent and moderate use of cannabis, particularly of oils/concentrates, is crucial given the potential negative implications for problematic use, quitting, and mental health. “Lacing” refers to mixing in another substance with a drug, either intentionally or unintentionally.