Is Marijuana Really Addictive?
One of the most common questions people ask is: Is weed really addictive? The truth is most people have some major misunderstandings about what addiction is. Many people believe that to be addictive, a drug must make you sick in withdrawal. You might crave it to the degree that you’re willing to do unspeakable things to get the money to buy more. This is a myth.
Addiction isn’t about physical withdrawal or even physical cravings. Those are aspects of drug dependence, not addiction, per se. Addiction is a disease of the mind. When a person feels compelled to use marijuana or THC products or any other substance, despite negative consequences, it’s fair to say that person may be addicted to marijuana (or whatever else).
Yes, marijuana is potentially addictive and the signs of use are something to watch for in anyone you love. People who have had substance use disorders in the past or are prone to compulsive behavior should avoid any mind and mood-altering substances like cannabis or any of the hemp or psychoactive THC derivatives.
What to know about marijuana addiction:
- Addiction is about behaviors and habits — not just withdrawal symptoms.
- Marijuana today is 3-5 times more powerful than it was just 20 years ago.
- Millions of Americans have reported great difficulty in quitting cannabis use.
- Marijuana addiction is real and it does real damage to people’s lives and health.
A Reality Check About Addiction to Marijuana and THC
Understand: Addiction is about behavior. When a substance becomes more important than your health or academic, professional, or financial success — that’s a problem. Sure, some people can drink alcohol or smoke weed recreationally. That’s the truth.
But, people who do these things recreationally generally don’t do them every day, much less multiple times a day. Most importantly — they don’t allow marijuana or any other THC product to become more important than it should be. Recreational marijuana users don’t “wake and bake” daily and they don’t center their entire identity and personality around weed.
People who do these things have an unhealthy relationship with a substance. They allow it to dictate their behavior and ignore the consequences and costs of their marijuana use. That’s also the truth — even though some people may not want to hear it.
Am I Addicted to Weed? Questions to Ask
With marijuana decriminalization and legalization sweeping the country and numerous low-potency legal THC products on the market — we understand why there is still some skepticism about marijuana addiction in certain circles. Ultimately only you can decide if marijuana use is a problem for you.
The most important thing is that you’re honest with yourself about it. This can be a real challenge when it comes to addiction. Addiction to THC or anything else is tricky. That part of yourself that wants to continue to use can be especially crafty. You may find yourself minimizing your use or downplaying it. You may lie to yourself and others about how much marijuana you use and how often. Perhaps most dangerous of all — you’ll lie to yourself about the effect it’s having on your life.
Some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide if marijuana is a problem:
- Do you some or use marijuana daily?
- If you do not use THC products for a few days, do you suffer from irritability or insomnia?
- Have you refused to go to a party or on a vacation because you couldn’t use marijuana?
- Have friends or family expressed concerns about your THC use? More than once?
- Have you tried to cut back on your marijuana or THC use without long-term success?
- Have you ever developed bronchitis or a persistent cough from smoking weed?
- Have you lost a job or been ineligible for hire due to testing positive for THC?
- Have you passed up a job you would like to have because you would have to quit using marijuana and THC products?
If you find yourself saying ‘yes’ to even one or two of the questions above — it is a good sign that you are a habitual cannabis user and you may have an addiction. Remember, addiction is about behavior and one of the key red flags of addiction is when you continue to use despite negative consequences. Especially negative consequences that would lead most people to cut back or quit.
Recovery From Marijuana and THC Addiction
While marijuana is not as dangerous as so-called hard drugs like heroin — it is far from harmless. Do not kid yourself about this. Marijuana today has 3-5 times as much THC as the cannabis from just 20-25 years ago. Emergency room visits from people having unwanted reactions like panic attacks and hallucinations from marijuana and THC products are increasingly common whereas they were extremely rare in the past.
There is no shame in admitting that cannabis or THC is a problem for you. Do not let anyone talk you out of seeking help for marijuana addiction if you think you may benefit from it. Substance use disorder treatment works just as well or better for marijuana addiction as it does for other drugs.
You can recover from THC dependence and live a happy, productive sober life. But it does require the honesty to admit you have a problem and that you cannot solve it alone. It also requires the willingness to accept help and adopt a different lifestyle — because recovery is just that, a lifestyle.
Addiction is not something that can be cured by going to rehab and then you just go about your business. Staying sober means living life by a different set of rules — but it is very much worth doing. Whatever you think you’re going to miss about smoking weed, we can promise you what you will gain from recovery is much more valuable.
Redemption Recovery: Help for THC Dependence and Addiction
The help you need to turn the corner is just a phone call away. If you or your loved one has tried to cut down their marijuana or THC use without success — it’s time for a change. Don’t let marijuana use rob you of your potential.
Here at Redemption Recovery, you or your loved one will get everything they need to get the upper hand on marijuana addiction and thrive in a successful sober life. All it takes is a phone call to begin to move in the right direction.
Call (419) 528-8007 now to begin a new, better, and brighter chapter in your life.
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