 Marijuana
addiction is a phenomenon experienced by more than 150,000 individuals each
year who enter treatment for their proclaimed addiction to marijuana. Marijuana
addiction is characterized as compulsive, often uncontrollable marijuana craving,
seeking, and use, even when the individual knows that marijuana use is not in
his best interest. Marijuana addiction could be defined as chronically making
the firm decision not to use marijuana followed shortly by a relapse due to
experiencing overwhelming compulsive urges to use marijuana despite the firm
decision not to. This contradiction is characteristic of an addiction problem.
Symptoms
of Marijuana Addiction:
- Marijuana tolerance:
Either need for markedly increased amounts of marijuana to achieve intoxication,
or markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of marijuana.
- Greater use of marijuana than intended:
Marijuana taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.
- Unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control marijuana use.
- A great deal of time spent in using marijuana
- Marijuana use causing a reduction in social, occupational
or recreational activities.
- Continued marijuana use despite knowing it will cause significant
problems.
Marijuana
is both emotionally and mentally addictive. Once an individual becomes addicted
to marijuana it develops into part of who they believe themselves to be. Avoiding
their friends who do not use, the addict will gravitate to others that do. Marijuana
is a topic that is always on their mind, whether it be thinking about the next
time they will be able to get high or where their going to get their next sack.
When someone is addicted to marijuana eventually their friends and the people
close to them only know how they act when their stoned because they no longer
do anything without first smoking. Their constant abuse is due to the misconception
that marijuana is what they need to solve their problems. Sometimes addicts
will take their stash with them wherever they go, just in case an opportunity
arises and they are able to take a couple hits. They may even go through several
dealers in order to make sure they always have a constant supply of marijuana.
The cost of marijuana addiction to the individual who allows their addiction
to escalate may suffer health and social consequences, memory and learning problems,
problems at work or even result in losing a job because of high absenteeism.
Those who isolate themselves from friends and family often put a heavy strain
on relationships with loved ones. There is a vicious cycle to marijuana addiction
in which these problems are often used as a rational to smoke even more pot.
Marijuana addiction is a no-win situation that many unintentionally fall into
(the drug that is causing the problem becomes the solution to the problem it
caused).
Addiction
to marijuana is severe due to its affect on the user's brain. Scientists now
know many facts about marijuana's effect on the body and how delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC), the major active chemical in Marijuana, acts in the human brain. When
marijuana is smoked, THC travels quickly through the body and into the brain
where it unites with specific receptors on nerve cells. Areas of the brain with
the most receptors affected by THC are parts of the brain that control pleasure,
thought, memory, sensory, concentration, time perception, and coordination.
It's these areas of the brain that are most likely to be affected when an individual
faces marijuana addiction.
If
you feel that your marijuana use is out of your control and interfering with
your personal goals and happiness and you would like to stop but can't seek
help from addiction treatment professional.
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