Marijuana is it addictive?

Many people view marijuana as being non-toxic in modern society, and many users of this drug think that it is also not addictive. This however is not true. When people first use marijuana, they may find that it induces a euphoric state. People find this so pleasurable that they find themselves obsessed with smoking it. Marijuana use can become chronic, and these users become both emotionally addicted to the effects of this drug. One of the main dangers in smoking marijuana is an emotional addiction to the drug. The effect that it has over the mind can often become dependent upon the relaxing effect which the drug has.

Help

150,000 people reach out for help, for an addiction to marijuana annually. This is still a very small proportion of those who smoke it on a regular basis. Those who do not make an attempt to find help, instead choose to try to cope with the powerful effects of the drug. These people often find themselves in a frustrating cycle of trying to quit. They therefore spend a lot of time and money on fruitless attempts at stopping to take the drug.

More recently marijuana has become even stronger, with the cultivation becoming very scientific and stronger strands becoming more common. This therefore means that a more potent form of marijuana is becoming more readily available. It is cheaper and easier to access than ever before. Although marijuana may not have the same immediate health risks like a heroin overdose. There are many devastating long term health risks. Examples include mental conditions such as schizophrenia, and it is also argued that the use of marijuana can cause lung cancer.

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Social Life

One of the main difficulties which people face when attempting to stop smoking marijuana is the fact that their whole social life is based upon the recreational use of the drug. It is likely that the majority of their friends use marijuana, and it makes them more likely to relapse if they try to stop.

Aftercare

Aftercare is very important when treating marijuana abuse. When they leave the treatment centre for example to go back to their normal life, they often find themselves back in the same position that they were in before treatment. This can be because the temptation of socialising with their friends is too great. This can consequently lead to a relapse, thus the aftercare which the Haynes Clinic offers to its patients is very helpful at giving recovering addicts a support system to help them to abstain from drug use.

Abstinence

It must be recognised that marijuana addiction is just as serious as heroin or alcohol. The problem of addiction must be treated in a similar way. At the Haynes Clinic , we believe that an abstinence based recovery is the most effective way of treating addicts. This is to help them move on from their drug problem where there must be a focus upon complete sobriety.

If you have an alcohol or drug related problem, please call 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice and help.

 

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