Cannabis is a common drug widely used in America and Europe. Although widely regulated against the law, it is probably the most commonly used ‘drug’ in the Western World (Apart from underage alcohol use.)
Many people are more interested in how to get marijuana than how to stop using marijuana.
Most people who have experimented with drugs report having used marijuana, as it is considered by many to be a relatively harmless drug, at least when compared to heroin, crack, speed, and LSD.
There is a number of controversies surrounding this naturally occurring psychotropic substance:
Is it addictive, and if so, how addictive is it?
Unlike nicotine, crack, and caffeine, where chemical dependence can be manifested by very low exposure to the active chemical, most drug enforcement and treatment organizations list marijuana in the top ten to twenty addictive substance lists.
A battle over the addictive nature of marijuana rages on between opponents and advocates of this drug. Most agree that addiction results from an acquired reliance on changes in brain chemistry produced by marijuana rather than a physical dependence on any chemical in the plant itself.
Those who argue against this drug’s website addiction classification that many people have little difficulty quitting, even after years of heavy use.
However, since many people who want to stop using marijuana need help knowing how to stop using marijuana, it is clear that, like alcohol, marijuana can cause dependence in at least some people.
What are the symptoms of marijuana abuse and addiction?
Just like alcohol, marijuana is a recreational drug used for the high euphoria it produces in users. Users describe a variety of emotional reactions including:
- Peace and a sense of well -being.
- Self -confidence.
- Relaxation and release from stress and tension.
- Confusion and happiness.
All well and good, but like artificially induced emotional states, they come at a price.
When the effect wears off, a crash is generated. While it doesn’t carry the weight of a hangover from alcohol, feeling empty after quitting marijuana is one of the reasons many people want to quit.
While under the influence of marijuana, your judgment and reactions are impaired, as well as your ability to make rational decisions.
While it can be (and) argued that occasional marijuana use causes no more harm than social drinking, the drug does have significant effects on several brain centers that control speech, memory, and cognition. Long-term use can produce symptoms including:
- Loss of ambition and focus.
- Difficulty remembering facts and events clearly.
- Emotional problems, including depression.
- Anxiety and even paranoia.
- Obsession and obsessive need for medication.
The point is, people get to a point where they want to give up. Their life is not what they want it to be, and marijuana use is one of the reasons. They want to know how to stop using marijuana.
Fortunately, because marijuana doesn’t contain physically addictive compounds like nicotine and caffeine, you don’t have to experience physical withdrawal symptoms right away.
However, secondary addictive effects are still a difficult hurdle to overcome.
Once you quit, your brain centers that are used to processing the mood-altering elements in marijuana can react with its own chemical changes. This can produce anxiety, obsessive thoughts about marijuana and a strong desire to continue your habit.
This can be difficult, but far from impossible.
Some tips on how to stop using marijuana:
- First, admit that you have an addiction. This first step is common to all behavior change programs. People with alcohol, gambling, eating and shopping problems all have to admit, at least to themselves, that they have a problem. Without this first step, the rest of the plan will almost certainly fail.
- Admit to others that you have an addiction. Humans have been described as the only rational animal, but it is often more accurate to say that he is a ‘rational animal’. Our highly adaptive nature that allows us to conquer and thrive in hostile and uncooperative environments can also harm us, leading us to think that what is bad for us is actually not so bad.
- By sharing your burdens with someone you trust, you can get a regular dose of ‘reality checks’ that can remind you why you wanted to quit in the first place.
- Change your lifestyle. Recovering alcoholics stop going to bars, problem gamblers stop going to Vegas, and you should avoid places (and people) associated with marijuana use.
- Get some practice. Not only will it improve your general health, it will waste time during the day that could otherwise be spent using marijuana. In addition, exercise produces its own chemical changes in the brain and body that can replace what you miss. It also reduces stress that contributes to cannabis use.
- Involved. Keep your mind active. Read, write, take classes, broaden your horizons.
- Keep a journal. Write down how you feel about why you wanted to quit and what you wanted to be when you were done. Reread your entries from time to time to maintain your resolve.
- If you have faith-based or spiritual views, don’t ignore them. Many organizations dedicated to changing negative behavior consider help from a higher power or spiritual aspect of your being to be critical to ultimate success.
Use delta 8 gummies to stop addiction
Area 52 makes delta 8 infused gummies that may help you step down from marijuana. Yes, delta 8 can get you high, but the high is not as long or intense. Use these as a stepping stone to help ultimately stop the use of THC all together.
Peter Hill is an expert in helping people change their habits. She runs an informational website that provides tips, audio, and stories to help people quit marijuana naturally and easily, without cravings or discomfort.
