You might notice changes in how you interact with family members, particularly if they have concerns about your use. Recovery.com combines independent research with expert guidance on addiction and Halfway house mental health treatment. Our mission is to help everyone find the best path to recovery through the most comprehensive, helpful network of treatment providers worldwide. Researched, fact-checked and transparent articles and guides that offer addiction and mental health insight from experts and treatment professionals. If you have a teenager at home, or will soon, the odds are that they are going to be exposed to a lot of cannabis in many forms—at school, at parties, all around the neighborhood. Part of this is making sure you have good “cannabis literacy” and encouraging your child to seek out reputable sources of information, rather than believe what they hear from friends or see on social media.
Withdrawal
Over time, you become less sensitive to the chemicals in marijuana. You might make less endocannabinoid, which your body produces on its own. That means you may need to use more of the drug to feel “normal,” or you may feel stressed out when you’re not using it.
Harm Reduction Strategies for Recreational Users
The increased potency of modern marijuana strains means that there is a greater risk for tolerance, dependence, addiction, and withdrawal. Get you or your loved one help for addiction or mental health issues today. Yes, withdrawal symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and insomnia can occur, is weed addictive especially in heavy users.
Is cannabis a “gateway” drug?
Marijuana use disorder, also known as cannabis use disorder, is when the use of marijuana negatively impacts a person’s health or life but they continue to use it anyway. Like any drug used medicinally, the potential risks of use are weighed against the potential benefits when deciding what should and should not be tried. Learn more about marijuana addiction, risk factors, effects on the brain, and more. In light of the legalization of marijuana, many people have wondered about the substance, its safety, and whether it’s addictive. Marijuana—also called weed, cannabis, and other names—is a species of plant that is used as a medical and recreational drug. But genetic modification has drastically increased THC potency; from 1995 to 2015 there has been a 212 percent increase in its content in the average cannabis plant.
- At 12 South Recovery, we recognize that marijuana affects everyone differently.
- Welcomes up to 8 clients to a luxury oceanfront estate in Hawaii, offering personalized addiction, mental health, and behavioral care with therapies like surfing, equine therapy, and adventure excursions.
- Another possibility is that marijuana users who become misusers have a dopamine system that’s naturally less responsive, making them more vulnerable to abusing the drug.
- One study stated that medical marijuana can help children with seizures and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Cannabis has a wide variety of effects
Marijuana dependence, also known as cannabis use https://ecosoberhouse.com/ disorder, occurs when a person becomes reliant on the drug, both mentally and physically. Over time, frequent marijuana use affects brain function, leading to an increased need to use in order to feel normal. This pattern can interfere with work, relationships, and overall well-being.
In an emergency? Need treatment?
One of the biggest risk factors of marijuana addiction may be age. People are up to seven times as likely to experience marijuana use disorder when they start using before the age of 18. Additionally, men are twice as likely as women to experience marijuana use disorder. Addiction happens when a person uses a substance such as alcohol, marijuana, or another drug in excess. It is usually marked by a change in behavior, where the person becomes consistently focused on using that substance regardless of potential negative outcomes. Addiction can be physical, psychological, or both at the same time.
Recent Studies
Overall, study participants had a favorable outlook toward cannabis. They reported potential health benefits and expressed a desire for scientific research to investigate these potential benefits. Key to navigating this is building a robust set of healthy coping mechanisms for stress, anxiety, and life’s larger hurdles, which can significantly reduce the appeal of turning to substances for relief.
