Cannabis Marijuana Use Disorder > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine

Today, hemp fiber is used to create concrete-like blocks for construction projects, bioplastics, jewelry and biofuels. At that time, hemp plants were low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of cannabis, and crops were valued for their role in industry. Relaxation techniques are practices designed to reduce stress and tension in the body and mind, promoting a state of calm and well-being. These techniques help activate the body’s relaxation response, counteracting the stress response and lowering levels of stress hormones like cortisol. Some examples of relaxation techniques include mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga can help reduce stress and cravings. These techniques promote relaxation and enhance emotional regulation, making it easier to cope with the urge to use heroin.

Behavioral Signs

Dried, shredded buds of the plant can be smoked in a rolled cigarette (joint) or hollowed-out cigar (blunt). In some states, weed is legal for medical reasons, personal use, or both. If you’re an adult, you’re allowed to buy it from a licensed source. Outpatient programs last as long and necessary for you to feel safe in your new lifestyle. Contingency management (CM) uses positive reinforcement when people reach recovery goals.

• If you or a loved one are struggling with marijuana misuse, WebMD Connect to Care Advisors are standing by to help.
• People use marijuana for various reasons, both recreational and medicinal.
• Here, the chains of addiction are broken and are replaced with productive, enjoyable lives.
• The common causes of marijuana addiction are genetic, environmental, and psychological factors.

Marijuana Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Once they are ready for rehab, their entrance point is the Drug-Free Withdrawal Unit, where each person is monitored and supported as the drugs they were using leave their systems. Gentle physical techniques known as assists further calm both the body and the mind. For nearly 60 years, the Narconon program has offered all this support https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and help and much more. The carefully worked-out steps of this residential program guide each person through the repair of physical and emotional health needed for lasting recovery. Family members (chosen family or related) also serve as a crucial support system in recovery. Education on addiction, mental health, and recovery can help them become stronger allies for their loved one’s healing.

How to Use Medical Marijuana

Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how to stop using marijuana or your symptoms. Despite its widespread use, many more studies are needed to understand how regular marijuana use may affect your brain and body. Marijuana, cannabis, pot, weed, maryjane, hash and hashish, bud, ganja, grass and bhang all refer to the plant that contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These plants are in the hemp family and also contain cannabinoids known as CBD. There are also synthetic chemicals illicitly produced such as K2 and Spice. Or do you need help understanding addiction or identifying a drug problem in a loved one?

Rediscover Life at Right Choice Recovery

These behaviors become more disruptive over time, highlighting addiction’s impact on daily life. People in mid-to-late adolescence are most likely to begin using cannabis. Some genetic studies suggest that developing cannabis addiction is hereditary. A Yale Medicine-led study identified several gene variants that increase risk of cannabis dependence. However, more research is needed in order to confirm the findings and understand how these genetic factors might contribute to marijuana dependence. If you struggle to reduce use, experience cravings, prioritize marijuana over responsibilities, or notice withdrawal symptoms without it, you may have developed a psychological dependence or cannabis use disorder.

Marijuana addiction develops when individuals engage in compulsive marijuana use, continuing despite the negative impact it has on various aspects of their lives. This condition leads to a loss of control, causing significant disruptions in daily functioning and well-being. It is marked by both physical and psychological dependence, making it challenging to quit. Insomnia can persist for many months, often pushing individuals to relapse and return to marijuana. Anxiety and depression are also common outcomes of marijuana abuse that can persist for months, often leading to relapse. Professional treatment is needed to provide counseling, behavioral coaching, and prescribed medications that can relieve these symptoms and the individual’s desire to self-medicate.

The treatment options for marijuana addiction include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational enhancement therapy, medications, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs, and support groups. The effects of marijuana addiction are cognitive impairment, mental health disorders, respiratory issues, impaired social functioning, and physical health problems. Medical detox is Sober living house particularly effective for individuals with co-occurring mental health disorders or high dependence on marijuana. According to NIDA, the success rate for many drug rehab programs is less than 25%, but 90-day programs at medical detox centers have higher success rates. Treatment for marijuana addiction includes behavioral therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational enhancement therapy (MET).

• Law enforcement perceptions view cannabis as a gateway drug leading to the use of illegal narcotics, affecting their handling of marijuana-related crimes and offenders.
• Cannabis is widely used for recreational purposes, providing a euphoric or relaxing effect, and for medicinal purposes, where it helps manage conditions such as chronic pain, nausea, and certain neurological disorders.
• Growers competed to see who could grow more potent strains of the drug and the THC potency climbed.
• You’re more likely to get CUD if you misuse other drugs, like alcohol.
• Marijuana poses challenges in addiction recovery because it potentially leads to relapse and undermines sobriety by reactivating addictive behaviors.

How Can Marijuana Addiction Be Prevented?

• Behaviorally, individuals show a persistent need to use marijuana despite its harmful impacts on their health or relationships, neglect responsibilities, or engage in risky behaviors such as using marijuana in dangerous situations.
• Our team is comprised of doctors, clinicians, therapists, mentors, and recovery coaches with decades of experience in the field.
• Some cannabinoids are psychoactive, meaning they act on the brain to modify mood or consciousness.

When someone you love is abusing marijuana or addicted to it, there are often signs and symptoms to look for. Knowing what these are can help you approach your loved one in a caring way. About 30% of people who use marijuana may have some level of marijuana use disorder.

Marijuana addiction can often be treated through outpatient rehab, which allows you to live at home and keep up with your personal and professional why is weed so addictive life while getting help. These programs usually include daily, weekly or semi-weekly counseling. Outpatient also includes therapy sessions to teach you how to recognize and avoid the situations that cause you to smoke pot, and to treat any underlying mental or emotional issues that contribute to marijuana use. A combination of biological, environmental, and psychological factors causes marijuana addiction.

What Role Do Families Play in the Rehab and Recovery Process?

Contingency Management provides rewards to encourage positive behavior changes, such as remaining marijuana-free. This approach demonstrates effectiveness by reinforcing abstinence with incentives, supporting sustained progress toward recovery, as discussed by Budney et al. (2015). Marijuana addiction affects neurotransmitter levels by disrupting the normal balance and functioning of dopamine, serotonin, and other brain chemicals involved in mood regulation and reward processing. Chronic marijuana use is linked to altered dopamine signaling, which plays a significant role in the brain’s reward system. This alteration in dopamine leads to dependency as the brain becomes conditioned to expect external stimulation to maintain dopamine levels.

If you drink THC-infused drinks or eat THC edibles, it may take much longer for you to fully sober up. But a big concern with CBD products is that the industry isn’t regulated. For instance, one study of 84 CBD products found that 18 of them contained THC.