Is Marijuana Addictive?

Addiction Resources

I don’t want to hear it, weed is natural, right?

For many Marijuana is a social drug with little effects on family, school or employment, but for some, that’s not the case.  The Last Door receives many calls weekly from individuals or a family member asking for help because marijuana use has severely affected their lives.  From individuals not attending school or social functions, poor performance at work, to the early onset of psychosis in people ages 17 to 21.   For decades the Last Door has helped individuals regain control of their life when the use of Marijuana has caused so much unmanageability that treatment is required.

Is Marijuana addictive?

Marijuana addiction is viewed as a highly unnoticed diseased due to its social acceptance and “normalized” use within our society.  Because the use of marijuana is socially accepted in most cultures it’s labelled by many studies as “Marijuana Use Disorder” and deemed problematic instead of an addiction. Heavy marijuana use has an increased risk of psychosis because of the changes in the brain’s reward system. Marijuana dependence occurs when the brain adapts to large amounts of the drug by reducing the production of and sensitivity to its own endocannabinoid neurotransmitters.  Marijuana can disrupt the natural reward circuitry of the brain, making marijuana highly important to those who use it heavily, it can cause functional impairment in cognitive abilities but the impairment is based on age.

What are the effects of problematic Marijuana use?

Marijuana affects people in different ways. Some become calm and relaxed; others become hyper and have lots of energy.   Those who smoke marijuana regularly may experience poor speech and memory, and the inability to focus and learn new things. Marijuana addiction can come with severe consequences. Individuals become extremely isolated, lethargic and experience a lack of drive or ambition with their life. Their sense of personal and financial responsibility can decline, and performance at work or school can suffer. Individuals can become extremely paranoid and lose touch with reality altogether, they begin to ignore and completely abolish their responsibilities to their family, friends and lose accountability within themselves.

Individuals, who use marijuana frequently often report irritability, mood and sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and/or various forms of physical discomfort that peak within the first week after quitting.  There are medications that can be taken to help with the detox of marijuana, but it all depends on the individual, so therefore it’s a case by case basis. Maintaining a good diet, exercising and staying hydrated can be pivotal when detoxing from marijuana.  Last Door has a medically led detox program for all drugs.

How can Last Door help with Marijuana Use?

At Last Door, we provide a strong inhibiting and safe environment for our clients to restore themselves to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness. Our services include an option of either shorter or longer level of care through our inpatient residential programming.  Our around the clock team provides the right support and level of care to help our clients work through their underlying issues and connect clients with others that have lived experience to build support systems around them. We work to help integrate a person if needed back into society and repair their personal relationships that have been affected by their marijuana addiction.  Our program can help people adjust their attitudes and behaviours connected to drug use and improve their health life skill.

We have a team of interventionists and recovery coaches who can help provide individuals and families the support they may need to start the recovery process.    For admission into Last Door, please give us a call for a telephone consultation.