For many folks who are addicted to marijuana, the idea of checking into a rehab to help them curtail their pot smoking habit is like using a .357 Magnum to kill a housefly. Talk about overreacting, they say. Besides, who says marijuana is even addictive?
Well, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) does, for one. This government agency claims that long-term marijuana use leads to addiction. It describes that addiction as the need to find the drug, buy the drug and use the drug, despite the documented harmful effects to the user.
And while it’s true that those long-term effects might not be as harmful as, say, an addiction to heroin or crack cocaine, heavy marijuana use does interfere with day-to-day life and social functions. That interference comes in the context of your family, your schoolwork, your employment and your recreational activities (and watching endless reruns of “Law and Order” does not count as a recreational activity.)
The problem with pot – as with most drugs – is that it can become the focal point of your life. What started out as an experimental toke or two in the backyard becomes a weekend activity with friends, then escalates to a joint after work every day, and maybe an eye-opener in the morning with your coffee. Pretty soon, your life revolves around getting high. And since it’s still pretty much socially unacceptable to show up stoned at work and at formal functions, you’re going to miss work and skip all but the most mandatory formal functions.
Frequent use of weed promotes warped perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty in concentrating, and problems with learning, retaining what it was you did learn and lapses in memory. Even if you take a short break from smoking marijuana, that mental “fog” can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of pot wears off. The bottom line to all of this – and it’s a huge understatement – is that your brain has ceased functioning at its best.
Another thing about marijuana use is that it’s subtle. It sneaks up on you. Some people can take it or leave it. These people might be considered “social smokers,” except that, unlike alcohol, nobody smokes marijuana to be sociable. They smoke pot to get high. But for those with “dependency tendencies,” smoking weed becomes a daily occurrence, and that’s when it becomes an addiction.
In spite of these purported drawbacks to habitual use, there’s certainly no denying that pot smoking is a popular addiction for substance abusers. NIDA says its latest data indicate that marijuana was the most common illicit drug of abuse in 2006. In fact, marijuana addiction accounted for nearly 16 percent of all admissions to addiction rehabilitation facilities in the United States that year.
So how do you go about treating someone with an admitted marijuana addiction? First off, there are really no medicines or pharmacology to help with withdrawal and relapse prevention. Addiction rehabilitation for pot dependency falls into the categories of behavioral therapy, group meetings and regular attendance at 12-step meetings such as Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous.
Seeking professional help at a residential treatment center can serve several purposes. For one thing, many who say marijuana is their primary drug of choice also drink or use some other substance. And a residential setting – away from using friends and temptations – can provide a respite for those having a difficult time putting down the pipe.
One of the most effective tools used in treatment centers for those recovering from marijuana abuse is cognitive behavioral therapy. With CBT, the patient is taught to replace unhealthy thoughts and actions with constructive ideas and behaviors. It teaches you why you have such cravings and what you need to do to cope with those cravings. Thus, you learn a new way of living – of finally growing up – in a safe, comfortable setting.
Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, offers treatment for those with a marijuana abuse problem. For more information, call Morningside at
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