Marijuana Addiction Treatment
There is a good reason why admission to marijuana addiction treatment centers has more than doubled. With millions of individuals classified as heavy marijuana users, there is an increasing for marijuana addiction treatment programs that help end dependence on this harmful drug. There is no denying that individuals who engage in long term marijuana use suffer from many of the some of the same negative consequences that effect "hard drug" abusers, including: poor performance at work and school, lack of motivation, and physical illness. A drug rehab is likely to see more patients admitted for marijuana addiction than any other drug. Indeed, marijuana addiction treatment has helped a great number of individuals achieve better health– and regain the control over their lives that marijuana had taken away.
The potency of the marijuana continues to get more powerful and studies show that teens can get a hold of "pot" easier than alcohol. Even those individuals who seek treatment for addictions to harder drugs like heroin or cocaine will often acknowledge that marijuana was the first drug that they used. The most recent treatment data concerning marijuana addiction indicates that in 2008 marijuana accounted for over 15 percent of admissions to drug treatment facilities in the United States, second only to opiate abuse. Hundreds of thousands of people have gone through drug addiction treatment, specifically for marijuana, according to the Office of National Drug Policy.
Marijuana addiction is an uncontrollable urge to possess and use the drug. Marijuana (also known as "pot," "weed," "ganja," or a host of other names), is a dry, shredded green and brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves. Marijuana is derived from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol; which is often referred to as THC .Marijuana is most often smoked as a cigarette (joint) or in a pipe. People that are addicted to marijuana are not able to stop using the drug even if they wish. It is at this point that an individual is most likely to seek out marijuana addiction treatment. When an individual is in denial about their marijuana addiction, they will make excuses about why now is not a good time to stop smoking marijuana. Marijuana addiction affects millions of people and the need for marijuana addiction treatment is increasing. The drug marijuana affects people in different ways, but in the case of long term use, addiction is common. Experience tells us that marijuana has often been used as a gateway drug .A person who smokes marijuana repeatedly may very likely experiment with other chemical substances that are much more destructive and addictive.
Marijuana addiction has the same characteristics as any other drug addiction. These include frequently obsessing about the drug and anticipating the next time you will get to smoke it. Another common trait of marijuana addiction is the physical craving that comes when the body adapts to the drug and a person begins to develop a tolerance to it. Anyone who has been smoking marijuana for awhile can tell that they must smoke more now to feel the same effect that just a small amount used to produce
The Basic Elements of Marijuana Drug Treatment- Different marijuana addiction treatment facilities use a variety of approaches in terms of helping individuals to overcome their marijuana addiction. Some may take a holistic approach to marijuana addiction treatment while others use other strategies to help pinpoint and treat the condition. Regardless of the type of Marijuana drug treatment program, there are several basic elements that can be found in almost any marijuana addiction treatment program. These elements include: detox, counseling and aftercare.
Marijuana addiction treatment detox- In order for an individual to succeed in pursuit of breaking the marijuana addiction cycle, their physical addiction to the drug must be overcome. This can be accomplished through detox as a part of the marijuana addiction treatment program. During detox the individual stops using marijuana, therefore cleansing the system from the toxins found in the drug. Detox paves the way for the remainder of the marijuana addiction treatment program.
Counseling- There is three primary types of counseling that can be used in a marijuana addiction drug treatment center – individual, group and family. With individual counseling, the recovering addict meets with counselors, one on one, at the marijuana addiction treatment program to try and uncover the root causes of the marijuana addiction. Group counseling in marijuana addiction treatment is a chance to talk openly and honestly with other individuals who have also struggled with a drug addiction. Finally, family counseling allows loved ones a chance to rebuild their relationships which have likely suffered as a result of the individual's marijuana addiction.
Aftercare- Such as follow up calls from the drug rehab center and additional post-rehab counseling sessions. Keeping in communication with the treatment facility helps the individual gain support and strength when they leave treatment and re-enter their day-to-day lives. These meetings and sessions help to provide accountability and help to keep individuals on-track with their recovery.
Below is a list of questions, if answered honestly will help determine if marijuana addiction treatment would be beneficial to you or your loved one:
- Do you often feel like you need to cut back on your marijuana use?
- Or, do you sometimes try to limit your use (or quit using) and fail?
- Does your marijuana habit take up a lot of your time, whether it is time spent trying to buy the drug or time spent smoking it use?
- Has your use of marijuana caused you to reduce your involvement in any work, recreational or social activity that used to be important to you?
- Do you keep smoking even after realizing that your use of marijuana is harmful to you in many ways?
- When you stop using marijuana do you experience withdrawal symptoms? Or, do you just take more of the drug or another chemical to keep from feeling marijuana withdrawal symptoms?
