Is marijuana addictive? It’s a straightforward question with an easy answer: yes. Nonetheless, marijuana fits into a category of drugs like alcohol and cigarettes that may seem inherently safer than other drugs. People often don’t equate marijuana use with the potential for addiction. But in fact, as many as 30% of people who use marijuana regularly suffer from a marijuana use disorder. People who use marijuana as teenagers are much more likely to develop a marijuana addiction.
Access high-quality marijuana addiction treatment by calling 833.647.0392 to get in touch with the addiction treatment specialists at Midwest Detox Center.
How and Why is Marijuana Addictive?
Marijuana is an addictive substance. But why is weed addictive? First, using it regularly is liable to produce dependency. That is when prolonged use alters the body and brain such that it is impossible to function normally without the drug. Typical withdrawal symptoms related to marijuana addiction include:
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Sleep issues
- Restlessness
- Decreased appetite
Second, one reason for the increasingly addictive potential of marijuana is that today’s marijuana is much more potent than the marijuana of just a few decades ago. THC is the substance in marijuana responsible for its physical effects and is largely what contributes to the potential for dependence and addiction. In the 1990s, THC levels in marijuana hovered around 4%. Nowadays, most marijuana has an average THC content of 15%.
Signs of Marijuana Addiction
Marijuana use rises to the level of addiction when someone finds they cannot stop using it despite negative impacts on their life and livelihood. Marijuana is not necessarily as dangerous as other drugs. Death from overdose is not a major concern with marijuana use the way it is for drugs like heroin or cocaine. Still, marijuana addiction can ruin lives and involve serious consequences. Five of the top signs of marijuana addiction are described more below.
1. Lack of Interest in Hobbies or Activities
The stereotype of the lazy stoner who spends their days smoking weed in the basement has an element of truth to it for this reason: marijuana is a depressant that naturally causes decreased motivation and desire to engage in activities. In one-off circumstances, that is likely no big deal. But one of the signs of weed addiction is when a person loses all interest in things that previously brought them joy. Weed literally saps their life of meaning outside of drug use.
2. Suffering Relationships
Marijuana addiction is likely to have a human cost as well. Just like people lose interest in their hobbies, they also tend to lose interest in relationships. They may not invest as heavily in friendships, romantic partnerships, or their family. Isolation and social separation become common.
3. Withdrawal Symptoms
Another key sign of marijuana addiction is experiencing withdrawal symptoms between drug use. Irritability, anxiety, mood swings, and sleep troubles are all common withdrawal symptoms for people with a weed addiction.
4. Increased Tolerance
Tolerance for a drug is when you need to use more and more of it to produce the same effects. This is extremely common for long-term drug users. Marijuana addiction is no exception.
5. Inability to Stop
The final sign of weed addiction is the inability to stop using. Most people with marijuana addiction find quitting difficult, even after experiencing negative consequences stemming from the addiction. Not all is hopeless, though. Marijuana addiction treatment programs in Ohio are equipped to help people regain sobriety and rebuild their life.
Marijuana Addiction Treatment Programs in Ohio
Midwest Detox Center is a leading marijuana addiction treatment provider in Ohio. A marijuana addiction treatment program could be the exact intervention necessary to turn your life around. Long-term marijuana use is most dangerous among adolescents as it can interrupt healthy brain development.
Seeking treatment for marijuana addiction is key to facilitating a successful recovery. Let Midwest Detox Center guide you through every step of the process. You can overcome your marijuana addiction. Find out more by contacting 833.647.0392.
