Is Marijuana Addictive?

With so many changing laws and people now being allowed to use marijuana in many places across America, many people question is marijuana addictive? This question makes recent confusion over the drug clear. In fact, marijuana acts much like other addictive drugs in your system. It also causes the life problems of other street drugs.

Is Marijuana Addictive for everyone?

One of the clearest signs of marijuana’s addictive nature is that of its users’ inability to stop using the drug. In fact, most people experience withdrawal after prolonged use of marijuana. These two signs make potential for addiction to marijuana obvious.

According to doctors, addiction does not require both physical and psychological dependence on a drug. Cocaine provides a good example of this. Specifically, cocaine usually causes a psychological dependence, but not physical addiction.

Marijuana causes some people to experience physical withdrawal when they stop using the drug, but most others notice few physical problems. This means some people show little sign of physical dependence on marijuana. Others, however, experience intense psychological dependence on the drug and cannot quit using. Therefore, marijuana addiction treatment center does exist but is somewhat unique from person to person.

Two clear signs of addiction are physical tolerance to the drug and withdrawal symptoms when you quit using. Moreover, if marijuana holds high priority in your life, despite knowing it causes problems, you likely suffer its addiction. Therefore, this helps you gauge your own answer to, “Is marijuana addictive?”

About one in ten users of marijuana develop addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While this ratio is not as extreme as other drugs, potential for addiction is clear. Furthermore, using the drug every day leads to a 25 to 50 percent chance of addiction. About 4.2 million Americans experience addiction to marijuana at any given time.

Common Marijuana Withdrawal Symptoms

If your loved one is experiencing an addiction and attempts to stop using marijuana, he will likely deal with uncomfortable physical symptoms. Consider the following list of common marijuana withdrawal symptoms:

Gastrointestinal Distress

Intestinal issues are a common complaint during the withdrawal process. For example, the person may experience stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and a lack of appetite. These problems can make daily life very difficult if they persist for a long time.

Anxiety and Insomnia

Marijuana tends to have a calming effect in those who use it. Therefore, it stands to reason that withdrawing from the use of this drug can lead to increased nervousness and anxiety. In turn, anxiety and nervousness can make it very difficult to sleep properly.

Severe Mood Changes

Those withdrawing from the use of marijuana can also experience serious and prolonged mood changes. They may seem to switch between periods of sadness, anger, resentment, depression, and similar feelings. Mood changes can make a person seem very volatile and hard to get along with.

General Aches and Pains

The regular use of marijuana can create drastic changes in specific areas of the brain that control the perception of pain and the experience of pleasure. When someone stops using, they may experience an increased perception of minor aches and pains through marijuana withdrawal symptoms.

Signs of Marijuana Abuse and Addiction

Do you know the signs of marijuana abuse and addiction? Knowing these signs helps you understand a loved one’s problem or even your own. However, many people experiment with marijuana but never suffer addiction. Others become quickly hooked on the drug, suffering problems with money, relationships, work, school, and even the law.

Physical signs of a marijuana problem include dizziness, laughing for no reason, bloodshot eyes, and forgetfulness. Furthermore, withdrawal symptoms include bad mood, sleep problems, nervousness, and drug cravings.

Addiction Requires Treatment

Addiction of any kind requires treatment from a qualified rehab center. In Asheville, North Carolina, Crest View Recovery Center provides these addiction treatment services. These services can help you turn your life around for good. We have many ways we can help. For example, programs at Crest View Recovery Center include:

Addiction treatment plays an important role in your life once substance abuse and its damage become the focus of everyday life. Call Crest View Recovery Center now at 866-327-2505 for more information about available programs.