When someone you love is abusing marijuana or addicted to it, there are often signs and symptoms to look for. Knowing what these are can help you approach your loved one in a caring way. THC affects areas of the brain that initiate the pleasure response, as well as control movement, memory, and sensory perception.
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It is recommended to undergo detoxification under medical supervision as it can help manage these symptoms and reduce the risk of relapse. Moreover, withdrawal symptoms from marijuana can also include physical symptoms like sweating, shaking, fever, and headaches. These symptoms usually peak during the first week and can last up to two weeks.
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One way to sort through this dilemma is to ask ourselves if our actions are supporting addiction or recovery. We won’t always get it right, but we’ll at least have some basis for our decision-making. And in the endless balancing act of loving someone who’s addicted, sometimes that’s the best we can do. In some cases, your loved one with an addiction may not accept the treatment plan. They also may be resentful and accuse you of betrayal or being a hypocrite. Keep in mind that strong emotions are part of your loved one’s addiction.
- This video for middle school students explains how the brain develops and how drugs affect the brain.
- This article explores some of these tactics for how to stop smoking weed as well as information on the withdrawal symptoms you may experience.
- They can also explain the variety of treatment options out there for your loved one – many of which include the involvement of family and other supporters.
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- This program is ideal for educating patients and their families, school faculty and staff, behavioral and mental health professionals, and more.
- Ideally, this professional should have expertise in substance issues, such as an American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM)-certified physician or a psychiatrist.
- If you or someone you love struggles to quit marijuana use on your own, have a cannabis use disorder, or suffer from marijuana dependence, cannabis-specific treatment may be the best option.
- A Yale Medicine-led study identified several gene variants that increase risk of cannabis dependence.
- The drug is also smoked in what’s called a blunt—a cigar that’s been emptied of tobacco and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco.
This can take the form of professional counseling, support groups, or a trusted network of family and friends. These symptoms can emerge is marijuana addictive shortly after cessation of use and may peak within the first week, lasting up to 2 weeks. Symptoms can include irritability, mood swings, insomnia, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, physical discomfort, and more.
- Some cannabinoids are psychoactive, meaning they act on the brain to modify mood or consciousness.
- The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that around 30% of people who use marijuana have a cannabis use disorder.
- Though our tips for quitting marijuana on your own may help, your best option is to contact a treatment provider that specializes in cannabis use treatment.
- An intervention can motivate someone to seek help for alcohol or drug misuse, compulsive eating, or other addictive behaviors.
- Research shows those who start using marijuana in their teens risk damage to areas of the brain responsible for memory, thinking, and learning, and that damage may be permanent.
- CBT helps people identify why they use, develop relapse prevention and coping skills, and come up with more effective behaviors.
- These symptoms, which can impact various aspects of life, include physical discomfort, restlessness, and more.
- It impairs decision-making and undermines physical, mental, and emotional health.
- Every step taken towards overcoming addiction, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction.
This video for middle school students explains how synthetic cathinones, commonly known as bath salts, affect the brain… Often, children, partners, siblings and parents are on the receiving end of abuse, violence, threats and emotional upheaval because of alcohol and drug issues. But you can remove yourself — and any children — from a dangerous situation.