Smoking marijuana is often referred to as “innocent” entertainment. In youth companies, it is presented to beginners as a harmless weed, giving the opportunity to relax and have fun. At the same time, the price of marijuana is quite affordable. Is it as harmless as it might seem at first glance? Doctors simply answer this question: dependence on marijuana develops in the same way as on more powerful drugs. The difference can only be in the speed of this process and the severity of the failure syndrome.
Soft drugs: myth or reality?
Such an expression can be heard quite often. However, drug specialists are sure that it was invented by drug distributors to attract newcomers. Not everyone dares to try heroin, and safe weed is a different matter. And only those who constantly work in drug centers know that there are no light and hard drugs. Dependence on marijuana is produced in the same way as on heroin and any other means. She simply either is, or she is not. You can’t be a little junkie.
It’s more correct here to talk about the stage or experience of dependence. The stronger the drug, the faster the irreversible processes within the body. In some cases, addiction can develop from the first time. But getting rid of her will be equally difficult. Dependence on marijuana is acquired quite smoothly and imperceptibly for a person. This is its danger.
general description
Let us now examine in more detail what kind of substance it is, where it comes from and what happens when it is used with your body. This is a natural, herbal drug, dried parts of Indian hemp. It is used for smoking. Natural cannabinoids cause an unusual condition in drug addicts.
Marijuana addiction develops for quite some time. This creates the illusion of a person that he completely controls the situation, and nothing happens to his body. But inevitably, he has an uncontrolled desire to use the drug. This craving has a psychological and physical component.
Addiction development
Of course, individual characteristics leave their mark. But in most cases, the dependence goes according to one scenario. Use begins with periodic, rare tricks. Often it is consumed with alcohol. First, a person smokes on occasion, when offered. At this stage, a psychological dependence on the grass is formed, it is perceived as a mandatory attribute of the holiday and fun, a way to relax. Often it becomes the only one possible.
It is psychological dependence that causes weed to be consumed regularly. When can I say with confidence, is there any dependence on marijuana? When a person begins to look for ways to acquire it, when he uses not only in the company, but also one.
When the grass is smoked twice a week or more, physical dependence begins to form. This may take from several months to several years. As a result, the desire to smoke appears every day, or even more than once.
Withdrawal syndrome
Sometimes a person realizes that his craving for a drug goes beyond the permissible limits and decides not to smoke anymore. Or maybe quit altogether. Here you can understand whether there is a dependence on marijuana. The first signs of withdrawal in the absence of grass appear after a few months. And after six months of use, the smoker will know exactly what withdrawal is. The final formation of physical dependence occurs within 2.5 years. Then even a layman can already see signs of withdrawal syndrome, or withdrawal syndrome. It is called breaking.
The reason is that drugs are involved in the metabolic processes of the body and become their mandatory participants. When discontinuing the drug, it takes time for reverse adjustment to occur. At this moment, a person feels painful symptoms, nausea, discomfort. They will remain until all toxins and toxins have finally left the body. A classic example is a hangover.
The best thing is to know that marijuana is addictive and not get caught up in advertising “safe” weed for relaxation. If you come to your senses later, contact specialists to help overcome it.
How marijuana works
To understand what is happening in the body, you need to know the effect of the substances contained in it on a person. Let's start with the question of how you can find out that your relative or friend started smoking weed. This is easily understood by a number of external manifestations and behavior. The most noticeable sign is reddened eyes. After smoking, the addict is calm and relaxed, he is in a good mood. Usually he is talkative, can laugh for no reason. But it happens that melancholy or sadness attacks.
The psychological dependence on marijuana is almost invisible from the side. Relatives may later note impaired coordination of movements. He has confused thoughts, a person speaks meaningless phrases that are not related to the surrounding reality or to the topic of conversation. In addition, an unpleasant smell of burnt grass emanates from it.
Overdose
Often, a person not only does not know whether marijuana is addictive, but also does not have an idea about the acceptable dosage. If it is exceeded, it can fall into paranoia, the appearance of hallucinations is possible. And the most famous symptom is increased appetite. A person is ready to eat sweets almost without stopping.
The intoxication after marijuana lasts about two hours. After 30 minutes, it reaches its peak, after which it gradually declines. After about 3 hours, the effect ends, and the person is drawn to sleep. The drunkenness of the herb smoker is not as strong as it is when using synthetic drugs, but still it can be quite easily recognized.
Features of withdrawal symptoms
They are not as bright as in the case of synthetic drugs. This is what gives a person a chance to endure withdrawal and return to normal life even without medical assistance. But you need to remember that physical dependence on marijuana is experienced quite quickly, literally within a week. But then everything is much more complicated.
A person gets into a stressful situation and realizes that he is sorely lacking the usual way to relax. At a party, he drinks alcohol and feels as the desire to give up a bad habit is becoming weaker. Especially if someone from the environment is carrying weed.
Signs of cancellation
So, breaking marijuana is not so acute a condition as to constitute a danger to life and health. But it still has rather vivid and unpleasant manifestations. If a person who already has a physical dependence has missed another smoking or has consciously quit it, then the following symptoms can be expected:
- A person has a disturbed sleep pattern. Insomnia appears. He has nightmares at night.
- He was used to a feeling of euphoria, after which there was a slight sadness and apathy. Now, during withdrawal syndrome, real depression is developing.
- During abstinence, it is very difficult for a person to focus on something, thoughts are said to run away, attention is scattered.
- The addict is quick-tempered and irritable. Gradually, a person begins nervous exhaustion.
- Pain may occur in the head, chest.
How long does breaking take
This is the first question that plagues a person who wants to learn how to get rid of marijuana addiction. First of all, it must be said that withdrawal will last as long as the toxins leave the body. That is why, to alleviate the condition, detoxification can be carried out in a clinic or at home.
You need to tune in to the fact that the withdrawal will continue for quite some time. This is due to the fact that toxic decomposition products of a psychoactive substance accumulate in fatty tissues, since they are fat-soluble. This is dangerous and seemingly harmless at first glance hemp. Poisoning the body drags on for a long time, but the reverse process could not be simpler.
So, withdrawal will last from three days to a month. It depends on the intensity of smoking. The most difficult is from the third to the seventh day. At this time, you need to find yourself an interesting lesson, and also make sure that marijuana is not within reach. It is best to leave the city, go camping, into the mountains. From about the second week, the condition begins to return to normal. Insomnia recedes, appetite returns.
What affects the rate of elimination of toxins
The faster a person feels better, the more likely it is that a treatment for marijuana dependence will be effective. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that the following factors will affect the rate of elimination of the drug and decay products from the body:
- It matters the strength of the herb, the amount of psychoactive substance that enters the body.
- An important role is played by the weight of the person, that is, the amount of adipose tissue in which the metabolites of the drug are stored.
- The condition of the body and metabolic rate.
- Duration and frequency of use of grass.
How to speed up this process
If a person quits smoking (for nicotine addiction), he approximately knows what he will have to face. It is not so difficult to overcome physical addiction; real problems arise after a week, when there is an irresistible desire to relax in the usual way. It is necessary not only to set a task for yourself, but also to find a worthy alternative.
If you seriously think about how to cure addiction to marijuana, you begin to understand that this is a change in lifestyle, and sometimes environment. Only then will the process be successful, and the result will be long. If you decide to resort to the services of a narcologist in a clinic, he will carry out detoxification using droppers based on saline solution, with the addition of vitamins B, as well as other drugs that restore the body's functions.
At home
Here it will be appropriate to talk only about what is capable of stimulating the natural detoxification process. In order not to lose motivation, remember that you are trying to defeat a serious addiction. Smoking marijuana kills just like using other drugs. To alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal symptoms, you can take the following measures:
- You need to drink plenty of ordinary clean water.
- Increased urination also helps to eliminate toxins. Therefore, it is recommended to drink green tea or special herbal preparations.
- Toxins are also excreted through the pores. Therefore, sports, baths and saunas are your best friends. But you need to remember that the process of transition to a healthy lifestyle should be comfortable. Therefore, do only that which brings pleasure. You can walk or swim in the pool, try to stay in the sauna for a short time. If you feel normal, then you can continue.
- It is necessary to adhere to a diet that stimulates the cleansing of the body. So, include as many fruits, vegetables and berries as possible in the diet.
- Fatty foods, pastries and bread are best excluded from the diet. In the same list include soda and coffee.
This is not yet a treatment for addiction, but only the elimination of the consequences of drug use. A serious block of work lies ahead, which is best done under the supervision of a psychotherapist or psychologist.
How to treat marijuana addiction
By default, a person goes through three stages.
- Detoxification, as mentioned above.
- Rehabilitation, work with mental attachment and its elimination.
- The return of the former addict to ordinary life in society.
Unfortunately, most often the conditions do not contribute to the qualitative passage of each of these stages. There are a number of reasons for this. Detoxification is usually difficult and lengthy, and you need to be aware that throughout this period a person wants to use a drug. There is another point. Because marijuana addiction is slow, help is often sought very late. Therefore, getting rid of psychological dependence will be even more difficult, because the habit is firmly rooted.
Self-control of addiction rarely gives results. Therefore, it is best to contact specialized drug rehabilitation centers. Professional psychotherapists work there, helping hundreds of people with the same problems. Moreover, people who often went through the rehabilitation process themselves often remain working there. This is appreciated because they serve as evidence that the program is working. Listening to how a real person went from addiction to sobriety, many perk up. Usually in such centers, drug addicts can live for several months, after which they return home. But they still have the opportunity to visit a fixed psychologist. Coming regularly to meetings with him, they increase their chances to continue to live in sobriety.