One person’s experience with marijuana withdrawal can be quite different from another’s. However, there are some cannabis withdrawal symptoms that are more common, the severity of which depends on a host of factors, including frequency of use and overall health. For most people, severe marijuana withdrawal symptoms will go away within 2 weeks.2 However, milder symptoms can persist for months after quitting marijuana. This is because THC, the active chemical in marijuana, is stored in fat cells and can take several months to be completely removed from the body.

Your experience with the detox process is dependent on a combination of several factors. Your age, gender, sex, genetics, and how long you’ve been dependent all come into play. Many studies have been done on the effects of marijuana abuse during pregnancy, and results are conflicting, possibly because of other substances used and/or abused during pregnancy, including tobacco. Addiction is when a drug continues to be abused even when problems related to the drug use occur.

Who Is At Risk for Marijuana Abuse?

Tapering is a process that involves gradually reducing drug use by lowering the dose used over a period of time. The goal is to slowly allow a person’s body to become used to lower levels of the substance while minimizing drug withdrawal symptoms. Once you decide to stop smoking weed, your first decision is to pick which approach is right for you and your needs. While some people may find giving up marijuana easier than others, your own experience may depend on whether you have developed a dependence or addiction to the substance. The study authors also said increasing legalization of cannabis means a relaxing of the idea that the substance can be harmful. They added that there are mixed opinions whether cannabis helps or hinders treatment of opioid use disorder.

In fact, about 3 out of every 10 regular marijuana smokers could be diagnosed as having a cannabis use disorder, better known as marijuana addiction. One is that the non-medical people who do this work, everyone from the social workers to the drug counselors to the recovery coaches, don’t get paid enough money. And then the other problem is that less than 1 percent of the doctors in this country specialize in addiction treatment, even though it kills so many people every year.

How Marijuana Use Affects the Brain and Body

Marijuana is addictive because the drug’s chemicals, specifically THC, can cause psychological and physical dependence. These chemicals can also cause physical and mental changes that can have negative impacts on an individual’s life. This combination of dependence and negative consequences from THC is why marijuana is addictive. Marijuana withdrawal occurs in individuals who have developed a marijuana dependence. Marijuana dependence occurs when an individual’s body has become so accustomed to the presence of marijuana that it no longer functions “normally” without the drug. When a marijuana-dependent individual stops taking the drug or reduces the amount they use, they will experience a set of symptoms collectively known as withdrawal.

Instead, stick with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean protein—and stay well hydrated. Plus, supportive friends will respect your decision to quit and avoid encouraging you to start smoking again. If your friends respond differently, you may want to reconsider spending time with them. She explains it’s common to turn to substance use https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to cope with or avoid difficult feelings. Some people also experience unwanted effects, from physical symptoms to hallucinations to strained relationships. While past research suggests that cannabis may be less harmful than other substances with lower rates of developing a substance use disorder, it does not mean that harm and addiction will never occur.

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If cannabis helps you manage physical or mental health symptoms, you’ll want to try smoking less without quitting entirely or cut back gradually. Lifestyle changes such as staying busy, maintaining connections with supportive loved ones, joining support groups, and avoiding drug triggers can also be helpful. Caring for your physical and mental health, including getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet, is also marijuana addiction important. Research suggests that you will likely begin experiencing symptoms about a week after you stop using the drug. Around the ten-day mark, you are most likely to witness a peaking of your withdrawal symptoms, after which you’ll experience a decline in the severity of your symptoms over the following 20 days. Although it’s widely believed that marijuana is harmless, it’s possible to develop an addiction.

• People who care more about the drug use will be less supportive,” Dr. Streem says.
• Reach out to your doctor or find a mental health professional who specializes in treating addictions.
• If you have genes that predispose you to a marijuana addiction, you are much more likely to develop one.
• Nearly one in four are current users (smoked in last thirty days).

They also noted that there’s conflicting evidence as to whether it helps alleviate pain and withdrawal or increases the odds that someone will misuse opioids again. Marijuana addiction involves a number of physical and mental health problems. One of the biggest physical health issues stemming from regular marijuana use is lung problems. People who smoke cannabis may end up with chronic respiratory illness or a persistent cough. While withdrawing from marijuana use can present challenges, remember that what you are going through will pass. Making life changes is always challenging, but with the right support, they can be transformative.

How to Detox from marijuana Safely from Home

It’s important to realize you don’t have to go through the process alone. You can either detox at home with the help of loved ones or at a medical facility equipped to put you through the detox and handle any complications that may arise during the withdrawal period. You might be confused about what’s happening with your body during a withdrawal. The symptoms you are experiencing result from your brain and body trying to adjust to the absence of marijuana from your system. If you’ve used marijuana for a prolonged period, your body will come to depend on it. As mentioned, a marijuana detox causes unpleasant symptoms known as withdrawal symptoms.