How to Quit Weed
This article is about how to quit smoking marijuana, with reasons to quit, what to expect, and two methods: the cold turkey method and the tier method.
Reasons to Quit
Marijuana abuse and marijuana addiction, as with any form of substance abuse, can have detrimental effects for the livelihood of an individual. Abusers can suffer from:
- physical health problems
- psychological health problems
- problems with their job, family, and all other cooperative aspects of life
Any sort of marijuana use can have a negative effect, and if you or a loved one is suffering from marijuana addiction, please inquire with a marijuana addiction rehab center from our directory.
What to Expect
Like with any addiction recovery and detox, breaking the bonds of dependence can be extremely difficult.
Whether marijuana is physically addictive as well as psychologically addictive is a moot point, according to Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D. and Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
"Twenty years of scientific research, coupled with even longer clinical experience, has taught us that focusing on this physical vs. psychological distinction is off the mark, and a distraction from the real issue. From both clinical and policy perspectives, it does not matter much what physical withdrawal symptoms occur," Alan writes in his article "The Essence of Drug Addiction".
Another study published by the National Institude on Drug Abuse, "Marijuana abstinence effects in marijuana smokers maintained in their home environment," states that "withdrawal from marijuana produces identifiable behavioral and emotional distress that may be as important as, if not more important than, physical symptoms in the development of dependence and undermining attempts to quit using the drug".
As such, the real concern, as Alan states, is "the essence of addiction: uncontrollable, compulsive drug seeking and use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences".
If you are a habitual user of marijuana, ceasing drug use may cause you to have uncomfortable cravings.
Help from loved ones, friends, and others, along with a determined attitude, will help combat and break these patterns of craving.
The Cold Turkey Method
Often called "quitting cold turkey", with this method, a user completely stops using marijuana or any drug, facing the withdrawal sympthoms head on. Because marijuana addiction is more emotional and behavioral than phsyical or psychological, quitting weed use through the cold turkey method can be a good solution since one is forced to change regular behaviors and avoid situations in which marijuana would be consumed.
This means changing relationships where destructive abuse is encouraged, even changing locations and jobs if those places facilitate a relapse. The most important part of quitting weed cold turkey is separation from the substance.
The cold turkey method can be more smoothly facilitated by visiting or contacting a local marijuana addiction rehab center for treatment or advice.
The Tier Method
The tier method simply involves slowly decreasing the amount and frequency of marijuana consumption until no more use occurs. If you or a loved one has tried the cold turkey method and failed, try the tier method.
Begin the tier method by keeping the frequency of consumption the same but cutting the amount consumed by half. If the change is too dramatic, begin with 3/4ths and work to 1/2.
Then slow the frequency of use down by 50%. Continue with this until comfortable.
Then cut quantity down again by 1/2, then frequency by 50%, and so on until the marginal and infrequent use slows to a halt.
Summary
Quitting weed by either the cold turkey method or the tier method or visiting a marijuana addiction rehab center is a smart decision toward a brighter future.
Resources:
- http://www.drugabuse.gov/PDF/InfoFacts/Marijuana08.pdf
- The Essence of Drug Addiction by Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D. - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/Essence.html
- http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_notes/NNVol17N3/Demonstrates.html