Two of the most regularly asked questions by weed smokers and their concern loved ones who want them to quit marijuana are: Can you be addicted to weed? and What are weed addiction symptoms?
Here are the answers to these common questions …
The argument over whether marijuana addiction is a reality has grown in recent years, yet despite the fact that weed is the most widely used illic drug in the United States, scientific knowledge of marijuana addiction is way behind that of other drugs.
As yet there is no comprehensive diagnosis for marijuana addiction, yet both animal and human studies have supported the idea of true physical and psychological dependence on marijuana.
The results of these studies is supported by the fact that the number of people seeking out treatment for marijuana addiction is increasingly rising. The National Institute on Drug Abuse disclosed that marijuana abuse accounted for some 16 per cent of all admissions to American drug treatment facilities in recent years.
Is Marijuana Addictive?
So far, there is no concrete evidence that weed is physically addictive, but it is generally accepted that heavy pot smoking can lead to psychological addiction or psychological dependence.
So how do you differentiate between physical dependence, psychological dependence and addiction?
Physical dependence is when somebody feels that they have to continue using a drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms. If the user is not consuming the drug, he or she sufferers both physically and psychologically. Another symptom of physical dependence is an increased tolerance to the drug, with the person needing to use increased amounts of the drug to generate the same high.
Psychological dependence is when the user becomes dependent on the sensations that the drug brings about. The user feels that they need to use the drug in order to feel normal and function "normally." During psychological withdrawal, users tend to experience a incessant craving for the drug and often feel anxious or depressed.
Addiction is defined as being the ongoing, compulsive use of the drug, with no regard for the damaging physical, emotional, and social consequences that may be causing. Once addicted to the drug, the person is fixated on getting and using it, and finds it tough to quit using the drug. Difficulty controlling how much of the drug they use and denial that their use of the drug is a problem are also signs of addiction.
Users who are dependent on weed may not show any signs of marijuana addiction or withdrawal, yet they will be resistant to stop smoking it. This has lots to do with the fact that weed is fondly thought of as a faithful old friend that is familiar, comfortable, supportive during tough times, relieves pain, and helps users to fall sleep.
Am I Addicted to Weed?
Here are some common signs of weed addiction or dependency:
– Withdrawals if weed smoking is stopped
– The need to consume increased amounts of marijuana to achieve the same effect
– Trouble controlling your emotions
– Irritability
– Mood swings
– Difficulty reducing the amount of weed smoked or difficult quitting weed altogether
– Spending more money or time on smoking pot than you want
– Strong urges over which you have little or no control
– Planning your days, weekends, and social activities around your next high
Of these, what are the most common signs of physical dependency on weed? Increased tolerance and withdrawal are the top two.
Not all pot smokers become physically or psychologically dependent on marijuana. How reliant you become on it is closely linked to how much weed you smoke and how long you have been smoking it for.
While marijuana may not be as addictive as cigarettes, alcohol or other drugs, smoking weed can become a psychologically addictive habit that can be extremely hard to break.