Signs of Weed/Marijuana Addiction – CBT Kenya

Addiction occurs when a person experiences changes in their brain or behavior as a result of the drug. In very high doses, weed can also cause hallucinations, delusions, or psychosis. This is rare, though, and not the norm. Some experts believe that people who experience psychosis from marijuana may already be at risk for psychosis. Weed is typically smoked to produce a relaxed and euphoric effect, but some choose to eat the substance for a milder, more extended high. Whichever way you take it, repeated use increases the risk of feeling like you need to use it daily, eventually causing you to be unable to stop using it on your own.

What are the signs?

Do you choose your friends based on whether or not they smoke pot? Are you spending less time with friends who don’t smoke weed and more time with those who do? At the end of the day, do you have to smoke a joint in order to calm down? Marijuana abuse is when you feel like you need it and you have withdrawal symptoms when you don’t use it. Almost 10% of people who use marijuana regularly will become addicted to it at some point.

• Just like any drug, regular use of marijuana leads to a tolerance for it. This means that you need more and more of the drug in order to achieve the same high. If you need more and more of the drug to get high you are building tolerance.
• You may start out thinking, “I’m just going to take a couple hits.” But end up smoking the whole joint by the end of the night. If this happens regularly it’s a sign of addiction.
• You may be trying to stop your drug use. But, you may find yourself unable to stop when you’re trying to quit. Being unable to stop your use means you probably need help in getting clean.
• Reduced activities: If your schedule has slowly been depleted of all physical or recreational activities and replaced with hanging out and getting high, then you could be addicted to marijuana.
• Lots of time spent getting high. How we spend our time says a lot about us. If the bulk of it is spent either getting high, waiting to get high, or looking for marijuana that is a serious red flag.
• If you feel like you have to smoke pot in order to cope with work, school, home or your family, addiction is likely an issue in your life. Drugs should never be used as a method of escaping reality or to cover up what is really going on.
• Have you suffered consequences as a result of getting high? If you know very well that smoking pot will continue to cause problems in your life, yet you still smoke weed anyway, you might be addicted.

Take Away

The first step on the journey to recovery is recognizing that you have a problem with drugs or alcohol. Sometimes, though, it’s difficult to be objective when gauging your own drug use or that of someone you love. Cognitive behavioral therapy works well for a lot of people. It helps you understand the thoughts and behaviors that lead to your drug use and replace them with healthier ones.

At CBT Kenya, we have friendly yet professional psychologists who are ready to have a talk with you. We encourage you to find out more about our services. We welcome any questions. Any questions related to psychotherapy, counselling, and psychology services are welcomed. Our purpose is to help you to achieve your therapeutic and life goals, to improve the quality of your life and to help you to build strong relationships in your life. Get in touch or book an appointment on +254 739 935 333, +254 756 454 585 or info@cbtkenya.org.