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Despite not being a highly addictive drug, cannabis has a high potential for abuse. One of the most difficult hurdles in overcoming cannabis addiction is the behavioural withdrawal symptoms. The best way to deal with cannabis addiction is to seek addiction treatment and advice from a medical professional.
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To help you build a life that is free from any dependency on the drug, we can offer medically assisted detoxification plans to help remove all the harmful toxins that come with consistent use of Cannabis.
We have addiction centres all across the UK and can help you find the most suitable rehab centre for your individual needs.
Cannabis, commonly known as weed or marijuana, has been legalised in many countries and is used by people because it produces feelings of contentment, happiness, and mild euphoria. Many people believe that there is nothing wrong with smoking the odd joint and that cannabis is harmless, but this is not necessarily true.
Cannabis Addiction is Real
Using cannabis for a prolonged period of time can lead to changes in the chemical makeup of your brain, and in time your body will become psychologically and physically tolerant to the drug. When this happens, you will see an increase in your intake of cannabis to achieve the desired effects, making it increasingly difficult to avoid developing an addiction.
Despite the change in its legal status in many parts of the world, cannabis remains one of the most widely misused substances in the UK.[2] Many people need to attend and complete a cannabis detox and rehab programme to deal with their marijuana addiction.
Marijuana is derived from the cannabis plant and contains a chemical known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is often used for medical purposes to treat symptoms of neurological disorders like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. When you smoke cannabis recreationally, THC is absorbed by the lungs and travels through the bloodstream to the brain.
The THC absorbed by the brain acts on cannabinoid receptors and affects your central nervous system, resulting in feelings of tranquillity, wellbeing, calmness, mild euphoria, and even an altered reality.
Smoking cannabis is a pleasurable experience for most people, but it can affect your mental and physical health, altering your heart rate and blood pressure. Other negative side effects include nausea, paranoia, confusion, hallucinations, panic, and anxiety.
Suppose you abuse cannabis over a long period of time. In that case, your body will become accustomed to the elevated levels of THC in the bloodstream and adapt to function normally. If you stop using cannabis, you will experience withdrawal symptoms, which often cause people to relapse and start using again to cope with the unpleasant side effects of withdrawal.
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Cannabis Detox and Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms differ from one person to the next; the severity and duration of withdrawal will depend on many factors, including the amount of cannabis you habitually consume, the frequency of your cannabis use, how long you have been taking the drug, whether is consumed with other street drugs or alcohol and the presence of any pre-existing physical or mental health problems.
Withdrawal symptoms can be both physical and psychological and include,
- Sweating, fever or chills
- Cravings
- Insomnia and disrupted sleep patterns
- Decreased appetite
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability[1]
After long-term use, when you suddenly stop smoking cannabis, your body will naturally try to purge all remnants of the drug from your system, leading to withdrawal symptoms that are mildly uncomfortable However, with the correct support from a medical professional and a team of rehab specialists, you can overcome the withdrawal symptoms and detox safely.
Coping with Cannabis Detox
Cannabis detox can be an unpleasant experience, and this causes many people to relapse, but effective marijuana detox and sustained rehabilitation are possible with the right support. The most difficult part of cannabis detox is the first 48 hours or two days.
The withdrawal symptoms will typically take five to ten hours to manifest, which is when the symptoms will be at their worst. If you are an inpatient at a residential rehab clinic and under medical supervision, you may be given medication to ease withdrawal.
In many cases, therapy and counselling are enough to help addicts overcome their addiction. In more severe cases, medically assisted detox may be necessary to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and detox comfortably. During medical detox, you will be prescribed medication to help alleviate the withdrawal symptoms and make them more bearable.
It is important to note the medications used in medically assisted detox can be highly addictive; it is usually only offered as part of a residential detox programme where you can be under constant medical supervision.
Physical detox is only one aspect of overcoming your drug habit. A successful cannabis detox programme will use a holistic approach that will tackle both the physical and psychological side effects of cannabis withdrawal.
Most cannabis addiction treatment centres offer counselling, therapy and group sessions to help addicts deal with the underlying causes of their addiction. Once you leave the rehab facility, you can join an outpatient support group like Marijuana Anonymous to help you sustain your rehab and prevent a relapse.
The duration of cannabis detox and rehab depends on various factors, including the length of your addiction, the severity of your addiction, how much cannabis you regularly consume, and any underlying physical or mental health issues. Some people may need a week to detox, but others could take longer.
If you enter a residential cannabis rehab treatment centre, you will be there for 24-hours a day for the duration of your stay. As with all drug addiction treatments, the length of a cannabis rehab programme will vary from one person to the next, but typically, detox and rehab take 28 days.
When you enter cannabis rehab, you will be assessed by a medical team who will consider all aspects of your cannabis addiction before drawing up a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
We understand that cannabis detox is challenging at the Rehab Clinics Group, but we are here to help you overcome your addiction. Contact us today to find out more about living a drug-free life.
