Accepting that there is a problem is the first step towards a solution. Like any substance use disorder, marijuana addiction is defined as a medical disease in which a person is helpless to stop using despite causing health and social problems. While marijuana addiction may not seem as severe as other substance use disorders, people addicted to marijuana suffer many of the same consequences as any other drug addict.

Getting High in 2021 and Beyond

Smoking marijuana daily is a sign that someone may have a problem with weed. Besides, many people eat foods laced with THC (the psychoactive ingredient), so marijuana is used in more ways than ever now. Today, marijuana contains higher levels of THC than ever before. The increased THC causes more of the psychedelic highs, such as hallucinations and paranoia.

As marijuana use skyrockets and the potency takes users to new heights, marijuana is legal for medical use in the majority of states and recreationally legal in at least ten others. As we’ve seen with prescription drugs and alcohol, legal and medical drugs can still be abused, sometimes to disastrous consequences.

Marijuana Addiction

But the frequency someone gets high off marijuana is far from the only sign of addiction. Other symptoms of marijuana addiction include:

Smoking weed alone
Using marijuana to deal with problems in life
Unable to limit or stop using pot even with an honest desire to abstain
Suffering job performance directly linked to marijuana use
Failed drug tests because of THC
Deteriorating relationships because of marijuana use
Unable to enjoy activities without being high
Afraid to live life without marijuana

Withdrawal symptoms when someone has stopped using marijuana are also a reliable indicator of potential marijuana addiction. Withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, paranoia, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, grouchiness, and cravings.

Research shows that somewhere between 9% and 30% of people who use marijuana will become addicted to it. The likelihood of developing a marijuana addiction later in life is about two times more likely if that person first used marijuana between the ages of 12-18, compared to using later in life. No matter how someone gets high, marijuana addiction is real; it is common, and unfortunately goes untreated for the majority of those who suffer.

Getting Help

There is little that can be done about addiction until the person admits that there is a problem. Once the user has identified addiction, treatment and recovery can begin. One of the problems with treating addiction, though, is that marijuana addicts can view their life with weed as the only normal life. Often, addicts surround themselves with people who use marijuana in the same way, so their version of reality is skewed.

There are many resources to help people recognize a marijuana addiction.

Marijuana Anonymous is a 12-step program and fellowship that focuses on recovering from marijuana addiction. Based off of the 12-steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, MA has information for marijuana addicts new to recovery, schedules of meetings, and stories of hope that tell about how a variety of people have recovered.

There are many substance abuse treatment centers that specialize in marijuana addiction recovery, too. Here, the addicted person will learn new coping skills to live life without needing to get high. Since much of addiction stems from underlying issues, such as dual diagnosis in which a person suffers from co-occurring addiction and mental disorders, treatment consists of group therapy, one-on-one therapy, experiential modalities, mindfulness techniques, and 12-step programs.

The goal of getting help is to help the marijuana addict develop the life and living skills that will help them stay sober for the long run, not just for 30 days. Soon, the former addict will find life more enjoyable than when marijuana was the solution to life. With more energy and time without being tied up with addiction, people in recovery live with a renewed passion and purpose.