4 Proven Ways You Can Overcome Weed Addiction Right Now
Recreational use of marijuana is beginning to be more widely accepted and legalized around the world. For example, in the United States, there are currently 11 states which have legalized marijuana for recreational use and an additional four states will see it legalized in 2021, after voters voted for the change in the recent 2020 elections.
Whether you like to refer to it as marijuana, cannabis, weed, pot, or reefer, the fact is more and more people worldwide are getting hooked on the stuff. While many people perceive weed to be harmless, there can be a number of negative side effects that can occur if you happen to get addicted to smoking marijuana. As weed becomes more and more legalized around the world, we are seeing a higher prevalence of dependence on the drug. Some studies have shown that upwards of 30% of marijuana users are addicted to it to some degree.
While marijuana does offer therapeutic benefits for a number of ailments such as cancer and epilepsy, it can also impact users’ lives in a number of negative ways with persistent use. Continuous use of marijuana can lead to a reduction in focus and reaction time, respiratory problems, chronic anxiety and paranoia, and social problems. Marijuana addiction can easily begin to interfere with your daily activities, having you constantly thinking about your next hit whether you’re going out to a café for a coffee or are at home playing your favorite online slots.
Weed is one of the most addictive drugs on the planet. It really can act as a “yard weed” that takes control of your life and can be difficult to get rid of. If you recognize that you may have a weed addiction, here are four ways that can help you on your way to quitting your addiction and claiming back your life.
Set a Plan to Quit Weed
The first step to quitting any drug addiction is recognizing you have a problem and actually wanting to quit yourself. It can be almost impossible for others to force you to quit if you aren’t really willing to. Once you do decide you have a problem and wish to quit, know that for many it will not be an easy road. Only a small amount of marijuana addicts voluntarily seek out treatment or set a plan for themselves.
You need a SMART plan to quit smoking weed that teaches you how using a step-by-step approach. Breaking a bad habit is difficult, which is why you need to know how to focus your efforts and utilize the right resources to give yourself the best chance at succeeding. Before you begin to approach quitting marijuana, you should ask yourself why it is you are using the drug because this may get to the root of a larger problem that needs tackling, which once taken care of may also take care of your weed addiction. For instance, you may be using marijuana to numb emotions or pain associated with some physical or emotional trauma.
Some lucky addicts may be able to set a strict quitting plan that sees them pick a date and go cold turkey, but the majority will often need to take things slower. If you know you are likely to fall into this latter group, start by selecting specific days of the week to abstain from weed, and then gradually increase the number of non-usage days as the weeks go by until you are ultimately not smoking at all. You should also pick an opportune time to quit, a time where you are not stressed at work or school. Many people experience anxiety, irritability, and sleeplessness during their quitting phase, so you want minimize the impacts of these side effects and not have them exacerbate any current stresses you have.
Change Your Habits
What you do every day, whether it be a hobby or smoking weed, eventually becomes a habit. Smoking weed often starts out with just occasional use but then its addictive ingredients often lead many to use it on a daily basis. Many people often find that certain situations, places, or spending time with specific people leads them to smoke weed more. In order to quit your weed addiction, you need to adjust your habits and remove yourself from those people or situations that are likely to encourage you to want to smoke.
Most marijuana smokers find it difficult to stop taking the drug because of the people they hang with and possibly the peer pressure that goes along with this. If you’re always in the company of pot smokers, you may want to find other people who aren’t users to spend time with during your quitting phase. This not only removes the temptation to smoke, but often you’ll receive support from this new group of people.
Further distract your mind from your weed habit by taking up new hobbies, preferably active ones like sports or hiking. Staying active outside not only puts you in a better mood, it also removes easy access to the drug, assuming you don’t take any weed along with you.
Practice to Perfection
It’s not going to be easy quitting weed and it will require persistence and practicing coping skills. Mentally reward yourself with self-praise for even small achievements like going a day without using marijuana. The more you reward yourself for completing small steps during your quitting process, the more this will fuel your motivation to quit.
Making the right decisions can be difficult and starts with your mind. You need to learn how to recognize your triggers that give you the urge to smoke and come up with ways to tell yourself your urges are all just in your mind and that you don’t actually need to smoke. Learn healthier ways to control your anxiety, fear, anger, or sadness other than resorting to weed. Sticking with marijuana is often just a quick temporary fix for larger problems that will never be solved if you don’t address them head-on with actual treatment such as effective therapy.
If you find you don’t know where to start in terms of getting in the right mindset for quitting, there are professional substance rehabilitation programs that can help you quit before your marijuana addiction gets too severe. The longer you put off getting treatment, the more difficult the withdrawal symptoms will be when you do decide to quit.
If you decide to go it alone when quitting marijuana as opposed to getting professional help, you can increases your chances of success by eating healthier, exercising regularly, and getting proper sleep. Improving other areas of your life will put you in a better head space to quit and often increases your motivation to quit.
Get Rid of Your Weed
One surefire way to stop using weed is not being able to access it. Once you decide to quit, having a leftover supply that is stashed away in your home will only continue to temp you and make the likelihood of you cheating on your goal more likely. In addition to getting rid of your marijuana supply, it’s also important to remove items such as bongs, rolling papers, lighters, and anything that reminds you of your habit.
After getting rid of your weed, limit or altogether stop going to places where you are likely to encounter it. The key is to cut off your access to marijuana so it becomes out of sight, out of mind. If you find yourself struggling with this, you may want to look to cognitive-behavioral therapy which can teach you strategies that will help you identify your triggers and enhance your self-control. Other effective therapies include contingency management and motivational enhancement therapy.
Sadly there are currently not any FDA approved medications that can help you quit marijuana use or addiction. It is up to your willingness to quit and challenging your mind to kick the habit.
Final Thoughts
When you look forward to quitting weed, you must have a solid reason to quit and a SMART plan to get you there. Remove your triggers and replace bad habits with healthy ones. Seek professional help if you find yourself struggling and get rid of your current marijuana supply. These are some of the most effective steps to helping you quit your weed addiction.
