Marijuana Addiction Treatment in Orange County, CA

For years people have claimed that marijuana isn’t addictive. But anyone who has struggled to quit using it knows otherwise. 

Research shows that heavy marijuana use can lead to addiction and dependency.

Addiction means you feel a compulsive urge to continue using marijuana, even when it causes problems in your life, such as trouble in relationships or absenteeism at work. 

Marijuana dependency means you have withdrawal symptoms like irritability, anxiety, or depression when you stop using it. 

You can be addicted without being dependent, or vice versa. 

Data suggests that up to 30 percent of marijuana users may have some degree of marijuana use disorder. And people who start using marijuana before the age of 18 are much more likely to develop marijuana use disorder. 

If you or a loved one is struggling with marijuana abuse that is interfering with your life or hurting your relationships, it’s time to get help. 

• Today’s cannabis products come with more risks because of their high potency. In 1990 the average THC content of marijuana was 4%; today it’s more than 15%. Hash oil extracts with THC content of up to 80% are also very popular today.

  Frequent or heavy marijuana use comes with long-term risks, which can include: 

  • Trouble concentrating
  • Memory loss
  • Trouble with problem solving
  • Difficulty learning and retaining information
  • Changes to dopamine levels in the brain
  • Impaired immune system
  • Respiratory problems (from smoking the drug) 

Because marijuana has become more socially acceptable in the US, it’s not always clear when a person has a problem. The bottom line is that if you feel a compulsive urge to keep using marijuana even though it’s causing personal, professional, or financial problems in your life, it’s a problem. 

Many people start by using marijuana recreationally to relax or wind down but eventually find themselves using it every day or many times a day just to feel normal. 

Here are some signs you or your loved one might be addicted to marijuana:  

• You use more of the drug than you intended or more frequently than you’d like
• You have a hard time quitting or cutting back
• You’ve had several failed attempts to quit
• You put off responsibilities to get high or because you’re high
• You use marijuana to cope with negative feelings or anxiety
• You’ve lost interest in activities you once enjoyed because of your marijuana use