Are You Struggling to Quit Smoking Pot?
Marijuana addicts are among the most numerous of any type of substance abusers in the United States. After all, marijuana does not cost what more addictive substances, like crystal meth, costs. Further, it lacks the instant kill ability of cocaine and ecstasy. However, cannabis addiction can be just as serious, leading to poor decision making, jail time, and worse.
The reasons why people start smoking pot and start down the road to marijuana dependence vary. Many people start smoking because they want to be cool and hang out with their friends. Of course, once they start, many addicts smoke to feel better about life; to help with confidence and sadness. The fact is, however, that the addictiveness of marijuana is serious. Many people just cannot bring themselves to quit without help.
Why You Should Quit
The negative effects of marijuana are both social and medical. Did you know that taxpayers in the United States pay $10 billion annually on marijuana prohibition costs? More than 853,000 people are arrested every year for possession, smoking, and related charges. Chances are if you keep using, you will eventually be caught.
Medically speaking, marijuana is known to cause issues that greatly affect the mood. According to a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry that followed 1,920 people that smoked pot for 16 years, they were four times more likely to develop depression, both mild and severe.
How to Quit Smoking Pot
Learning how to quit smoking pot is not an easy process for most. However, you can succeed with a little help.
- Use a Marijuana Addiction Program
- Use Friends and Family for Support
Marijuana treatment and recovery programs exist all across the country to help addicts get clean. They provide safe, relaxing environments where addicts can talk about the problems that push them toward drug use. Further, addicts can get free education on why using marijuana is bad for them and the world around them.
No matter how high quality the cannabis treatment program you enter is, the fact is you will need the support of your friends and family when you are done to stay sober. Just like alcohol, junk food, and other narcotics, the road to recovery from addiction to marijuana is a lifelong process. Do not be afraid to turn to your loved ones for strength.
What to Expect when You Quit
Anyone trying to learn how to quit smoking pot needs to be aware of marijuana withdrawal symptoms. Cannabis withdrawal symptoms usually begin no later than 3 days following abstinence, often lasting several months. Craving marijuana is the most common symptom in the early days of abstinence. However, 50% of all addicts experience mood swings, irritability, anxiety, aggression, nervousness, restlessness, and an inability to concentrate with they try to quit. What you have to realize is that the temporary discomfort of sobriety is far better than the permanent pain of addiction and incarceration.
If you were wondering how to quit smoking pot, then hopefully this helped to start you on the path to a healthier lifestyle. Remember, pot leads to medical conditions and, possibly, jail. The temporary side-effects of quitting can be intense, but through the use of a treatment program and the support of your friends, you will get through this.
by 
