Marijuana - Treatment for Habitual Users

Treatment for Habitual Users

More people are treated in rehabilitation programs for marijuana use than for any other drug. This is partly because more people are arrested for marijuana possession and ordered into treatment by the courts. Whatever the case, marijuana users—even heavy marijuana users—can usually free themselves of the drug fairly easily if they have no history of other drug or alcohol abuse. The situation becomes more complicated when marijuana has been combined with other powerful drugs such as cocaine or an opiate, like heroin or morphine.

Some people do become physically addicted to marijuana and experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using it. For most people, use is a psychological habit and is sometimes a form of self-treatment for anxiety, depression, phobias, panic attacks, or other serious mental illnesses. When people find themselves spending more time buying, smoking, and becoming stoned on the drug than they do studying, socializing with friends and family, or working, they should seriously consider getting professional help to stop their marijuana use. Such help includes examination by a medical doctor and therapy with a psychologist or psychiatrist who can help find the root causes and proper treatment for the drug abuse. Self-help twelve-step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous also provide opportunities to beat the drug with the help of others who have experienced similar addiction problems.