Cannabis addiction is common because cannabis is one of the easiest and most widely abused drugs in the world. Young people would often abuse cannabis first compared to other drugs like cocaine and heroin. This is because they view the effects of cannabis use as being mild and not serious. However, regular cannabis use causes both strong psychological and physical dependency. As such, regular users develop withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop, making it very difficult.
Type of cannabis smoked used to be in the form of ‘Weed’ of ‘Hash’. This has an equal amount of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol - the chemical that creates the high) and CBD (Cannabidiol - the chemical with psychoactive properties). Nowadays, most people smoke the stronger form of cannabis called ‘Skunk’. Skunk has about 3 times the amount of THC compared to the weed which causes cannabis users to experience more severe side effects including psychosis and other mental health conditions. Some of these cause long-lasting, irreparable damage
Cannabis addiction causes some signs and symptoms due to its effect on the brain and the body. The following are some of them:
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Cannabis used to be misconstrued as ‘harmless’; as having little or no impact on the abuser's health and wellbeing or the society. Cannabis is however very highly addictive. Its abuse also has long-lasting effects on our physical and mental state. These include:
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The treatment for cannabis addiction mainly involves intensive psychological treatment methods. These include psycho-educational workshops, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Counselling, Mindfulness and Support groups. A medical assessment by a doctor is also recommended because cannabis users may have physical withdrawal symptoms that require treatment. The doctor may prescribe a medication to relieve these symptoms. Many residential treatment centres are able to provide these treatment measures under one roof. This is often combined with the '12 steps to Recovery program', a tried and trusted method for overcoming any addiction.
If you, your friend, or a loved one is struggling to overcome a cannabis addiction, it is important that you seek professional help. Call Rehab Healthcare (Rehab Hc) now and you could be in treatment within few hours of your phone call. One of our team of advisors will explain the different treatment options available to you.