Whether you call it weed, pot or marijuana, cannabis is an addictive drug. We know that cannabis addiction is real, and recovery is possible.

When looking for addiction treatment, seek out a program that is based in research and will help you beat your marijuana addiction once and for all. You will have the highest chance of success in an addiction treatment centre with experience treating individuals with marijuana addiction.

Rehab centres are here to help you overcome your marijuana addiction so you can lead a full, happy life.

What is Marijuana?

Also known as cannabis, marijuana is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. Native to Central and South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various traditional medicines for centuries.

This drug can have long-lasting negative affects on the body and the brain. For some people, it is highly addictive and potentially dangerous.

Marijuana and the Brain

Some people believe using marijuana carries no risks. But scientific research shows that there are risks, especially for teens. Marijuana affects a person’s judgement and can impair their ability to drive. For those who use it regularly, it can lead to poor academic performance, psychosis, and addiction.

So how does marijuana have such a big impact on a person’s ability to function?

Scientists have asked themselves that question for a long time. And after several decades of research, they not only figured out how marijuana works, but they also discovered an important communications system in the brain and the body, which they called the endocannabinoid system after the cannabis plant from which marijuana comes.

Our understanding of the science of marijuana jumped in the mid-1960s with the identification of THC (delta-9-tetrahydro-cannabinol) as marijuana’s main active ingredient. Twenty years later, scientists identified the sites in the brain and body where marijuana acts and called them cannabinoid (CB) receptors.

Scientists then discovered the body’s own natural chemicals—anandamide and 2-AG (2-arachidonoyl glycerol)—which also act on CB receptors. These chemicals (called cannabinoids), along with their receptors, make up the endocannabinoid (EC) system.

The EC system is found in many areas of the brain, which explains why it affects so many different body functions. Cannabinoids exert their influence by regulating how cells send, receive, or process messages. They act like a type of “dimmer switch,” slowing down communication between cells.

When someone takes marijuana, THC gets into the brain rapidly and attaches to cannabinoid receptors. The natural EC system is finely tuned to react appropriately to incoming information. But THC overwhelms the EC system. It prevents the natural chemicals from doing their job properly and throws the whole system off balance.

Signs of Marijuana Addiction

The following are signs and symptoms of marijuana addiction:

• Irritability, anger, or aggression
• Nervousness, anxiety, and restlessness
• Sleep difficulty such as insomnia and disturbing dreams
• Decreased appetite or weight loss
• Depressed mood
• Abdominal pain
• Shakiness or tremors
• Sweating, fever, chills, or headaches

Marijuana is known these days as a “soft” drug – using it is now socially and legally acceptable in Canada. However, it is an addictive substance that can have serious life changing consequences for you and your loved ones.

Like any other drug, marijuana has short- and long-term impacts on your life and health. Effects include brain damage that causes reduced attention or memory, lowered cognitive capacity, mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, and increased risk of lung diseases and cancer.

Marijuana Addiction Treatment that is Proven

A comprehensive, person-centred addiction treatment program takes place in a safe, serene, and caring environment, inside a well-designed centre. An abstinence-based model integrates therapy with other best practices in clinical and medical approaches. These are proven to make a difference in achieving long-lasting sobriety.

An intensive inpatient marijuana addiction treatment program (28 – 90 days) provides around-the clock counselling and support from a team of registered therapists and certified drug and alcohol addiction specialists, all of whom understand addiction treatment and recovery.

At these facilities they treat the whole person because marijuana addiction affects you on every level. Your care will be based on an addiction plan tailored to meet your unique needs.

In evidence-based recovery, addiction treatment consists of a multi-disciplinary approach to the problem of addiction. It’s an approach that has helped countless individuals struggling with addiction to achieve long-lasting sobriety.

Why Choose that Marijuana Addiction Treatment Program?

Substance addiction treatment programs address all your complete individual needs, supporting you in the detox process – what happens when you stop taking drugs. They give you the tools you need for successful long-term healing. The best addiction rehab programs have the following qualities:

• They are a leader in treating substance use disorders
• Over many years, they have helped thousands of people
• They are leading in treatment programs that include support after recovery
• They are fully accredited and use evidence-based clinical best practices
• The treatment centres are serene, comfortable, restorative settings
• Their holistic approach addresses the families, children, loved ones, workplaces, and communities who are also affected by addiction
• The staff are professionally certified or licensed and provide addiction treatment and that results in sobriety

Overcoming Marijuana Addiction – Treatment That Works

Effective addiction treatment centres offer rehab programs individually and in groups, presented by a team of registered psychotherapists and certified marijuana addiction specialists. The program must include aftercare as part of the program in order to ensure long-term success in recovery.

Choose addiction rehab facilities that make you feel comfortable, supported, and safe. Pleasant surroundings make a difference in the success of treatment. You will be able to focus on healing if your other needs are taken care of.

Specifically, a comprehensive marijuana addiction treatment program provides you with:

• Person-centred, accredited, marijuana addiction treatment
• A serene, caring, addiction treatment centre in a location that works for you
• 12-step and other peer-support programs and meetings that work
• A choice of inpatient rehab programs that vary in duration
• Round-the-clock support
• Certified addiction treatment specialists – trained doctors, psychologists, therapists, counsellors, and social workers
• Education on addiction and recovery
• Group and one-on-one counselling and therapy

Plus

• Gender-specific and LGBTQ+ friendly rehab programs
• Comprehensive mental and physical health assessments
• Mindfulness therapy
• Regular and nutritious meals
• Guidance on developing a healthy sleep schedule
• A comprehensive aftercare program for ongoing support and relapse prevention

Do I Have an Addiction to Marijuana?

You may be addicted to marijuana if you need progressively more to feel the same effects. You may notice that you are using more often than you meant to, and you may lose motivation for activities you previously enjoyed. You might have started spending too much time and money on your marijuana use, to the detriment of other important aspects of your life.

Other possible signs of marijuana abuse include the following:

• You have been unable to stop using or cut back despite honest attempts
• You are having difficulty meeting day-to-day responsibilities
• Your attendance and/or performance at work or school are declining
• You are having problems in your relationships related to your use of marijuana
• You have an increased need for privacy. You feel resentful and defensive when loved ones express concern about you.
• You find yourself using marijuana and driving, or engaging in other risky behaviour
• You are losing control and feel helpless and ashamed, and have no idea how you ended up in this downward spiral

Why Seek Marijuana Addiction Treatment?

People use marijuana for a variety of reasons, from relaxation or social recreation to its medicinal effects. Once a person has come to depend on these effects to the extent that they cannot function normally without marijuana, they may require professional support to stop using.

Marijuana addiction can have a range of debilitating effects on a person’s life. Sustained use can harm a person’s mental health and damage their relationships and professional circumstances.

Abusing weed or pot can result in changes to the brain that cause problems with memory, comprehension, mood, and social functioning. It can interfere with one’s personal and professional life and other activities.

Research has shown that weed’s negative impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks at a time, even after the effects of the drug have worn off. As a result, a user who takes marijuana daily may be functioning at reduced intellectual levels most of the time.

Also, in those with a familial history of psychosis and other related psychotic disorders, continued marijuana use can trigger the manifestation of these psychotic disorders and/or mood and affect related disorders.

Getting Help

At Thousand Islands Rehab Centre, we offer marijuana addiction treatment programs that are tailored to each person’s unique needs. Our experienced, caring professionals will help you explore the root causes of your addiction and find healthier ways of coping with the stresses of life, so you won’t need to use marijuana. Contact us today – your journey to healing can begin with one phone call.