Identifying the Need for Treatment in Overcoming Marijuana Use

Marijuana use is incredibly common, with an estimated 48.2 million people reportedly engaging with the drug in 2019 alone. While ongoing discourse and pushes for legality surrounding the use of marijuana may impact each person’s perception of the drug, marijuana still carries many dangerous properties. Marijuana is an addictive substance that can have profound effects on a person’s mental and physical health.

Being able to identify the need for treatment and addressing the use of marijuana in oneself or a loved one is necessary to facilitate the necessary treatment and recovery. By challenging the misconceptions about marijuana use and identifying the signs and symptoms of marijuana addiction, it is always possible to pursue a healthier life while abstaining from its use.

The Effects of Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana legalization has had a profound effect on the common perceptions and attitudes surrounding the use of the drug. However, despite any legalization across the state and discourse surroundings its use, marijuana still carries many dangers with its use. First, marijuana has been explored to help with certain mental health disorders and trauma, which can further affect each person’s ideas of the dangers of the drug. However, any studies and use of marijuana in a medicinal setting are done so under the supervision of professionals, and such benefits do not necessarily extend to recreational use or use without such direction.

Misconceptions brought about by pushes for marijuana legalization can make those engaging with the drug less cognizant of its negative and harmful effects. Such misconceptions can also cause an individual to consider addiction to marijuana to be less dangerous than it actually is. However, professional treatment to address marijuana use and addiction may be necessary to understand the extent of its dangers and pursue a healthy and sober life.

Lastly, marijuana legalization on the state level does not mean that there are not still restrictions regarding the use of marijuana. Coupled with these important restrictions, marijuana is still a federally illegal drug even if it is legalized in some circumstances in the state. This leads to a complex network of laws and considerations that can greatly affect each individual, their mentality, and even the legality surrounding its use.

Recognizing the Signs of Marijuana Addiction

Identifying when a person’s use of marijuana demands professional treatment can be difficult. However, there are a number of signs and symptoms to be cognizant of in oneself or a loved one to best identify when professional treatment to address marijuana use is necessary. Some of these signs of marijuana addiction include:

• A person uses more marijuana than intended
• The use of marijuana comes at the expense of other responsibilities, such as missing work or inability to tend to at-home responsibilities
• Experiencing negative repercussions of marijuana use and continuing to engage anyway
• An inability to cease the use of marijuana, even if there is a desire to do so
• The use of marijuana feels necessary to feel “normal”
• Compromising other budgets in order to continue using marijuana
• Someone has confronted another about their use, but they continued to use it anyway
• Heightened feelings of anxiety, panic, depression, and more when not using the drug

Regular marijuana use can also carry a number of personal ramifications. For some, marijuana can have profound effects on their professional lives, compromising workplace performance and attendance or subjecting oneself to termination resulting from drug tests. Others may experience damage to personal relationships with family, friends, or partners.

Identifying any of these signs can indicate the need for change. However, overcoming marijuana addiction can be exceptionally difficult, with many changes needing to be addressed for a truly transformative approach to a sober future. Dedicated treatment programs are necessary to facilitate this kind of profound change.

The Role of Dedicated Treatment

Overcoming addiction of any kind is difficult, and an individual will not only have to address the direct use of addictive substances but also the lifestyles and mentalities that inform them. The outpatient treatment available at Redpoint can be instrumental in educating individuals and their families about the dangers and misconceptions of marijuana use while instilling the needed life skills, camaraderie, and atmosphere of healing needed to pursue truly transformative change.

Creating a Community

Overcoming addiction can feel incredibly isolating, especially with a wide range of attitudes surrounding marijuana and its use. Having a community that understands the need for change and creates a feeling of belonging throughout the recovery process can be instrumental in keeping focused on each person’s goals, progress, and more.

Especially throughout outpatient care, where an individual may be exposed to a wide range of attitudes around marijuana use, always having a supportive community to fall back on is instrumental for continued success throughout recovery from marijuana addiction.

Embracing a Transformed Life

Marijuana addiction affects every facet of a person’s life, from personal ambitions to mentalities, perspectives, professional life, and more. Recovery from marijuana addiction demands that an individual also address each of these areas, not just the immediate symptoms of marijuana use. Dedicated treatment programs are necessary for not only embracing effective coping strategies for navigating urges or cravings but also making changes to the lifestyles that may have been developed around the use of the drug.

From proven therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and experiential therapy options to exploring the effective practices of peers, professional treatment is a transformational experience that is committed to making the most of recovery and developing the healthiest approach to a sober life ahead.

Marijuana can be a wholly devastating drug, impacting not just your physical health, but also negatively influencing all other aspects of your life. At Redpoint, we understand the unique approach needed to address marijuana use and its continued effects on your life to create a sustainable and effective recovery plan. Our commitment to effective outpatient programs empowers you to address and overcome the use of marijuana while still tending to your daily life. Our Glenwood Springs location is just one of many across Colorado ready to help you take your first step to a sober future today. For more information on how we can personalize your time with us, call to speak to us today at (303) 710-8496.