- Feb 6
- AddictionTeen Substance Abuse
In spite of what countless Facebook memes claim, there are adverse side effects of marijuana abuse. The drug isn’t as harmless as many people believe. Most importantly, it can create a use disorder that’s on par with other chemical dependencies. Here’s what you need to know.
Health Risks Accompany Marijuana Use
Smoking is dangerous to your health. That’s true whether you choose tobacco or weed. The chemicals in the smoke irritate your lungs and may damage them. It’s not unusual for long-time users to have the typical smoker’s cough.
If you use edibles, the side effects of marijuana abuse may include heart problems. They typically affect people with pre-existing heart issues. You may be more susceptible to seeing heart rates spike and developing related emergencies.
Effects of marijuana abuse also involve psychiatric health. It’s possible for the drug to boost the severity of a co-occurring condition such as schizophrenia or anxiety. Most importantly, you can develop a dependency. Before long, you believe that you need weed to deal with life’s struggles.
Avoid Adding to the Effects of Marijuana Abuse by Ending the Habit
The psychological and social side effects of marijuana abuse are worrisome for many people. Frequently, they don’t realize that this drug could be the culprit for making them feel so bad. Similarly, they believe that weed is basically harmless. When they learn the truth, they’re often upset.
Many feel that others lied to them. They want to quit using. However, by now they’re dealing with a full-fledged psychological addiction. Marijuana addiction treatment centers Illinois can trust have programs for successful intervention.
Treatments include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that helps you recognize triggers and develop healthy coping skills
- Mindfulness-Based Sobriety as a way to examine situations rationally and without judgment
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment for underlying anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, or other conditions
- 12-Step integration as a way to begin relapse prevention training
- Teenage rehab program that introduces age-appropriate therapeutic interventions to mitigate the side effects of marijuana abuse
Dealing with Boredom and Peer Pressure
Most people begin using weed as a peer activity. Friends introduced them to the drug. Similarly, they feel bored and are more willing to try something new. Therefore, peer pressure and boredom are potential relapse triggers.
Dealing with them in rehab is vital. Group Therapy, role-playing, and Experiential Therapy settings can be instrumental in helping you overcome the urge to go along. You learn how to wave off suggestions for drug use. Besides that, you determine who will be among your new peer group.
Many people in rehab find that making some changes to their peer group is essential for continuing recovery. Moreover, they restructure their days to include new hobbies with new peers. Doing so reduces the risk of boredom.
Stop Using Marijuana Today
You don’t have to continue worrying about the harmful effects of marijuana abuse. It’s easy to quit using today, even if you’ve had the habit for a long time. Gateway therapists want to help you. Call 877-505-4673 today and reach out for help.
