Many associate the winter as a time to give into indulgences. We sleep more, snack and drink until we’re merry and bright. And, increasingly, in US states where it’s legal, consuming cannabis will become part of our winter traditions. This year’s election saw the inclusion of several states — New Jersey, Arizona, South Dakota, and Montana — legalize the plant for people who are of age.
Cannabis is widely celebrated for its medicinal and recreational qualities — it’s known to relax, uplift, and even help with pain and trauma. However, there’s one aspect that tends to be overlooked. As the third most commonly used substance in the U.S., after alcohol and tobacco, cannabis can leave a percentage of its users dependent on the drug. This dependency is known as cannabis use disorder;here’s what you need to know about it.
Is Cannabis Addictive?
But according to theNational Institute on Drug Abuse,30% of people who use cannabis have some degree of usage disorder. There’s controversy around using the word addiction when it comes to cannabis, which is why problematic use of cannabis is often, though not always, considered a disorder or dependency. When studies examine substance use, they consider dependence as what makes someone addicted, though it’s possible to be dependent on a substance without being addicted. Physically this can manifest in withdrawal symptoms when not using the substance.
Who’s Affected?
According to a2020 studyon cannabis use disorder, 9% of all cannabis users will experience addiction to the substance, nearly a fifth of whom began using as adolescents. As more states opt to legalize cannabis, these numbers can begin to increase.
As with other substances, the reason a person becomes dependent on cannabis can result from numerous factors. Some of these can include sociodemographic, environmental, genetic, and maybe even neurocognitive factors.
What to Know About Cannabis Dependency
It found that withdrawal symptoms for chronic cannabis users could include:
Additionally, physical withdrawal symptoms can cause significant discomfort including shakiness or tremors, sweating, fever, chills, and headaches.
Dependence on cannabis starts when brain chemistry changes as a result of the substance use, altering the levels and sensitivity of its naturally occurring endocannabinoid neurotransmitters. This disorder is considered an addiction when the user’s life is negatively impacted as a result of their usage.
What are Treatment Options for Cannabis Dependence?
Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications that help with cannabis use disorder. However, according to theWorld Health Organization, there are various therapies available to help tackle these challenges. These include:
For teenagers struggling with cannabis dependency, family interventions were considered more effective than individual counselling in helping with abstaining from usage.
This winter might feel like an ideal time to overindulge in cannabis, but it’s important to be aware of the effect it has on your life and on those around you. Cannabis use disorder or dependency can impact a high percentage of users, based on a variety of factors, such as how you were raised, the environment, and even genetics. For those struggling with cannabis use disorder, there are various therapy treatments available to help target those challenges.
WithTalkspace online therapy, you can speak to a licensed therapist today from the comfort of your home.
Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.
Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.
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