Marijuana Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

Clinically Reviewed by Matt Hawk ICAADC, CACII, Written by Karen Hadley

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Many confusions surround the subject of marijuana. Some believe that marijuana is harmless and even helpful for a number of physical or mental problems. The efficacy of marijuana use to ease pain and alleviate other physical and mental problems has not been proven, and some studies suggest that marijuana may be a poor choice. Cannabis has also been shown to be less effective at managing pain than over-the-counter medicines, such as aspirin and Tylenol.

1. Source: UCLA Health https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release/evidence-lacking-medical-cannabis-most-conditions
2. Source: CDC https://www.cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects/chronic-pain.html
3. Source: UCLA Health https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735825000479

Together, these sources support the claim that:

• The efficacy of marijuana to ease pain or treat psychiatric conditions is not well-proven in high-quality clinical trials.
• In many common uses (e.g., chronic pain, anxiety), the evidence is weak, inconsistent, or lacking, rather than clearly supportive.
• There is no strong evidence that cannabis is superior to standard pain treatments like over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for most pain conditions.

Factors Affecting Addiction to Marijuana

There are multiple factors involved in whether or not someone becomes addicted to marijuana.

The potency of different cannabis products and the frequency and volume of use are all factors in whether or not a person becomes addicted. The person most likely to become seriously dependent on this drug is someone who uses highly potent products daily. When a person does become addicted and they stop using the drug, they can experience marijuana withdrawal symptoms.

Current estimates are that 10% of those who start using this drug as an adult will become addicted. When teens begin using this drug in any form, one in six will become addicted. Of those who are current marijuana users, it is estimated that 30% meet the criteria for addiction. If they quit using this drug, they are likely to go through withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal Symptoms Include Mental, Behavioral and Physical Signs

When a person comes off marijuana use after having become addicted, they can experience these symptoms:

Mental or Behavioral Symptoms:

• Cravings
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Depression
• Anxiety and nervousness
• Insomnia
• Bad dreams

Physical Symptoms

• Loss of appetite
• Sweating
• Abdominal pain
• Shakiness
• Tremors
• Physical tension
• Headache

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The intensity of these symptoms increases as the potency of cannabis products increases. The biggest problem could be the intense cravings, as these can drive them back to drug use. They know if they could just get high again, all the physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms will fade away.

Cannabis or Marijuana Addiction Can Range from Mild to Severe

Marijuana addiction exists on a spectrum, meaning that the condition can range from mild to moderate to severe.

These are the symptoms of addiction listed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

• Using cannabis products in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.
• Unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control cannabis use despite having an intention to quit.
• Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from the effects of cannabis use.
• Having strong cravings or urges to use more of the drug.
• Continuing to use the drug despite the use causing problems at work, school, or home.
• Continuing to use cannabis despite problems being created among friends or family.
• Abandoning important hobbies or activities with friends and family.
• Using the drug while working.
• Using cannabis in situations with risk of injury, such as driving, boating, or operating machinery.
• Continuing cannabis use despite the presence of physical or psychological problems resulting from or worsened by its use.
• Needing greater amounts of cannabis, or higher potency, to achieve the effect that is desired.
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms after stopping use.

A person who is mildly addicted will show two or three of these symptoms. A person who is moderately addicted will show four to six symptoms, and a severe addiction will cause seven or more of these symptoms to be shown.

An important sign of addiction is whether or not a person can control their use and can quit if they see that they are having problems in life from marijuana use. If they can’t quit when they need or want to, that’s a clear sign that they need help.

Long-Term Residential Rehab for Marijuana Addiction

The Narconon rehabilitation program started in 1966 using methods developed by L. Ron Hubbard, American author and humanitarian who also founded the Scientology religion. The Narconon program, however, is wholly secular and does not teach any religion or religious principles.

Mr. Hubbard’s research and techniques have guided Narconon’s methods since the program began. Over the last six decades, tens of thousands of people have graduated from Narconon. The program does not use substitute medications to treat dependence.

An International Network Dedicated to Recovery

In over 30 centers around the world, Narconon drug rehab centers provide a drug-free, holistic, long-term program that enables each person to address the harm they have suffered.

Drug abuse does physical, mental and emotional harm, and those addicted need help in each area. Because this program is also residential, those on the program have a chance to focus fully on their sober futures, away from drug-using friends and associates. The program has no set time limit. What is important is that each person achieves the full benefit of each phase of this program.

Managing a Tolerable Withdrawal at Narconon

Each person’s entrance into the Narconon program is via the Withdrawal Unit. Here, there is 24-hour monitoring with nutritional supplementation to start repairing the body. Staff also help with gentle physical assists and orientation exercises to calm the individual and help them feel comfortable. Before starting this drug-free withdrawal, all arrivals must receive a thorough medical assessment. If the physician decides that it is necessary, the person is referred to a medically supervised detoxification as a prerequisite to starting the Narconon rehab program.

Successfully Withdrawing from Marijuana Without Drugs

There are no approved medications to prevent withdrawal symptoms of marijuana withdrawal like there are for opioid addiction. Still, many rehabs prescribe medications to those going through this withdrawal. These prescribed drugs include bupropion, varenicline, or antidepressants. Some of these drugs can themselves become habit-forming or even addictive.

The Narconon drug rehab program has a different way of supporting those starting rehab from marijuana addiction. As soon as a person starts this residential rehab program, they receive vitamins and minerals that ease the body’s symptoms. Gentle assists further ease the body and calm the mind. Orienting exercises help a person realize that they are no longer among drug-using friends. Staff at a Narconon rehab are ready to help and support them all the way through their withdrawal and recovery.

Addressing Cravings with the New Life Detoxification

The Narconon drug rehab program has an innovative way to relieve cravings to make recovery smoother. The New Life Detoxification combines sweating in a low-heat sauna, moderate exercise, and a carefully supervised supplement plan. This combination helps the body flush out old drug toxins that are stored in the body. Because the intoxicants in marijuana are attracted to fats, cannabis residues can remain stored in fatty tissues for a long time.

As these toxins are flushed out, a person’s brightness can return. Their cravings can begin to fade away. The person’s history of using drugs begins to loosen its grip and a sober future becomes realistic at last.

Restoring One’s Control of Their Thoughts and Actions

For years or perhaps even decades, an addicted person’s actions have been driven by their need for more drugs. They have not been able to think clearly or make sober decisions. To build a new sober life, they must recover the power of choice over their decisions, actions and thoughts. The Objectives consists of a series of precise and guided exercises to restore self-control and brighter perceptions. The past can finally begin to drop away, replaced by a more vivid and enjoyable present. At last, it's possible to recover from the pain and trauma of the past.

Gaining the Life Skills Needed for Lasting Sobriety

Once a person goes home from rehab, they must be able to make the right choices to stay sober. This takes life skills that they lacked when they first began using drugs. Learning these skills is an important part of one’s recovery.

The life skills component of the Narconon program has three parts:

• Overcoming Ups & Downs in Life: It’s vital to be able to identify those individuals who might derail one’s sobriety. Someone who wants to stay sober needs to tell the difference between someone who could harm them and friends who can be trusted. The Overcoming Ups & Downs in Life course teaches how to make this identification and how to deal with each type of person.
• Personal Values: Restoring each person’s integrity and values helps them guide their actions and decisions in the future. The Personal Values course provides an education in how one’s own integrity can be recovered and protected in the future. This course teaches how to achieve a new understanding and relief from the guilt they hold onto from the past.
• Changing Conditions in Life: As one approaches graduation from rehab, an individual may realize that they have relationships to heal and decisions to make about their future. It can seem tough to face all these challenges. The Changing Conditions in Life course offers each person workable, practical formulas to successfully overcome these challenges. This is how a person can maintain long-term sobriety.

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What Makes Narconon a Different Type of Rehab

One of the biggest differences between Narconon and many other rehabs is the fact that this rehab program administers no substitute medications for the drugs that were being used. But that is not the only difference. Each step of this program approaches recovery in a holistic way, meaning that it considers the whole person and the reasons they became addicted.

Individuals undergoing the program learn for themselves how to make the right choices. They are not taught to believe that they will “always be an addict” or that they are powerless over their addiction. They learn that they can have the power over their decisions and choices and that they can create a drug-free future.

Narconon is not a 12-Step program. It is something different in the world of addiction recovery. At Narconon, the goal is to help a person recover the abilities they lost during addiction and to become even stronger than before.

If you are looking for help for someone who is struggling with addiction, learn about the Narconon program. Call today for a confidential conversation and get your questions answered.