Did you know that marijuana is the second most popular drug in the United States? According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana use disorder is one of the most prominent mind-altering drugs. And for teens, the statistics are even more startling. SAMHSA reports that 3.1 million teens between 12 and 17 used marijuana, and 11.8 million aged 18 to 25 have also used it in the past year. If your teen consistently smokes weed, seek marijuana addiction treatment in Southern California to help them fight their disorder.
Is Weed Addictive?
The short answer is yes. An estimated 30% of marijuana users have a substance disorder. According to the American Psychiatric Association, marijuana disorder can interfere with a smoker’s life and ability to meet their responsibilities. If left untreated, a marijuana disorder has the power to:
- Interrupt a teen’s academic performance
- Hinder their ability to participate in extracurricular activities
- Impact teens’ ability to achieve their life goals
What makes marijuana addictive is the potency of the ingredients included. The main ingredient, THC, has to be frequently ingested for users to have a marijuana use disorder. Once this happens, smokers’ tolerance of marijuana will increase. They will need more to get and remain high.
What Are Signs of Weed Addiction?
Like other mind-altering drugs, marijuana users can create a dependency that can be relieved with treatment. However, people must recognize the signs and symptoms of marijuana addiction. Teens with a marijuana use disorder will often:
- Have strong cravings to smoke
- Poor performance at school or in extracurricular activities
- Quitting or missing activities to smoke
- Driving under the influence
- Conflicts with peers and family
While these signs of addiction might not be as glaring, physical symptoms associated with weed addiction are much more apparent. These signs include:
- Appearing restless
- Chills
- Cravings
- Headaches
- Irritable behavior
- Loss of appetite
- Sleeplessness
- Sweating
In addition to the behavioral and physical signs of marijuana use, there are also psychological signs of weed addiction. These signs of addiction include anxiety and depression.
Get Help with Marijuana Addiction at Destinations for Teens
Recognizing that marijuana is indeed a drug that can lead to addiction is half the battle. Teens need to realize that using any mind-altering drug comes with a series of consequences. For some, it could be poor performance in school, but for others, it could be making dangerous decisions or, even worse—leading to experimentation with other drugs. Being addicted to weed is no walk in the park. With a marijuana use disorder, you will have many withdrawal symptoms that often leave you feeling weak and out of control. A sign of marijuana’s addictive behavior is never something to avoid. Instead, it is time for help. At Destinations for Teens, we offer many options to support teens needing marijuana addiction treatment. We offer:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Family therapy
- Group therapy
- Residential treatment
- Outpatient treatment
- Teen partial hospitalization program
In all of our treatment programs, we focus on connecting families with their teens. For young adults with weed addiction, we work hard to help improve their understanding of their emotional struggles and traumas so that they can remain in recovery.
Start Weed Addiction Treatment Today
Weed addiction might seem harmless, but it is not. Never believe that any addiction will not come with a set of consequences that will not be easy to manage. An addiction to marijuana will mean that you are damaging your future prospects and hurting your life. Always remember that getting high is never a great long-term solution. Instead, it will only patch your feelings temporarily. Contact Destinations for Teens 877.466.0620 for more information concerning our marijuana addiction treatment programs.