Rehab is the most effective way to quit addiction. But in Australia, it can be expensive. In this blog, we will discuss the cost of rehab in Australia and suggest affordable alternatives.
Is weed addictive?
YES, weed is highly addictive, and it can cause severe long-term health issues such as heart problems, cancer, sleep disorders, and depression.
If you’re smoking weed every day, find it difficult to cut down or quit, or are experiencing negative physical or emotional side effects from smoking, then it could be a major problem with severe long-term health consequences.
Marijuana addiction is becoming a major issue here in Australia, because people aren’t aware of just how bad it is.
Chronic pot use can affect your mood, motivation, and risk for developing addictions to other substances. It can even affect your DNA.
In this article, we will cover important facts you need to know about marijuana addiction, how to tell if you are addicted, and what you can do if you or a loved one suffers from this condition. We will also share some alarming statistics about cannabis use in Australia and how it’s affecting our youth.
Important Note From The Cabin: This article on marijuana addiction might sound bleak, but it’s important to know that addiction can be treated, and you can make a full recovery. We will cover treatment options at the end of this guide.
What is Marijuana Addiction?
Marijuana addiction, officially known as cannabis use disorder (CUD), is defined as the inability to stop smoking marijuana despite negative consequences to your physical, mental, and social health.
These consequences may include anxiety, depression, physical cravings, financial struggles, breathing problems, or reduced performance at work.
People who are addicted to marijuana often want to stop, but they cannot control their usage of the drug. This compulsive need to keep taking the substance is a clear indicator of addiction.
The cravings force you to keep taking the substance because the desire to keep smoking is extraordinarily strong AND the consequences of not taking it (i.e., withdrawals) are too intense.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s page on Alcohol, Tobacco, & Other Drugs in Australia, cannabis was the third most common drug of concern in Australia in 2022-2023 (17% of drug treatment episodes were due to cannabis).
What Are The Signs That I’m Addicted to Weed?
We get a lot of inquiries from Australians asking us about their or their loved one’s marijuana usage.
“Is smoking weed every day a problem?”
“Is weed addictive”?
“My son can’t stop smoking. Is he an addict?”
The truth is that it all depends. If you smoke daily, then it’s most likely an issue. However, it depends on other negative consequences that come along with it.
If you or your loved one are exhibiting any of the following signs of marijuana addiction, we suggest reaching out for a free addiction consultation with one of our counsellors.
The signs of marijuana addiction are:
Behavioural Signs
- Declining performance at work or school
- Lying about where they are or what they’re doing
- Talking about quitting or reducing their cannabis usage but being unable to do so
- Using even when it’s dangerous, such as when driving a vehicle or in a prohibited location
- Needing to smoke several times per day or needing to smoke to “function”
Physical Signs
- Constant, unexplained fatigue
- Bloodshot eyes
- Impaired balance
- Lack of self-care such as grooming
- Poor coordination
Mental Signs
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Problems concentrating or focusing
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Paranoia and schizophrenia
The Centers for Disease Control reports on its page Cannabis And Mental Health that people who use cannabis are more likely to develop long-lasting mental disorders including schizophrenia, and that the association between cannabis and schizophrenia is stronger in people who start using cannabis at an earlier age or more frequently.
If you’re struggling to quit smoking marijuana and noticing one or more of these health effects, then chances are you have developed an addiction to weed.
Is Smoking Up
Slowing you Down?
What Are The Long-Term Health Effects of Smoking Cannabis?
There’s a casual attitude towards marijuana in our country. It’s often praised as a harmless drug or “safe alternative” to alcohol or harder drugs.
While it’s true that alcohol might be “more dangerous”, that doesn’t mean there aren’t severe, potentially fatal consequences to smoking bud.
Here are just a few of the issues that marijuana addiction can cause:
- Impaired Cognitive Function: Long-term cannabis users show loss of their brain’s grey matter, the area responsible for decision-making and emotional processing. This eventually leads to impulse control issues and mood disorders.
- Brain Damage: Smoking pot increases risks for brain damage from marijuana use. In 2014, Harvard University found that those who smoked marijuana recreationally had notable brain abnormalities compared to those who did not smoke pot. This was especially true for users smoking high-potency strains, which often have up to 15 times the THC levels of ‘normal’ mid-grade weed.
- Psychiatric Issues: According to the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Several studies have linked marijuana use to increased risk for psychiatric disorders, including psychosis (schizophrenia), depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.”
- Cardiovascular Issues: According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association entitled Association of Cannabis Use With Cardiovascular Outcomes Among US Adults by Jeffers, Abra M. et al. “Cannabis use is associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, with higher odds of events associated with more days of use per month, controlling for demographic factors and tobacco smoking.”
- Respiratory Issues: Cannabis has many of the same toxins and carcinogens as tobacco. The Centers for Disease Control’s page on Cannabis And Lung Health states that “Smoked cannabis, regardless of how it is smoked, can harm lung tissues and cause scarring and damage to small blood vessels”.
- Gene Mutation: New research by The University of Western Australia also shows that cannabis use has been linked to gene mutation. Associate Professor Stuart Reece of UWA’s School of Psychiatry and Clinical Sciences says: “Through our research, we found that cancers and illnesses were likely caused by cell mutations resulting from cannabis properties having a chemical interaction with a person’s DNA.” This means that even if you do not display significant changes within your lifetime, altered genes that increase exposure to serious illnesses can be passed on to your children and future generations.
- It’s a Gateway to Other Disorders: People with marijuana dependence are at greater risk of developing other substance use issues, particularly alcohol. This is why weed is often called “a gateway drug”. One study from Columbia University found that adults who used marijuana were five times more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder than those who didn’t.
What Are My Treatment Options if I’m Addicted to Marijuana?
Marijuana addiction is a serious matter, despite our relaxed attitudes toward it Down Under.
Thankfully, it’s treatable. And if you’re here on this page now, that’s a major first step towards living a better life free of the chains of pot addiction. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may only need a few simple visits to a counsellor in order to break the cycle.
Here at our treatment facility in Sydney, we help Australians suffering from marijuana dependence make full recoveries with a few different options.
Typical marijuana addiction treatment options are:
Detoxification
Marijuana detoxification is the process of eliminating THC, the active compound in marijuana, from the body. This treatment typically involves a combination of hydration, nutrition, exercise, and medication to help the addict rid themselves of THC in a safe, controlled manner.
Cessation of marijuana usually induces withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, insomnia, and decreased appetite. Detox helps by easing these symptoms, making the transition to sobriety more manageable.
We recommend detoxification for heavy users who may struggle with withdrawal symptoms when they stop using marijuana.
Behavioural Therapies
Behavioural therapies for marijuana addiction such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), contingency management therapy (CM), support groups, and mindfulness-based techniques help transform your way of thinking about the drug.
You’ll learn healthy coping mechanisms, gain positive reinforcement, improve family communication, and get to the root of why you’re using it in the first place. It’s less about “quitting the drug” and more about changing your way of thinking so you don’t even want to use anymore.
The majority of our patients claim that the #1 benefit of therapy is learning tools to manage stress, anxiety, and depression – which are normally their triggers for smoking weed in the first place.
Research has shown that CBT for cannabis use not only helps you quit, it also helps drastically improve your mental health by reducing anxiety and other related mental health conditions.
One study published in the National Institutes of Health from June, 2022 entitled Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for Cannabis Use Cessation in First-Episode Psychosis Patients studied 65 cannabis-addicted patients and found this:
“The CBT-CC group had a greater decrease in cannabis use severity and positive psychotic symptoms over time, and a greater improvement in functioning at post-treatment than TAU (treatment as usual). The treatment response was also faster in the CBT-CC group, reducing cannabis use, anxiety, positive and general psychotic symptoms, and improving functioning earlier than TAU in the follow-up.”
Further Reading: If you’re using marijuana to cope with anxiety, read our guide on how to heal a dysregulated nervous system to learn healthier coping techniques for dealing with stress and anxiety.
Medication-Assisted Therapy
Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) for marijuana addiction is an approach that combines behavioural therapy with medications to help you overcome dependence. It’s the middle ground between detox and therapy for addiction treatment.
MAT involves using medications that ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings while also focusing on the mental health and well-being of the addict.
For example, an individual struggling with intense anxiety and insomnia during marijuana withdrawal might be prescribed a medication like gabapentin, which helps calm the nervous system and improve sleep quality.
The benefits of MAT include:
- Reduced cravings, making it easier to focus on recovery.
- Alleviation of withdrawal symptoms, providing comfort during detox.
- Enhanced effectiveness of behavioural therapies.
Typical medications you could be prescribed include antidepressants to manage mood swings, anti-anxiety medications to reduce stress, and sleep aids to address insomnia.
Here at the Cabin, we tailor MAT to your unique needs, offering a supportive and comprehensive approach to help you regain control and move forward in recovery.
End the Cycle of Weed Addiction
Start Your Journey to Recovery with The Cabin Today!
Weed Addiction Stories And Australia’s Hidden Addiction
So just how many Australians are bud smokers?
A national 2010 survey found that 750,000 Aussies smoke every week, and roughly two-thirds of 20 – 29-year-olds have tried it at least once. More than half of those who smoked regularly said they had difficulty controlling how often they used cannabis – an indicator of addiction.
Stat: 200,000 Australians are believed to suffer from marijuana addiction. This just one the alarming reasons that Australia is considered the world’s #1 country for drug abusers.
Former cannabis addict Jason Hameister said he first started smoking weed to deal with his anxiety without having to deal with it head-on. “For a long time, I thought ‘tough men don’t talk about their emotions. I should be a tough, masculine bloke who doesn’t cry or feel those emotions’,” he recalls.
“But you need to speak about it and let it out,” he said. What he initially thought was a harmless pastime soon turned into 50 cones a day, a habit that cost him around $600 monthly.
Not to mention that his whole life came to revolve around the drug. “I’d become dependent on it and it quickly became overused to a point where I would manipulate my day so I could smoke as much as I could,” he said. Hameister has since quit smoking weed and is now training for the New York City Marathon.
He credits his decision with changing his life.
How Can The Cabin Rehab Centre Help?
The Cabin Sydney offers effective cannabis addiction treatment in a convenient outpatient setting. Sessions can be booked around work and social obligations, so as not to disrupt the client’s everyday life. We also understand that drug addiction treatment is of a personal nature, and all of our programmes are completely discreet. Contact us today for your free consultation.
Marijuana Addiction F.A.Q
Is Smoking Weed Every Day an Addiction?
Yes, needing to smoke weed every day is a clear sign of addiction. If you rely on marijuana to cope with stress, anxiety, or other emotional issues, or if you’ve noticed a need to consume more to achieve the same effects, these are potential red flags of addiction.
Is Marijuana Addictive?
Yes, marijuana is addictive. In fact, it’s estimated that 200,000 Australians are addicted to weed based on government statistics. When you use marijuana, the active compound THC interacts with the brain’s endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in regulating mood, memory, and pleasure. THC stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. Over time, with repeated use, the brain begins to rely on the external supply of THC to release dopamine, rather than producing it naturally.
Is Marijuana Addiction Worse Than Drug Addiction?
It’s impossible to say which type of drug addiction is worse than the other. It depends on the negative consequences that arise due to the addiction. If you’re struggling with marijuana, drug, alcohol, or behavioural addictions, contact our counsellors in Sydney for a free consultation on how to break the negative cycle and live a better life.