How to stop smoking joints? 5 tips from a specialist

Cannabis is the most widely used and consumed illegal drug worldwide. And while an important part of society has condemned the consumption of this substance as something very dangerous (the war on drugs), another sector of society has idealized cannabis as a harmless substance with powers quasi-magical.

However, no one with two fingers of a brain can deny that the excessive and uncontrolled use of cannabis has caused problems for so many people.

In this article I tell you 5 basic pillars to overcome the addiction to marijuana.

• Related article: "5 excuses for cannabis smokers not to quit"

5 tips to overcome joint addiction

Follow these guidelines to leave your cannabis addiction behind.

1. Write down your reasons for wanting to quit the joints

Lots of people are surprised when they try to quit suddenly and can't last two days. The reason is usually that the person has not spent the time necessary to visualize their goal, or why they really want to make the effort to break a habit that they have had for years.

The greatest difficulty in overcoming any addiction is usually changing the perception of the addictive substance or activity. If the person continues to long for the use and thinks that quitting smoking joints is "a waste", it will be much easier for them to relapse into the drug.

Grab a piece of paper and take some time to write down your reasons for wanting to quit marijuana.

2. Create a healthy lifestyle (exercise and diet)

The human being is not reduced only to his desires and objectives, how we treat our body is very important. If a person does not eat properly and leads a very sedentary life (little or no physical exercise), they will feel less energetic and less willing to do things. In addition, due to the lack of nutrients and the poor state of the body, the person's mind will not function at full capacity either.

A person who eats poorly and does not exercise is much more likely to develop psychological problems or not to overcome those that they already have (such as cannabis addiction).

The decision to quit marijuana must be accompanied by comprehensive lifestyle changes of the person. Otherwise, the chances of relapse will be very high.

Make a list of healthy changes that you want to bring into your life, and begin to integrate them into your day to day little by little.

• You may be interested in: "The 4 lies that do not allow you to quit smoking"

3. Get away from your past "stoner"

The moment a person decides to stop using marijuana, it is important that they make other changes that are consistent with her new lifestyle.

Many people who go to therapy to quit cannabis end up realizing that they have a series of "toxic friends", people with whom they are not able to enjoy if they are not "high". So, when they decide to give up the joints, these people no longer contribute anything to them in life, and it is not worth it to continue with the contact.

Also, hanging out or spending time with people who regularly smoke joints greatly increases the chances of relapse. It is a matter of taking stock and choosing new priorities.

Another issue is that of marijuana-related paraphernalia and merchandising. T-shirts, sweatshirts, pipes, grinders... constant reminders of marijuana use, which are not worth sticking to after someone has made the decision to change their life.

Make a list of people or things that you no longer need in your life if you are not going to continue smoking joints.

4. Solve your emotional dependence on joints

When we work with addictions, we must never ignore the fact that any substance use will be intrinsically motivated by the desire to escape from unpleasant emotions and situations.

Stress, frustration, boredom, sadness... Inadvertently, joint users get used to smoking every time they feel unpleasant emotions that they don't really know how to deal with. Hence the importance of working closely with an addiction psychologist.

The person must learn to deal with these unpleasant emotions in different ways, learn new strategies to deal with difficult life situations, doing other things to relax or feel enjoyment, which at the same time are consistent with a new style of healthy life.

The physical dependence will disappear after you go a few weeks without smoking joints, but emotional dependence on experiences and memories with marijuana will be a risk for many more years, if you do not learn to work it.

The vast majority of people who fail to put down their joints is precisely because they have tried to skip this step.

5. Seek help from an addiction specialist

I am a psychologist specializing in addictions, and I've been helping people banish drugs from their lives for years. If you or someone close to you is having joint problems, contact me. You can see more information about how I work, and my contact details, in my profile.