5 steps to getting hooked on cannabis

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the world. And due in part to the results of many investigations, which attribute beneficial effects to some of its active principles.

Also partly because of this, there are more and more people who smoke cannabis who are not aware of the risks of abusive use. We would say that these people have little or no risk awareness of the substance.

In this article, you will discover the phases many people go through, from low-risk recreational use to addictive behavior with serious consequences for the person's life.

• Related article: "Can Cannabis Use Help You Overcome Anxiety?"

The 5 phases of developing a marijuana addiction problem

Using life as a couple as a metaphor, the process of developing an addictive behavior problem with marijuana can be explained (and with any other drug).

1. Infatuation

In this first phase, the person comes into contact with the joints for the first time. It probably starts with small consumptions, mostly motivated by curiosity, or perhaps by social pressure from a group of friends.

In either case, the person experiments with cannabis use. In this phase, with very small doses, more intense effects of marijuana and its active principles are usually experienced.. So users who enjoy it in the first few takes, are more likely to continue consuming it.

Most people who have problems or unpleasant episodes on their first use (for example, an episode of paranoia and anguish), they stop using at that moment, and are much less likely to resume in the future, at least in a habitual.

The person will begin to associate marijuana use with positive experiences, such as the company of friends, laughter, or escaping from daily worries for a while. This detail is key, as it explains why many people develop a strong psychological dependence on cannabis.

In the infatuation phase the foundations of the person's future “relationship” with cannabis will be forged, expectations and a desire to use again with increasing frequency will be generated.

2. Honeymoon

In this phase, the person enjoys their use of marijuana a lot, and has somehow become "engaged", as if it were a couple.

The most characteristic of this phase is that the person only perceives the positive effects of consumption, fun, relaxation ... But he does not see the rest of the problems that can result from excess.

In this phase the person has begun to consume much more regularly, even increasing the amounts. In his mind, everything about marijuana is good, and he does not imagine that he will have problems in the future.

3. First problems (denial and self-deception)

After a while consuming, the person begins to develop tolerance towards THC and the rest of the active principles of cannabis. This means that, due to its high and frequent consumption, the body has adapted, and increasing doses are needed to feel the same effects as before.

By increasing your use, you also increase your chances of experiencing the less-desired negative effects of cannabis:

• Memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Psychotic symptoms
• Anxiety and irritability
• Insomnia
• Etc

In this phase, the person also you will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms and psychological dependence towards marijuana. The very idea of ​​going several hours or days without smoking joints causes discomfort or even terror.

Here, marijuana is not only smoked as an escape route from daily problems, but to try to avoid the unpleasant effects of excess marijuana or withdrawal syndrome.

It is a downhill spiral. And denial of the problem will only make things worse in the long run.

4. Escalation of consumption and attempts to compensate

The consumer remembers the good times of the honeymoon phase, and fantasizes about re-enjoying all the benefits of marijuana use.

In this phase, many people fall into self-deception. They try to solve the cognitive dissonance by convincing themselves that the problems derived from consumption are simply bad luck, and that they are not the result of uncontrolled smoking joints.

In addition, they will begin to intensify their consumption. Here a dangerous phenomenon occurs: overcompensation.

In their attempts to “compensate” for the negative effects of abusive use, the person smokes more and more.. The escalation of consumption tries to compensate for the tolerance developed, and far from solving the problem, it aggravates it.

• You may be interested in: "How to stop smoking joints? 5 tips from a specialist "

5. Crisis and divorce

This is the phase in which, often with outside help, the person will realize the toxicity of their marijuana use, and will begin to consider alternatives to quit, or at least limit consumption.

The person has become aware that he has been smoking too much, and that if he wants to go back to enjoying his life in a normal way, he will have to fight to overcome the addiction and rebuild his life.

At that point, the person may try to put the joints down on their own. Some people will succeed, others will relapse into use and suffer frustration and a sense of failure, in addition to the false belief that "they cannot live without marijuana."

The time has come to ask for help.

Do you need help to quit marijuana?

I am Luis Miguel Real, I am a psychologist and I specialize in the treatment of addictive behavior problems. Do you want to quit the joints and don't know how to start? Get in touch with me, and we'll get to work immediately for online therapy.