There is a continuing debate in the United States about the use of Cannabis as a medicine and its status legally. A study recently published in the Archives of General Psychiatry may present evidence to help those wishing to keep Cannabis off the streets.

Analyzing the literature and studies from around the world, Matthew Large and others found that there was a statistical correlation between the use of Cannabis and an earlier onset of psychosis.

They found that on average, the onset of psychosis for those that used Cannabis happened 2.7 years earlier versus those that did not use Cannabis. They also found that those that could be categorized as broadly abusing substances experienced an onset of psychosis 2 years earlier than non-substance abusers.

Though they were clear to point out that Cannabis use does not necessarily cause psychosis, they did find that the aggregate studies showed that there was a causal relationship for some users.

The meta-study did not cover any of the medicinal uses of Cannabis but the conclusions could help anti-marijuana groups fighting to ensure that the substance continues to be banned.

Source: Cannabis Use and Earlier Onset of Psychosis, Archive of General Psychiatry, June 2011.

Marijuana Rehab Solutions

There is a stipulation that marijuana doesn’t affect users in an addictive manner like other drugs. While this is partially true, there are many people who find themselves needing to smoke the drug to function normally. This is because there are chemicals in the drug that produce a feeling of calmness and serenity. Of course people could find these side-effects appealing and even a little addictive. If it makes us feel good, it can become addictive, same as any other drug out there. Marijuana rehab is just as important as any other rehab.

THC is the main element in marijuana that causes the brain to feel the need for the drug. Withdrawal symptoms during detox in marijuana rehab are far less serious than other drugs. Sometimes, in patient rehab is needed, but with a good support system, outpatient rehab and counseling can help someone overcome their addiction. Speaking to a health professional will be the best way to determine which path is right for you.

Find out About Marijuana Rehab

If you or someone you care about needs help and is looking for a marijuana rehab clinic in the area, the internet is a good place to get answers. Also, talk to your doctor about possible courses of treatment. Physicians will know of places to recommend patients if they are seeking treatment. All of these places are confidential and you can keep your desired level of privacy while getting the help you need. Marijuana use is not a joke. It can be habit forming and it can destroy your life. The health risks are very real too. Smoking pot can lead to heart, lung and brain function problems. If treated early enough, these problems will remedy themselves; it’s very similar to stopping smoking of cigarettes. Start as soon as possible and contact a marijuana rehab center.

Form 4E

Boredom Management

Optional Exercise

For many people who use marijuana, boredom is a trigger to smoke. Sometimes it is boredom associated with a tedious or uninteresting job. Perhaps it is a way to fill weekday evening hours after dinner but before bedtime. At other times, getting stoned is a way to spend a weekend when nothing else has been planned.

Boredom is a complex and interesting emotion. Many different feelings may be associated with it. For instance, boredom may be accompanied by anxiety, apathy, irritability, or lethargy. It’s not a really strong emotion; it just kind of nags at you. It can sneak up because it’s hard to identify.

Discussing boredom and how to handle it can make you aware of its influence on your behavior and prepare you to cope with it.

A Boring Story

Jan was in her mid-30s when she began to think she needed to quit smoking pot. Sometimes she enjoyed it, but after 15 years of regular use Jan was unhappy with herself for smoking so much marijuana. She began every day with a hit and smoked every hour or two throughout the day.

Several times in the past few years she had tried to cut back to smoking just in the evenings and on weekends. A few times she kept to her limits, but inevitably she’d inch her way back up. When she thought about it, she recognized that she slipped back to getting stoned because she couldn’t handle the boredom she felt when she was straight. Her job wasn’t stimulating; she was a receptionist in a travel agency. When she tried to get through a day without smoking, the tedium of her job got to her.

Now as she thought about quitting pot completely, she couldn’t imagine how she’d cope with being bored at work. On top of that, she was sure that the evenings and weekends would be miserable if she didn’t get high. Being bored was torture for Jan. Boredom was an endless emptiness and an inner void, with unpleasant restlessness and anxiety. She wondered whether she had a chance of quitting marijuana.

Jan lived by herself and liked it that way. She had two close friends and worried about how these friendships would be affected if she stopped getting high. She feared that her being straight would alienate at least one friend. With fewer friends, boredom would be even worse!

1. What does boredom feel like to you?

2. Is it always a miserable experience?

3. What makes boredom so uncomfortable?

4. How would you cope with being bored if you were Jan?

Link Negative Moods and Marijuana Use

The counselor explores the relationship between marijuana smoking and the experience of negative moods and the role of automatic thoughts:

Shirley (S): I miss smoking pot when I’m overwhelmed by bad feelings. I felt better after getting high.

C: Smoking helped you cope with your negative mood.

S: Yeah, but I would get depressed again when I came down from the high.

C: What works for you in the short term causes other problems later.

S: Yeah.

C: Today we’ve reviewed ways to cope with negative thoughts. You said getting up and moving around helps. Researchers have found that often the negative feelings don’t just happen. That is, they don’t come from nowhere. In fact, negative feelings may be related to the way we think about things or the way we interpret situations. Thinking Errors That Dampen One’s Mood lists types of thoughts that increase the chances of feeling depressed. We call them cognitive distortions because they don’t reflect what’s going on but are based on an interpretation of events. Let’s look at automatic thought patterns you have that lead to depression.

Terminate Treatment

If this is the final treatment session with this client, the counselor discusses termination issues

Current Findings About Marijuana Use

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States (Clark et al. 2002; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2003). According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 14.6 million people ages 12 and older had smoked marijuana in the preceding month (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

2004). It is estimated that approximately 4.3 million people used marijuana at levels consistent with abuse or dependence in the past year. Given that it is an illicit substance, any use of marijuana carries with it some significant risks. However, this document focuses on people who use marijuana heavily or are dependent on it. This treatment manual is directed primarily at these persons but may be useful for other persons with substance abuse or substance use disorders.

Studies have demonstrated that tolerance and withdrawal develop with daily use of large doses of marijuana or THC (Haney et al. 1999a; Jones and Benowitz 1976; Kouri and Pope 2000). About 15 percent of people who acknowledge moderate-to-heavy use reported a withdrawal syndrome with symptoms of nervousness, sleep disturbance, and appetite change (Wiesbeck et al. 1996).

Many adults who are marijuana dependent report affective (i.e., mood) symptoms and craving during periods of abstinence when they present for treatment (Budney et al. 1999). The contribution of physical dependence to chronic marijuana use is not yet clear, but the existence of a dependence syndrome is fairly certain. An Epidemiological Catchment Area study conducted in Baltimore found that 6 percent of people who used marijuana met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association 1994), criteria for dependence and 7 percent met DSM-IV criteria for substance abuse (Rosenberg and Anthony 2001). Coffey and colleagues (2002) found that persons who use marijuana more than once a week are at significant risk for dependence. In the 1990s, the number of people who sought treatment for marijuana dependence more than doubled (Budney et al. 2001). Therefore, a large group of adults who smoke marijuana is dependent and may need and benefit from treatment.

Surveys of people using marijuana who are not in treatment consistently show that a majority report impairment of memory, concentration, motivation, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, health, employment, or finances related to their heavy marijuana use (Haas and Hendin 1987; Rainone et al. 1987; Roffman and Barnhart 1987; Solowij 1998). Similar marijuana-related consequences are seen among those seeking treatment for their marijuana use (Budney et al. 1998; Stephens et al. 1994b, 2000). People using marijuana who participated in previous treatment studies averaged more than 10 years of near-daily use and more than six serious attempts to quit (Stephens et al. 1994b, 2000). These individuals had persisted in their use despite multiple forms of impairment (i.e., social, psychological, physical), and most perceived themselves as unable to stop.

During the past decade evidence has emerged that a variety of problems are associated with chronic marijuana use. Although the severity of these problems appears to be less than that of problems caused by other drugs and alcohol, the large number of people using who may have these problems raises the possibility of a significant public health problem. Like those who use other mood-altering substances, many individuals who use marijuana chronically perceive the problems to be severe enough to warrant treatment.

The results of earlier studies on treatments for marijuana problems indicated that some adults who used marijuana responded well to several types of interventions, such as cognitive behavioral, motivational enhancement, and voucher-based treatments (Budney et al. 2000; Stephens et al. 1994b, 2000). Relapse rates following treatment were similar to those for other drugs of abuse and, as found with other types of substance abuse treatment, improvements in drug use were accompanied by other positive gains, including improvements in dependence symptoms, problems related to marijuana use, and anxiety symptoms. However, the generalizability of the treatment findings appeared to be limited by the predominantly white, male, and socioeconomically stable (i.e., educated and employed) characteristics of the samples. Therefore, the results of these studies may be limited to this fairly homogeneous group of people who are marijuana users.