How to Deal with Marijuana Withdrawal
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, marijuana is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States. Some 48 million people, or about 18% of all Americans, used marijuana at least once in 2019. Because of its popularity, legal status in an increasing number of states, and the fact that its use lacks the same stigma of harder drugs like opioids or heroin, it may not surprise you that about three in 10 people who use the drug have a marijuana use disorder.
For habitual marijuana users, quitting the drug may not be as easy as it seems. And as the more than 300,000 people who enter treatment each year for marijuana use disorders can attest, marijuana withdrawal is real. If you or a loved one are concerned about the effects of quitting marijuana, you’ll want to keep reading as we go into detail about dealing with marijuana withdrawal.
What is Marijuana Withdrawal?
Marijuana withdrawal is the physical response felt by marijuana users when they stop using the drug. It’s important to note that not every person who uses marijuana will experience withdrawal. Generally speaking, it takes abruptly stopping after continued and regular use of marijuana — which often can manifest into a marijuana use disorder — before one is presented with the symptoms of marijuana withdrawal.
Anyone is susceptible to marijuana withdrawal after regular use, though preliminary research does show that women may encounter a greater number of withdrawal symptoms of higher intensity than men. Additionally, people who begin using marijuana before age 18 are much more likely to develop marijuana use disorder, which, in turn, increases their likelihood of experiencing withdrawal upon quitting.
In a Duke University study consisting of nearly 500 adult marijuana smokers who attempted to quit, 95.5% said they exhibited at least one symptom, while 43.1% had more than one.
Why Does Marijuana Withdrawal Occur?
Marijuana is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant and is composed of different cannabinoids, terpenes, and other elements. The cannabinoid responsible for the mind-altering sensation felt during marijuana use is called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. The more THC in marijuana, the stronger the drug’s effect on the brain.
When someone regularly uses marijuana, they are sending a steady stream of THC to the brain, and the brain becomes dependent on this stream. When that steady stream abruptly ends, the body recognizes the loss and responds with uncomfortable physical and psychological symptoms (more on those next). In some cases, withdrawal symptoms can be so debilitating that people will return to using marijuana because they believe it’s the only way to feel relief.
One of the factors that may be contributing to the increasing numbers in marijuana use disorder and withdrawal is the gradual rise in the drug’s potency. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the levels of THC content found in confiscated samples of marijuana over the last few decades have steadily climbed. Samples in the early 1990s had less than 4% THC, while comparable samples in 2018 were at more than 15%. There’s reason to believe that this higher concentration of THC could lead to worse consequences in today’s marijuana users — particularly those that are newer users who aren’t experienced enough to adjust how much they consume the drug.
What are the Symptoms of Marijuana Withdrawal?
There are a variety of symptoms commonly associated with marijuana withdrawal, including:
- Irritability
- Anger
- Problems sleeping
- Strange and unusual dreams
- Anxiety or restlessness
- Depression
- Decrease in appetite
- Cravings for marijuana
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Sweats and chills
We should also mention that some of these symptoms can work in tandem. For example, added anxiety can cause depression, and a decrease in appetite may result in stomach pain.
How Long Does Marijuana Withdrawal Last?
In most cases, there’s a consistent timeline for marijuana withdrawal. Within the first week of quitting, users can expect to experience peak withdrawal symptoms that impact their mood or physical condition.
While these physical symptoms typically last up to two weeks, the psychological symptoms are prone to last longer. Research shows that it can take up to four weeks after discontinuing marijuana use for cannabinoid 1 brain receptors to regain normal functioning. Also, the urge to use marijuana may return long after quitting for people who put themselves in similar situations that they were in while using the drug.
How Do You Treat Marijuana Withdrawal?
Many variables involved with the treatment of marijuana withdrawal exist, including how long the person has been using the drug and if there are any comorbid disorders (addiction to other substances), which commonly occur.
While there’s no way to entirely avoid withdrawal symptoms for someone who has been a long-time marijuana user, there are some actions that can be taken to ease the discomfort that usually appears at the onset of withdrawal. Prior to stopping marijuana use, be sure to stay hydrated by drinking an abundance of water. Additionally, it’s important to fuel the body with healthy foods and skip fried or sugar-loaded foods and soft drinks that make you feel irritable or listless. You may also be able to remove unwanted toxins by staying active and exercising at least 30 minutes each day.
Ultimately, it’s best to seek help to treat the drug abuse and not just the withdrawal symptoms. There are both inpatient and outpatient programs that offer varying levels of structure, individual and group cognitive behavioral therapy, and coping mechanisms to help people struggling with marijuana use disorder and withdrawal.
Midwest Recovery Centers Can Help with Marijuana Withdrawal
At Midwest Recovery Centers, we provide people seeking out help from substance use and abuse with a residential detoxification center so that they may break free from addiction and rid their bodies of harmful substances safely. Individuals in this program receive 24/7 medically supervised care and support in a facility designed for client safety and comfort.
We also offer a treatment program geared specifically for marijuana addiction that includes experiential group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, 12-step integration, and more. Contact Midwest Recovery Centers today to start the recovery process.
Reviewed and Assessed by
Taylor Brown, B.A.Com., MAADC II
Tim Coleman, M. of Ed.
Start Your Recovery Now!
Have A Midwest Recovery Centers' Team Member Call You Today.
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Medical
Midwest Recovery Centers believes strongly in a client-centered approach. Substance Use Disorder is not what it was 5 or even 2 years ago. The substances on the street are constantly changing and so are the number of contraindications and fatal threats that substance use imposes on the person suffering. Our Medical team continues to stay up to speed with new advances of evidence-based approaches in treating those with both substance use disorder as well as their co-occurring mental health diagnosis. There are many varying pieces to each client’s situation when it comes to tackling the puzzle of a medical detox, and each step in the treatment planning is carefully selected, reviewed, and communicated for the best possible outcome of each client. We understand that consideration of the medical history, family history, past trauma, past and current substance use are all key indicators to most effectively give each client the best chance at developing a recovery process. Each client may present with a different scope of medical needs whether it’s their blood work or the most effective medications for them. Midwest Recovery Centers is proud to have the finest medical team to meet these individual and specific needs of each client that walks through our doors.
Clinical
When it comes to the therapeutic treatment of patients with substance use disorder, Midwest Recovery Centers believes in a client-centered approach guided by evidence-based practices. Substance use disorder has been identified by the American Medical Association as a disease, but because addiction is a disease that impacts behavior, treatment of this disease is often heavily focused on modifying behaviors and thoughts as well as establishing a new way of life. We place a strong emphasis on educating patients about this chronic illness and empowering them to practice treating it as such. Our clinical team is composed of leading experts in the field. We believe in having a staff as diverse as the clients we serve; from Licensed Professional Counselors to Licensed Clinical Social Workers, our staff is highly trained and educated in not only addiction but the mental health issues and life circumstances that often accompany it. Many of our clinicians have their own personal experience in long term recovery which lends them to an even better understanding of what our patients are experiencing. Our staff is highly skilled in choosing the most effective therapeutic modality for each client’s needs, to give them the best chance of securing the recovery process that will change their lives. Our clinical team understands that this is a family disease. This is why clinicians will offer weekly updates to families as well as concrete tools for families to utilize as they journey through this illness with their loved one. Those tools will be offered by the patient’s individual clinician as well as at our free Family Night on the first Wednesday of each month, offered to anyone in the community.
Our Origin Story
I began Midwest Recovery in honor of my mother, Betty Lou Wallace, who taught me responsibility in life and sobriety.
Mom was born, raised, and lived most of her life in Missouri, a state I'm still proud to call home. She had five children. The youngest were my older brother Don and me.
We knew that the disease of addiction ran in the family, but it wasn't until Don and I grew older that we realized we were falling into addictive patterns. Through it all, Mom was supportive of her children but firm about one principle: whether the disease was inherited or developed through your environment, you were responsible for your recovery from addiction.
"I will be supportive of your recovery but I will not enable your addiction," she was fond of saying.
Ultimately, I stayed sober from 1990 to 1997, when I relapsed. With Mom's support, I was able to get sober again in 2002. Tragically, Don was not so lucky. He passed away in 2005 from complications of an injury and continued addiction.
Mom wanted no parent to suffer from the sorrow and anguish of losing a child, so in 2002, she helped me establish my first treatment center business.
As Mom grew older, she shared with me some lessons she had learned through her affiliation with Al-Anon, a support group for family members of loved ones struggling with addiction. She asked me to stay clean and sober one day at a time and to use the lessons I learned in my own recovery to help others who were suffering.
In 2008, Mom passed away from throat cancer, one day after my six year sober anniversary. I still remember that one of the last times we spoke, she told me she was proud of my recovery.
Mom would be so happy to know that myself, our partners, and our team are carrying on her legacy in her home state. I don't know if my own recovery process would be intact without her and the lessons she shared. So much of what we share with our clients at Midwest began with Betty Lou.
Above all, Mom imparted several teachings that I carry with me every day: that people are inherently good, and if they fall into addiction, this makes them sick, not bad. She taught me to be patient, tolerant, loving, and kind to myself and to others.
Most of all, she taught me that recovery works if we are able to be honest with ourselves about our own behavior. That’s what she helped me accomplish and that’s what we strive to accomplish with every Midwest client.
On behalf of Betty Lou, I thank you for your interest in Midwest Recovery.
Jeff Howard
Start Your Recovery Now!
Have A Midwest Recovery Centers' Team Member Call You Today.
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The stigma surrounding substance abuse is a significant barrier to seeking treatment. Many individuals delay getting help because of fear, shame, or judgment.
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