Cannabis is the most consumed illegal drug in the world. And due in part to the results of many researches, which attribute beneficial effects to some of its active ingredients.
Also partly because of this, there are more and more people who smoke cannabis who are not aware of the risks of abusive consumption. We would say that these people have little or no awareness of the risk of the substance.
In this article you will discover the phases that many people go through, from low-risk recreational use to addictive behavior with serious consequences for the person’s life.
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. Fall in love
In this first phase, the person comes into contact with the joints for the first time. It probably starts with small consumption, mostly motivated by curiosity, or perhaps by social pressure from the group of friends.
In any case, the person experiments with cannabis use. In this phase, with very small doses, more intense effects of marijuana and its active ingredients are usually experienced So users who enjoy it in the first few shots are more likely to continue consuming it.
Most people who have problems or unpleasant episodes during their first use (for example, an episode of paranoia and anxiety), stop using at that moment, and are much less likely to resume it in the future, at least on a regular basis.
The person will begin to associate marijuana use with positive experiences, such as the company of friends, laughter, or escaping daily worries for a while. This detail is key, as it explains why many people develop a strong psychological dependence on cannabis.
In the phase of falling in love The foundations of the person’s future “relationship” with cannabis will be forged expectations will be generated and a desire to consume again with increasing frequency.
2. Honeymoon
In this phase, the person really enjoys their marijuana use, and in some way they have become “committed,” as if they were a couple.
The most characteristic of this phase is that The person only perceives the positive effects of consumption, fun, relaxation. But you don’t see the rest of the problems that can arise from excess.
In this phase the person has begun to consume much more regularly, even increasing the quantities. In his mind, everything about marijuana is good, and he doesn’t imagine he’ll have any problems in the future.
3. First problems (denial and self-deception)
After a while of consuming, the person begins to develop tolerance towards THC and the rest of the active ingredients 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 consumption, you will also increase the chances of suffering from the less desirable negative effects of cannabis:
In this phase, the person also will begin to experience symptoms of withdrawal syndrome and psychological dependence on marijuana The mere idea of going several hours or days without smoking joint causes discomfort or even terror.
Here, marijuana is smoked not only as an escape from daily problems, but also to try to avoid the unpleasant effects of excess marijuana or withdrawal symptoms.
It’s a downward spiral. And denying the problem will only make things worse in the long run.
4. Escalation of consumption and attempts at compensation
The consumer remembers the good times of the honeymoon phase, and fantasize about enjoying all the benefits of marijuana consumption again
In this phase, many people fall into self-deception. They try to resolve the cognitive dissonance by convincing themselves that the problems resulting from consumption are simply bad luck, and that they are not the result of lack of control when smoking joints.
Furthermore, they will begin to intensify their consumption. A dangerous phenomenon occurs here: overcompensation.
In their attempts to try to “compensate” for the negative effects of abusive consumption, the person smokes more and more The escalation of consumption attempts to compensate for the developed tolerance, and far from solving the problem, it aggravates it.
5. Crisis and divorce
This is the phase in which, often with external help, The person will realize how toxic their marijuana use is, and will begin to consider alternatives to quitting or at least limit consumption.
The person has become aware that they have been smoking too much, and that if they want to enjoy their life in a normal way again, they will have to fight to overcome the addiction and rebuild their life.
At that point, the person may try to quit the joints on their own. Some people will succeed, others will relapse into use and suffer frustration and a feeling 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 quitting 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 joints and don’t know how to start? Contact me, and we will get to work immediately for online therapy.
