Cannabis, Addictive Traits?

[Chronix]

Now dont let the title mislead you i'm not here to try to lay claim to there being an addictive quality to marijuana. But SWIM has been smoking heavily for about 3 years now and is starting to notice how it has enveloped SWIM's life. All SWIM does everyday with his friends is toke and when SWIM is broke and cannot buy weed to partake in the only activity that seems appealing latley he enters an almost "crackhead", for lack of a better term, mood where all SWIM thinks about and does is tries to either get more weed directly or get money for weed. The main point of SWIM's post is to see if anyone else out there feels the same way and if anyone has any advice on how to avoid these times or anything else.

[Alfa]

Yeah. FUBAR knows where you are at. Did SWIY realize that if this continues, close to nothing will be accomplished? FUBAR did realize this as he was smoking heavy and daily. FUBAR wanted...needed to stop. His education was going nowhere. Many things that needed acomplishment had been fucked up by lazyness or his 'tomorrow is another day' attitude. His friends did not feel the urge to stop, so he quit. Not in one go. He had to try several times and get used to normal reality. After that he applied for an academic study and was let in. From there he took on a second study. And accomplished many things. If FUBAR did not stop smoking at that time, this forum would likely not have been here. Many things wouldnt.

That does not mean that FUBAR does not light up a good white widow once in a while, but in a different way. It does not controll his life. Beying stoned is not his normal reality, but a special treat.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Thanks for this reply, a similar experience with a positive outcome is just what this member needed.
	Extremely well-written. Bravo.
	thank you for this nugget . I approve of this post , because fubar is not one to talk about his personal life, I think ...

[Shampoo]

It sounds like SWIY has an addictive personality. Since the withdrawal symptoms of Cannabis use are relatively negligible, or at least easily remedied, it is most likely that SWIY has fallen into a habit more than an addiction.

Human beings are creatures of habit and thus find comfort in habitual, routine patterns. The best way to avoid these periods of psychological withdrawal and craving that SWIY is experiencing is to break the patterns. Find new things to do! When SWIM found that Cannabis had to big of an influence on his life, he started doing things that couldnt involve Cannabis. For instance, he took up running! Its pretty hard to smoke and run at the same time, and while he still rewards himself with a nice vaporizer-bowl following many of his runs, it gives him a time of his day when he simply will not smoke, or even think about smoking.

When he gets into habits of behavior that put him in a smoking-state-of-mind, like watching movies, lounging on his couch listening to music, or reading comics, he finds that not only does he smoke alot more, but he thinks about it alot more as well. When the habits he has do not allow him to smoke, like running, reading complex texts for neuroscience courses, or having a cognitively demanding job, he finds that not only does he smoke less (out of necessity), but it is less on his mind.

So, find some friends that dont smoke, or smoke less. SWIM has a girlfriend who does not smoke, so he has at least some time every day, and usually quite a bit of time, where he does not like to be stoned. Find a girlfriend, get a job, pick up a new hobby, or find a new field of study! There are so many things out there that dont require or even suggest a stoned state of mind, try some!

As Alfa wisely noted, not much gets done when you are stoned all day. If you want your life to progress, you have to take control, and its hard to do that when you are baked.

Bottom line: Change it up. Break SWIYour habits. Find something to do that will not allow you to be stoned. Challenge yourself, and you will feel all the better for it.

PM me if you ever want to chat. SWIM feels where you are coming from, and has moved beyond that stage of his life. Sometimes it helps to talk it out.

Do as FUBAR does, use Cannabis as a reward, not a common state of mind! It should be a special occasion, not just a lifestyle.

Just my three cents.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Excellent response with some helpful techniques for making changes in his life.
	Good advice

[Chronix]

Thanks very much! That really helped put it all in perspective for swim. And despite swims love for the herb he will be taking it easy on the smoke from now on.

[chrissblack]

You aren't alone. SWIM (does that stand for SomeWon I Met?) has the same problem: he smokes pot like a crack-head smokes crack. He steals to support his addiction. When he does it, he does it daily- all money that is earned at his job goes toward funding his adventures. He is not safe to smoke, this much he knows.

The problem with marijuana is that everyone has an opinion on it, and nobody knows for sure what the addictive properties of it are. If you think you have a problem with it, then chances are you do. The only way to successfully beat this addiction is to abstain and seek help. The lack of MA meetings in my area makes this difficult, but the 12-step approach seems to work well (if SWIM actually does it, and doesn't just talk about doing it). Think about it.

[humdroid]

The feelings which come with having no pot, is the very reason Y stopped smoking it daily.

Y smoked it daily for years, but due to change in financial circumstances, and availability of supplys, found that forced interruptions were unaviodable.
Sudden stoppages were overwhelming.

This may seem like a gross exaggeration to another pot smoker, but, just like different drugs, everyone is affected individually when supply is withdrawn.

Unfortunately Y cannot offer anything in the way of guaranteed effective suggestions, and as no stoppages or breaks which Y has had, have been down to will power.
One useful thing Y found, was to, very gradually reduce his tolerance, with the intent to do so, so gradually, to minimize any negative feelings associated with having no smoke.

[Nellio]

Y has got it right humdroid. Although SWIM does not particularly feel 'addicted' persay, the sudden discontinuation of the product can be rough! SWIM has problems with depression though, so she understands why she finds herself drawn to it.

As for SWIY Chronix, Shampoo noted that finding something else to do with SWIY time is a great way to shake the habit a little bit. And that fact is absolutely true. SWIM finds that when she ACTUALLY has something to do that day, she doesn't smoke at all.

It's when SWIM starts smoking two or three in a row by herself that SWIM knows she needs a break for a week or so. Try and catch SWIY before SWIY hits that point, find someone that doesn't do drugs to do things with. Don't forget...get the hell out of the house sometimes! SWIM finds that staying home all day just gives SWIM more of a reason to light up.

[abraham]

swim is also in this situation. Swim thinks. Back in High School(swim is 37 now) swim and his friends always smoked. When swiwe ran out the whole day(or more) was spent looking for someone with some, some money to buy some, or some one to buy some from. Swim now buys quarter pounds at a time so it is cheaper and less of a hassle to buy. Swim has not ran out of pot in at least 10 years so has'nt had the experience of wanting it or searching for it. Swim does know that when he has only an eighth or so left he starts planning the next purchase.
What alfa said really hits home, swim thinks. While swim does have a good career(laid off now) and a nice home, owns a corvette, and has made acomplishments, he feels he would probably do better without. Swim does not want to go without having any weed in his possession, he would like to slow down to save money and if anything. Swim only smokes about 1 or 2 joints a day, but would like to do it ever less. Good luck with whatever swiyou decide to do.

[cybergenesis]

Its not technically correct to use addiction and pot in the same line. Its a gross exaggeration. At best you have a habit, like watching a tv show. Its sort of like saying if you were bullied via email that you were "brutally assaulted", doesn't make sense does it?

[~lostgurl~]

Please do some research into what addiction means before making statements like the one above. Just because something may not have much or any physical addiction potential, does not mean that it is not addictive. And just because you may not find something addictive, does not mean everybody has to feel the same way as you do. Gambling addiction has caused much devastation and gambling is not even a psychoactive substance.

[Nellio]

SWIM knows she has an addictive personality, if she had access to a nearby casino, there's a good chance she'd be a gambling addict. The same goes for drugs, including pot. Maybe the substance itself isn't addictive, but people can get addicted to many aspects of anything. SWIM mentioned before that she is semi-addicted to pot, and it's more the escape and feeling SWIM gets from it than the marijuana itself.

[cybergenesis]

Oh come off it. Gambling is NOT an addiction. Its a behavioral problem. This is political correctness gone too far. I have no sympathy for people who are dumb enough to waste their money on gambling. Its called self responsibility and self control. To call it an addiction and put it in the same league as true addictions like heroin or cocaine addiction is a a joke. I like it that Nellio actually goes so far to say that if she did have easy access to gambling sites she would probably be a gambling addict, making excuses for their own behavior before its even been commited "its not my fault. I would do it cause i have an addictive personality. So don't get angry at me, feel sorry for me"

Hey you two should go offer your support to the ice chewing support forum. Yep these people say they are legitimately addicted to chewing ice cubes. So go over their I am sure they would appreciate your empathy.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	erhaps you should take some time researching your information before posting. Just because you have been lucky enough t...
	Adds nothing useful, and is abusive in tone.

[Nellio]

Originally Posted by cybergenesis

Oh come off it. Gambling is NOT an addiction. Its a behavioral problem. This is political correctness gone too far. I have no sympathy for people who are dumb enough to waste their money on gambling. Its called self responsibility and self control. To call it an addiction and put it in the same league as true addictions like heroin or cocaine addiction is a a joke. I like it that Nellio actually goes so far to say that if she did have easy access to gambling sites she would probably be a gambling addict, making excuses for their own behavior before its even been commited "its not my fault. I would do it cause i have an addictive personality. So don't get angry at me, feel sorry for me"

Hey you two should go offer your support to the ice chewing support forum. Yep these people say they are legitimately addicted to chewing ice cubes. So go over their I am sure they would appreciate your empathy.

wtf...way to spaz out there...obviously because YOU say it that makes it true? Is that how it is nowadays? Let's start by pointing out the fact that SWIM said nothing about gambling sites, SWIM said if there was a casino nearby she'd be addicted to gambling.

What you are essentially saying is that there is no such thing as addiction. Which is the dumbest thing SWIM has ever heard.

Some drugs are directly chemically addictive, proven fact. Just because gambling isn't chemically addictive doesn't mean you cannot get addicted to it. The feeling one gets from doing a drug, gambling, smoking or anything else is what they get addicted to.

No one asked for you to feel sorry for them, no one said they were going out tomorrow to gamble their life savings away. SWIM thinks you're taking things out of context and maybe you should go ahead and do a little more reading before coming here and telling the world your opinion like it's the law.

Reputation Comments on this post:

good point re: the feeling a drug causes and addiction

[Ilsa]

all addictions involve alteration of neurochemistry: whether it's the wave of dopamine elicited by cocaine, or one elicited by a big win at poker, the neurophysiological basis is often very similar. i've attached an article that explores the mechanism underlying the process of drug addiction. here's an excerpt:

"However, at its core, it (addiction) involves a biological process: the effects of repeated exposure to a biological agent (drug) on a biological substrate (brain) over time. Ultimately, adaptations that drug exposure elicits in individual neurons alter the funtioning of those neurons, which in turn alters the functioning of the neural circuits in which those neurons operate. This leads eventually to the complex behaviors (for example, dependence, tolerance, sensitization, and craving) that characterize an addicted state(1, 2)."

here's a link with illustrations depicting the brain regions involved. the nucleus accumbens is a major player in most, if not all manifestations of addiction. pretty cool link, lots of animations to play with and an interactive brain scan comparing the brains of a non-user and a user, with scans showing recovery at the 20th day sans cocaine versus the 10th day without it. it shows increasing brain activity, especially in the frontal lobes increases dramatically as time without using increases.

and, to quote the same site: "an addict is dependent on the neurochemical changes that occur during sex."

http://www.time.com/time/2007/addiction/

so what i'm getting at here is that cannabis can be addictive in the sense that the rituals one associates with it (packing a bowl, rolling a joint), or images of them in the media, images or witnessing of others using, and numerous environmental clues can trigger a neurochemical cascade that manifests as a craving.


my cat has been a steady pot smoker for ten years, although she has stopped for months at a time for one reason or another here and there over he years. she finds that it helps with anxiety (for her, this is not necessarily the case for everyone), but like alfa's friend FUBAR, when she smokes too much, too often she has zero motivation. she discovered as an undergraduate that smoking was a nice reward for 6 or 8 hours of studying and helped her relax for the evening after she was done. it didn't hurt her academic performance--she graduated at the top of her class in micro and molecular biology. she's not trying to be boastful, but she thinks it's important to acknowledge that long-term, moderate use can be found alongside success. and it's a trial-and-error process: swim definitely couldn't study high, though she tried and tried again (mostly just for quizzes--no risks on exams!), but she could smoke after studying and retain info just fine. like she said, it turned out to be a good reward system for her.