Stages of addiction

Stages of addiction

Marijuana is one of the substances which are commonly abused from different parts of the world. In the United States, marijuana is the most abused illicit drug. The abuse of marijuana is high among the youths, which is triggered by various factors such as bad company, stress, and lack of responsibilities. Continuous use of marijuana can lead to addiction, whereby these individuals cannot take part in their daily activities without being stimulated by marijuana. The addiction can have both long term and short term effects on these individuals. The paper will focus on marijuana abuse and addiction.

Stages of addiction

The following are the stages of addiction.

Experimentation

This is the first stage of marijuana addiction that involves trying to use this substance for the first time. It is usually challenging to know if the experimental use will lead to a more severe thing, such as addiction.

Regular use

This is the second stage of marijuana addiction. In this stage, the individual has incorporated the use of marijuana in his or her daily life. It can be challenging to recognize this stage, especially when the person is functioning in his or her regular use. The stage is noticed when the abuse of marijuana starts to become problematic.

Risky use

The risky use stage can be challenging to determine, especially when a person might not see any danger of abusing marijuana. However, continuous use of marijuana will create noticeable changes in the behavior of the affected individuals. Proper ways are discovered to help the affected individual get treated before the condition worsens.

Dependence

At this stage, the mind and body of the affected person are reliant on marijuana. Other people notice a serious change in behaviors that are dangerous and obvious. The best way to help a person in this stage is to provide a treatment option that can reduce the dependency on the substance.

Addiction

This stage results from the continued use of marijuana. The best way to help a person at this stage is to provide professional addiction treatment that will facilitate change of behaviors relating to the abuse.

Physical effects

The abuse and addiction of marijuana have various physical effects, which include the following.

Breathing problems

The smoke of marijuana leads to the irritation of the lungs, and the individuals who continuously smoke marijuana may develop breathing difficulties. The challenges brought about by marijuana smoke include daily phlegm and cough, higher risk of lung diseases, and continuous lung illness. All these challenges bring breathing difficulties to the affected individuals.

Increased heart rate

The abuse of marijuana raises the rate of the heart for about three hours after using the substance. It increases the chances of being attacked by heart diseases such as heart attacks. People who have heart problems and those in old ages are at a higher risk.

Pregnancy issues

A person who abuses marijuana has a challenge in the development of a child during pregnancy. Marijuana abuse during pregnancy increases the risk of both behavioral and brain problems in infants. Marijuana affects certain developing parts of the brain of the fetus. It may result in various challenges to the child, which may include memory, concentration, and problem solving skills.

Emotional effects

The addiction and abuse of marijuana have various emotional effects, which include the following.

Anxiety

The abuse of marijuana may create intense feelings that will make the person exaggerate his or her thoughts. Marijuana can make an individual activate the negative thoughts of causing distrust of individuals by doing something wrong. Heavy use of marijuana can cause or exacerbate mental issues like depression and anxiety.

Hallucination

The use of marijuana can make affected individuals see things that are not real. The person may see unreal images of a person or other things that can make him or her to fear. It can develop negative thoughts to these individuals who can lead to adverse effects such as committing suicide.

Disinterest

An individual who abuses marijuana may lose interest in previously enjoyed activities. Marijuana addiction can make individuals withdraw from activities relating to work, family, recreation, or school functions.

Emotional withdrawal

These are the negatives effects that may be experienced by a person who is trying to stop the use of marijuana. They include restlessness, strange dreams, anger, depressive moods, aggression, and irritability. These effects may bring back the person to the use of the drug.

Recovery methods

The following are the recovery methods that can help a person to reduce or avoid marijuana abuse.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

It is a psychotherapy form that teaches a person how to point out and correct problematic behavior. It improves self- control and stops the use of drugs. Therefore, it can help a marijuana addict to apply appropriate strategies to avoid the behaviors which lead to marijuana abuse.

Contingency management

It is a therapeutic management technique that entails continuous monitoring of certain behavior. This method will put the behavior of the marijuana addict under check, which will enhance the change of behaviors, thus avoiding the use of the drug.

Motivational enhancement therapy

It is a systematic intervention that produces a rapid and internal motivational change. The method does not aim at treating the marijuana addict, but it mobilizes the internal resources of that person for treatment change and engagement.

Conclusion

Marijuana is the most abused illicit drug in America. The stages of addiction are experimentation, regular use, risky use, dependence, and addiction. The physical effects are breathing problems, increased heart rate, and pregnancy issues. The emotional effects include anxiety, hallucination, disinterest, and emotional withdrawal. The recovery methods are cognitive- behavioral therapy, contingency management, and motivational enhancement therapy.