Effects of Marijuana Use: How Weed Affects Your Mind & Body

Others use marijuana by smoking the pot using a water pipe called a bong. Blunts, or hollowed out cigars filled with marijuana are another common method of smoking https://ecosoberhouse.com/ weed. In an effort to reduce the harmful effects of marijuana smoke, many users are beginning to create edibles, or baked goods mixed with marijuana.

THC artificially stimulates the CBRs which disrupts the endogenous cannabinoids, which over time can lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms when marijuana use ceases. Addiction to marijuana can lead to many negative effects in family life, scholastic achievement, occupational challenges, and other areas in life. The adverse effects of heavy marijuana usage do wear off days to weeks after the last dose. The American Psychological Association, or APA, states that marijuana is a frequently abused drug among people of all ages. This psychoactive substance is often abused by more males than females, and experimentation with this substance typically occurs during early to mid-adolescence. Additionally, many experts in the fields of mental health and addiction firmly believe that early abuse of marijuana can lead to the abuse of other drugs and/or alcohol later in life.

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Those with a family history of psychosis, schizophrenia, or otherwise, are encouraged to avoid cannabis because THC may trigger chemical changes in the brain that can lead to mental health problems. It may disrupt a person’s daily activities, jobs, and relationships, and most people don’t realize they have a weed addiction until it is too late. Additionally, there are many negative effects of marijuana addiction on relationships. THC affects the frontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in decision-making, which may cause a person to make poor decisions. As a result, a person may choose to drive a car while impaired or have unprotected sex while high.

what are the effects of marijuana addiction

The bottom line is that addiction is addiction, hallmarked by obsession and compulsive usage of a drug no matter the consequences and most require outside help to beat it. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the psychoactive substance in marijuana. This is a natural product, however advances in cultivation have enabled growers to produce strains of marijuana with larger and more potent amounts of THC. These high THC marijuana strains are much stronger than the versions that were used in previous decades.

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A lack of coordination while high can cause a person to struggle while performing regular activities. This is also why driving while high on marijuana is unsafe — THC affects the cerebellum and basal ganglia, which are two parts of the brain that regulate coordination, balance, and movement. This treatment is only available by prescription and is not regularly given without serious consideration of the patient’s health.

What are the side effects of marijuana psychology?

Marijuana use has also been linked to depression; social anxiety; and thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicide. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research.

It is known to be an effective treatment for many types of pain and the FDA approved “Cannabidiol” in 2018 for the treatment of certain forms of epilepsy. Many cancer patients have found positive side effects of weed during chemotherapy and other types of treatment. It’s almost a no-brainer that one of the negative side effects of weed when smoked is the harm it may do to the lungs. Though not as harmful as tobacco, the cannabis flower and stem do contain carcinogens, which combined with heat and smoke can damage the fragile tissue of the airways in the lungs. The American Lung Association has called for more research on the effects of smoking weed on the lungs. It also adds that regularly smoking marijuana can lead to chronic bronchitis and cause immune-comprised individuals to be at greater risk of lung infections.

What are some long-term health problems associated with marijuana?

People who have marijuana use disorder may also be at a higher risk of other negative consequences, such as problems with attention, memory, and learning. Researchers have identified several genetic and environmental factors that may influence a person’s risk of abusing or becoming dependent upon marijuana. Give us a call and we can help find the right treatment program for you or your loved one – even if it’s not ours! Marijuana addiction can lead to unintended behavioral changes in a relationship and cause interpersonal dysfunction. It may also cause a lack of clear communication and affect emotional connection, which is unhealthy for any relationship.

Is marijuana a depression risk?

A Columbia University study has found that teens who use cannabis recreationally are two to four times as likely to develop psychiatric disorders, such as depression and suicidality, than teens who don't use cannabis at all.

Short-term effects of using marijuana just one time can cause noticeable symptoms to appear. The longer a person uses it, the greater the risk for it to cause larger social changes in their life. There are methods of extracting the THC in a marijuana plant that result in sticky oils commonly referred to as dabs that can be smoked or mixed into edibles. Using a solvent such as butane or carbon dioxide, the THC is concentrated and the result is a highly potent substance that may pose a threat to your health and safety. This can lead to outcomes like passing out, an uncomfortable high, and possibly amplified withdrawal symptoms for habitual users.

How does marijuana affect the brain?

An individual who is addicted to marijuana will display compulsive drug-seeking activities and abuse pot despite the harmful consequences. In addition, marijuana is often coined marijuana addiction the “gateway drug,” as it normalizes and demystifies the concept of drug abuse. This can lead to later usage of more hardcore drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or meth.

  • However, more research is needed in order to confirm the findings and understand how these genetic factors might contribute to marijuana dependence.
  • A person’s risk of heart attack can increase up to five times within the first hour after smoking marijuana.
  • Marijuana abuse can often times be hidden in plain sight, making it difficult to identify.
  • For example, those who have used by age 18 are 2 to 4 times more likely to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia later in life.
  • Dependency can form with marijuana use, even when it is used as a short-term drug.

Have a confidential, completely free conversation with a treatment provider about your financial options. The popularity of edibles also increases the chance of harmful reactions. Therefore, people may consume more to feel the effects faster, leading to dangerous results. The amount of THC in marijuana has been increasing steadily over the past few decades.7 For a person who’s new to marijuana use, this may mean exposure to higher THC levels with a greater chance of a harmful reaction.

Can a person overdose on marijuana?

Marijuana, often referred to as “pot,” “grass,” “weed,” “reefer,” or “Mary Jane” on the street is a dried mixture of the stems, seeds and flowers of the plant Cannabis sativa and has long been used as a recreational drug. Increasing in popularity are “edibles,” or marijuana baked into foods, which reduces the amount of smoke pot users’ inhale. For over 20 years, Wellness Resource Center has provided personalized treatment to adult men and women who are struggling with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Use of the drug can also worsen the course of illness for patients who have schizophrenia. A series of large, longitudinal studies also shows a link between marijuana and the development of psychosis. One study found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than those who don’t smoke marijuana, mainly due to respiratory illnesses. It is not yet known whether marijuana smoking contributes to the risk for lung cancer.

There’s evidence that smoking or ingesting marijuana as a teenager or young adult, before the brain is fully developed around the age of 25, can have negative implications on brain development. One brain imaging study found irregularities in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain involved in decision-making, among teens that smoked pot. While this area of the brain naturally thins with age, the study showed this area was thinner in teens that smoked weed and could have a lasting impact as they become adults. The idea that pot affects the teen brain into adulthood is one of the more alarming side effects of marijuana.

what are the effects of marijuana addiction