What does psychological treatment for cannabis addiction look like?

These are the areas of work in psychological treatment for cannabis addiction.

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the world. This is due, in large part, to the fact that many people consider it a "soft drug" with very few health risks.

However, these same people forget that marijuana or hashish are substances that can cause addiction and a multitude of problems..

Not everyone who uses marijuana is going to experience problems or some kind of dependence on cannabis. This will depend on many factors, such as the person's genetics, their frequency and consumption habits, the quantities and varieties of the plant, their emotional state and life context...

Not all people who smoke joints suffer from problems, but we cannot deny that some people develop serious problems and need the support of professionals.

Psychological treatment for cannabis addiction

In this article I am going to talk about the main pillars of a psychological treatment for cannabis addiction.

1. Motivation to quit marijuana

Any attempt at psychological treatment is doomed to failure if the person is not motivated to achieve results. to achieve results.

Unfortunately, it is very common in the field of addictions to meet people who do not want to change, or do not feel ready to do so. In most cases, it is the family members or the partner who contact professionals for advice, to find out what to do.

Many people find themselves with the frustration and helplessness of knowing that a loved one (their child, their sister, their spouse) is Smoking too many joints, that they are negatively affecting their lives, and that they can no longer live like this.

Unfortunately, this is a common reality: the main characteristic of an addiction is that the person is unaware of the problemIn this case, they have no desire to stop using marijuana or to undergo psychological treatment. Many times they go to therapy to quit joints completely forced by their relatives, or because their partners have threatened them with separation.

If this is the case, a psychologist specializing in marijuana addiction will help the person to realize the relationship between excessive marijuana use and their personal problems, and to set short term goals for themselves.and to set short and long term goals.

Here just some of the consequences and brain sequelae of heavy marijuana use:

● Concentration problems ● Memory loss ● Irritability and fits of anger ● Anxiety ● Sleep problems ● Paranoia and panic attacks ● Psychosis and schizophrenia symptoms ● Psychosis and symptoms of schizophrenia.

2. Analyze reefer consumption habits.

The expert cannabis addiction treatment psychologist will use a strategic approach. To help any person overcome an addiction, it is essential to. mapping the person's behaviors and habits.

How much do you smoke? How often do you smoke? How many joints per week? How many joints per day? In what situations? How do you feel before smoking? And after? What are the different behavioral reinforcers of smoking cannabis? Do you always smoke alone or also with other people? Have you managed to have periods of abstinence from marijuana lately? Have there been previous attempts to quit joints? What were the results, and why didn't they work?

These are just a few of the many, many questions a professional can ask to set the stage for marijuana addiction treatment. We could say that the maxim of "know your enemy so you can defeat him" is followed..

After making the assessment, conclusions will be drawn, and with the help of the psychologist, objectives and goals for change will be set in the short and long term, and the most appropriate strategies for that person will be proposed.

3. Overcoming marijuana withdrawal symptoms

One of the main reasons why cannabis smokers do not want to quit is due to the fear of withdrawal symptoms.

Cannabis is a very complex plant with a multitude of compounds and active ingredients, THC being the most studied, and the one responsible for the "high" that people seek when they smoke. It is an addictive component, and after frequent consumption, the body develops dependence. This means that, when the person stops using or reduces the usual doses of THC, he or she may experience discomfort or anxiety..

If the withdrawal syndrome is very unpleasant, the person may give up and go back to using (because it is the quickest way to stop feeling the discomfort). However, it is part of the cannabis detoxification process. The person will have to go several days or even a couple of weeks without using to stop feeling withdrawal.

It is very important to keep this in mind. Overcoming marijuana addiction is not a matter of "willpower", but of knowing the nature of the addiction.It is a matter of knowing the nature of the substance and its interaction with the person's life. An essential part of psychological treatment for marijuana is to accompany the person as he or she copes with withdrawal.

4. Working on the emotional dependence on marijuana

Drug use always appears as a way of escape from reality.. The person who smokes marijuana excessively is using it to "self-medicate", to temporarily escape from boredom, anxiety, the sadness of everyday life.

If a person becomes accustomed to using marijuana for their daily life for many years, they will become fearful at the prospect of quitting joints. I have worked with people in therapy who said they could not remember being happy without marijuana use, because they had smoked almost daily for several years, in most cases since adolescence.

A very important part of any treatment for cannabis addiction will be to work on the emotional dependence on marijuana, helping the person to re-learn how to manage different day-to-day situations or unpleasant emotions..

The marijuana temporarily covered up or camouflaged those problems, but took away the person's opportunity to learn how to manage emotionally. Each of these situations will be a therapeutic target, and will be worked on throughout the therapy sessions of any addiction treatment.

5. Relapse prevention in reefer addictions

In relation to the previous point, in the therapy sessions to quit cannabis, a list will be made of all potential relapse situations. a list of all the potential relapse situations for that person.. These can be social events, spending time with other people with whom he/she used to smoke joints, the most common stressful situations of everyday life (coming home after a bad day at work, an argument with a partner), weekend rituals, etc.

For each of these situations, the person will have to work on different strategies and habit changes, alternative activities, social skills techniques, relaxation or even work on certain irrational beliefs.

And above all, prepare the person for when a relapse occurs. Many people run the risk of sinking emotionally and feeling a lot of frustration when they relapse unexpectedly. The psychologist will help the person to get back on his or her feet, to focus on the focus on the lessons learned and think about how to avoid relapse in the future, what to do differently the next time..

Relapse prevention is the fundamental pillar to which the least attention is paid. This is a phase that lasts a lifetime, as the person will always have to be alert to the temptation or desire to use again. The goal is to maintain the positive results of psychotherapy.

Looking for a psychologist for marijuana addiction treatment?

I'm Luis Miguel RealI have been helping people with addiction problems for years. I have helped hundreds of people to stop being slaves to cannabis and to stop self-deception. If you are having problems with marijuana and you have the firm intention to quit, contact me and we will get to work on your case as soon as possible.