What is Considered Heavy Marijuana Use?

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When Issues with Cannabis Use Become Abuse and Dependence

Marijuana consumption is likely legal in your state. Still, if you or a loved one are regular consumers of cannabis, you are likely wondering: What is considered heavy marijuana use?

Although weed smoking is legally acceptable in Arizona and many other US states, considerable risks associated with a Cannabis Use Disorder exist. The potential risks of the use of marijuana largely rest with each individual. Some have medical conditions that can create physical effects, while others seem to smoke without expressing any concern.

Catalina Behavioral Health acknowledges that cannabis products are widely available after legalization. However, we still warn our clients against smoking cannabis after finding recovery and help others overcome cannabis as their primary substance of choice.

It is simple: cannabis use still means an increased risk for adverse effects, despite its legality. We believe all people should make informed decisions.

We invite you to join us as we look deeper into the debates surrounding smoking cannabis and discuss what may constitute heavy use. And, we would like to remind you that treatment support is available at Catalina if marijuana has become a problem for yourself or someone you care about.

What Is Considered Heavy Marijuana Use? Look at These Factors

Defining heavy marijuana use depends on several factors. Just as with consuming alcohol or other drugs, everyone experiences addiction in their own way.

Some of the determining factors include the following about what constitutes heavy marijuana use:

• Frequent consumption and large doses: Using marijuana several times daily is generally categorized as heavy marijuana use. How much marijuana was consumed also weighs into consideration; heavy usage often means higher dosages consistently over time as the body develops tolerance.
• Duration of cannabis use: Long-term dependence on marijuana, especially when combined with larger doses, usually constitutes heavy marijuana use.
• Dependency: If marijuana has become a must-have to function as usual, or when someone has withdrawal if they don’t engage in regular marijuana use, that is considered heavy marijuana use by most professionals.
• Cannabis use controls daily decisions: Marijuana users who plan their day around smoking are often considered heavy cannabis users.

A heavy user of marijuana has a greater likelihood of developing physical and mental health issues. Awareness of the problem is often the foundation for fixing it and restoring your well-being.

As an informal assessment tool, our marijuana addiction quiz can help you determine whether cannabis use has become problematic for yourself (or a loved one).

Do the Alleged Therapeutic Benefits Outweight the Increased Risk of Chronic Marijuana Use?

Chronic users of weed will undoubtedly argue that the use of this increasingly popular drug has health benefits and then point to the medical marijuana industry.

But that is an unequal comparison – the medical marijuana industry is a little closer to prescribing drugs under a doctor’s care than legal recreational use. The medical community is bound in those states that allow medical dispensation to prescribe medical marijuana only for specific conditions, as per state law.

Some of the allowable conditions for smoking marijuana medically are:

• Chronic pain due to cancer
• Glaucoma
• Epilepsy and seizures
• HIV/AIDS
• ALS
• Chron’s Disease
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Comparing medical marijuana to grabbing a recreational marijuana smoke at the end of a work day becomes even muddier when you look at the abuse of prescription pills. Just because someone has a prescription for Xanax for anxiety, it does not guarantee that the person won’t misuse it and become addicted to it. Same with marijuana.

The World Health Organization also takes a measured approach, acknowledging there are some therapeutic benefits to consider when discussing the medical use of marijuana. Still, their leadership warns of its highly addictive nature. They express particular concern about teens and young adults who start smoking early in life.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse Stats on Marijuana Use

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) conducted a large survey and found that cannabis is one of the most widely used drugs in the United States. It is particularly popular among young people.

The report shows how 35.4% of younger adults, or 11.8 million young Americans, had used it within the previous year. Among those, 30.7% of 12th graders had used it, often through vapes.

Legalization does not mean that marijuana does not cause any harm.

Negative Consequences That Can Come From Over-using Marijuana

Heavy usage of marijuana, especially in high doses, can wreak havoc on your well-being, despite it being legal to obtain and use in Arizona. With this information, you can make well-informed decisions about smoking recreational weed.

Here are some of the possible health concerns to consider:

Cognitive and Mental Health Issues Can Be Caused By Cannabis

First, let’s touch on some of the things that can happen psychologically when you use marijuana frequently.

Drug Abuse (Marijuana Use Disorder)

The shift from recreational smoking can creep up on heavy users. Many don’t realize that their casual use progresses next to marijuana abuse and then to marijuana addiction as their brain becomes evermore dependent on the drug.

Depression and Mood Swings

Heavy cannabis use can lock you into an endless loop; enjoy the high, start to comedown, and then experience marijuana withdrawal symptoms until you use again.

During the comedown and withdrawal, many who take higher doses of cannabis struggle with depression and mood swings during these phases. These symptoms can be particularly pronounced in those using concentrated forms of cannabis and ‘dabbing‘ regularly.

Psychotic Disorders and Marijuana Use Disorder

Heavy marijuana use may lead to a psychotic disorder like schizophrenia in people who are already predisposed to the illness. The high THC levels in some strains of the hemp plant can disrupt brain function. The result can be hallucinations, paranoid thoughts, or delusional behavior.

Cognitive Impairment and Related Risks

Marijuana heavily consumed can cause cognitive impairment. This potential outcome is especially concerning in older teens or young adults whose brain development is still underway. The impacts on memory and learning can lead to challenges in academics, work, or accidents.

The Physical Health Risks Associated With Heavy Marijuana Usage

Smoking affects all people differently. Not everyone who smokes will develop these conditions. However, all regular users will be at a higher risk than most who don’t smoke cannabis.

Marijuana Smoke Can Mean Respiratory Problems and Lung Cancer

Cannabis smoke contains some of the same harmful chemicals as you’d find in tobacco smoke. Whether smoking weed causes cancer directly is still being studied. But it is without a doubt that marijuana smoke contains lung cancer-causing carcinogens. It can also irritate the lungs of people with asthma or cause chronic bronchitis. Some heavy marijuana users develop shortness of breath or a raspy cough.

Heavy Marijuana Use Can Lead to a Heart Attack

People with a cardiovascular diagnosis should avoid heavy cannabis use. Smoking marijuana can worsen the problem because it can raise blood pressure and put unnecessary strain on the heart. In worst cases, it can lead to a heart attack.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) brings severe cycles of vomiting and abdominal pain. Some who develop this condition sometimes stop vomiting only when they stop smoking marijuana. completely. Not only is the vomiting unpleasant, it can lead to dehydration.

Whitney Had Mental Health Concerns, and Marijuana Use Made Things Worse

‘Whitney’ was a young professional at the top of her commercial real estate career and a top performer in her agency. Her colleagues constantly praised her work, proud of her wisdom and ability to make informed decisions at such a young age.

That recognition changed over the course of the next year. Arizona legalized marijuana, and Whitney and some friends started smoking week on weekends. It was relaxing – they often paired it with their favorite white wine. After several months of casual drinking and smoking, Whitney started to use it secretly during the middle of the week.

What could be wrong with a smoke and glass or chardonnay after a long, hard day of landing huge real estate deals?

She started looking forward to her mid-week smoke, then added a couple of more evenings of relaxing with marijuana. This routine quickly escalated into nightly use, then a lunchtime smoke to unwind, and then a bowl (or two) for breakfast. As her body grew more dependent, Whitney was spending more money every week on cannabis use.

Escalating Cannabis Use Leads to Dependence

After several months of hiding what had grown into a marijuana addiction, Whitney could no longer hide her struggles. Whitney’s job performance suffered, and her finances were becoming sticky – she was spending significant money on heavy marijuana use and making less income as her productivity plummeted.

Whitney decided to take off some time and use her insurance plan to cover the cost of Catalina Behavioral Health’s Partial Hospitalization Program. In her sober moments, she knew it was time to put herself first again instead of putting marijuana first.

She was scared of marijuana detox and withdrawal, but the doctor gave her some medicines that helped dull the nausea, making the first week tolerable. In the PHP program, Whitney learned that her trigger was the stress of her high-pressure career and learned healthier ways to cope with the demands of her job.

After her programs, Whitney returned to the real estate industry but ultimately decided to change to a residential firm, where the lead broker focused on client satisfaction, not deal-making. She avoids putting herself under too much stress and has stayed marijuana-free since leaving our outpatient programs and becoming another successful Catalina alumni story.

Our Treatment Programs for Chronic Use of Marijuana

Has marijuana consumed your life and stripped away the happiness you used to feel? If yes, then it’s time to explore treatment options at a well-qualified rehab center like Catalina Behavioral Health. We offer a supportive environment that will help you stop using marijuana and reclaim your sober life.

Here are some programs that help our clients stop heavy use of cannabis:

Managing Withdrawal Symptoms During Medical Detox

Your recovery starts with detox, where your body sheds any remaining marijuana. Our professional, compassionate team will monitor your well-being (both physically and mentally) as you go through this treatment stage. If your discomfort becomes intense, we can prescribe medications to help you manage them.

Treating Co-Occurring Mental Illness

Heavy marijuana use sometimes stems from an underlying mental health condition or co-occurring disorder. In this case, marijuana use is a form of self-medicating, often covering up the chronic pain of depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses.

We will treat both the mental illness and the heavy marijuana use to help restore wellness.

Intensive Counseling Services for Marijuana Users

Our Joint Commission-accredited treatment programs are staffed with highly qualified counselors and therapists who know the potential risks of heavy use of marijuana. They provide customized treatment options to help each person confront their addiction.

Therapies take place in individual, group, and family settings to ensure a safe, well-rounded experience.

Aftercare Planning and Support Groups

You don’t leave your inpatient programs or outpatient care without developing an aftercare plan. This plan is your roadmap to staying sober once you return to your daily routine. It will provide you a well-thought-out guide to healthy activities that keep you on the right path.

For instance, you might plan on attending Narcotics Anonymous or Marijuana Anonymous groups once a week to gain support from others who have experienced heavy use of marijuana or other illicit drugs. You might also create a list of “unsafe people” to avoid who could possibly trigger a relapse.

Connect With Catalina if You’re a Heavy User Ready for Help

If your once casual or recreational marijuana use has become the dominant factor in your life, it’s time to get professional help from the expert team at Catalina Behavioral Health.

We understand how the legalization of marijuana has led people to believe that it’s not damaging and that marijuana use is relatively safe. The truth is that for many, marijuana use is unsafe and even damaging.

Catalina Behavioral Health is here to help you unravel the negative consequences of heavy marijuana use and regain control over your life and happiness. Call us today to arrange to come to our rehab center to quit using cannabis. We’re here to help.