The Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Side Effects of Cannabis Use
Cannabis use is being minimized more and more every day. This is especially true as more and more places are legalizing cannabis for recreational use. However, this minimization does not take into account the many serious physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual side effects that cannabis use can have. The reality is that cannabis use is anything but harmless. It can have many devastating effects on both the user and those close to them. This includes addiction. The good news is there are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can help one recover from excessive cannabis use and cannabis addiction.
Better Understanding Addiction
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent addiction is both in the U.S. and around the world. Millions of people struggle with addiction every day. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “In 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (or 17.3%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year, including 29.5 million who had an alcohol use disorder (AUD), 27.2 million who had a drug use disorder (DUD), and 8.0 million people who had both an AUD and a DUD.” These are not insignificant numbers.
Many people also have a misconception about what addiction actually is. Often, people think of addiction as some type of moral failing or “choice.” This is simply untrue. Addiction is a chronic disease and has more in common with other diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes than it does with a choice. This is because, like these other diseases, addiction will almost always get worse without some type of professional intervention. This includes cannabis addiction.
Addiction is also a “family disease.” This is because addiction affects everyone it touches, not just the individual who is struggling. This is often why addiction is referred to as “a tornado that destroys everyone and everything in its path.” Again, this includes cannabis addiction. Although many people may argue that it does not rise to that level of destruction, these people are misinformed.
Better Understanding Cannabis Use and Addiction
The facts don’t lie. According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Cannabis is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States; 52.5 million people, or about 19% of Americans, used it at least once in 2021. Recent research estimated that approximately 3 in 10 people who use cannabis have cannabis use disorder.” Also, “The risk of developing cannabis use disorder is even greater for people who begin to use it before age 18.”
Many people also use cannabis as a “gateway” substance to other substances, which makes it even more dangerous. People also often use cannabis in tandem with alcohol, which can also have its own unique set of dangers.
One of the issues with cannabis addiction is that many people don’t even realize that they have a cannabis addiction. This is because cannabis is now so commonly used and “accepted.” Also, many people don’t recognize the signs and symptoms of cannabis addiction because they don’t know what to look for. This is why better understanding the disorder can be so important.
The Signs and Symptoms of Excessive Cannabis Use and Addiction
Now, of course, the signs and symptoms of excessive cannabis use and cannabis addiction are always going to vary based on the individual. However, one can look out for many universal signs and symptoms of cannabis addiction. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Experiencing trouble at work or school
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Isolating away from family and close friends
- Feeling anxious, nervous, or overly “stressed out”
- Not being able to stop once using cannabis
- Loss of appetite (or excessive appetite) and a lack of care regarding physical appearance and wellbeing
- Exhibiting excessive mood swings
- Having trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
- Experiencing physical ailments such as headaches, body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
- Impaired judgment
- Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
- Causing harm to oneself or others
- Having suicidal ideations
Now, as previously mentioned, people often minimize cannabis addiction or even falsely categorize it as a “choice.” However, as one can see, these signs and symptoms are significant and can even be deadly. This is why reaching out for professional help sooner rather than later is critical. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences. It could also greatly reduce the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual side effects of cannabis addiction.
The Physical Side Effects of Cannabis Use
Cannabis use is not often thought of when it comes to physical side effects. However, this is a fallacy. It can have many negative physical effects, such as negative effects on the respiratory system (if the cannabis is smoked or vaped), negative effects on weight (both weight loss and obesity), and negative physical effects on gastrointestinal health.
Cannabis use also has many other negative physical side effects. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, “Marijuana use has been associated with substantial adverse effects, some of which have been determined with a high level of confidence. Marijuana, like other drugs of abuse, can result in addiction. During intoxication, marijuana can interfere with cognitive function (e.g., memory and perception of time) and motor function (e.g., coordination), and these effects can have detrimental consequences (e.g., motor-vehicle accidents).” Further, “Repeated marijuana use during adolescence may result in long-lasting changes in brain function that can jeopardize educational, professional, and social achievements.” There are also many other negative mental side effects.
The Mental Side Effects of Cannabis Use
There is little doubt that excessive cannabis use and cannabis addiction can negatively affect one mentally. This can be seen in the poor cognitive functioning that many people under the influence often exhibit.
It is also true that the strength and types of cannabis being used today have greater negative effects on individuals. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Cannabis products with THC can cause changes in mood, thoughts, and perceptions of reality. These products can also cause harmful health effects on the brain and other parts of the body. In recent years, there have been big increases in the variety of cannabis products and how much THC they have, as well as a greater variety of ways people can consume them.” This increase in potency also leads to the negative changes that one may experience emotionally.
Cannabis use has also been shown to have a greater link to psychiatric disorders. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, “The association between cannabis use and the development of a psychotic disorder is supported by data synthesized in several good-quality systematic reviews. The magnitude of this association is moderate to large and appears to be dose-dependent, and it may be moderated by genetic factors. Factors contributing to the strength of the evidence derived from the cited systematic reviews include large sample sizes, the relative homogeneity of the findings, the presence of relationships between the dose/exposure and the risk, the studies having been controlled for confounders, and the systematic reviews having assessed for publication bias.”
The Emotional Side Effects of Cannabis Use
Many people use cannabis to cope with emotional issues that they are struggling with. This includes people who use cannabis to self-medicate for anxiety and depression. The issue with this is that cannabis use can actually make these emotional issues worse because it just delays the inevitability of having to deal with them responsibly.
Cannabis can also disrupt emotional regulation. According to the Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, “Difficulties with emotion regulation are related to but distinct from cannabis coping motives. Extant data suggest that anxiety severity may be related to cannabis use variables indirectly via the serial effects of difficulties with emotion regulation and coping motives: (1) severity of symptomatology of various anxiety conditions is related to coping-motivated cannabis use; (2) some types of anxiety are indirectly related to coping motives via difficulties with emotion regulation; and (3) severity of anxiety symptoms is indirectly related to cannabis use and related problems via coping motives.”
The Spiritual Side Effects of Cannabis Use
There are also potential “spiritual” side effects that are related to cannabis use and cannabis addiction. Many people who habitually use cannabis are doing so because they are looking for a deeper solution to life’s issues. These people are often looking for spiritual solutions via chemical means. This is almost always going to be a letdown.
Ultimately, cannabis use is going to lead one father away from a spiritual solution because the euphoric effects of cannabis use are only temporary. So, once one is done using, and they come down off of their high, they are still left with the same empty spiritual feeling.
Cannabis use can also greatly distract one from seeking a more healthy spiritual path. This is because it can negatively affect one’s cognitive functions and stop them from the essential deep thinking needed for spiritual enlightenment and growth. The good news is that this growth is available as soon as one puts down the substance and picks up a real solution for recovery. This solution can often be found in day treatment.
Recovering From Cannabis Addiction With Day Treatment
Day treatment can be a highly effective path of treatment because it allows one to keep one foot in their daily lives as they also focus intently on their health and recovery. This tends to be an ideal option for those struggling with cannabis addiction because they are able to manage treatment without needing full residential care.
Many people minimize day treatment and feel that it does not go far enough as a recovery program. This is simply untrue. Day treatment can be just as intense as residential care and offers many of the same means, methods, and modalities for recovery.
Most day treatment programs require an individual to participate in their recovery eight hours a day, five days a week. They also require their clients to be alcohol and substance tested regularly, as well as participate in 12-Step recovery meetings. Many day treatment programs also require their clients to participate in psychotherapy sessions. This is essential because psychotherapy can be highly effective in helping people with addiction recovery (including cannabis addiction).
Utilizing Psychotherapy for Recovery
Psychotherapy can be highly effective at getting to the root/core causes of one’s addiction. This is critical because it is important to understand that it is more about what causes one to use the substance than the substance itself.
Psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) help get to the negative underlying emotions of one addiction. They help an individual to see the negative way in which they have been viewing themself and the world around them. Once this is illuminated, then one can begin to change these negative cognitions (thoughts) and emotions (feelings). Eventually, this will help to adjust one’s negative addictive behaviors.
CBT can be particularly effective because it makes the individual an “active participant” in their own recovery. It is not passive recovery. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, “Consistent with the medical model of psychiatry, the overall goal of treatment is symptom reduction, improvement in functioning, and remission of the disorder. In order to achieve this goal, the patient becomes an active participant in a collaborative problem-solving process to test and challenge the validity of maladaptive cognitions and to modify maladaptive behavioral patterns. Thus, modern CBT refers to a family of interventions that combine a variety of cognitive, behavioral, and emotion-focused techniques.”
Utilizing Holistic Healing Methods for Recovery
Holistic healing methods are also ideal tools for recovery from excessive cannabis use and cannabis addiction. This is especially true with the holistic healing methods of yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation, which have been practiced for thousands of years.
Yoga offers a myriad of recovery benefits. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.”
Mindfulness meditation also offers a slew of other recovery benefits. According to the International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda (AYU), “In the process of meditation, one experiences the unity of the deep inner Self while awake and not sleeping. This experience of the peace and bliss of unity modifies the inner faculty. The properties of the deep inner Self begin to extend into the inner faculty, and since the deep inner Self is the source of all knowledge (which correlates with DNA on the physical level), the benefits of this process extend to all aspects of life – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.”
A Focus on Long-Term Success at Northstar Recovery Center
Here at Northstar Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive with a focus on the future. We know that overarching recovery plans rarely work, which is why we treat everyone on an individualized basis.
The future of recovery is now and the future is friendly. The key is to step out of the painful past and move forward toward a new and rewarding life.
Recovery is out there. It’s time to go and get it. We here at Northstar Recovery Center can help.
Many people minimize the use of cannabis. This is especially true now that cannabis is being legalized in many states. The reality is that cannabis use can be both disruptive and destructive. The good news is there are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can help one recover from cannabis addiction. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this alone. For more information about cannabis addiction and how to best recover, please reach out to Northstar Recovery Center today at (888) 311-0911.
