On Addiction, Alcohol and Marijuana
Have you ever struck conversation with one who you perceive to have a strong inclination and love for alcohol or marijuana? Ever notice how some of them try to avoid admitting that they could have an addiction problem? In their defense, you would hear them say “addiction is such a strong word” or “ I have control over my intake.” Hilarious!
So lets digress a little and talk about alcohol for a minute. From hard opinions gathered by people; alcohol has no form of sweetness in itself but could give you an intense warm mushy and sassy feeling on the inside. However things could take a messy turn when consumed in abundance.
For Marijuana, its quite a similar story. However there is a flipside! There have been series of controversies on the exact effect of marijuana on the body. Among all other effects that seem to come handy with it, Marijuana is widely known for its medicinal effects. However, this is not necessarily our main topic for discussion.
When does taking alcohol and marijuana become an addiction? What are the signs of possible addiction? Is addiction the same as abuse? Is addiction treatable? can one ever come out of such state? A million and one unanswered questions….
Alcohol/Marijuana addiction is a psychological condition that triggers the inability to stop taking alcoholic and cannabis related contents. This is extremely harmful and could lead to death.
For some, the best antidote to an addiction is not even taking that first ever drag of cannabis in the first place.
I have heard cases of people say that at some point, marijuana became the only remedy to having a structured thought process. This is a clear case of addiction! So how then do you know its an addiction? When a certain level of dependence is attached to it!
Although some might vary; but there are few indicators to addiction. If you get the constant feeling of always having these addictive contents all to yourself all the time; to the point that you restock them barely after finishing the last stock; then you might just be suffering from an addiction. It could also be a case of withdrawal from activities you used to enjoy or the companies of loved ones.
For some other people, it might tell a lot on their appearance as they might not see the need to invest so much in their physical outlook anymore. If you have noticed some guy on your street who used to be “sharp-looking” in appearance but has started to portray consistent outward shabbiness of late; then he might be suffering from an addiction.
He needs help!!!
Although we might confuse “abuse” with addiction. Misuse of these contents can lead to an addiction. However misuse or abuse is not an addiction. Misuse or an abuse could be a one off case; but can still lead to addiction. So cases of addiction are always a result of abuse; but not all cases of abuse could lead to an addiction.
They are not the same but one could lead to the other.
Is addiction treatable? Well yes it is! There are clinical treatments for addiction such as therapy and counselling (and in severe cases rehab) This would help in conditioning them properly. It could also require the use of drugs like antidepressants and medical devices like NSS-2 Bridge for those who show signs of depression and withdrawal.
Addiction is a serious clinical issue that should not be taken with a pinch of salt. It could lead to memory loss, brain damage and in severe cases death. If you are exhibiting symptoms of addiction or know anyone who does, kindly help yourself or help them by visiting the nearest clinic for immediate attention. It is not a life sentence. With proper monitoring, therapy and conditioning, addiction can be a thing of the past. There is help for you!!! So act now.
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