It's hard for me to relate to this. I smoke daily, and probably what most would consider a lot. I however also travel for work and or other reasons and often go days or a week without smoking. It has no noticeable effect on me. It could be because I'm extremely active and fit. I workout basically 7 days a week, mostly because I do a lot of intense stuff 'for fun' (aka, play hockey 3-4 days a week, etc). I'm not sayin…
Presumably that lifestyle has also protected you from all the other 10% risks you haven’t fallen prey to yet?
Anything that downregulates neuroreceptors and reduces the production of a neurotransmitter will have a noticeable effect on the areas of the body where those receptors are prevalent, as well as the brain. Smoking cannabis reduces the production of anandamide, a naturally occurring endocannabinoid, and downregulates your CB receptors. Anandamide is being discovered to have essential roles in your endocrine system and many other systems. Cannabis addiction is very real, and can leave a heavy user hospitalized from the withdrawal effects. I have seen first hand heavy dab users being hospitalized with cannabis induced hyperemesis due to the lack of naturally produced anandamide and the downregulation of their cannabinoid receptors. Sure, the average or occasional user may be able to get by without severe side effects from their withdrawal, but with the ease of access we are finding people are smoking more cannabis then they ever have in the past. The mentality that the drug is safe leads to heavily increased use for those who quickly build tolerance. Sure the drug may not kill, but the physiological and psychological effects are not to be ignored.
Throwaway because obviously the stigma. But yes, it's very real. I am addicted to marijuana. I smoke nearly 3 grams a day; what has become a $1000+/month habit. I've always loved weed but the high salary has allowed me to lose control. I can't sleep or eat without it. Within 24 hours without weed I become an intolerable asshole who cannot eat or sleep. When I do sleep without it, it's full of nightmares and I wake up…
> a society that forces people into self medication of all forms
From personal experience, I believe it's not society forcing anything, but a character flaw that encourages self-gratification in the short term. That flaw can be bypassed, don't give up if you're not happy about it.
None of this makes it physically addictive, which is the only issue I'm making. Mental addiction can also be terrible, and can cause the issues described.
Well, the pot physical addiction debate is where we started. If people experience significant physical withdrawal symptoms from cessation of pot use (which seems to be the case for some), then for those people, it absolutely is physically addicting.
It still isn't physically addicting as at no point does the body need it to function. Physical withdrawal symptoms don't change that, and it's unlikely that science will find new evidence changing this position.
I read that the use of marijuana actually inhibits dreams, and that people who quit temporarily experience intense dreams.
This is called REM rebound. The reason is that in this case the psychoactive drugs in cannabis act as sedatives. Similar to alcohol and other depressants, this makes it easier to fall asleep, but harder to enter the "deeper" stages of sleep like REM. So when you quit ingesting cannabis, your body tries to make up for your ongoing REM sleep deficit, and you have more/stronger dreams as a result This what is happening…
The latter, many people with PTSD suffer basically flashback dreams. So they may smoke as a self medication, but the fear of an REM rebound causes physical symptoms when they don't smoke.
That you experience significant physical withdrawal symptoms from marijuana certainty calls into question the street wisdom that pot isn’t (physically) addicting.
There is one important difference: withdrawal from something like alcohol can actually kill you. Withdrawal from marijuana makes you an irritable asshole for a week or two. The hardest part is understanding and coping with the issue that drives the user to use marijuana so heavily in the first place. If it can be understood what need the marijuana use is providing for, changing use patterns becomes possible.
What do you think of Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
Throwaway because obviously the stigma. But yes, it's very real. I am addicted to marijuana. I smoke nearly 3 grams a day; what has become a $1000+/month habit. I've always loved weed but the high salary has allowed me to lose control. I can't sleep or eat without it. Within 24 hours without weed I become an intolerable asshole who cannot eat or sleep. When I do sleep without it, it's full of nightmares and I wake up…
That you experience significant physical withdrawal symptoms from marijuana certainty calls into question the street wisdom that pot isn’t (physically) addicting.
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome seems to not be that well known. CHS appears to suggest that for certain segments of the population there is a physical component to marijuana addiction.
Throwaway because obviously the stigma. But yes, it's very real. I am addicted to marijuana. I smoke nearly 3 grams a day; what has become a $1000+/month habit. I've always loved weed but the high salary has allowed me to lose control. I can't sleep or eat without it. Within 24 hours without weed I become an intolerable asshole who cannot eat or sleep. When I do sleep without it, it's full of nightmares and I wake up…
People don't wake up with nightmares and covered in sweat if they don't have a cheeseburger in the last 24 hours.
I’d beg to differ. Go ask any XXXL wearing guy what happens if they clean up their diets.