If you are interested in learning more about discontinuing your marijuana use, this article is for you. To slow or stop your marijuana use, detoxification is a crucial step.
You may want to stop using weed because you find you’re using it too often. You might need to detox from weed so that you can pass drug tests required for a job. Whether you are interested in long-term or short-term detoxification, there are steps you can take to make the experience more manageable.
What Are the Effects of Marijuana?
Marijuana use has pleasant side effects for some, including increased laughter and physical relaxation. However, there are also negative effects, such as decreased motivation, fatigue, and loss of memory. Marijuana can impair your ability to drive, focus, or complete daily tasks. With chronic use, some people develop a dependence on marijuana to relieve anxiety, boredom, or other unpleasant feelings.
Detoxification can be a useful way to gain perspective on how marijuana use affects your day-to-day existence.
What Are the Benefits of Detoxing from Marijuana?
Detoxing from marijuana will improve your overall health. It can improve your quality of life both physically and mentally. After detoxing from marijuana, some find that their sleep quality has improved. If you are smoking marijuana, you will be able to breathe better after you stop using it. You may have a sharper sense of focus and that you can complete tasks more easily. Some find that their mental health has improved due to decreases in paranoia and other negative psychological side effects.
What Are Signs You May Need to Detox from Marijuana?
You may need to detox from marijuana when you notice it has a negative effect on your daily life. For some, it affects the ability to participate in commitments, such as work or school. For others, it may affect social relationships, as you may become more isolated when using weed. For others, craving marijuana may be a sign that you have developed a dependence. It may feel hard to discontinue use due to this dependence.
The urge to use can become a problem. You may start to fixate on the next time you will use marijuana, which can lead you to lose focus on other important aspects of your life.
How Do You Detox from Marijuana?
The detox process usually takes 30 days, as this is how long weed typically stays in the system. Detox from marijuana involves a couple key strategies. Finding a combination of strategies that works for you is important. You can use many lifestyle changes in order to detox from weed. As you read the following suggestions, think about which would be most beneficial for you.
Hydration
Drinking a lot of water is an excellent way to remove marijuana from your system. When you drink lots of water, cannabis is flushed out of your body. Some people also use cranberry juice to increase urination and to promote the removal of cannabis from your body.
Clean Foods
Clean foods promote overall health and also help your body feel more nourished as you navigate physical withdrawal symptoms. Clean foods can lead to a greater sense of wellbeing. Those who have substance use disorders may have neglected their physical health, and using clean foods can be a way to refocus on improving physical wellness.
Exercise
Exercise can alleviate the symptoms of detoxification. If you find that you are experiencing anxiety or other negative feelings when detoxing from marijuana, exercise can help target these emotions and replace them with positive feelings, otherwise known as endorphins. Endorphins are pleasant feelings your body gets when exercising. Some people find that replacing marijuana with exercise promotes healthier, positive feelings.
Supplement as Needed
There are supplements or vitamins you can take to improve the detoxification experience. Some of the supplements include herbs such as valerian root, burdock root, and more. An herbal supplement like valerian has been cited to lower anxiety, while a supplement with burdock root is a diuretic/cleanser.
How Long Does It Take to Detox from Marijuana?
For many, it takes between 21-30 days to detox from marijuana. The speed at which the marijuana leaves your body depends on your previous intensity of use. For those with moderate or heavy use, it may take more time to detox from marijuana. Marijuana is detectable in urine for a longer time than it is detectable in blood. You will start to notice withdrawal effects soon after discontinuing use.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms can be physical and/or mental. While these symptoms can be unpleasant at first, many notice that the negative feelings of withdrawal are replaced by positive outcomes associated with detoxification.
Physical symptoms of withdrawal may include:
- Trouble sleeping
- Decreased appetite
- Headaches
- Excessive sweating
Mental/psychological symptoms may include:
- Unpleasant dreams
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Anger/irritability
- Depression
However, these symptoms will go away over time. You may notice your physical and mental health have improved after you detox from weed.
When Should You Consider Professional Help
You should consider professional help when you find that marijuana has affected your daily life in a negative way. If you find that you depend on weed use on a regular basis, it may feel challenging to discontinue use. Professional help can support you with recovery.
Inpatient programs are available for substance use disorders. While attending an inpatient program, you would live at a residential facility while receiving support for your addiction. In contrast, outpatient programs allow you to live at home while attending programs that will help you with your substance use.
For those who are not interested in traveling to a rehab facility or clinic, at-home addiction therapy is available. In-Home Addiction Treatment, or IHAT, means that you do not have to leave your home in order to continue your recovery journey. IHAT provides convenience, privacy, and flexibility by allowing treatment at home with a 78% recovery success rate. You don’t need to put your life on hold to receive help with your substance use.
Next Steps
If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about IHAT, we are here to help you. We have programs designed for help with addiction to marijuana. To speak with one of our team members, follow this link.
