People trying to maintain sobriety often do a variety of things to help them overcome their addictions. Unfortunately, some people begin smoking marijuana to avoid using other drugs, whether it’s cocaine, heroin, or even drinking alcohol. “Marijuana maintenance” is often an ineffective strategy to overcome an addiction due to various reasons. Understanding the negative effects of smoking marijuana is essential in overcoming your addiction and achieving sober living.
Is Smoking Weed Bad?
Marijuana is often a familiar substance for people struggling with addictions. For example, addicts usually begin experimenting with marijuana at a young age before using other drugs. Smoking marijuana is often a lifestyle choice for many people, helping them feel more relaxed. However, the effects of smoking marijuana aren’t always positive, especially for addicts trying to overcome severe addictions.
Smoking weed often decreases users’ motivation, making it much more difficult for addicts to put in the extra work for addiction recovery. Trying to recover from addiction requires plenty of work, whether going to meetings, attending therapy, or working with a sponsor. On the other hand, smoking weed makes it nearly impossible to stay motivated to participate in alcohol rehab or other therapeutic services.
Dangers of Smoking Marijuana
Choosing to smoke weed can also trigger psychosis episodes in specific individuals. These episodes can make it nearly impossible to function while also creating even more challenges for anyone struggling with alcohol abuse and other problems. Additional health complications are also associated with smoking marijuana, such as long-term breathing issues and heart problems. Marijuana can trigger other painful conditions, resulting in a relapse for someone trying to stay sober from alcohol.
Marijuana is addictive for some people, which is contrary to popular belief. Some studies suggest that up to 30% of marijuana users suffer from an addictive disorder while nearly 10% remain dependent on smoking marijuana. These numbers are especially problematic for addicts struggling with alcohol abuse and other problems. Choosing to smoke weed can also create an addiction trigger, which causes a vicious cycle for anyone struggling with addictions. The long-term impact of using recreational marijuana is also largely unknown, as it hasn’t been studied as extensively as medical marijuana.
Unhealthy Habits
Learning how to cope with anxiety or stress is essential for anyone. Problems in life can arise at any time, as it’s important to develop healthy habits to cope with these problems instead of relying on marijuana maintenance to avoid alcohol abuse. Attending alcoholism treatment during the early stages is often stressful, as it’s essential to learn healthy coping habits without resorting to marijuana. Healthy habits can include following a regular exercise routine, connecting with others, or finding a hobby.
You Can’t Become Sober While Remaining High
The misconception of staying sober while still getting high makes it nearly impossible for addicts to achieve lasting results. Simply replacing alcohol abuse with getting high all of the time will only create an additional set of problems. Sober living involves following a recovery plan to deal with the trials of life with healthy alternatives instead of resorting to alcohol abuse or other drugs.
Family members can play a crucial role in helping a loved one deal with their addiction problems by giving them support to make lasting lifestyle changes. Reaching out to professionals who specialize in alcohol recovery helps your loved one overcome addiction. These professionals can discuss the benefits of receiving alcoholism treatment while also highlighting the negative impact of smoking marijuana while recovering from addiction.
Closing Thoughts
Sober living isn’t an easy process that requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Using marijuana maintenance during alcohol addiction recovery only results in even more challenges. Understanding the negative impact of smoking marijuana while trying to stay sober from alcohol is essential during the recovery process while giving you the best opportunity for making lasting lifestyle changes
