How to Quit Smoking Marijuana?

Marijuana use is widespread in the United States. A lot of people think that smoking Marijuana is a harmless cause of its soothing after effect. Smoking Marijuana can still increase to compulsive and problematic levels for people therefore, these persons end up finding it difficult to quit. 

Quitting Marijuana is possible despite the challenging part of it. Although professional substance abuse treatment has helped some persons to manage withdrawal. It also helped them in quitting the use of Marijuana. 

Let’s walk you through the steps to help you quit smoking Marijuana. 

Find out why you want to quit smoking Marijuana.  

You have made the first step by deciding to quit smoking Marijuana. The next step is by educating yourself on personal reasons why you want to quit Marijuana. This will help to increase the chances of success. 

These reasons can serve as motivation during the process of withdrawal. Also, it will always remind you of why you started the journey to quit smoking Marijuana. It also helps to set goals over a certain period of time allocated for quitting. 

Main reasons for quitting Marijuana. 

Perhaps you started smoking Marijuana to reduce anxiety, deal with chronic pain or lack of sleep. But the disadvantages have outweighed the advantages. So, these are common reasons why people quit smoking Marijuana;

• reduced interest in hobbies
•  problems in relationships
• negative effect on memory, mood, and concentration. 
• A quick escape from emotional distress. 
•  A replaced conventional solution to health problems. 
•  Damaged interest in self-care. 

Choose your means of approach

Although there are different ways to quit smoking Marijuana, what helped someone might not allow you to quit smoking. It is important to learn about the different approaches before choosing one for yourself. 

There are three main methods;

• You might need quick recovery from your addiction to smoking Marijuana. Try packing all materials related to Marijuana or cannabis and go “cold turkey.”  
• You might be concerned about the after symptoms associated with quitting the use of Marijuana. You can talk to a substance use counselor or a therapist for the support needed. 
• Smoking Marijuana might be a relief for your physical and mental health symptoms. In this case,  you would want to reduce smoking without quitting totally or stop gradually. A therapist’s help is also advisable here. 

Let’s carefully examine each method. 

Go “Cold Turkey”

This method is best adapted if you want to quit smoking Marijuana with immediate effect. Cold turkey is the instant ceasing of substance dependence. These steps will walk you through it. 

Get rid of all traces of Marijuana 

Keeping a stash of weed or the set of equipment for smoking Marijuana will make quitting difficult. Trash out all things that have to do with smoking Marijuana. 

As a result, you can prevent temptations. It also helps to avoid going back during withdrawal periods. 

Identify and strategize on how to handle Triggers

Triggers, if not handled, can make you slip up on your commitment. It has a powerful effect. Things and persons associated with smoking Marijuana can become triggers. These are examples of catalysts to look out for;

• Watching TV programs associated with smoking Marijuana 
• Meeting people, you smoke Marijuana with. 
• stress during work
• Trouble sleeping 
• Visiting places where smoking of Marijuana is encouraged. 

Get a couple of things to do when these triggers surface, like;

• Watching your favorite Comedy series to keep you distracted and reduce stress. 
• Taking a warm bath and sleep tablets to induce long sleep. 
• Calling the attention of a friend that supports your decision. 

Fix your Schedule

If you are the type that has a schedule for smoking Marijuana, you can fix other activities instead to keep you busy. 

You can try doing these activities in place of smoking;

• Early morning exercise. 
• Read comic books, academic papers, and so on. 
• Take a yoga class and meditate. 
• Engage in sporting activities. 

Changing your smoking schedules and habits is going to be a challenging phase. Try to stay focused and committed. 

Get a new hobby

If smoking Marijuana is always covered for your dull days, you need to get a new hobby. Pick up a former area of interest and revisit. Try something new like ice skating,  bowling, rock climbing and so on. Opt for something you enjoy doing. 

Ask for support from family and friends

Get your loved ones involved in your quest to quit smoking Marijuana. They can help by;

• removing any form of distraction. 
• Engaging you in other activities. 
• Motivating you when cravings get hard. 

Get support for withdrawal symptoms

A few people go through cannabis withdrawal symptoms. This can be pretty tough and uncomfortable. These symptoms include ;

• Stress and anxiety
• Fever, chills, and sweat
• Irritability and mood swings 
• Trouble sleeping 
• Headache
• Loss of appetite. 

Contact your healthcare provider to help manage severe symptoms. Try taking less caffeine and drinking more water. 

Employing a Gradual Approach

If you are addicted to smoking Marijuana,  quitting instantly will be difficult. It is advisable to use a step by step approach to quitting smoking Marijuana. Let’s walk you through the step by step process of quitting Marijuana. 

Create a Deadline 

Choose a deadline of a few months or weeks that you would work towards to stop smoking Marijuana. This will help you to create a plan that will affect changes. Try to set up a plan that is not too far so as not to lose motivation. 

Plan how you’ll quit

Each plan varies with an individual’s choice.  You can decide to reduce the amount of Marijuana you smoke over the weeks and take less each day until it amounts to nothing. You can also opt for a weaker cannabis product to help you control your intake. 

Engage yourself

Keep busy so as reduce the effects of lesser intakes of Marijuana. It will also distract you from the withdrawal symptoms. 

Get Professional help: Therapy Approach

In addition to helping to check for any underlying emotional problems that could lead to addiction to smoking Marijuana. Addiction treatment therapists may use several behavioral treatments to help those addicted to smoking Marijuana, such as:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT)

This is a form of behavioral therapy that focuses on treating a variety of mental health issues. It is under the assumption that many substance addictions are borne from unhealthy thought patterns. With CBT, you can figure out a negative thought pattern. 

You can learn healthier ways to cope with the emotions to quit smoking Marijuana. 

Contingency management

This method reinforces quitting behaviors. It rewards you for not smoking Marijuana. If you practice contingency management treatment,  you will get a gift or gesture for getting a negative test result. 

Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) 

MET is usually the first line of treatment for those who are not sure if they want to quit smoking Marijuana. The therapist will help you to prioritize your goals linked to the use of Marijuana and will also ask open-ended questions. 

Conclusion 

Quitting the use of Marijuana can be very challenging. With adequate focus,  commitment, and support from family and friends,  you can lead a healthy lifestyle without the use of Marijuana.