Thought I’d share this… as per usual, they have found a substantial amount of nothing.
I myself am aware of my dependency; I will not deny it… but I don’t know. I do get irritable as hell, but that’s not surprising. I use for medical to treat anxiety primarily, as well as IBS and to sleep regularly. Without it I do experience anxiety, irritability, nausea, abdominal pain, etc… but I felt all of this before I ever had seen cannabis. Where as with, I often feel pretty great. Like I haven’t in years. I’m also both very prone to addiction in the moment, but long term I don’t have much problem. I quit smoking cigarettes after 6 years fairly easily. Yet I am addicted to checking my email 500 times a day. Addiction is a human condition, in my estimation… Be sensible and you stay out of trouble, otherwise you’re going to have to deal with the consequences.
What are your thoughts? And don’t just say somewhere between 0-100%! Put yourself on one side of the line, none of use know for sure, you won’t be wrong.
Internet, email, social media, video games, tv… I barely know anyone who doesn’t qualify as an addict to these things. I think we’re addicted to the stimulation we get from them. They used to say that TV was bad for the brain. Well now TV isn’t stimulating enough, so you gotta be on the phone at the same time. Everything is becoming too boring, so fixate on internet drama or political news to get the emotional satisfaction of outrage or anger.
If physical cannabis addiction is real, IMO, it’s nothing compared to media addiction. Of course, we’ll probably just keep denying the existence of real problems and focus on convenient strawmen like usual.
Addiction can have physical and mental components.
As I understand it, the physical side is mitigated by the longer 1/2 life (persistance in the body) of the THC and CBD etc. Normally the physical component is not a significant factor as you naturally ‘wean’ off. That said, everybody is different.
That’s actually a very interesting point; myself notice this. Withdrawals are very different from other drugs because of this. It’s more of a discomfort than… whatever you want to call benzo withdrawal. Hell? Me myself picked up the prior in favor of the later. I’d rather be irritable than laying in bed.
The interesting thing about addiction and consummation method… I can’t see to get addicted to edibles, they simply don’t give me a high as quickly as inhaling. I never crave THC, I crave a smoke! I can’t tolerate much flower with my asthma, so dabs are more my smoking, but I still find myself drawn back to flower.
This part is more anecdotal than anything; but I’ve also noticed my stash kind of seems to last as long as it needs to… IF I don’t worry about it. It’s much less aggressive than my Xanax, which if I don’t take it daily, even just a couple hours off, it’s panic attacks. I don’t even need to realize I didn’t take it, it’ll remind me.
Oh I believe there is physical withdrawal 100%. I didn’t for the longest time but for the last 10 years or so, my mind has changed. Now as for a pure addiction, mental or physical, I don’t really think that’s a thing, it’s habit forming, but not addicting, but 100% has withdrawal symptoms if you consume it regularly for a long period of time.
Since about the age of 15 my life has generally been like this
Outside of a couple random years, I went over 15 years without missing a day of smoking at least a gram to the face. When I was forced to stop, tried this multiple times, I can’t eat for the first 3-4 days after I stop smoking. Literally nothing tastes good and it all makes me sick. I have to force down whatever it is and try not to throw up during or immediately after eating it. Plus the standard irritability and issues falling asleep. Generally takes a good week or two to get back to normal.
The Issue is the way the media portrays it to the unknowing general public.
Most non-marijuana people can not make that distinction… they see Marijuana and Addiction in the title and link two-and-two together. Now they know Marijuana is definitely bad… because Harvard Said So, or CNBC said so…
In reality it is more “habit forming” than addictive. If we want to start bashing Marijuana - Coffee and Sugar both have just as bad withdrawal symptoms as Marijuana? We NEVER see that in the news/media? What would happen if we halted coffee in the morning for everyone?
I just can’t get on the wagon - calling Marijuana addictive because you have trouble sleeping for a couple days? I can’t…
(and of course… we all know Marijuana helps with sleep and appetite - so would it not make sense to have some adjustment when you stop?) But to call it a full on addiction?
I think the addiction is different, 99% of people aren’t going to steal and rob to get cannabis, its more like I’d rather have it than not have it but if I am not able to have it I’m more just bummed out because weed makes everything better, family guy was right on that episode
But on the other side look at opiates and methamphetamine people with that addiction will do absolutely anything to get it no matter how horrible it is, if they don’t have it they are extremely sick, plus you could easily OD which will never happen with cannabis no matter how careless you are.
The two aren’t even comparable but most people who never tried cannabis or are against it like to compare it as the same.
Its slightly above caffeine and much below nicotine.
A week of less sleep and slightly agitated, nothing much to worry about, easier to manage than most substances.
Syndrome, sounds like someone is gearing up to make money, diagnosis means insurance, hospitals and practitioners have something new to charge for, usually courts try to muscle in on some of the action with a new law or 2.
It can be addiction in a sense, I know the wife says she can tell when I’m low/out of bud. I think for me its more of the actual smoking and such. Repetitive motions and such. Mentally last time I stopped for a long period while looking for a better job it was hell as most things on my life including friends and co-workers at the time. But it was also a particularly stressful time already.
The way I see it, we’ve developed the “addiction” skill to give us the best chance of survival. “This makes me feel good and healthy, I should do it more.” If left unchecked it becomes abuse. I’ve never met someone who I’ve felt abused weed without noticing them also abusing something else, usually another drug but with the internet we have a hole gambit of things to distract ourselves from life.
Addiction is a condition of the spirit ultimately, no one is making you do anything but you. Personally I find when I’m getting close to that line where I no long recognize what I’m doing as medical it’s key to remember this and to hold myself accountable. But to use it is not addiction. I have used narcotics, as a lot of people have. So would you say I then was addicted? No, because I had a reason. Ultimately it’s a personal choice though… how much are you willing to give up for this? Keep your priorities in order and you’re golden.
I always thought it wasnt withdrawl addicting myself until i met my wife and watched first hand she has a low level benzo or mid alchohol type withdraw without cannabis… I myself have noticed when i dont have any cannabis for a day or two i feel like im on speed or something really uncomfortable and completely unable to eat. But i am a firm believer that it all depends on each persons body chemistry as to whatever effects people experiance
Water cure a few buds if you haven’t already much easier on the asthma
Oooo, and my addiction that I have serious withdrawals from is…smoking, Everytime I try to quite, and freaking Pepsi. I cried tears of sorrow one time in a foxhole, because I wanted a damn Pepsi, that freaking bad. I do drink entirely too much, between almost a case, to just over a case a day. However, I don’t really drink anything else. No coffee, no alcohol, no juice. Water and Pepsi, the elixar of life, nectar of the gods.
A man only truly needs the 4 PS to be happy in life.
Pepsi
Pot
Pizza
Putang
much easier on the asthma 
I cried tears of sorrow one time in a foxhole, because I wanted a damn Pepsi, that freaking bad. I do drink entirely too much, between almost a case, to just over a case a day. However, I don’t really drink anything else. No coffee, no alcohol, no juice. Water and Pepsi, the elixar of life, nectar of the gods.