Let's have an honest conversation about long-term cannabis use and its hidden dangers. While many view it as harmless, there's a serious condition called cannabis-induced psychosis that we need to address. But more than that, we need to talk about why we feel the need to escape in the first place.
The "Temporary Suicide" of Cannabis Use
For many long-term users, cannabis has become a form of "temporary suicide" - a way to check out of life for a while. It's like hitting a pause button on reality, allowing you to disconnect from your problems, your pain, your responsibilities. You go away for a bit, but you always come back. The issue is, nothing has changed when you return.
This desire to become obliterated, to not participate in reality - it's not the fault of the drug. It's a symptom of a reality that feels too harsh, too demanding, or too painful to face. The cannabis isn't the root problem; the problem lies in the reality that we feel a need to escape from.
Why We Turn to Cannabis Long-Term
Understanding this, let's look at why people often use cannabis for years:
1. To numb emotional pain and temporarily escape problems.
2. To quiet a racing mind of thoughts, preoccupied with anxieties and worries.
3. To manage overwhelming feelings and stress.
4. To ease social interactions when feeling insecure and to appear chill and relaxed.
These are all valid feelings and challenges. The quality of your reality will drive you to smoke, vape, eat, or otherwise consume cannabis in different qualities but to be blunt - it's like putting a bandaid on a broken leg.
The Long-Term Effects on Your Brain and Life
While cannabis might seem like a helpful coping tool, long-term use can have serious consequences:
1. Your brain's reward system gets rewired, leading to dependence.
2. You may need more cannabis over time to achieve the same effect.
3. Real-life problems remain unsolved, often growing worse with neglect.
4. You risk developing cannabis-induced psychosis, a severe condition where you lose touch with reality.
Symptoms of cannabis-induced psychosis include intense paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and feeling detached from your own body or thoughts. These symptoms can persist even after stopping cannabis use, potentially leading to long-term mental health challenges.
The Overlooked Risk of Psychosis
It's a common misconception that you can't experience severe adverse effects from cannabis. While fatal overdoses are rare, excessive consumption, particularly of high-potency products or edibles, can lead to acute psychotic episodes requiring emergency medical intervention.
According to research published in the World Psychiatry journal:
"Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk for psychotic outcomes, including schizophrenia. In individuals with a predisposition to psychosis, cannabis use may precipitate or exacerbate psychotic symptoms, and continued cannabis use may adversely affect the course and outcome of a psychotic disorder."
In simpler terms, if you have certain genetic factors or have experienced significant trauma, long-term cannabis use could trigger ongoing psychotic symptoms.
Treatment for cannabis-induced psychosis often involves antipsychotic medications, which come with significant side effects:
1. Metabolic changes that can lead to weight gain and increased risk of diabetes.
2. Tardive dyskinesia - a potentially irreversible neurological disorder causing repetitive, involuntary movements. This can affect various parts of the body and significantly impact quality of life.
Creating a Reality You Don't Need to Escape From
The key to overcoming cannabis dependence isn't just about quitting the drug - it's about creating a reality that you no longer feel the need to escape from. This is the heart of my therapeutic approach to addiction and drug dependence. I have personally walked the walk of alcohol and drug addiction to nearly 15 years living clean and sober.
When you work with me, you become the architect of your own reality. This isn't just a catchy phrase - it's a fundamental shift in how you approach your life and your challenges.
Here's what it means to be the architect of your reality:
1. You have the power to design: Just as an architect designs a building, you have the power to design your life. This includes making choices about what to include and what to eliminate in your life- be it cannabis, certain people, places, or things that no longer serve your growth.
2. You're in charge of the blueprint: While I'm here to guide and support you, you're the one making the decisions. You decide what your ideal reality looks like.
3. Building takes time and effort: Creating a new reality isn't instant. It requires consistent effort, patience, and a willingness to learn from setbacks.
4. Renovation is part of the process: Sometimes, demolition is necessary. We will likely demo some old structures (habits, beliefs, relationships) to make room for new, healthier ones.
5. The result is uniquely yours: Your reality won't look exactly like anyone else's, and that's perfect. It's tailored to your needs, values, and aspirations.
My role is to assist you in this process. I'm your therapist and build consultant, offering expertise and tools, but you're the one doing the actual building. Together, we work to create a reality you're excited to actively participate in - one you don't want to escape from.
Here's how we start this process:
1. Identify the root causes: What aspects of your current reality are you trying to escape? Is it trauma, stress, unfulfilling relationships, or a sense of purposelessness?
2. Envision your ideal reality: What does a life you don't want to escape from look like? What elements does it include?
3. Develop healthy coping mechanisms: Learn stress-management techniques, practice mindfulness, or engage in regular physical exercise to replace the role cannabis has played.
4. Build a supportive environment: Surround yourself with people and activities that support your new reality. Evolving involves eliminating anyone that does not provide value to your quality of life.
5. Set meaningful goals: Having something to work towards can give your life a sense of purpose and direction.
6. Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself as you navigate this journey. Change is hard, but you're worth the effort.
7. Regular reality checks: We'll consistently evaluate your progress and make adjustments as needed.
Remember, evolution often includes elimination. As you grow and change, you may find that certain habits (like cannabis use), people, or situations no longer fit in your new reality or are the barriers in the way of you achieving your upgraded quality of life.
The Path Forward
If you're using cannabis as a way to repeatedly "check out" of life, it's time to consider a change. Not because cannabis is inherently bad, but because you deserve to live a life you don't feel the need to escape from.
Quitting long-term cannabis use isn't easy, especially when it's been your go-to coping mechanism. But the potential consequences - including cannabis-induced psychosis and the need for antipsychotic medications with serious side effects - are severe.
As your guide in this process, I'm here to help you not just in quitting cannabis, but in building a life you want to be fully present for. Together, we'll work on addressing the underlying issues that drive cannabis dependence and create strategies for building your new reality.
Remember, you have the strength to face your current reality and the power to shape it into something better. Recovery isn't just about ending drug use - it's about beginning a new, more fulfilling way of life.
You are the architect of your own reality. It's not an easy journey, but it's one that's incredibly worthwhile. Your future self - clear-headed, present, and engaged in a life you've designed - will thank you. See you at the top!
Graciela Yasmin Pacheco, MFT
References
Di Forti, M., Quattrone, D., Freeman, T. P., Tripoli, G., Gayer-Anderson, C., Quigley, H., ... & van der Ven, E. (2019). The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe (EU-GEI): a multicentre case-control study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(5), 427-436.
Hall, W., & Degenhardt, L. (2009). Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use. The Lancet, 374(9698), 1383-1391.
Murray, R. M., Englund, A., Abi-Dargham, A., Lewis, D. A., Di Forti, M., Davies, C., ... & D'Souza, D. C. (2017). Cannabis-associated psychosis: Neural substrate and clinical impact. Neuropharmacology, 124, 89-104.
Volkow, N. D., Baler, R. D., Compton, W. M., & Weiss, S. R. (2014). Adverse health effects of marijuana use. New England Journal of Medicine, 370(23), 2219-2227.
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