Psychological addiction to cannabis

The risk of physical dependence on cannabis is significantly less than that of alcohol or opioids; however, there is an opportunity for a user to develop a psychological dependence on their cannabis use, based upon how they utilize the drug and what role it plays in their life.

Cannabis develops from being a source of enjoyment to a necessity for relaxation, socialization, and/or creative pursuits. This could manifest itself in a person’s need to smoke a joint each evening due to a learned behavior, versus choosing to smoke simply because they choose to. Alternatively, people may turn to cannabis as a method to escape from their day-to-day stresses rather than address them.

None of the above statements make cannabis “bad”, but they highlight the importance of being aware of the role cannabis plays in your life.

Is Your Cannabis Use a Habit?

Here’s a quick check-up to see where your cannabis use stands.

While neither indicates you are in danger, here are some indicators that you might be psychologically dependent:

• Do you often feel irritable or restless when you do not use cannabis?
• Does your free time revolve primarily around cannabis?
• Are you losing interest in hobbies or social activities when you do not use cannabis?
• Do you automatically go to cannabis as a solution to stress, boredom or sadness?

Compare yourself to each line in this table and notice which side feels closer to your current reality.

Creating Healthy Habits Around Cannabis

One of the most effective methods of avoiding the development of a psychological reliance on cannabis is by creating intentional behaviors surrounding your use.

Rather than having cannabis as the constant background to your daily routine, give it a place and a purpose:

• Set boundaries: for example, limit your cannabis use to the weekends, or only allow yourself to use it once you have completed all of your daily tasks.
• Experiment with new forms of cannabis: Try smoking, eating, vaping etc. so that you have a variety of experiences and can remember to mix things up and not always have the same cannabis experience.
• Be Curious: try to discover different strains with various cannabinoid ratios, rather than rely on your trusted favorite.
• Intentionally pair cannabis with wellness: For example, plan to meditate while using cannabis, plan to do non-judgmental creative work while using cannabis, or plan to engage in social rituals that hold meaning for you while using cannabis.

Ultimately, the goal is to use cannabis as part of a larger and more comprehensive lifestyle, and not your entire lifestyle.

Finding a Balance

Cannabis provides a source of entertainment, relief, and enlightenment. The only point at which cannabis will begin to cause problems is when it becomes the only resource in your toolbox.

If you realize that you are getting into a groove that feels structured too much, you do not necessarily have to do anything extreme. You can take a break, reduce your intake, or diversify your activities to get back to a balanced position in short order.

Also, if you would like to approach cannabis in this manner, you can start with Weed Wonderland. We have one of the largest online product catalogues available in cannabis in the UK – strains, edibles, and more.

Take a look today, find the products that suit your lifestyle and order with confidence.