How to Stop Marijuana Cravings and Prevent Relapse

Marijuana is one of the most famous gateway drugs that can lead to an addiction to more potent and dangerous drugs. There’s a lot of debate about marijuana and whether it has the potential to cause severe addiction. And while there’s enough evidence to support both views, we believe that it’s best not to take any chances. It would be prudent to stop smoking marijuana and prevent yourself from having more serious problems down the line. However, we here at Little Creek Recovery know this is easier said than done. We know that it can be difficult to stop marijuana cravings and prevent relapse, but just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. Therefore, here are some things that you can do if you want to put an end to your marijuana consumption.

Signs and symptoms of marijuana cravings

Cravings are a feeling that all people in a Men’s residential program in PA are familiar with. They originate during the process of withdrawal, and they are characterized by a strong desire for the substance that has been misused. There are two main problems with cravings – they can be so intense that they are all that you can think about, and they generate the false belief that the only way to get rid of them is by going back to the drug. Luckily, that’s not the case, and we are about to show you that.

People experiencing marijuana cravings are going to be having a set of physical and mental symptoms. The cravings are usually the strongest once you are faced with situations where you would normally use marijuana. They are also at their highest once you are around the people that you associate with marijuana use, but also during the evening hours when we tend to have free time. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, then you can be sure that you are dealing with cravings:

• Appetite changes
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Sleeping problems
• Low motivation
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anxiety

How intense your symptoms are going to be is something that depends on a few things. It’s logical that people who have been abusing marijuana for years are going to have a harder time with cravings in comparison to those who have been using it for months. Either way, marijuana addiction in PA is a serious thing, and it requires a personalized approach.

When do the cravings start?

Marijuana addiction is a bit different from other types of addiction. For example, a person with heroin addiction in PA would start to experience cravings mere hours after taking their last dose. On the other hand, those suffering from addiction to marijuana can expect the cravings to begin within the first week of giving up this substance. There’s no telling how long the cravings could last, as they could persist for weeks and even months. However, there’s a lot that you can do to help yourself in this situation.

How to stop marijuana cravings and prevent relapse?

The first thing we would advise you to do is be strong. It might seem like this difficult moment will never pass, but you can definitely get through it. Truth be told, stopping marijuana cravings and learning how to deal with them is going to be challenging. But there’s no reason why you can’t do it, just like many other people in Outpatient rehab in PA did before you.

Understand what you are going through

One of the main reasons why people fail to control their cravings is that they don’t have a true understanding of what it all means. As we’ve mentioned a few moments ago, many people believe that the cravings won’t disappear unless they consume the drug. That’s why the first thing that you need to do in order to stop marijuana cravings and prevent relapse is to educate yourself. Understand that this is an integral part of the process, and it’s something that every person in a Partial hospitalization program in PA has gone through. If most people have successfully gotten a grip on their addiction, there’s no reason why you can’t do the same.

Moreover, it’s important to understand that cravings alone cannot make you relapse. They can cause you to feel a certain way, but it’s completely up to you to decide whether you want to do something about it. The ball is completely in your court, and you can be strong enough to resist the temptation.

Urge surfing

This is a technique that not a lot of people know about. Practicing urge surfing entails imagining your cravings as one big wave. Once you are feeling them, the wave is coming at you at its peak, and you can decide to ride it out or let it hit you. The point of this technique is to realize that cravings come in waves, and if you ride them out, then they will pass at some point. People who are dealing with heroin, marijuana, or cocaine addiction in Pennsylvania need to have hope that better times are ahead.

Distract yourself

Not a lot of people believe in the power of distraction. We certainly don’t recommend that you use it as your only coping mechanism when it comes to addiction recovery. However, a lot of good can come from distracting yourself in certain situations. When your cravings are at their peak, it’s certainly better to do something to take your mind off of things as opposed to sitting around and burdening yourself with negative feelings. Of course, the distraction that you choose should be a healthy one. It should have nothing to do with your addiction and substance of choice.

Instead, you can watch a movie that you like, read a book, listen to music, or dial up a good friend. Sometimes, these distractions can actually help you acquire a new skill and come out of the process with more knowledge. That’s precisely what we aim to do in our Intensive outpatient program in PA, as we want to teach you healthy coping skills and mechanisms that allow you to leave rehab in a better state than when you entered it.

Change up your routine

There’s a good chance that a big part of your daily routine used to revolve around marijuana. Whether you used to smoke it after finishing work or classes or you have waited for your friends at night to do it together, your routine had to have included marijuana. That’s why once the time of the day allotted for this substance comes, you are going to feel intense cravings. Instead of giving in to temptation, it would be wiser to simply change up your routine and avoid additional problems.

Instead of waiting at home at night, why not enroll in a language or cooking course? If 6 PM was your time when you smoked marijuana, then make 6 PM your new time for walking your dog. You don’t have to start having a completely different life all of a sudden, but it would be good to shake things up a little bit. Although, if you feel like you are in need of a radical change, then that’s what you should do. We welcome all change when dealing with drug or alcohol addiction in PA, as long as you engage in activities that are actually good for you.

Lead a healthy lifestyle to stop marijuana cravings and prevent relapse

We all know how important it is to have healthy habits. They help you have a long and happy life. But while they are important on a daily basis, they are definitely crucial when dealing with addiction. Granted, having a healthy lifestyle is not going to make you immune to cravings – but it is going to help you deal with them. So, what should you do to provide yourself with the best chances of success?

• Eat three nutritious meals throughout the day and don’t be afraid to have healthy snacks between the meals.
• Get eight hours of sleep per night. It’s better to sleep more than to sleep less when recovering.
• Get regular physical activity. This can be anything from daily walks to grueling gym sessions and yoga.

These would be some basic things that you should do if you want to keep your body in its optimal condition. However, we would say that your mental health is just as important. Therefore, give yourself enough time to participate in the activities that make you happy. Whether that’s hanging out with friends or finding enough time for your favorite hobby, it’s definitely essential to having some time to yourself.

Seek professional help

Finally, sometimes no matter how hard you might work on stopping marijuana cravings and preventing relapse, it might not be enough. After all, these cravings can get too extreme, making it difficult for the one dealing with them to think clearly. Not being able to control these cravings is nothing to be ashamed of. Thus, it’s going to be completely reasonable and commendable if you decide to get some professional help for your addiction. That’s the whole purpose of all the addiction centers that exist nowadays.

You have many options if you decide to go down the professional help route. However, what most people choose is a program that is geared toward helping people with detox and cravings. A medically-assisted program is a form of treatment where an individual will receive medications to treat their addiction. All of the medications that will be used are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, as there is a variety of drugs that can be used for this purpose. They help people go through withdrawal, as they lessen the uncomfortable symptoms that originate during this process. Moreover, they have also been shown to provide better chances for long-term success, which is why we are big supporters of these medications.

However, they can’t be used unless administered by a professional. Every person is different, and everyone’s addiction will require different medications and dosages. It is up to a healthcare professional to assess your needs and provide you with a treatment plan that is going to work best for your situation. Now, we know that many people find it counterintuitive to use drugs to treat a drug problem. But when used correctly, these drugs are completely safe and harmless. Because of how potent they are, we believe that their benefits by far outweigh any of the possible drawbacks. Of course, the decision of whether or not to use them is completely up to you.

Your attitude can greatly stop marijuana cravings and prevent relapse

We know that this is easier said than done, but how you respond to your cravings is what’s going to make all the difference. Your mind can help you stop marijuana cravings and prevent relapse. However, it can also urge you to give in to temptation. The thing you have to remember is that cravings are normal, and you aren’t the only one feeling them. Everyone who has gone through recovery has been in the same situation. But it’s what you do with them that’s going to make all the difference. If you need any help with your cravings and recovery, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact us. We will gladly provide you with all the tools that are needed for overcoming your addiction as quickly as possible.