What Marijuana Detox Is Like?

When heavy smokers of marijuana decide to quit, they suffer from withdrawal symptoms. The immense number of sufferers has lead the American Psychiatric Association to add marijuana detox syndrome to the fifth edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013.

Countless studies have been conducted to understand what marijuana detox is like. Two of the most prominent researchers in this field are Alan Budney from Dartmouth and Ryan Vandrey from Johns Hopkins. Their studies have shown that marijuana detox feels a lot like nicotine withdrawal. The intensity of marijuana withdrawal syndrome is classified as flu-like, but may reach the same intensity as nicotine withdrawal syndrome.

Marijuana detox symptoms show up when there is an abrupt withdrawal from marijuana after using it for a long period of time. These symptoms include nervousness, irascibility, and insomnia. Budney and Vandrey’s research have demonstrated that marijuana detox produces the same symptoms as nicotine withdrawal, but the degrees of which vary significantly.

Marijuana detox symptoms manifest shortly after going cold turkey from the substance and peak between the second and tenth day. Depending on the length and intensity of use, marijuana withdrawal syndrome may last between 2 weeks to 4 months. Aside from those previously mentioned, symptoms may also consist of violence, hostile behavior, depression, and appetite loss. Physically, the patient will suffer from chills, intense headaches, fever, stomachaches, profuse sweating, and shakiness. The seriousness of these symptoms may hinder the person from carrying out tasks at work and in social events.

People who know someone who have tried quitting drugs, smoking, and other addictions can attest to the extreme irritability and anxiety of that person. Those undergoing marijuana detox are experiencing the same things. They hate being around other people, and most people prefer to avoid them and their bad temper. Their compulsive behaviors cause suffering to themselves and those people around them. The symptoms affect the patient’s logical thinking and reasoning.

When going through marijuana detox, it is tough for the patient to concentrate and engage in social activities whether with family, friends, or colleagues. There is always the compulsion to give in to the craving and smoke. When the person fails to stop this urge, it leads to relapse. This usually happens when, due to lack of information, the patient did not expect to encounter the horrible withdrawal symptoms.

Since marijuana detox leads to a series of challenging physical and psychological issues, the patient is likely to feel pessimism somewhere within the journey towards complete recuperation. Becoming pessimistic – having the feeling of hopelessness – makes relapse extremely likely. It is agonizing to tackle a tough situation if one is ill-prepared.

The effects of marijuana detox do not include severe medical and psychiatric effects. The symptoms are milder than nicotine, heroin, and alcohol withdrawal syndromes. Despite these facts, a substantial number of patient reports recommend further study to better understand marijuana withdrawal syndrome. There is still a great need for effective clinical practices to improve the chances of successful detoxification attempts.