I don't smoke it that much being in hospital and all, but when I see friends I smoke a fair bit. Then I start wanting it all the time/dreaming about it etc.
Is that an addiction, or not?
Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…
you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.
I think it could be, but only you know how much the wanting/dreaming about it affects you.
Personally i would say that it could indicate that you have some kind of dependancy on it or are heading that way. In my opinion though an addiction would depend if the time you spend wanting/dreaming about it affects everyday life? For example if you feel you cant do something unless you have weed, so it interferes with everyday functioning (i hope that makes sense).
Claire x
You should make amends with you.
If only for better health.
But if you really want to live.
Why not try and Make Yourself?
It could be a psychological of wanting to try it more or have it more. But if it's not taking over your life or anything I wouldn't be worried about dreaming in your sleep doesn't mean much I don't think. I dream about stuff I want to do but haven't. I wouldn't think too much of it sweetie. Just take care and if you do smoke try and be safe.
A psychological addiction to something is classified as an emotional dependency, and is only considered to exist if, as jstme said, it begins to interfere with your life or where you're feeling overcome with the desire to try, or have more of, a drug (or whatever you're addicted to). In some cases, that same desire causes people to lie or steal to get it. With any type of addiction - psychological or physical - it is assumed that the user no longer feels they have a choice as to whether they use or not, and no longer do it because they enjoy it but because they've come to depend upon it.
From the sounds of it, you're not psychologically addicted to it because you're not doing it by yourself but because you're with friends and you haven't gone out of your way to do so whilst you're in hospital. Therefore, whilst I can see it's become more of a recurrent thought for you, it's not completely controlling how you think or feel because you're not feeling compelled to partake in it when you're not necessarily able to. You do feel able to live without it and, from the sounds of it, it's more a part of your social life than because you've grown dependent upon it. However, it's likely that you're thinking about it so much because it offers some release from the unhappiness and depression you're feeling - in a similar way to self-injury and such - and so you're more likely to be prone to becoming too dependent. Therefore, with these few warning signs beginning to flag up, I'd suggest that you're a little more careful and make sure that you don't become any more dependent in the future.
I think when your addicted to ANY substance, it's when a couple of things start to happen.
Firstly...you may need to use more of the drug to get high, as your tolerance increases. With this comes an increase in costs for your drug use.
You will neglect other aspects of your life ((taking days off work to get high, or getting high at school/work)), neglecting a relationship you have with someone to get high, neglecting responsibilities ((paying for drugs instead of rent, or food)).
Getting into trouble with your drug use ((like being caught by LEO -law enforcement officers))....or getting enraged because you couldn't score and committing some crime. Or being too wasted in public and having people take advantage of you.
You can't control your finances. You spend every cent on drugs. You may work all week to pay for all your drugs, but have zero left for anything else. Or you may commit crimes to finance your drug habit. Dealing may be an attractive option, but is fraught with danger ((not from cops, but other drug users!))...
You keep using the drug despite negative consequences ((like many listed above))...you may be aware its doing you damage ((inhaling weed smoke...esp. if you "rip down cones" ((or for americans...smoking an entire bowl all at once, just ripping it down...we call it ripping cones here in AUS ;) AS ripping down cones into your lungs...you hold the smoke very deep into your lungs and this is unhealthy. As a test, put a tissue in the bong your using, near the mouth area, and see the tar residue left after smoking one or two cones, you'll be shocked!
I assume you NOT using a plastic bong -do NOT use these as they are very bad for your health, not to mention DISGUSTING...try out a glass bong for 2 weeks, then try a plastic bong, and you will vomit....esp. if your using a piece of hosing as a stem with the cone on the end..cos when you heat up the cone you also heat up the plastic....sometimes it burns and enters your lungs, this is very bad for you...
All of the above are signs you have an addiction problem...and they apply to ALL drugs.
Good bye to everyone on RYL, for various reasons im leaving this site and i will never return. This may make some of you happy, and others sad. Im not leaving because of the members... Good bye and have a nice life
I find it helps to differentiate between an 'addiction' and a 'dependency', treating the former as a physical craving for a substance, and the latter a strong desire to keep consuming a substance in order to acheive a particular mental state.
In other words, a person with an addiction craves the drug; a person with a dependency craves the emotional experience.
Both are tricky ones to overcome, but fortunately it seems you're at the early stages of the latter term, which is perhaps the most simple of the problems. What is is about smoking cannabis that you particularly like? If it's the sense of relaxation, social ease and mood elevation, then there are other ways of achieving this state of mind. Cannabis works by encouraging the release of dopamine in the brain, but a similar sensation can be created by serotonin as well. Healthy levels of serotonin release and reuptake inhibition can be promoted by taking 5-HTP tablets, which can be bought in most health food shops. Sugary foods are also helpful because glucose is broken down into 5-HTP in the body.
Of course, this is a short-term solution. I found cannabis use was something I grew out of - not to sound patronising, but I think this is true for a lot of people. At one stage, I was smoking it pretty much every day, for quite a while. I think, for me, I began to get bored of the feeling. I'm a very creative person and whilever I was smoking cannabis, the drug completely sapped any creative energy that I had. I saw all these people around me who were doing all the things I wanted to do, and I realised that cannabis was to blame for my inability to do so. I smoked cannabis because my friends did, it was readily available, and I was curious as to what the fuss was about. I continued to smoke it because I enjoyed the way it made me feel there and then, but after a while it became apparent that the hour of feeling good was vastly outweighed by the rest of the day of feeling lethargic and bored. Nowadays, cannabis does nothing good for me. What I'm saying is: I was in your position. Now I'm not. You can get out of this.
As with all things, though, it's about wanting to stop, and if you really have no reason to give up, then the chances are you won't stick at it. Find something that really gives you an incentive to stop smoking, and then make a deal with yourself. You'll do fine.
^^^ i dunno lewis...i mean addiction, even when someone is physically dependent on the drug, is ALL PSYCHOLOGICAL. They want the drug, and they will use it.
Now DEPENDENCY, is completley different from addiction. People can become physically dependent on steroids, SSRI's, other antidepressant medication, other drugs like beta-blockers all of which do not produce a "high" or pleasurable experience. In fact, people may WANT to quit using the drug, but they find it difficult ((like people withdrawling from paroxetine of venlafaxine)) cos they are physically dependent.
On the other hand, you can have drugs which DON'T produce a physical dependence, like amphetamines and cocaine...yet these drugs can cause profound addiction to the substances. And whilst opiates or other CNS depressants like alcohol or benzo's ALSO produce physical dependence...its just like the physical dependence i listed above...it makes it harder to quit, yet its SEPERATE from addiction. Addiction is ALL PSYCHOLOGICAL. People addicted to opiates/CNS depressants, crave the feeling, the high...
Where as someone physically dependent on antidepressants IS NOT addicted to the antidepressants. Do you see what im getting at? Addiction is all in the mind, and physical dependency isn't exclusively limited to addictive drugs. MANY non-addictive drugs cause a physical dependency to develop.
Im not arguing with you...im just pointing out the difference between addiction ((purely psychological; like with cocaine and opiates)) and physical dependence ((not necessarily connected to addiction at all...like with antidepressants)).
Good bye to everyone on RYL, for various reasons im leaving this site and i will never return. This may make some of you happy, and others sad. Im not leaving because of the members... Good bye and have a nice life
