There is chemical addiction and there is psychological addiction. Weed might not be chemically addictive but it can sure be psychologically addictive which is true with most stoners.
Dude, coffee and tea are loaded with this incredible compound called caffeine. It's like a chemical wizard that messes with your brain in two ways: chemically and mentally. Chemically, caffeine hooks onto these receptors in your brain, blocking this chill neurotransmitter called adenosine. So instead of feeling relaxed and sleepy, you're all pumped up and alert.
But that's not all, man. When you consume caffeine regularly, your body becomes physically dependent on it. So, if you suddenly stop guzzling that liquid goodness, you're gonna feel some withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and even crankiness. It's like your body is saying, "Hey, where's my daily dose of that buzz?"
And let's not forget about the mental game. Coffee and tea can be habit-forming, creating this psychological attachment. You know, that warm mug, that familiar taste, it becomes a part of your routine, man. Plus, the stimulating effects of caffeine can make you crave that buzz, that laser-focused state of mind.
So, there you have it, bro. Coffee and tea aren't just about flavor and ritual; they mess with your brain chemistry and play tricks on your mind. It's like a wild ride, all packed into a cup.
I don’t agree with that chemical/psychological distinction. Weed and other drugs mess with your neurotransmitters/receptors which are fundamental to our psychological functioning, you can’t draw a line and say this is chemical addiction that causes you to vomit, sweat, and shake, and this is some higher level ”I want it cause it makes me feel nice” addiction. It’s the same thing, just not as severe. And heavy chronic weed use absolutely will cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, mood swings, apathy etc.
Yep. I I had no appetite, severe insomnia, headaches and sweats for about 1-2 weeks when I came off of my heavy use, decade long pot habit. It felt like the flu. I'm glad I found r/leaves or I wouldn't have known those were withdrawal symptoms that would eventually go away!
In the universe, everything boils down to physics. Even the most complex human behaviors could be justified if we understood the physical complexity of the brain. But we can't, so we just refer to that complex behavioral layer of humans as "psyche".
Some people could become addicted to a substance because it makes them feel assertive, so they feel insecure while they aren't under its influence. How do you explain that physically? "Feeling insecure" belongs to the complex human behavioral layer. This would be a valid psychological addiction.
Everything is physical in the universe but we still have psychological disorders.
But, I agree, what most stoners call "psychological addiction" is just physical abstinence. It's just crap like "I can't focus if I don't smoke". Well, yeha, your dopamine levels are all fucked up, dude.
Weed is illegal federally, but it keeps getting produced at a state level. This really worries me, si to try to rectify this situation, I have just been buying and burning as much as I can. I don't know how much of an effect its having because I just keep seeing more pop up.
I will continue despite it seeming more and more like a fools errand.
Used weed for the past 20ish years to make my damned brain shut up and for sleep issues. I quit about 4 months ago after the realization that I might have adhd. Wanted to see if things got better after stopping. They really didn't. I had no clue that this could be the source of my issues until recently so now I'm over here waiting for an appointment. Self medication and drug/alcohol use is apparently really common with undiagnosed adhd. But damned do I miss it. The first couple weeks where rough, and i do feel like I was having some withdrawal effects from quitting despite people saying it's not addictive. It was literally giving me easy dopamine so your comment makes alot of sense.
This is where I'm at rn but I'm worried about trying to get medication to treat it.
Since I was a kid I've always had issues with motivation and organization. My default state is moderate messiness and disorganization, weed just makes me not feel as bad about it and stop stressing myself out.
Prolonged use of use of weed can reduce you brains motivation system which is something that people with ADHD already have a problem with. Long term use of weed may be risky idea for someone with ADHD.
source: my doctor who gave me my medical card and my psychiatrist
Our data suggest that the cannabinoid system is implicated in the psychoactive properties of caffeine and in the ability of caffeine to reduce the pathological consequences of stress.
Chronic caffeine assumption sensitized GABAergic synapses to the presynaptic effect of cannabinoid CB1 receptor stimulation by exo- and endocannabinoids.
The synaptic effects of caffeine were slowly reversible after its removal from the drinking solution.
Furthermore, although exposure to caffeine for only 24h did not produce measurable changes of the sensitivity of cannabinoid CB1 receptors, it was able to contrast the down-regulation of CB1 receptor-mediated responses after social defeat stress.
I copied the rest from bloommedicinals.com, just the relevant bits. Also added the links to the studies and the pages with additional descriptions.
TL;DR:
Low levels of caffeine can help to maximize the effects of THC, but too much caffeine can lessen the impact of your cannabis
Caffeine and THC can both increase dopamine levels, but too much at once can trigger anxiety, agitation, and paranoia
What Happens When You Smoke Weed and Drink Coffee?
Since coffee and cannabis may offer so many health benefits on their own, you might think it’s safe to assume that enjoying a little bit of weed with your coffee would be okay. The reality is … it might be safe for most, but not for all. Here’s why.
THC and coffee can boost the amount of dopamine in our systems. Although dopamine can promote feelings of happiness and euphoria, too much of it at once can trigger anxiety, agitation, and paranoia. In addition, both caffeine and THC can both increase your blood pressure and heart rate.
This is why many doctors advise that those with heart conditions and those at risk of heart arrhythmia or stroke, should not mix caffeine and THC. So, if you’re new to mixing coffee and cannabis, it’s important to consult your doctor to make sure it makes sense for you. If it does, begin with lower amounts of coffee and cannabis than you would normally consume on their own. Then if needed, you can increase your dosage slowly.
Back in 2014, a study was conducted to measure the effects of mixing caffeine and cannabis on squirrel monkeys. The results of this study were published in the Journal of Neuroscience. (also described here)
The monkeys were given the ability to self administer cannabis whenever they wanted. All they had to do was to pull on a lever. When the monkeys were given low doses of a substance similar to caffeine, they seemed less likely to reach for the THC. But, when they received high doses of caffeine, they seemed to reach for that lever more often.
Then in 2018, a study led by Marilyn Cornelis at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine seemed to back up these findings. This time, the study examined the effects of mixing cannabis and coffee on humans. It found that the more caffeine people consumed, the less cannabis their body was able to metabolize. (also described here)
So, although small amounts of caffeine can help your THC go a long way – too much caffeine can lessen its effects.
Honestly, I use it about once a week. I have friends who get drunk more frequently then that. I can see why people would use it every day but they shouldn't imo.
People react differently to all substances, the real test for addiction is if you can stop doing it for say, 3 weeks in a row, not how often you do it... You can do it once a month and still be addicted but as long as you can stop for 3-4x longer than you usually would, you're probably not
Marijuana is absolutely physically addictive as much as people want to say it isnt. Mind you im someone who smokes the minute they leave work until they go to bed. So im not here to push any kind of anti-marijuana view point, but i do think we as stoners should be honest. Everyone i know who stops smoking weed has two very common side effects.
They have a lot of trouble getting to sleep
Wild/fucked up dreams.
I understand that this is a side effect of lack of REM but you cant say these aren’t physical withdrawal symptoms. Research is needed, but just because we all want it to be legal, doesn’t mean we should ignore the facts.
Marijuana is absolutely physically addictive as much as people want to say it isnt.
I mean it scientifically isn't though. Physical addictions don't just give you psychological withdrawals, they are physical. Your body becomes dependent on them to maintain homeostasis.
Cold turkeying drugs like opioids and benzos can kill you.
Just because the withdrawal symptoms aren’t as bad doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I said this before, research is needed. Going off of whats been said over the last 50 years of prohibition seems silly to me. And i for sure use marijuana to keep me in homeostasis. We need to stop saying psychological withdrawal doesnt have roots based in brain chemistry. I think everything we have begun to learn about mental health shows what little we actually know.
There's withdrawal but of the four drugs i have been physically addicted to (caffeine, weed, nicotine, and SSRIs) it's the only one I can cold turkey in under a week and feel fine.
Dude those “withdrawal symptoms” are a joke compared to any other drug.
That said, I don’t know a single person who identifies as a stoner that isn’t completely and utterly mentally addicted. And the drug is so subtle, stoners rarely try to stop.
Cocaine, even a 2 day bender is incredibly hard on your body. If you’re a person with any kind of responsibilities in your life, you’ll be strongly incentivized to reconsider the habit in no time.
But weed, it’s meh. Most users can restrict their use to when they’re not at work, so it’s fine.
Which makes it more dangerous.
I’ve watched so many promising futures flushed down the toilet by weed. Motivation? gone. Real hobbies? Indoors in front of a screen only. At its worst, I’ve seen friends totally withdraw from socializing almost entirely. Social anxiety combined with the escape of being high was enough to dampen and deny the very real human need to connect with others.
Every single one of these individuals went through some form of depression that was was extended and exacerbated by escapism and addiction in the form of excessive marijuana usage.
I know that’s not everyone. There are people who use it in a healthy, balanced way.
But there are also a ton of people who get heavily addicted because it dampens the pain of something they’re going through. And that pattern can make it a lot harder to make progress and work through whatever that person is dealing with.
Anyone who’s spent any time around stoners knows this is true. And yeah, for a lot of people, it’s a gateway drug. I’ve seen plenty of buddies in college jump from weed to xans to oxy. It’s ruined lives. It made my best friend drop out.
And yeah, these people clearly already had issues. But that’s how drug addiction works. It preys on people who are going through something and it makes a bad situation way worse.
Weed can do the exact same thing. Doesn’t matter if it’s not physically addicting.
This comment hit the nail on the head. It's no big deal to spend an evening after work getting high and watching movies. But then it becomes every evening. Now you can't deal with daily life if you don't get to smoke between work shifts. Maybe you show up to work high to take the edge off. Now you're high all the time and being sober feels weird. Spending all your time just sort of floating in a dream because being high is your default state now.
Everything becomes more effort so you just stop bothering. Playing an instrument? This requires too much focus. I'm gonna go lay down on the couch. Socializing? I'm too high to drive, I'll stay home today (man I'm so freaking lonely). It really truly is a trade-off where you sacrifice a fulfilling life for an easily tolerated one. At some point you start to realize this and increase your intake to try to make those uneasy thoughts go away.
I've gone from every day smoking to nothing multiple times. Never had trouble getting to sleep. But I did have wildy fucked up and vivid dreams.
I have no idea what the meaning behind that is. But if my only withdraw symptoms are "vivid dreams", is it really that bad? In the grand scheme of drug withdrawals, that's super mild.
I think it varies from person to person. I use it sometimes and will stop for months at a time. The main reason I use it is to help me sleep, and it's definitely not stopping weed that makes me not sleep since I had those sleep problems for years already while not using weed. Before it was legalized I only ever smoked at parties and had zero desire to go out of my way to find a dealer so I'd only use it very rarely and sometimes went years between using. Once it was legalized I started using lightly only for sleep and stress relief. Before I took sleeping pills instead but prefer weed because it doesn't make me as drowsy in the morning. I think it's a non statement to say that stopping weed makes it harder to fall asleep when one of its effects is making it easier to sleep. If the status quo is not falling asleep as well, stopping a sleep aid will of course return you to the status quo
But thats under the assumption people use weed for sleep. I never had a problem sleeping as a kid. But now as an adult, if i stop smoking I struggle to sleep.
I can only speak anecdotally, but in my experience it was about 2 weeks for the majority of strong withdrawal symptoms to go away. By that point my appetite was starting to come back, sleep was better, and cravings were subsiding.
I'm my case, weed increases my appetite dangerously. I'm obese and weed makes me a food monster. I don't use it unless it's a social situation where I can't just clean my fridge out.
As someone who smokes weed way too often... I do it because I'm addicted to it and anyone who says it's 'habitual not addictive' or they're just 'medicating' is in denial
As someone else who smokes way too much... I do it because I'm addicted to it. Most people don't realize that habitual addictions are addictions, and just because weed doesn't have physical withdrawal symptoms, doesn't meant you can't be addicted.
It most certainly does have physical withdrawal symptoms. Perhaps it didn't in 1960 when a lid of pot was $10 and had the same potency of 1 puff from a vape pen, but it sure as hell does today. I've watched people become insanely irritable and aggressive when quitting weed, suffering from headaches, sweats, and a plethora of other symptoms.
Weed is not going to ruin your life the same way like benzos and alcohol would. If you smoke everyday then you probably aren't very productive, but you are not actively ruining your life.
Weed is dangerous because of how safe it is. It makes you ok with being bored and not progressing/growing as a person. Alcohol addiction will straight up make you homeless.
Ive honestly stopped buying the different strains have different effects talk. No matter what I smoke I get stoned and lazy af. Not that that's bad, it's just what happens.
Every single person on this planet is addicted to one thing or the other. Basically we are genetically junkies. We strive for pleasure. Simple as that. I found pleasure in weed many years ago and I don't have any moral or other intention to quit. I just don't give a ....
Why? My guy, have you seen the world? Have you seen how people treat each other? If you don't smoke I don't know what the fuck you're doing, but if it's to be "a moral and upstanding citizen" I both laugh and cry at your blissful ignorance.
You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years? Rrrrrrrrrrrreal fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few tunes.
-Bill Hicks
There's withdrawal but of the four drugs i have been physically addicted to (caffeine, weed, nicotine, and SSRIs) it's the only one I can cold turkey in under a week and feel fine.
yes, I used to have the same experience. regular smoking and then stopping for a bit was fine. but it didn't leave my mind. It's not physically addictive, but neither is shopping or video games, or gambling, yet so many people are addicts
I don't drink coffee or tea, but I usually drink caffeinated soda with food. I visited another country a few years back where soda isn't usually drank except in special occasions like at parties. I couldn't figure out why I had such a bad headache for the first few days. I thought the caffeine content from soda would be low enough that I wouldn't have withdrawals. Finally on about day 5 I decided to have tea with my breakfast, and no headache that day. That was when I realized what a caffeine withdrawal headache felt like, and I finally realized why I get headaches if I don't have lunch at my regular time (when I usually have my soda).
I really wish I could get caffeine free cola, because I don't even want the caffeine. I just want the cola flavor. But it seems the only caffeine free cola that is sold in stores is also diet, which I don't like the taste of. They sell caffeine free, non-diet cola online, but at absurd prices.
Caffeine isn't addictive. Your body acclimates to long term usage, and you will experience some withdrawal symptoms but this is classified as a dependency and not an addiction as it does not trigger the reward mechanisms like weed and or methamphetamine does. It's an important distinction and is why coffee and tea are often served at [Addiction] Anonymous meetings.
It's both. Nicotine is also both. Note how people at AA still often smoke. And how much coffee they'll pound even after dinner.
The only drug I misclassified is SSRIs. Which don't trigger the dopamine reward system.
And my comment was in light of OP and common language usage. People say heroin addiction and they mean heroin dependency. It doesn't help anyone to be pedantic about these two words. And I say that as someone who has taken college level classes on pharmacology and alcohol and drug dependence and is very aware of the technical differences used professionally.
I have a couple hobbies, and I do them high. I've never really wanted to do anything even before starting to smoke. Weed just makes a boring life slightly less boring and makes time pass faster. I'm honestly just tryna speed run life so I can die sooner.
Personally I thought weed was very addictive, but not in the traditional sense.
Take coffee for instance. When I stopped drinking coffee I had headaches, was a dick for a few days, but that's it. Which is pretty easy compared to, say, heroin (so I hear).
With weed, I didn't have any of that, but I craved the relaxation it brought. The feeling of not giving a fuck about anything for a few hours was great, and I longed for it. I still long for it sometimes. And I think that's the dangerous thing about weed being labeled as "non-addictive."
Just because you don't have a physical reaction to abstaining, doesn't mean the emotional reliance is nothing.
I feel exactly the same way. Much less of a physical addiction for me. For a long time I was in the "not addictive" camp, but realized that there was a reason that I was resistant to stopping. I'll still partake, but I'm more mindful about recognizing when its becoming a dependance issue again.
That's pretty much a habit, I also get uncomfortable when I have to go out when I always have that day free. Peanut butter cups might not be a good example because the sugar is really bad for humans.
Well it really isn't addictive as opiates for example are. You wont become chemically dependant to it. The kind of addiction it causes is the same one that social media, TV, gaming, etc might cause. It becomes an habit and you get used to that. I know this is a simplification but this is how I see it.
Because before it my ADHD made it functionally impossible to sleep, since when I'm not on the meds my mind runs too hard and when I am on the meds I can't sleep either because they're prescription meth, but weed solves that problem and I enjoy sleeping.
Basically same as the other dude, but no anxiety beyond the norm anyone would have in their daily lives, and no paranoia beyond the legal consequences of excersing what I see as a right yet the state sees as a crime. Were it federally legal it would mitigate that of course, but that'll never happen because then nobody could use legalization to get votes so we can't actually go around solving things, now can we? (Bitter? Maybe. Paranoid no lol.)
I used it to self-medicate for my ADHD for years. It calmed down all the noise in my head and allowed me to have one train of thought at a time. It also made me high, which was nice. I'm the end, it became a crutch for dealing with the hard aspects of life, and fucked with my brain chemistry a lot. I ended up a paranoid wreck, developed severe anxiety and stopped. Now I enjoy it occasionally but if I smoke too much it makes me feel depressed for days afterwards.
Here's a balanced take from someone with moderately bad ADHD who very rarely smoked weed (so, not biased).
A mild high feels like a bad ADHD day, but then I had a fewer symptoms after the high is gone. Trace amounts could get me mostly symptomless without any real feeling of "high", but I'm so lightweight that would be less than what most people call "microdosing".
A moderate high...well, probably the same as everyone else (except I would get there for less than most). Then the entire next day it was like I didn't have ADHD at all.
Beyond that, I only did once and I "greened out", possibly related/causal to the part where I "very rarely smoked weed". Greening out with ADHD is like greening out without ADHD I'm sure.
Well when I don't have any and can't get any, I think "if I had a joint that would be nice." The same way one might want a pizza they can't afford. But it doesn't occupy my mind all day, like if I'm out of cigarettes.
I'm a medical user and I'm absolutely admitting to my dependance on it. Because otherwise I'd be in pain and not in complete control of my body and mind. I never get red eyes, tho
Weed def has some mild physical withdrawal, but nothing like opiates/benzos/or alcohol. It's not soul crushing ftmp.
But I consider anything needed outside of myself to function as an inconvenience, so that's pretty much life as a whole. Damned if you do damned if you don't. Gotta consume the world to experience it. I try to limit my consumption these days.
My brother is definitely addicted. He smokes to calm himself down, but is just as angry, if not more, after. He's been smoking so much for so long that he can't even imagine what it's like without it.
I mean, yes, weed isn't the cause of his anger issues, but weed no longer helps him the way he thinks it does, or the way it might have helped him in the past.
Once you start consuming too much, it increases your anxiety and paranoia. You get panic attacks and shit. It's fine for taking the edge off but you can't control major psychological issues with it.
Yup. Wish he wasn't so hooked onto the "weed can do no harm, it's impossible" mantra. I've tried to explain it like water: it's very healthy for us, but you can still drink too much and have dangerous health issues.
i dunno about all that. its different for everyone, just like any substance really. ive been smoking weed since i was like 13 and i have never had a panic attack and i dont think its the source of anxiety for me. im almost 40 now. i am def addicted tho, theres no argument there. but i describe it as like a bad habit. like watching too much TV or being too into WoW. its a mental issue
I acknowledge I'm addicted. I smoke every day, but it doesn't have any negative effects on my life. I guess I'm a "productive stoner type" and the same can't be said for everyone but in general I think it makes my life better.
My tolerance is high enough that it doesn't impair me, it just helps me relax and keep my anxiety in check. I can and do take tolerance breaks every once and a while, so I absolutely could stop. I do also acknowledge that I'm addicted but everyone needs their own way to cope with the world and there's much worse vice's out there.
I mean, everybody has a vice, for me it's my phone and social media, I habitually check it every 5 or so minutes, it is an addiction but at least it isn't physically damaging like cigarettes
Not getting enough exercise because you are checking every 5 minutes is physically damaging. Not saying its you but, its some people. I dont get enough because im addicted to getting things done. Which i feel is a good addiction as far as they go. But that problem does need solving.
At least for me is like this: If I have weed, I'm smoking the shit out of it all the time. If I don't have I really don't care and could be months before ever thinking on buying.
It's not chemically addictive. Honestly people should really pointing fingers at smokers. Majority who smoke know the risks. Sugar is far more dangerous yet and they add it to everything.
Weed on the other hand can help the majority with far less side effects then prescription pills. I'd take an edible or spray any day. Although it is far more fun to use a bong.
Good meme but honestly when do you see an angry smoker? Even if he breaks his piece, worst that happens is a bummed high.
It is physically addictive. Research has shown this already I am fairly sure. It's not nearly as addictive as some other things like alcohol obviously. Psychological addiction also shouldn't be dismissed.
Sugar is dangerous? Maybe refined sugars are - especially if you're diabetic - but most sugars are actually natural and some form complex carbohydrates and fibres. It's a lot more complex than this hot take. Sometimes even diabetic people need sugar in an emergency condition called hypoglycemia. It's also not in any way a drug; really wish people stopped saying this. Also genetic material is partially made from sugars like ribose and deoxyribose.
There are real life consequences to smoking too much weed and this can include damage to your lungs and can negatively impact the brain. Brain problems is mostly an issue for people under 25 though so smoking after this age is less problematic. That being said it's still much better than some other drugs like you say. Before people ask yes this includes alcohol as alcohol is quite toxic to brain and body when consumed habitually.
Weed can't replace all prescriptions either. It's just not as good at blocking pain as opiates even if it's a lot safer. That being said if it helps you then that's great - especially if it's in edible form or spray form as this is healthier than smoking.
Not sure I'd agree with any study saying it is physically addictive, habitually I'd agree.
My point on the sugar though is it certainly does create addiction. It's in so many things even products like jerky. I know lots of other things get broken down into sugar which is also the point. We would do far better without all the added sugar. It's what creates future diabetics in the first place.
There is so much fake healthy foods it's ridiculous. Like...Wheat bread!? All sugar, better off with white if your gonna bother with bread. You're body should be running off fat not sugar.
People on keto for example can lower their cholesterol immensely vs the doctor recommend way. I'm just having trouble concerning the different between chemical ladden cigarettes vs shit that is available in stores.
Now the one thing that I see a negative for weed is that it is a stimulant. Increases in heart rates could be an issue in older folks, for a potentially greater risk of heart attacks.
That's like taking paracetamol for a permanent headache. It's effectiveness will wane and over time you'll need stronger and stronger anaesthetics. It's to treat the symptoms rather than the cause.
And if you were to stop, you might feel a desire to go back on it, due to the lack of free dopamine it gives you. No matter how 'strong' that addiction is that psychological want for it can cause relapse
If you're trying to argue weed isn't at least a wee bit addictive, you've clearly never smoked it any actual length of time. I love weed, but let's no kid ourselves lads.
Nobody wants to be on meth-lite every day because it turns you in to a tweaker asshole. Even if it helps with some of the symptoms. Weed being more mild is the entire reason people use it so much.
Meh anytime I take a tbreak the first few days kinda suck but all I had to do was make sure I was getting enough activity through the day and got to sleep just fine. Only times I really felt the sleep issue in a tbreak is if I was just sitting on my ass all day