Management of Marijuana Withdrawal

[TriniStudentNurse]

Does anyone know of any books or websites I could use that could help me with the management of marijuana withdrawals......Do I manage the individual symptoms as they occur or is there specific management for this....Please help me anyone!!

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

Um...who is this for? You or a patient/school project?

[TriniStudentNurse]

This is for a school project...I have to a paper on marijuana and its effects on the growing family and how to manage the withdrawals

[AirforceRN, RN]

As far as I know, marijuana is not physically addictive so withdrawls are a psychological issue. You aren't going to get the sweats, DTs or other things that you would expect to see with alcohol and opiates.

Support and counseling would by my treatment of choice

[Sendana]

Did one of your instructors watch Reefer Madness or something?

[elkpark]

Did one of your instructors watch Reefer Madness or something?

That was my first thought, too! Marijuana withdrawal???

THC addiction is psychological (at most), not physiological. There's no generally recognized physiological withdrawal syndrome (or established treatment protocol). Someone who was really struggling with cravings and laying off the weed might benefit from attending AA or NA groups ...

[Peanutter1]

Seriously, you have to write about withdrawl? There are no actual withdrawl symptoms. If I HAD to write about this topic, I would probably go in the direction of anxiety. Those who are used to being stoned all the time and suddenly stop being stoned all the time might have some anxiety. Other than that, there really aren't withdrawl symptoms to be managed. As mentioned in previous posts, counseling and support???

[thinwildmercury]

there are no physiological effects i can think of, since marijuana is not physically addictive. i think, more than anything, people would just have to deal with whatever they were trying to cover up with mj-(loneliness, heartache, boredom, physical pain, thing like that). maybe people who smoke frequently would imagine they were having withdrawals?

[livetoserve]

from the book "Addiction why can't they just stop?" Hofman, Froemke 2007

withdrawal symptoms - cravings, irritability, insomnia, anxiety

There are no medications avaialable to treat marijuana addiction. Behavioral treatments are the most effective.

motivational enhancement therapy, contingency management/ community-based incentives, family involvement.

[RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN]

Marijuana doesn't cause withdrawals at all. Believe me, I had my share of smoking that stuff in my younger days. Quit, no problem. Not to say that I didn't still want it. But no withdrawals like there are quitting opiates, benzos, herion, etc.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Don't know if this information is too late for the OP, but here are two books to try:

The Substance Abuse Handbook (Ruiz, Strain, Langrod)

Principles of Addiction Meidcine (Ries)