Just noticed that there were no threads devoted to just this question, so I decided to start one. Despite all "withdrawal" symptoms experienced by heavy smokers when they stop smoking for an extended period of time, I personally don't believe at all that weed is physically addicting. Not once have I ever felt like I needed to smoke. Unlike tobacco, I don't get stressed out, pissed off, impatient, or hyper at all when I don't smoke. Cigarette smokers, I know you all probably get this very often when you don't get to smoke, but have you ever felt like you needed a fix of green to get your day going? Now of course that's just me personally, I have of course wanted to smoke badly. Hell theres rarely a time that I don't want to smoke. But I can separate mental urges from physical, and I know very well that it's all in my head. I think it's when you start to believe your physically addicted, that you begin to give into these mental urges and start accepting it as physical urge. Finally, some of you are probably wondering, "well why do you get "withdrawal" symptoms when you stop smoking consecutively". Simple. This exact same "withdrawal" is what you feel when ingesting any certain substance consecutively for an extended period of time. These "withdrawal" symptoms are caused when your body is used to receiving a substance every day. This occurs so often, that your body begins to get used to the substance, and you have tolerance. The reception of this substance occurs so often that your body begins to adapt to receiving it daily. No, it doesn't become dependent on it, but becomes more or less becomes prepared for it. Now your body is working fine, receiving the substance, gaining tolerance, and being able to act normal. (Notice how seasoned smokers can act straight when high but new smokers can't?). But all of a sudden, the body is cut from receiving the substance. A lot of receptors in your lungs that tolerate the substance become useless, and the body becomes, for lack of a better word, confused. Your body doesn't know what to do, as it was so used to receiving this substance that you begin to sweat and get the feeling thats known as "burn-out" This feeling can last anywhere up to a week and a half depending on much you smoke. And goes away faster if you exercise and eat healthy. Whether any of that is true or not I can't exactly vouch for. Just my intrepretation of why heavy users get this burnt-out feeling. Discuss
Like you said. Its all in your head. ...of course, there's those first few days when you're trying to relax after taking a break where you feel on edge. You sweat like hell at night, can't sleep, etc. It sucks, yes. But, other than that, it will pass. My physical urges have long since passed. I mean, if someone offered me a fatty bowl, of course I'd spark it. But, its not so much of a concern to me now. Just keep yourself busy. I've been hitting the gym, playing PC games, anything to keep my mind off blazing. No real dependency other than boredom I can see.
Heinous I just realize your avatar. Wooters to the Buffet man. Back to the thread though. Weed is mental not physical. You won't be finding someone that can't get out of bed without a joint. Sure itd be nice to blaze a joint in your bed before you got up but you can go without.
Ive been smoking for years, and still, i have no problem going a day or more without some herb.Im not really sure what to do without, but i know i CAN. and thats the most important thing..
It is all in your head. Well at least for me. However I suspect it may be more severe for addictive personalities. Weed I can go without for months. (Not that I would want to). No coffee for a few days and I will try to tear someones head off.
i get stressed and easily irritated if i haven't smoked all day, i guess that falls under mental addiction
I'm going against the grain, I voted yes because IMO smoking bud can easily be abused. If it can be abused then to some degree it is addicting. Addiction is addiction, mental or physical. When used responsibly MJ is a wonderful thing but like everything in this world, too much is never a good thing.
Psychologically, something can be so mental it turns physical. Stress has so many effects on the body. I know one kids who literally rages when he runs out of bud.
I agree with you on the fact that bud can and sometimes is abused. And too much of anything is never a good thing. But I don't think that abusing it makes it addicting. When it is abused it is because the user chooses to do it, not necessarily because they need to.
There is plenty of testimony from people who are addicted, it seems as though people think that just because they're not addicted that it's impossible for others to get addicted. The clear choice is number 3.
I don't think anybody who abuses it chooses to. I also don't think people who abuse it will readily admit that they are abusing it as well. I know quite a few friends who prioritize blazing over almost everything else. Are they addicted? I can't say for sure, but I would put money that they are. But to clarify my point more I think the level of MJ addiction doesn't even compare to other forms of addiction. Shit, a gambling addiction is more dangerous than smoking too much bud IMO.
I gotchya now. I think people who do abuse MJ choose to do it, but have separates standards on what they think abusing it is. For instance I could say someone who smokes weed 2 times a day is abusing weed. And someone who does smoke twice a day could choose to do it, but would not say that they are abusing it. They're opinion on what they would consider abuse may be different than mine.
^^^ For sure Fvaam. When I voted and when I'm posting I am thinking about one of my closest homies. His first thought when he wakes up is about blazing and not like brushing his teeth or getting into the shower. When we have talks, now and then he'll admit his usage is making him more depressed not because of the high but rather his inability to control his usage. He'll tell me there is this hidden desire to rid himself of smoking until his life is more stable, however he is still unable to do this. I love smoking bud and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. Does this mean I'm addicted? Well maybe, I don't consider myself but maybe somebody looking from the outside would say "yes", CaliCoast is addicted but I can maintain my family, job and personal life with this miracle plant by my side. If MJ is or isn't addictive we should all have a healthy respect for this great plant and recognize that there is such thing as smoking too much MJ.
I have smoked so heavily that I would feel nauseuous every morning before I'd smoke, often times throwing up. I have also had physical withdrawels (nauseous, loss of appetite) for up to two weeks after going on t-break. But that's after smoking all-day everyday for months on end.
I actually know a girl who used to smoke so much, the high just isn't the same for her. And she quit smoking because of it, she just doesn't enjoy being high at all anymore and last time she smoked she told me how she kept hoping it would go away quicker. I've never heard of anyone smoking MJ so much that they just got old of it so I thought it was really odd. I love smoking weed too, and would hate to quit for any reason, but I'm not addicted. Even mentally I would consider myself only having a small addiction. It's just not a big deal to me. I wouldn't consider you addicted either. Unless smoking bud has made you slip financially and gotten so bad to the point that you can't quit, regardless of how hard you try. I would say your not addicted. I do agree with you though that if it is addicting, it would be so mild I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Well, lets see here... First we have to define "addiction" Addiction is defined as: (taken from dictionary.com)<blockquote>addiction (ə-dĭk'shən) Pronunciation Key A physical or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, such as a drug or alcohol. In physical addiction, the body adapts to the substance being used and gradually requires increased amounts to reproduce the effects originally produced by smaller doses. See more at withdrawal. A habitual or compulsive involvement in an activity, such as gambling.</blockquote>According to these definitions, yes, weed IS physically addicting. Like it or not. There ARE people who get anxious, nauseous, etc. when they don't have their trees. I've seen people freaking out (like a crack head who needs their fix, or a cig smoker who's nic-fittin) from not having pot. So yes, pot is addictive. Not for everyone, but for SOME people is definitely is.
Dictionary.com I stopped using because all entries on that site are submitted from other people on the internet. This is Merriam-Websters defintion Addiction <DL><DT class=hwrd>Main Entry: <DD class=hwrd>ad·dic·tion </DD><DT class=pron>Pronunciation: <DD class=pron>\ə-ˈdik-shən, a-\ </DD><DT class=func>Function: <DD class=func>noun </DD><DT class=date>Date: <DD class=date>1599 </DD></DL>1: the quality or state of being addicted <addiction to reading> 2: compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful I explained what these "withdrawal" symptoms were in my first post
So when people buy weed persistently/compulsively, instead of paying their bills, would you not call that harmful? I know people like that. Would you not call it a physical addiction when people freak out because they can't smoke? Or because they have to wait another 15 minutes? OR when they get extremely anxious (like a cigarette smoker) with symptoms of nausea, sweating, insomnia, loss of appetite (all similar to symptoms found in cigarette smokers)??? I'm sorry man. Weed IS physically addicting for some. I've seen it with my own eyes. I have quite a few friends who have various addictions (Ranging from nicotine to heroine). I know very well what addiction looks like.