Where is the line between self medicating and addiction?

Omg 5 bowls a day? You need to go to rehab get some methadone and quit the habit!

 

Well put sir.

 

It becomes an addiction when it gets in the way of important things

 

Biochemically speaking, it is not possible to become addicted to marijuana. You may become used to it, you may build a tolerance, but you can not be chemically addicted.

Rather than getting wasted, it's usually better to treat yourself with longer acting forms of medicine. For example, edibles. They'll last you longer, and you can figure out a dose that will make you feel good without being f'ed up.

 

The line is crossed when you stop worrying about where the line is.

Clearly, you worry about this often, as this is a big part of your life. You seem smart enough to realize that pot isn't without consequence if you let it take ahold of your life, but that doesn't seem like the case here. You work at an engineering firm, so you most likely have your life in order.

Keep doing what you're doing and keep self-policing, it's the only way we can fight the stereotype.

 

There's a lot of misuse of terms in this thread.

Dependence is a physiological effect that creates tolerance and causes withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the substance you are dependent on. Cannabis does not seem to form any major level of dependence. Whatever effect it does have in that realm is even more mild than caffeine, if present.

What many people fail to understand is that dependence and addiction are not the same thing, and neither is required for the other. You can be dependent on beta blockers. You cannot be addicted to beta blockers. You cannot be dependent on cannabis. You can be addicted to cannabis. Addiction is generally defined by destructive behavior resulting from overuse of something.

 

OP, it sounds like you have your life in order and understand that marijuana can have a negative affect upon it, but that is only if you let it. It seems to me like you are using responsibly and are able to control your use of the herb, and not let the herb control you. I too am a daily user; which sounds excessive, especially to those who do not indulge, but my consumption is only around .5 a day at most, which is an insignificant amount compared to many heavy users who will burn through an eighter in a day or two. if i were you, i wouldnt worry so much about it, as it seems marijuana is benefiting you, rather than harming, but i would remain introspective about your use so you dont lead yourself down the wrong path in the future.

 

First of all you have to remember that you are using this medically... so comparing it to alcohol or cigarettes isn't very accurate, they have no medical use. Think about it more like vicodin. Not everyone has the same vicodin prescription, there are multiple dosages and how many of those pills you need in any given day also depends on the person. If you think of it that way, then only you know when you switched from self-medicating to addiction. I agree that you have to continue to ask the question, but you should also keep in mind that your need for it can go up and down. You might need more sometimes and just like with vicodin(and almost any other med), you build up a tolerance for it and it takes more to do anything helpful, so don't kick yourself for that. One of the reasons you are worried about this is because of the social taboo surrounding using. If you think about it as a medicine like a pain killer or some such and not as a fun but taboo ridden drug, then your use will maintain a balance.

 

Briefly, you should not smoke by yourself

 

Who cares if you smoke by yourself?? I too have had the same worries as the OP..but I realized I was not using as much as some people do.. I also realized that I was experiencing a magnified fear because of prohibition. I have been told all my life that weed will ruin my life and I would become addicted. IMO drugs are a natural part of life, my cats love the catnip I give them! Just be thankful that you were smart and picked the safe drug.

 

Ok, first off, pay no attention to much of this psycho-babble going on in this thread regarding the non-addictiveness of cannabis, for in reality, discussions like that don't mean squat.

What matters is this and where you draw the line is the following: If you feel that your use of cannabis is negatively affecting certain aspects of your life but you continue to do it anyway, you have crossed over that line and you are in dangerous territory. So, if you find yourself in this situation, pull back a bit. Start limiting your cannabis use to just that, that is needed to treat your symptoms. A good place to start is your use on the weekends. Being that during the week, you only smoke a bowl or two at night, apparently, you can get by on that smaller amount, so try to extend that same kind of use during the weekend rather than smoking multiple bowls on Sat and Sun.

If, however, you don't feel that your current use is negatively affecting your life in anyway, than there is no need to modify your usage at all.

Again, it all has to do with if you feel that your use of cannabis is negatively affecting certain aspects of your life but you continue to do it anyway. If you don't feel that way, than continue on. If you do feel that way, than it would be wise to cut back your consumption until you feel that you have your life back in YOUR control.

It's as simple as that. No need to concern yourself with labels such as physical addiction, mental addiction, dependence, habit, etc etc etc. Just go by how it is affecting YOU.

 

Those dosages are not outrageous at all. Until it starts negatively effecting your personal relationships or lively hood then it's not a problem.

Source: My degree in Research Psychology

 

when you wake up to smoke a blunt..smoke a bowl on the way to school/work (less scent ya know), smoke on breaks at said occupation, smoke a blunt on the way home, then smoke every 45 minutes until you fall asleep, and you do this daily. You "might" be able to say you're addicted.
But It sounds like you're doing just fine.

Oh and I don't think there is anything wrong with smoking by yourself...sometimes I actually enjoy my own company than anyone else's..

 

I just withdrew from dilaudid and coffee (coffee was worse) and am really looking forward to developing a any sort of dependence on cannabis. Dependence, addiction....not picky.

BTW, if you're experiencing what you identify as cannabis withdrawl issues, you may wish to try Prevacid. Its over the counter and increases appetite, may moderate some perceived symptoms of lack of weed. Follow package instructions and check for interactions with other meds you may be on, as always with over the counter drugs. And get back to me if it works I have documentation to support this off label use.