Deciding to quit smoking weed is not simple. A person is usually prompted to quit marijuana when problems arise, but not for the best reasons so they eventually relapse into the habit at the slightest of triggers. This is why marijuana is classified as an addictive drug—it grows into your system until you crash, but still makes you feel good.
The cases of marijuana relapse may be caused by the users’ (or abusers’) lack of awareness about the negative effects of long-term marijuana use or lack of belief in what they are already aware of. Users also tend to overlook the negative effects of weed-smoking because it can also bring several effects that benefit one’s health. But, likewise, quitting marijuana can also bring beneficial effects such as the following:
Physical well-being
Like cigarette smoking, weed smoking also causes lung problems, particularly lung cancer. The smoke from weed can have as much carcinogens as tobacco smoke. Also, any form of smoking limits the lungs’ optimal functioning. Smokers tend lose their breath quicker during physical activities than non-smokers. Smoking weed can also cause frequent coughing and wheezing.
Former weed users who have successfully quit the weed-smoking habit claim that, after enduring the withdrawal symptoms, they began to feel better and were able to develop healthy physical routines which they were not able to perform while they were on the weed. Their lung conditions have also significantly improved after the detoxification period.
Mental well-being
Addictive drugs bring changes to the brain and the way it functions. Marijuana is no different—it can cause functional depression in the brain and nervous system. Weed may bring significant mental pleasure, but it also dulls the senses and slows down thinking. That is quite contrary to the claims that it heightens the senses, which is mainly focused on the “imaginary” senses rather than the real senses.
Even weed users who tried to abstain from smoking weed temporarily admitted that they were able to focus and think better while they were not getting high. The abstinence improved their job performance as well as their problem-solving and relationship skills.
Emotional well-being
Stress is the most common reason why some people smoke weed. It helps iron the stress out by relaxing the brain and body. However, because it is addictive, weed users tend to become dependent on weed in dealing with stress. The users eventually lose the capacity to deal with stress healthily and their stress tolerance becomes very low.
When some weed users temporarily stopped smoking weed, they experienced changes in their reaction to stressful situations. They fared poorly at first but when they began to think more clearly and regained their focus, their reaction to stress became more positive too, and without the help of weed.
When you quit smoking weed, you will feel better in the long run. However, quitting can bring both positive and negative effects. The negative effects are usually experienced during the withdrawal period, when the body is recovering and detoxifying from the long-term weed use.
These withdrawal symptoms may include the following:
Decreased pain tolerance
Those who use marijuana for chronic pain may experience increased pain perception when they start to quit. This is because they became dependent on the weed to help make the pain feel more bearable.
Exacerbation of inflammatory conditions
Those who use weed to help ease inflammatory disorders like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and other digestive disorders like ulcers and cramps, may experience increase in spasms and swelling of soft tissues along the digestive tract. This is also true for those suffering from certain infections like bacterial vaginosis and chronic anal fissures. This is caused by the sudden discontinue of weed use, from which their bodies relied heavily on to manage the inflammation and pain. Quitting weed may not directly cause these problems, but if you already had an existing inflammatory condition while you were on the weed, these might exacerbate temporarily until your body recuperates fully from the use of weed.
No matter what reason why one starts or quits smoking weed, it is important to consider all possible effects it may bring to the body. Smoking weed should not just be a pleasurable habit, but it must also be an educated habit based on educated decisions.
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