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Recommendations for at Home Detox from Marijuana

at home marijuana detox

The use of marijuana (weed) has been legalized or at least decriminalized in many countries. Millions of people use marijuana for many different reasons. Some just use it as a mild recreational drug that makes them feel good while others use it for medicinal purposes. Rastafarians, for example, use marijuana as part of their religious devotions. The fact remains, however, that marijuana can be addictive and that it has certain negative health effects (more about that later).

Why Would Anyone Want to Detox from Marijuana?

Marijuana users embark upon detoxing programs for a variety of reasons. If you are a user and can identify with any of these three scenarios, you may need to consider detoxing yourself too.

  1. You fear an upcoming drug-screening test. Many employers and sport controlling bodies require sporadic drug screening tests. Athletes, especially professional ones, cannot afford to test positive, not even for the use of marijuana. Employees that face these tests may lose their jobs or, at the very least, earn a black mark on their records. Many people detox for this reason. It is important, however, to know that some of the compounds found in marijuana can be detected weeks, sometimes even months after using it.
  2. You experience negative side-effects. Many studies have been conducted on the effect of marijuana on users. By and large, there are numerous benefits but there is the other side of the coin too. Not everybody benefit from marijuana and there are most certainly certain side-effects that may prove to be harmful. If you suffer from any of these side-effects, it may be necessary to embark upon a detox program:
    1. Severe mood swings. As is the case with alcohol, marijuana can cause a feeling of great peace but it can also cause aggressive behavior in some users. If this is the case, perhaps marijuana is not for you.
    2. Hallucinations, delusions and psychosis. These side-effects can be very dangerous and may even lead to very serious psychological conditions.
    3. Impaired thinking and a loss of memory. Prolonged and regular use of marijuana, especially from a young age can most certainly lead to a lowered IQ and a severely impaired memory.
  3. You have built up a high level tolerance to Marijuana. Regular Weed users can build up a tolerance resulting in a failure to enjoy all the positive effects that initially motivated these users to use marijuana. A real danger exist that users in this situation will move on to much more harmful drugs such as heroin or cocaine. A surprising number of people opting for detox from marijuana do so to in order to smash that tolerance barrier.

Natural Detox Remedies

Detoxing from any substance (especially alcohol and drugs such as heroin, even food) always result in certain side-effects. Luckily, detoxing from marijuana does not require institutionalization or any special detox remedy. Here are a few natural remedies recommended by experts and people that have gone this route before.

  1. Hot and cold showers. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Yet it works. The idea is to start with a 60-second burst of hot water, followed by a 30-second burst of ice-cold water. This needs to be done at least three times a day.
  2. Get sweaty! Experts agree that your sweat releases a lot of toxins. If you are detoxing then consider exercise. Do whatever it takes to get the heart rate up and to release sweat. Not only will your sweating release toxins, but you will also release endorphins in your body that will make you feel good.
  3. Drink water. Everyone should drink a lot of water but when you are detoxing you are in danger of dehydrating. Drink at least one and a half liters of water each day.
  4. Consider colon cleansing. “No way!” you may say but a 2012 study by Sharma, Murthy and Bharath found that 65% of the residues of marijuana is excreted through the feces and another 20% through urinating. A weekly enema during you detoxing program can indeed make a significant difference.
  5. Eat the right stuff. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables are the keywords here. And fiber. Avoid fatty foods that clog the colon and try to avoid alcohol and caffeine too. Some experts think that it is a good idea to use huge doses of vitamin C when detoxing.
  6. Work with your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe drugs such as Methadone to help you cope with withdrawal symptoms but it is necessary to know that these drugs are often addictive themselves.
  7. Get a support system going. Going solo and in secret when you embark upon a detox program is not a good idea. There are side effects (see below) and a solid support base will be of invaluable importance during the process. Explain the reasons for the program and the possible side-effects to your loved ones and ask them to be understanding and supportive. You may just be surprised at how much you efforts may contribute to better relationships. You may also wish to join online forums that focus on support for people in detoxing programs.

Withdrawal Symptoms to Look Out For

Detoxing from any substance always involves certain side-effects. Being aware of them makes it easier to deal with them and to avoid backsliding. When detoxing from marijuana, expect one or more of these side-effects and take steps to counter them:

  1. Insomnia. People using marijuana sleep well. Many studies have focused on that single issue. Foregoing weed may lead to sleeplessness and you need to be prepared for this eventuality. Your doctor may prescribe a sleeping pill for a limited time, just to help you hurl this obstacle.
  2. Lack of appetite. There is no doubt that marijuana stimulates the appetite of users. Detoxing may cause a loss of appetite but we are all strong enough to eat regularly, even when not hungry at all. It is a matter of controlling your mind.
  3. Aggression. Withdrawal from marijuana often causes aggressive behavior. Be aware of the danger and exercise the self-control that is part and parcel of the survival pack of every human being. Think twice before lashing out.
  4. Anxiety and depression. So many people use marijuana to help them to overcome their feelings of inadequacy and their perceived weaknesses. Marijuana makes them content and when they quit, they become insecure. Counseling would be of great value and nobody should ever think that it is a sign of weakness when seeking professional help.