Addicted to Synthetic Marijuana?

What are the Side-Effects of Spice Abuse?

Like most illegal substances, the negative side effects are diverse and serious. Some consequences of synthetic marijuana abuse include:

• Hallucinations
• Suicidal and homicidal thoughts
• Anxiety and mood swings
• Intense fear and paranoia
• Aggressive and unpredictable changes in personality
• Psychotic breaks
• Violent and unpredictable behavior

Long-Term Spice Abuse Consequences

In addition to short-term effects of abuse, regular and continued use can also lead to serious and even life-threatening issues. Some of these consequences include:

Damage to the heart: smoking the drug can cause your heart to beat quickly and erratically, increasing the risk of a heart attack.

Damage to the brain: long term effects of drug abuse can include paranoia, anxiety, and depression.

Stomach issues: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common side effects to injecting this psychoactive drug, which can damage the lining of the stomach and esophagus.

Damage to the kidneys: the center for Disease Control (CDC) has cited Spice as a possible cause of kidney disease in regular users.

Personal issues: regular drug users frequently drift away from their friends and families, act erratically, and frequently sacrifice personal and professional relationships and responsibilities in order to continue down the path of drug abuse.

Common Symptoms of K2 Withdrawal

If you, or someone you love, has been engaging in regular drug abuse, harsh withdrawal symptoms may appear that make it difficult to handle day-to-day situations and experiences. These issues may include being absent from work due to the extreme, hangover-like effects of withdrawal.

The most common types of withdrawal from synthetic cannabis include:

• Nightmares
• Paranoia
• Cold sweats
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia which can last for days
• Tremors
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Heart attacks

The first symptoms usually show up within the first few hours, and typically persist for days or even weeks at a time. The intensity and duration depends on how long the user has been abusing the drug, as well as which specific cannabinoid they were using, and their own body chemistry.

The primary way to relieve these symptoms is to engage in more drug use, which can quickly escalate into full-blown addiction.

Due to the severity of the withdrawal symptoms, it is crucial for the recovering addict to have strong support systems in place during their recovery process, and to remain as physically strong as possible in order to maintain good health.

Finding the Right Treatment for You

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction to synthetic marijuana, you have a few options available to start healing and begin the recovery process:

Local Support Groups

For many people, the first step is to join a local Marijuana Anonymous (M.A.) group. Many people in M.A. are addicted to Spice and struggle with issues relating to marijuana. These meetings are free to attend and open to the public.

However, if you’re struggling with addiction and attempting recovery for the first time, going at it alone may not be the best option. Many addicted individuals struggle with the lifestyle changes that going clean require, and often support groups simply aren’t enough to affect long-term change.

Residential Treatment Centers

Because many people do not consider synthetic marijuana to be serious enough to warrant a stay in a residential treatment center, this option is one that is often overlooked, despite being ideal for addiction recovery.

Staying at a treatment center is ideal because counselors and staff are equipped with the experience, knowledge and understanding to help patients with the detoxification process, with understanding why they sought out and began abusing synthetic marijuana, and how to help patients manage their recovery process in a safe and healthy manner.

Patients undergoing detox and recovery require help during this drastic lifestyle change, and the constant monitoring, supervision and support that patients receive at a residential treatment center makes the journey much easier.

Is Spice Addiction Ruining Your Life?

If you or a loved one are addicted to synthetic cannabis, it’s time to get help and start taking control. Beating addiction is hard, but not impossible. Call our hotline at (855) 303-7865 to learn about the treatment options available to you.