Recovery from alcoholism can be tough and requires a lot of effort into attending therapy, taking medication, going to meetings, and more. Some people feel like replacing alcohol with marijuana is a rational approach to addiction recovery since they feel like marijuana is harmless. The truth is that replacing one addiction with another through marijuana maintenance will only bring about more challenges and make it even harder to recover from drug addiction.
Why People Turn to Marijuana
Some people see marijuana as a harmless herbal substance that has been around for decades. Just like people use coffee to give them energy throughout the day, people may use marijuana to help them relax at night. They may not consider marijuana problematic or harmful to your health compared to heroin or cocaine since there have been no medical reports of someone dying because of marijuana. Marijuana also does not have acute withdrawal symptoms aside from irritability, restlessness, insomnia, and shaking. The truth is that marijuana is a substance that your body does not need and is merely replacing one addiction with another.
Negative Health Effects
While you may think that marijuana is a harmless substance, there are still health consequences that can come from smoking marijuana. Marijuana can make it hard to exercise, impair memory and cognitive skills, and cause an increase in lung conditions. Marijuana can also make underlying health conditions worse that have been caused by alcohol. Marijuana can also be used as a gateway drug. While you may be trying to recover from alcoholism, marijuana can make you want to achieve a bigger high with more potent drugs like heroin or cocaine.
A Better Approach to Recovery
Without the proper treatment for alcoholism, marijuana can lower a person’s chances of abstaining from drug use. Real recovery is not about replacing one addiction with another. It is about learning healthier methods of living to replace the bad. Unless marijuana is being prescribed by your doctor for cancer treatment, it is not a substance your body needs to have otherwise. You need to learn how to handle your life without any substance at all through therapy, 12-step meetings, developing hobbies, volunteering, medication management, and more. Instead of relying on marijuana to stop your alcohol use, rely on healthy modes of treatment to beat alcoholism and live the healthy life you have always dreamed of.
Because of the dangerous consequences alcohol can have on your body, people are misled into thinking that marijuana is a healthier substance to replace alcohol with. Any addiction, including marijuana addiction, can be dangerous for your body and your life. At Alta Loma, we understand that keeping up with your sobriety can be a struggle. Our transformative treatment services in Georgetown, Texas, can give you the tools you need to maintain sobriety, such as 12-step meetings, therapeutic recreational activities, life coping skills education, individualized therapy, and more. Please give us a call at (866) 457-3843 to learn more information.
