Rehab for Weed: How Marijuana Treatment Programs Can Help You Quit 

Treatment Approaches for Marijuana Addiction 

Cannabis addiction treatment is multifaceted. When you enter rehab for weed, whether it’s inpatient, outpatient or another phase of care, there’s a chance to take part in different types of treatments and therapies.  

Each one can help you open new perspectives, insights and opportunities into how your dependency or addiction affects you — a chance to learn more about yourself and your relationship with weed, and the clarity to reconcile the two and move forward in your life with a sobriety free of substances. 

In cannabis addiction treatment, you’ll find two primary types of behavioral therapies. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps you recognize the thoughts and emotional and behavioral patterns that may have led to your marijuana use, teaching you healthier ways to respond confidently to stress or difficult emotions. 

Motivational Enhancement Therapy, or MET, focuses on addressing the ambivalence that’s sometimes present in people entering treatment for the first time. It focuses on helping you identify your own reasons for change by building self-efficacy and commitment to following through on staying marijuana free. 

Therapy often takes place in a one-on-one setting with your counselor or psychologist. But group therapy is another valuable approach you might try because it connects you with other people facing similar struggles and addictions. Sharing experiences in a supportive environment reminds you that you’re not alone — that you’re surrounded by people who care — and helps you learn from people who understand what you’re going through. 

Similar to group therapy are 12-Step programs like Marijuana Anonymous or SMART (short for Self Management and Recovery Training) Recovery, outlets after you’ve completed formal rehab to stay motivated, avoid relapse and manage cravings and triggers. 

An addiction can affect and impact the whole family system. Marijuana recovery programs like those offered at Aliya Health’s centers become another treatment option — therapy sessions that can help to repair trust and improve communication between you and your loved ones. 

Then there are additional adjunctive, holistic therapies that address how addiction affects your mind, body and spirit — and how you can harness this connectivity within yourself through yoga, mindfulness practices, stress management techniques, exercise programs, artistic expression and more. 

Weed Detox and Withdrawal 

One of the biggest hurdles to quitting marijuana — especially after months or years of chronic use — is the withdrawal phase. Today’s strains of THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) are stronger than they were years ago, making it easier to become dependent on marijuana. And the THC you consume is stored in adipose tissue (your body’s fat cells), meaning it stays in the body longer than many other substances. Thus, the detoxification process when ceasing cannabis use can be physically and mentally demanding and take some adjusting to. 

Weed detox and withdrawal symptoms often include: 

• Irritability and mood swings 

• Insomnia or vivid, disturbing dreams 

• Intense cravings 

• Anxiety or depression 

• Loss of appetite 

The time it takes to fully withdraw from marijuana can vary from person to person. In general, symptoms typically begin within the first 24 to 48 hours after last using cannabis, when restlessness or irritability may begin. Peaking on the third day, many people may experience stomach discomfort or excessive sweating in tandem with cravings. Within the first week to 10 days from quitting, depressive or anxiety symptoms may begin — a psychological response to being without the drug. 

This can make the idea of quitting marijuana on your own feel intimidating, leading many people to continue using cannabis just to avoid withdrawal. Detoxing under the caring supervision of cannabis addiction treatment staff (doctors, nurses and addiction specialists) can help manage, mitigate and even avoid many of these symptoms. They’re experienced in addiction treatment and equipped with the necessary tools to make the experience safe, seamless and comfortable.  

Benefits of Rehab for Weed Addiction 

Think about how entering a program for cannabis abuse help can help your health and well-being in the long-term: 

A supportive environment 

Choosing to enter a program for cannabis abuse help brings unexpected changes. Many people first notice how different their days feel without constantly planning around getting high. The safety, structure and positive influence of rehab for weed environment is a chance to remove your usual routines — no dealers to text (in states where recreational use remains illegal), no dispensary runs, no friends arriving with joints. This gives your brain time to remember functioning without THC, often for the first time in years. 

Relapse prevention 

Because marijuana is so accessible and addictive, studies show that relapsing (returning to drug use after a period of sobriety) happens all too frequently. Relapse can happen in stages — from the emotional to the mental and physical, and triggers can be powerful. Maybe youalways reached for marijuana after arguments, or Sunday afternoons tend to trigger use because of boredom. But treatment helps you develop real alternatives — scheduling activities for vulnerable times or using mindfulness or breathing exercises without turning to cannabis. 

A strong support system 

Counseling and peer groups provide an outlet to be heard, understood and supported. That means you’re surrounded by counselors (many of whom have been through recovery firsthand) and other people, just like you, in rehab for the same reasons; people who know what day three of withdrawal feels like, or who understand the feeling that triggers bring, the frustrations of relapse or the sense of accomplishment that newfound sobriety can bring. It’s a place to feel understood, lean on others for support and offer your own. 

Healthy coping mechanisms and life skills 

Chronic abuse of any substance can take you away from the everyday skills so important to living life. Self-care, responsibilities, school grades, job performance, even social skills can fall to the wayside and be difficult to relearn or readopt when drug abuse takes precedence or a toll. But being in recovery often means relearning those essentials that marijuana may have dulled, rediscovering lost interests and repairing damaged relationships. It also means adopting the life skills to handle difficult emotions without using cannabis to escape them, tools to last a lifetime when treatment concludes.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

How long does a typical weed rehab program last? 

Marijuana rehab programs can vary in length depending on your symptoms, the severity of your addiction and your own individual needs from rehab. Inpatient/residential treatment can last anywhere from 30, 60 or 90 days and include a period of medical detox and intensive therapy. Many people transition to outpatient treatment for several months when they’re able to live independently and autonomously, with the frequency of sessions decreasing as you progress. 

Can I do rehab for weed while working or studying? 

Yes, outpatient and IOP programs are designed precisely with this in mind: to accommodate people who need to prioritize recovery but also maintain their responsibilities, whether it’s a job, a busy college semester or raising a family. A day program’s schedule works around yours so you can fit therapy into your mornings, afternoons, evenings, even weekends, so treatment and life fit into the timetable that suits you best.  

What if I relapse after rehab? 

Relapse doesn’t mean that you failed, or that treatment was a wasted effort. It just means that you’re human, fallible and doing your best to stay on course. The good thing about being in rehab is that relapse is considered a valuable part of the recovery journey — that reaching out for help and staying the course are tangible steps you can take to get back on track. It might mean readjusting or tailoring your individualized treatment plan to include a different type of therapy or more emphasis on new coping mechanisms and skills to help you better understand why you relapsed and how to minimize it in the future.  

Are rehab programs covered by insurance? 

Many health insurance providers can vary in their coverage of substance abuse treatment and behavioral health services depending on the carrier or the type of plan you’re enrolled in. Some plans may cover the entire cost of treatment, while others require meeting a deductible before coverage begins. Others also offer coverage at a discounted rate. The Aliya Health admissions team can verify your insurance coverage and do this legwork for you to determine what costs are covered for drug rehab for pot. And if any out-of-pocket costs are projected, we can help arrange you a payment plan that makes treatment accessible and available to you. 

Get Help for Substance Abuse 

Struggling with marijuana doesn’t mean you’re weak or that you’ve done something wrong. It means that you’re dealing with a substance that’s had a real impact on your brain and behavior. The fact is that you can get help for marijuana dependence, turn over a new leaf and gain a new lease on life that sees you living, thriving and succeeding better than you may imagine.  

If you or a loved one is struggling with weed use, professional rehab programs can provide the structure, support and therapy needed for lasting recovery. Contact a certified treatment center today to start your journey. Our team is on call, 24/7/365, to answer your questions about rehab for weed and guide you through the steps you can take to get clean, sober and reach goals that may have seemed unimaginable. Give us a call today.