There is chemical addiction and there is psychological addiction. Weed might not be chemically addictive but it can sure be psychologically addictive which is true with most stoners.
this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2023
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Which category do tea and coffee fall into?
I had ChatGPT answer this like a stoner:
Dude, coffee and tea are loaded with this incredible compound called caffeine. It's like a chemical wizard that messes with your brain in two ways: chemically and mentally. Chemically, caffeine hooks onto these receptors in your brain, blocking this chill neurotransmitter called adenosine. So instead of feeling relaxed and sleepy, you're all pumped up and alert.
But that's not all, man. When you consume caffeine regularly, your body becomes physically dependent on it. So, if you suddenly stop guzzling that liquid goodness, you're gonna feel some withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and even crankiness. It's like your body is saying, "Hey, where's my daily dose of that buzz?"
And let's not forget about the mental game. Coffee and tea can be habit-forming, creating this psychological attachment. You know, that warm mug, that familiar taste, it becomes a part of your routine, man. Plus, the stimulating effects of caffeine can make you crave that buzz, that laser-focused state of mind.
So, there you have it, bro. Coffee and tea aren't just about flavor and ritual; they mess with your brain chemistry and play tricks on your mind. It's like a wild ride, all packed into a cup.
What a time to be alive where computers can do this.
My God this had me rolling. This kinda shit is my favorite use of AI.
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Caffeine is both. Source: I get withdrawal if I skip a day of caffeine.
I don’t agree with that chemical/psychological distinction. Weed and other drugs mess with your neurotransmitters/receptors which are fundamental to our psychological functioning, you can’t draw a line and say this is chemical addiction that causes you to vomit, sweat, and shake, and this is some higher level ”I want it cause it makes me feel nice” addiction. It’s the same thing, just not as severe. And heavy chronic weed use absolutely will cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, mood swings, apathy etc.
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Weed is illegal federally, but it keeps getting produced at a state level. This really worries me, si to try to rectify this situation, I have just been buying and burning as much as I can. I don't know how much of an effect its having because I just keep seeing more pop up.
I will continue despite it seeming more and more like a fools errand.
I'm with you brother. You don't need to walk this brave path alone.
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You smoke weed every day because you are mentally addicted.
I smoke weed everyday to quiet the cacophony that is our insane world.
We both have mental health issues.
Because a lot of them probably have undiagnosed ADHD or Autism and don't realize what they're trying to help by doing it or why it's helping.
As a guy with ADHD and had a medical license before getting diagnosed.. yup. Pretty much.
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I drink coffee everyday. I will rise my cup of Joe to the stoner. I get you bro.
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Marijuana is absolutely physically addictive as much as people want to say it isnt. Mind you im someone who smokes the minute they leave work until they go to bed. So im not here to push any kind of anti-marijuana view point, but i do think we as stoners should be honest. Everyone i know who stops smoking weed has two very common side effects.
- They have a lot of trouble getting to sleep
- Wild/fucked up dreams.
I understand that this is a side effect of lack of REM but you cant say these aren’t physical withdrawal symptoms. Research is needed, but just because we all want it to be legal, doesn’t mean we should ignore the facts.
Marijuana is absolutely physically addictive as much as people want to say it isnt.
I mean it scientifically isn't though. Physical addictions don't just give you psychological withdrawals, they are physical. Your body becomes dependent on them to maintain homeostasis.
Cold turkeying drugs like opioids and benzos can kill you.
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Dude those “withdrawal symptoms” are a joke compared to any other drug.
That said, I don’t know a single person who identifies as a stoner that isn’t completely and utterly mentally addicted. And the drug is so subtle, stoners rarely try to stop.
Cocaine, even a 2 day bender is incredibly hard on your body. If you’re a person with any kind of responsibilities in your life, you’ll be strongly incentivized to reconsider the habit in no time.
But weed, it’s meh. Most users can restrict their use to when they’re not at work, so it’s fine.
Which makes it more dangerous.
I’ve watched so many promising futures flushed down the toilet by weed. Motivation? gone. Real hobbies? Indoors in front of a screen only. At its worst, I’ve seen friends totally withdraw from socializing almost entirely. Social anxiety combined with the escape of being high was enough to dampen and deny the very real human need to connect with others.
Every single one of these individuals went through some form of depression that was was extended and exacerbated by escapism and addiction in the form of excessive marijuana usage.
I know that’s not everyone. There are people who use it in a healthy, balanced way.
But there are also a ton of people who get heavily addicted because it dampens the pain of something they’re going through. And that pattern can make it a lot harder to make progress and work through whatever that person is dealing with.
Anyone who’s spent any time around stoners knows this is true. And yeah, for a lot of people, it’s a gateway drug. I’ve seen plenty of buddies in college jump from weed to xans to oxy. It’s ruined lives. It made my best friend drop out.
And yeah, these people clearly already had issues. But that’s how drug addiction works. It preys on people who are going through something and it makes a bad situation way worse.
Weed can do the exact same thing. Doesn’t matter if it’s not physically addicting.
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There's withdrawal but of the four drugs i have been physically addicted to (caffeine, weed, nicotine, and SSRIs) it's the only one I can cold turkey in under a week and feel fine.
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I don't have to.
I want to.
If you can't ignore the want, that's an addiction
Well when I don't have any and can't get any, I think "if I had a joint that would be nice." The same way one might want a pizza they can't afford. But it doesn't occupy my mind all day, like if I'm out of cigarettes.
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Honestly, I use it about once a week. I have friends who get drunk more frequently then that. I can see why people would use it every day but they shouldn't imo.
People react differently to all substances, the real test for addiction is if you can stop doing it for say, 3 weeks in a row, not how often you do it... You can do it once a month and still be addicted but as long as you can stop for 3-4x longer than you usually would, you're probably not
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Weed is not going to ruin your life the same way like benzos and alcohol would. If you smoke everyday then you probably aren't very productive, but you are not actively ruining your life.
Weed is dangerous because of how safe it is. It makes you ok with being bored and not progressing/growing as a person. Alcohol addiction will straight up make you homeless.
Someone else said it, but I agree:
if alcohol were discovered today, it would 100% be illegal in no time
If you aren't very productive you haven't found the right strain.. or you're eating edibles.
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As someone who smokes weed way too often... I do it because I'm addicted to it and anyone who says it's 'habitual not addictive' or they're just 'medicating' is in denial
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I'm in this picture and I don't like it.
(I've stopped spreading the "not addictive" BS, but am still very addicted)
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Why? My guy, have you seen the world? Have you seen how people treat each other? If you don't smoke I don't know what the fuck you're doing, but if it's to be "a moral and upstanding citizen" I both laugh and cry at your blissful ignorance.
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Every single person on this planet is addicted to one thing or the other. Basically we are genetically junkies. We strive for pleasure. Simple as that. I found pleasure in weed many years ago and I don't have any moral or other intention to quit. I just don't give a ....
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Nobody HAS to. They want to, so why not.
Why do you look at your cell phone every day, are you addicted?
Yes
Ok, bad example!
You eat every day, are you addicted?!
Yes, i will literally die if I stop
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You see, I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years? Rrrrrrrrrrrreal fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few tunes. -Bill Hicks
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Because I'm bored, I don't smoke when I have to do shit like work. But I'm never doing shit.
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Because habitual doesn't mean addictive, I also have a problem with peanut butter cups.
Personally I thought weed was very addictive, but not in the traditional sense.
Take coffee for instance. When I stopped drinking coffee I had headaches, was a dick for a few days, but that's it. Which is pretty easy compared to, say, heroin (so I hear).
With weed, I didn't have any of that, but I craved the relaxation it brought. The feeling of not giving a fuck about anything for a few hours was great, and I longed for it. I still long for it sometimes. And I think that's the dangerous thing about weed being labeled as "non-addictive."
Just because you don't have a physical reaction to abstaining, doesn't mean the emotional reliance is nothing.
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Because before it my ADHD made it functionally impossible to sleep, since when I'm not on the meds my mind runs too hard and when I am on the meds I can't sleep either because they're prescription meth, but weed solves that problem and I enjoy sleeping.
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Well it really isn't addictive as opiates for example are. You wont become chemically dependant to it. The kind of addiction it causes is the same one that social media, TV, gaming, etc might cause. It becomes an habit and you get used to that. I know this is a simplification but this is how I see it.
I'm a medical user and I'm absolutely admitting to my dependance on it. Because otherwise I'd be in pain and not in complete control of my body and mind. I never get red eyes, tho
Weed def has some mild physical withdrawal, but nothing like opiates/benzos/or alcohol. It's not soul crushing ftmp.
But I consider anything needed outside of myself to function as an inconvenience, so that's pretty much life as a whole. Damned if you do damned if you don't. Gotta consume the world to experience it. I try to limit my consumption these days.
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