As marijuana becomes legal in many states and medical use becomes widely recognized as a legitimate treatment, marijuana use isn’t just for college students anymore. It’s become much more socially accepted in mainstream culture. For many, getting a little stoned after a long work day is a form of relaxation and enjoyment. However, for some, what starts as recreational use can turn in to more of a habit. And while it’s true that the consequences of regular marijuana use tend to be far less disruptive than alcohol or other drugs, habitual users often find themselves struggling with motivation and time management, becoming forgetful and even feeling anxious and paranoid.
Most people are familiar with the concept of total sobriety (the approach taken in treatment centers and 12-step groups), but total abstinence doesn’t work for everyone and many people just aren’t ready to discontinue their use altogether. Another approach to managing marijuana use falls under a term called harm-reduction, in which we look for ways to reduce the harms that any given behavior may have on our lives without discontinuing the behavior all-together. I’m a firm believer in the value of harm-reduction as one option for those who are not ready to stop using marijuana completely.
Below are 5 harm-reduction approaches to managing your marijuana use:
Indulge with a specific intention. What are you trying to get out of this experience? Do you plan to just enjoy a little buzz or are you trying to get really high? After each ‘dose’ (inhale, edible, etc.), ask yourself, “how do I feel?”. Do I need more to achieve how I want to feel? Often times, we consume more of any indulgence than intended because it’s available and without thinking, we overdo it. Taking an intentional approach to how much you consume can help reduce unnecessary use.
Set a limit on use. Do you know how many passes of the bowl or tokes off the bong it takes to achieve the right buzz? How many is too many? Setting a limit ahead of time for how many ‘doses’ you will consume helps decision-making and the need for judgment in the moment (which can be difficult to maintain when you’re high).
Set a time limit between ‘doses’. Make a rule that you allow yourself to have one puff (or one ‘dose’ of whatever you’re using) per hour. This may not limit the number of ‘doses’ that you consume over the course of a day, but it will help prevent you from getting more high than you had planned.
Consider the type of instrument you’re using. These days, there is such a huge variety of ways to consume marijuana; blunts, joints, bowls, bongs, pens, edibles, oils & more. It’s often difficult to control exactly how much THC (the chemical compound in marijuana that gets you high) is consumed in each ‘dose’ and it’s likely that using different instruments will have a different effect on how you feel. Be conscious of the impact of instruments that you are unfamiliar with and proceed with caution.
Get the important stuff done first. Many accomplished marijuana users will tell you that they’re very functional when they’re high. Some are. But in many cases, reaction time is slower, memory and thought process isn’t as sharp, and it takes much longer to get things done. In order to prevent marijuana use from affecting your professional life or productivity, make a plan to get all of your important responsibilities out of the way before indulging.
If you are having trouble with managing marijuana use, make an appointment with me today. I can help.