What Is Cannabis Use Disorder? Signs, Symptoms, and Recovery Options

Cannabis Use Disorder exists on a spectrum of severity ranging from cannabis use disorder mild to severe. The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines CUD as meeting at least two of eleven specific criteria within a 12-month period. These criteria include taking cannabis in larger amounts or for longer than intended, unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control cannabis use, and spending significant time obtaining, using, or recovering from cannabis.

  • Your MET therapist will help you resolve this ambivalence and find more motivation to quit.
  • However, due to the challenge in precisely categorizing their age range, they were not included in the main table.
  • A Phase 2a trial showed promise, suggesting higher doses of CBD may reduce cannabis use and dependence symptoms.
  • Patients may experience reduced cravings and an increased ability to abstain from cannabis use within a few weeks of starting topiramate.

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Cannabis Use Disorder

However, when use starts interfering with daily life, it may be time to take a closer look. Clinical guidelines to increase awareness and decision-support tools are possible strategies to help clinicians distinguish CHS from other gastrointestinal conditions, especially among younger adults with chronic cannabis exposure. Targeted screening for cannabis use and careful attention to symptom patterns, including recurrent severe nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and compulsive hot bathing, are suggested as ways to improve diagnostic accuracy. Study authors argue that emergency clinicians and public health systems need preparation for the consequences of increased cannabis use, particularly in regions where legalization is recent and exposure to high-potency cannabis products is expanding. CHS may be underrecognized in those settings, with failure to identify the syndrome contributing to unnecessary diagnostic testing and ineffective treatment courses. Acute effects of cannabis use typically begin within minutes of smoking or vaping and can last several hours.

Cannabis Use Disorder

A longitudinal study of the effects of cannabis exposure on neuro-development in adolescents and young adults

Sativa strain stimulates a “head high,” which increases alertness and mental clarity. Reported effects include heightened mood, feeling energized, and enhanced creativity. Jake, who is receiving Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Mild Cannabis Halfway house Use Disorder (CUD), learns to identify the specific triggers that lead him to use cannabis, particularly the stress he experiences after work. Through therapy, Jake gains insight into how stress, especially related to work pressures and demands, often drives his urge to use cannabis as a way to unwind and cope with his emotions.

Medical Disclaimer

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps to identify and modify damaging thinking and behavior, can also help people overcome addictions.
  • Evidence suggests that heavy cannabis users, especially young adults, may face a greater risk of developing cannabis dependence, particularly when cannabis potency is high.
  • Classifying cannabis use disorder in the United States is dictated by the DSM-5.
  • The system was expanded in 2016 to include policies related to legalizing the cultivation, sale, or use of cannabis for prohibitions and restrictions on such practices.

Genetics, mental health conditions, stress, and peer influence also play a role. Genetic factors, such as having a first-degree relative with substance use disorder or specific gene variations like changes in the CHRNA2 gene on chromosome 8, can increase vulnerability to cannabis use disorder. At California Prime Recovery, we address both the root causes and the symptoms to support full recovery. In later life, older adults may face higher challenges, such as chronic pain, sleep disturbances, and mental health issues, https://blackhorsepuzzle.com/what-is-addiction-causes-and-information-about/ that may contribute to relapse into entrenched cannabis use.