Online Weed Addiction Test

Thank you for taking our marijuana addiction test! Below is a little bit more information about substance use disorder as well as links to mental health professionals who can help you.

What is Substance Use Disorder?

Drug addictions, or substance use disorder, is a mental health disorder that affects a sufferer's brain and behavior to struggle to control the use of legal or illegal drugs, medications, or other substances. Sufferers of drug addictions can cause significant harm to themselves or others as they continue using.

Drug addictions often start as experimental use in social situations, and for some people, become full on addictions. Other times, legal drugs like opioids, are prescribed by doctors to patients, and the patients become addicted to them.

As time passes, a person suffering from substance abuse disorders often need more and more to satisfy their desire for highs.

DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Substance Use Disorder

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), or DSM-5, outlines that the following criteria for substance use disorders:

1. Taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than you're meant to.
2. Wanting to cut down or stop using the substance but not managing to.
3. Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from use of the substance.
4. Cravings and urges to use the substance.
5. Not managing to do what you should at work, home, or school because of substance use.
6. Continuing to use, even when it causes problems in relationships.
7. Giving up important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use.
8. Using substances again and again, even when it puts you in danger.
9. Continuing to use, even when you know you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the substance.
10. Needing more of the substance to get the effect you want (tolerance).
11. Development of withdrawal symptoms, which can be relieved by taking more of the substance.

Signs and Symptoms of Marijuana Use

People who smoke weed, eat, or inhale a form of marijuana often show signs and symptoms, such as:

• A feeling of euphoria
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Heightened senses
• Decreased coordination
• Slowed reaction time
• Red eyes
• Dry mouth
• Anxiety or Paranoia
• A distinct odor from the marijuana residue
• Food cravings of certain foods at unusual times

Long term use can:

• Decrease a person's mental sharpness
• Decrease school or work performance
• Lower interest in activities or developing relationships

Levels of Care for Substance Use Disorder

There are different approaches and different levels of care for substance use disorder, depending on severity and type(s) of drugs that a sufferer is addicted to. Here are a few options:

Outpatient Treatment

Getting substance use treatment from outpatient services is a common approach for less severe addictions. Some common treatment approaches in outpatient treatment for substance use include:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
2. Multidimensional Therapy
3. Motivational Interviewing
4. Motivational Incentives

Inpatient Treatment or Residential Treatment

Inpatient treatment for substance use disorder is typically very effective, especially for sufferers with severe problems. In the inpatient setting, patients are in facilities for usually 24 hours per day and have medical attention ready in case they need it. Some examples of inpatient or residential treatment include:

• Therapeutic Communities
• Short-term Residential Treatment
• Recovery Housing

Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Substance use disorder is a serious mental health disorder that can require treatment

If you need help, there is hope! Reach out to a mental health professional that treats substance use disorders.