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Addiction to Drugs/marijuana usage and eating habits
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Question
My 17yr old daughter is starting a relationship with a guy who is a frequent MJ user. She is not a drug user at all and wants to know more about the signs,symptoms etc of MJ use. She has not confronted him about it yet (he doesn't know that she knows of his habits). He does it in secret. When he is visiting here he eats next to nothing. Is this common with pot users? He is 22, fairly small build but I can't believe how little he eats. He looks uncomfortable and anxious when he sits down to meal. what levels of MJ usage is harmful. We think he is smoking about 3 joints/day. any advice you can offer would be great.
Thanks.
Hi Lynn,
From my own experience, and from being around people who were pot smokers for many years, a lack of appetite is not a common side effect at all, in fact in most cases, users often get the “munchies” after smoking and usually eat quite a lot. However, the anxiousness and him looking uncomfortable could be as a result of smoking, as users often get paranoid about what is going on around them, so this could possibly be an effect. Other signs of pot use include red eyes, a dry mouth, clumsiness or appearing lazy, forgetfulness and sometimes the “giggles.”
Assessing levels of use is a dangerous thing to do, as there are many different thoughts about this. Some people say it is a harmless drug, whilst others say that it leads to dependence on other things, so I can only answer this from my own experience, and this was that my pot smoking lowered my inhibitions a great deal, which in turn led me to try, and become addicted to, other stronger, more harmful drugs.
Has he mentioned “drug use” to your daughter, and if not, maybe she could randomly bring it up in conversation and see how he feels about it ? If she is concerned, she could look at her reasons as to why she is “starting” the relationship with him and we could look at it more from that aspect.
Hope that this sheds some light on the topic, and if you need any further information, clarification or answers, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.
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Answers by Expert:
Gareth Stubbs
Expertise
Given that I am not a “medical professional” I cannot answer questions on medication and the like, however, I can offer my experiences thereon. I am able to offer answers to questions on the effects of most drugs (street and prescription) as well as advice regarding halting the use of and recovery from active addiction, which plays a very important role in the recovery process as well addressing underlying issues and reasons as to why drugs and the like are abused. I am also able to address any questions regarding dealing with depression, suicide and self-harming, recovery from these and advice on creating a different lifestyle without these afflictions. I can also answer questions from families, friends and partners of drug users and depressed persons, and in addition to this, I have a very good understanding of the 12-step recovery program.
Experience
With a long history of severe clinical depression, self-harming and substance abuse (since the age of 12) I “successfully” managed to lose all that I owned (marriage, home, children) as a result of suicide attempts, numerous hospital visits and severe drug use for 18 years, ranging from street to prescription drugs. I am now about to enter my 8th year free from substance and depression and my 4th year free from cutting myself. I know what it is like to be suicidal and in the grips of active addiction and self harm, how difficult it appears to reach out to people for help, and at the same time, I know how I managed to free myself from the lifestyle and how I continue to create a happy life without the use of medication and constant therapy and the like
Education/Credentials
Life Change Consulting, Master Practitioner of NLP, Advanced Neurological Repatterning, Ericksonian Hypnosis, Master Hypnosis, Performance Consultant, Master Result Coach, as well as a Masters Degree in Life Experience.
Past/Present Clients
Have spoken to school and groups (ages 12-16), ranging in size from 50 to 200 attendees at a time, as well as speaking to parents of school children. Have also worked one-on-one with young adults with successful and continuing results. Currently working on creating and presenting a development program encompassing all areas of change in lifestyle, as well as a magazine and book publication.
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