Has smoking pot stopped being fun? This is the first question that Marijuana Anonymous asks in the “12 Questions.” Well, it’s hard to have fun lately – how much fun are any of us having during the Covid-19 pandemic? But maybe that was the case with weed before this pandemic went down. Ah, fuck it. Might as well get high.
Even if it’s not fun. Not anymore. Not for a long time. And you know this, and you’ve tried to cut back and failed. In fact, especially these days, it just exacerbates your anxiety. Not to mention depression. (There, I mentioned it.) It’s not helping, and boy wouldn’t it be nice if it did. I get it. It sucks right now. But I can’t seem to stop or cut back. WTF?
The Myth of Marijuana is Not Addictive
These are typical responses to folks who want help, and yet they are kicking and screaming some version of:
C’mon, it’s natural, after all. It can’t be bad for you. (Well, arsenic is natural, too… for example).
What about edibles? The smoking’s the bad part. (Well, if you’re gonna use, yeah, smoking’s real bad. Even more so than ever with this Covid thing. But that’s kinda off topic….)
You just need some will power, right? (I guess you’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t have much will power. Curious, though. When it comes to getting high, how have you used your will?)
Give yourself a break. It’s not that you don’t have the will power. Marijuana IS addictive. Contrary to popular belief, I repeat:
Marijuana IS Addictive
Hate to compare it to the corona virus, but I just never had the opportunity, and here we are. Millions are going to be exposed to COVID 19, but it doesn’t mean they are going to get it. Likewise, millions of people can pick up and put down weed with no problem. Hooray for them. A substantial number, however, become addicted. One in ten, and worse if you start using before the age of 18. Then it’s one in six. I don’t want to make you out to be a statistic if you’re thinking you may be addicted. I want to help.
If you’re looking to explore your weed use and need support to help you reduce or stop, working with a music therapist can help. There are many ways of working with music in addiction treatment. In this blog post, I want to focus on music listening.
One Way Music Therapy Helps With Marijuana Addiction
Listening to songs together can be an effective way to explore issues, develop insight, and deal with emotions without resorting to using. Music listening can also access emotions in a non-threatening way, with the therapist there to provide comfort and understanding if the emotions are difficult to deal with. Some of the most healing experiences I’ve witnessed as a therapist have come from catharsis after listening to music.
But I want to be happy – I’m not interested in a serious cry, you say!
Alright. If that seems like too much for now, a lot of joy can be had with music listening, and having that experience - without using weed! – can be quite a surprise, especially if listening to music might seem risky, because you like to listen to music while you’re stoned. That risk is real. Work with a therapist can help you navigate that risk. Change that ol' tune! You can reclaim your love of music and work towards getting clean, too. Finding the right music choices can also be motivating! And right now, since therapy needs to be held remotely, adding music listening to the mix is easy to do using teletherapy.
Suffering Alone is Optional
There’s a lot of suffering going on right now, and I get that weed helps a lot of people to cope. But if you think you’ve stepped over the line, there’s no need to suffer alone. If you looking for a therapist to help you with your using, I can help, with music listening and a reassuring ear, for the music and for whatever’s on your mind.