Hey Sam, I have been smoking weed occasionally for a long time but for the past year I have been smoking everyday before school. It got to the point where I could not go to school without being high, it was basically the only thing I got out of bed for. During lockdown, it has been much harder to get access to it, which I am grateful for, but I have still been smoking a little. My issue is that I feel so much better when I smoke and I know the health issues associated with it and everything but I used to self harm and I was very anxious and suicidal. I feel lots better than I did but when the first lockdown hit and I couldn't get any drugs, I started self harming again. I am fine currently but I don't want to depend on anything anymore, I want to be free and I feel like I have tried everything, I have tried counselling (face-to-face and online). At the moment, I feel like there is no way out and I'm trying really hard not to think like that but the pressure of lockdown on top of this is getting too much. Any ideas of what to do next or any tips of how to cope would be so helpful thank you.
Sam
Hi there,
Weed is an illegal drug and it has a lot of different names. The most common ones are marijuana and cannabis. People take it in different ways - like smoking, eating or vaping. However you take it, weed can have lots of effects on you - some that you might not even realise.
When someone does something regularly because they feel a "need" to do it, this can be called an addiction. It's possible to get addicted to cannabis and if you're finding yourself craving it then that's a sign you could have an addiction. It can be really hard to beat an addiction on your own and you might need extra help.
There are lots of reasons someone might become addicted to cannabis. Not everyone gets addicted - many people are able to smoke weed and not have any problems. It's thought that some people might be more likely to get addicted because of their genes. Other reasons can be because of mental health. If someone’s going through a difficult time then drugs like alcohol and cannabis can become a way of forgetting about their issues. This can become a problem if someone starts to feel dependent on the drug in order to feel good.
A good place to start is with your own mental health. Try taking a step back and asking yourself how you feel things are going in your life. What would you change if you could? This is a good thing to do every now and then anyway. It can help you focus on what's most important to you. If there are things you'd like to change or goals you want to achieve, try making a plan. People who have clear goals and feel good about what they’re doing are less likely to depend on drugs to help them cope.
Some people can become addicted even if they are happy with their life. In those cases you might need to talk to your doctor because if it's a chemical addiction you might need some specialist help. Your GP should be able to keep what you say confidential and you won't get in trouble with the police by talking to your doctor about it.
If you're looking for a smaller first step, then you could talk to the free drugs helpline, FRANK. They’re experts in drugs and addiction and will be able to give you specific advice that could really help you.
Childline is here for you. Our counsellors are ready to listen anytime you need to talk. You might also want to ask other young people on our message boards how they’ve coped with weed addictions.
Thanks for sharing this, take care.
Sam
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I have been smoking weed occasionally for a long time but for the past year I have been smoking everyday before school. It got to the point where I could not go to school without being high, it was basically the only thing I got out of bed for. During lockdown, it has been much harder to get access to it, which I am grateful for, but I have still been smoking a little. My issue is that I feel so much better when I smoke and I know the health issues associated with it and everything but I used to self harm and I was very anxious and suicidal. I feel lots better than I did but when the first lockdown hit and I couldn't get any drugs, I started self harming again. I am fine currently but I don't want to depend on anything anymore, I want to be free and I feel like I have tried everything, I have tried counselling (face-to-face and online). At the moment, I feel like there is no way out and I'm trying really hard not to think like that but the pressure of lockdown on top of this is getting too much. Any ideas of what to do next or any tips of how to cope would be so helpful thank you.
