5 signs it’s time for a cannabis detox

With winter and the holidays approaching, elasticated waisted sweatpants and afternoon sunsets have also made a comeback. The start of the Christmas season brings not only a good mood, but also a bit of lethargy and increased consumption. You may have already noticed a slight weight gain in cold weather as your activity level has decreased. Perhaps your weed consumption has increased as you spend more hours indoors.

Perhaps your cannabis consumption has even increased a little too much. But determining when your cannabis habit has become a bit more than a habit can be a bit tricky.

Knowing when it’s time to take a cannabis break is an individual decision involving many variables. Still, there are some universal warning signs you can watch out for to see if it might be time to ditch the bong and give the weed a rest. Here are five clear signs it’s time for you to go on a cannabis detox.

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Your cannabis budget keeps growing

One of the easiest signs that it might be time to give up cannabis is purely financial. This warning sign is relatively easy to track – just check your bank account. When you notice that you’re spending a lot more money on weed than normal, it usually means two things. For one thing, you definitely get high more often than you used to. It also means your tolerance has gone up.

As we have reported In the past, the more cannabis you used, the more cannabis you had to consume to get the same effect. If your tolerance and weed budget has more than doubled before the holidays, a tolerance break might be in order. At the very least, it will help you get your weed budget back down to a manageable number.

You get high when you shouldn’t

Another sign that you need a weed detox is when you get high in situations where it’s not socially acceptable or downright illegal. For example, if you’re driving aimlessly high, that’s a big red flag. If you show up to work high up and hope the boss won’t notice, then maybe you should take a sober look in the mirror and see how you can change that behavior.

RELATED: Why Your Marijuana Tolerance Break Isn’t Working

Worse, if you’ve lost your job, sacrificed relationships, or had other negative effects from getting high when you shouldn’t, you should really consider taking a break. These effects are often caused by cannabis addiction, which can happen when we rely on cannabis (or any other substance) as a crutch.

You feel like you “need” it for certain activities.

The saying “too much of a good thing” is true. While cannabis can be deeply therapeutic, like just about any substance, it can have harmful effects when abused. While marijuana is not very physically addictive, at least not in the same way as nicotine, opioids, or alcohol, it can lead to addiction in some. Cannabis use disorder, as defined by the CDC, is “unable to quit using marijuana despite the fact that it is causing health and social problems in her life”. It mentions some symptoms, including using more marijuana than intended and “using marijuana despite causing problems at home, school, or work.”

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Your cannabis use is distressing you

Another big red flag that it’s time to detox is when your cannabis use is affecting your well-being. If you’re thinking about how often you get high and it’s making you feel guilty or even depressed, then maybe it’s time to regroup. Sure, like us reported previously, some studies have shown that cannabis can help with some symptoms of depression.

RELATED: Can You Really Blame Cannabis For Your Cannabis Addiction?

But other studies, like a 2017 to learn found that “Cannabis reduces perceived symptoms of negative affect in the short term, but continued use can worsen underlying symptoms of depression over time.” So it’s too early to say if weed suits your own unique state of mind helps or harms.

Taking a break and accompanying that break with productive and healthy activities is a great way to reset the mind. You can always get high again later, but your happiness and mental health are paramount, and if you think cannabis is getting in the way, don’t.

Her routine has become lethargic (and mostly takes place indoors)

It can happen to the best of us, but sometimes we hibernate more than any human should. This lethargy can be exacerbated by cannabis use, as it can be incredibly easy to get high and do nothing but snack all day when it’s below freezing outside. Sure, lazy days are part of winter, but every day? That might be pressing.

Think about your health. For example, if you find that your clothes don’t fit, or you find yourself walking up a flight of stairs out of breath, which you don’t normally have trouble with, then you might consider a linchpin in your lifestyle. A cannabis detox is often a good place to start.