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Irritability, anger or aggressionNervousness or anxietyTrouble sleeping (sometimes because of weird dreams)Decreased appetite or weight lossRestlessnessSadness or depressionAt least one of the following physical symptoms: stomach pain, shaking, sweating, fever, chills, headache
How is marijuana addiction treated? " � In general, treatment involves addiction counseling and taking part in a support group. � �
- Addiction counseling " � People with addiction work with a counselor to better understand their addiction. They learn new ways to lead their life that do not involve drugs.
- Support groups " � In support groups, people with addiction share their experiences with each other. The most common of these groups is Marijuana Anonymous (www.marijuana-anonymous.org), but some people dislike that it involves God or a "higher power. " � There are other groups that do not have that as a focus.
Some people cannot stop using marijuana even with counseling and support groups. They might benefit from a more structured treatment program that includes specific types of therapy, behavioral exercises, and routine drug testing. � �
There are also a couple of medicines that might help some people who cannot stop using marijuana with the usual treatments. One medicine is called acetylcysteine (brand name: Acetadote). In the US it is sold over-the-counter as a nutritional supplement, but it can also be prescribed by a doctor. The other medicine is gabapentin (sample brand names: Neurontin, Gralise). Gabapentin is sold only with a prescription. It is normally used to treat seizures or pain. There is not a lot of proof that these medicines work, but some experts think it is worth trying one of them. � �
For specific situations, there are other treatments. An example is family therapy, which can be especially helpful for children or teens with addiction who have families willing to participate in treatment. � �
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 16444 Version 4.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.206 � �
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