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Like with any other drug, detoxing from weed is not an easy task and it can get real ugly real fast. When detoxing, you’re basically ridding the body of something that it has slowly built up a tolerance to. Slowly weaning off a substance does help, but detoxing usually entails going cold-turkey.
Detoxing quickly becomes an inner battle with the body and mind, and takes more than just discipline or self-control for it to actually work effectively. Any detox treatment should be done in a safe environment, and with supervision. Even though weed is a pretty light drug, it is definitely possible to go through cannabis withdrawal!
How Tough Is Marijuana Withdrawal?
Now, this isn’t to say that all heavy marijuana users suffer from addiction. A recent study found that only a fraction, about 30% of those who regularly use cannabis develop a dependence on it and experience symptoms of withdrawal.
With marijuana specifically, it can be hard to detox from it because the withdrawal stage lasts longer compared to other substances. This is mostly because of THC, one of the main chemicals in marijuana, which makes it so enticing to use regularly in the first place. THC, short for delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical in marijuana responsible for its psychoactive effects.
Unlike other chemicals in addictive substances that stay in the body for several hours after use, THC can stay in the body for several weeks. Again, depending on the frequency and length of marijuana use, the symptoms of marijuana withdrawal can last from anywhere between a few weeks or a few months.
When suffering from marijuana withdrawal, users can experience difficulties in falling asleep—on rarer cases, some even have strange dreams. Medically, those who experience withdrawal symptoms of this intensity are told to have PAWS, short for post-acute withdrawal syndrome.
Why Detoxing From Marijuana, Specifically THC, Is So Difficult:
1. THC stores itself in your fat
As a chemical, THC is very fat-soluble. If you only smoke the occasional joint though, it can leave your system in a few days or weeks. For the more frequent, heavy, regular smokers, it can take months.
Check this article about toxin rid 10 day detox Pre-Rid pills that contain alfalfa leaf extract, a known diuretic—that means it’ll make you pee more, so you’ll clean up your system faster.
2. THC can also store itself in your hair
THC can make its way to your hair follicles, either through your sweat glands or blood capillaries. Whether you’re a heavy marijuana user or not, THC can stay and be detectable in your hair for up to three months, or 90 days, since your last smoke—and there’s no way to sweat it out, either.
What Are Some Tips to Help Speed up Getting THC out of Your System?
Quick fixes for marijuana detoxing don’t all work the same for each person, and its efficacy isn’t guaranteed either. Some argue that it’s definitely safer to just go the fake-pee route, especially if you’re super pressed for time. If you’re determined to do a detox though, it’s possible, but not exactly easy.
Check also this fuller guide on best THC detox pills, the pills we’ve covered on that guide will help you lower THC to undetectable levels.
What Can You Do If You’re Trying to Detox as Fast as Possible?
Detoxing For Urine Tests:
1. Eat as healthy as you can and pump up the liquids. Fresh juices and frequent drinks of water can help your body flush out toxins, in this case, THC. Drinking lots of water also helps to dilute your urine, which helps lower any detectable amounts of THC.
Along with that, also try to limit any fatty foods, since THC, as we’ve mentioned above, is fat soluble, it helps to have as little of it as possible.
2. Speaking of THC stored in your fat, get on an exercise routine as soon as you stop using marijuana up until you take your urine test. Exercising helps burn fat which then releases that stored THC. Just make sure that if you’re doing this, you’re also drinking liquids to help flush out as much THC from your system as you can.
Detoxing For Hair Follicle Tests:
When detoxing for hair follicle drug tests, the only way to go is The Macujo Method or the Jerry G method. They entail specific detoxing methods that can open up your hair cuticles and strip away THC by using a special shampoo, or bleach. Fair warning: they can damage your hair, although it’s your best option if you want to pass a hair follicle drug test.
Things You Can Do If You’re Craving Marijuana While Trying to Detox:
- Remove yourself from uncomfortable situations where marijuana is involved. Go home, go for a walk, go with other friends, go somewhere you feel safe and away from temptation.
- Keep yourself busy and active. Find something fun and engaging to do, especially if you have a lot of free time so you don’t get stuck thinking about using. If you’re experiencing bouts of depression during the withdrawal period, exercise is a great way to help keep those emotions at bay.
- If you’re feeling tense or really craving marijuana, learn to calm yourself through breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, or relaxation techniques. A hot bath or shower can also help calm you down.
We’ve got fuller guide on how to clean your system in 24 hours or less here that gives you step by step procedure on how to do it.
Conclusion
All in all, one of the main takeaways people forget when it comes to detoxing is that you should always do it in a safe environment, and if possible, with supervision. It can also help if you’re trying to detox with someone else so you can be accountable for each other, but a third-party “referee” of some sort should definitely be around.
