When you really take a look at the effects marijuana has on your life, you’ll be surprised to see just how much it’s costing you.
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- Hint: you’re missing out on things that are exponentially more interesting than getting stoned.
- Do you smoke weed regularly? Find out how much your marijuana use really costs.
Do you smoke weed every day? Do you have a hard time going about your daily tasks or winding down from work without getting high? You may have a marijuana addiction.
Despite popular belief, marijuana is addictive, and it could be costing you thousands of dollars per year, not to mention seriously compromising you in ways you might not even see. Let’s break it down.
How You Pay the Price for Your Weed Habit
Smoking pot regularly costs you in more ways than one. Here’s what it affects:
1. Your Finances
An ‘eighth’ (3.5 grams) of weed costs around $50AUD. If you’re smoking a quarter per week, that adds up to $5,720 per year. That’s over $50,000 – the price of a university education, a 3 Series BMW or a down payment on a house. Think of how much you’d save if all that money that’s currently going up in smoke went into your savings account instead.
Don’t smoke it, stack it.
2. Cool Experiences
Just imagine what you could do with all that savings over time. Here are just a few examples:
An evening of fine dining $110 1 week of buying weed
Tickets to Falls Festival $249 2 weeks of buying weed
A two-night diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef $600 5 weeks of buying weed
Three-month Muay Thai training camp in Thailand $825 2 months of buying weed
One-week vacation in Bali $1600 3.5 months of buying weed
The possibilities are endless. If you stop smoking marijuana, you will have a lot more disposable income to do the things you’ve always wanted to do – explore the world, learn a new skill, or treat your date to a top-notch night out. All things that are exponentially more interesting than getting stoned.
Some real relaxation and euphoria.
Your Time
Smoking weed on a regular basis results in lethargic, often anti-social behaviour. As your tolerance and use increase, so do your symptoms of marijuana addiction.
Among these symptoms are the inability to concentrate, disrupted short-term memory loss, and fatigue – all of which result in less activity, social and otherwise. Whether it’s bailing on socialising, missing out on quality family time or procrastinating at work or school, time wasted being stoned is time you’ll never get back.
If you’re a regular smoker, you can bet you’re wasting hundreds of hours each year that could otherwise be used to deepen your relationships, advance your career or be physically active.
Life is short. Do stuff that matters.
Your Physical Well-being
Though regular smokers tend to brush off its physical dangers, symptoms of long-term marijuana use can be quite serious. They include:
- Increased risk of certain types of cancer
- Respiratory problems
- Slowed brain processing
- Reproductive health effects
- Increased hunger (which can lead to weight gain)
- Poor coordination
- Rapid heartbeat
- Paranoia or distorted perceptions
Is your body a temple, or a chimney?
Your Relationships and Interests
When getting high is your priority, it’s not uncommon for your relationships to suffer, your hobbies get tossed aside and your goals to be deserted for the instant gratification that weed can provide.
Says Krista Lisdahl, director of the imaging and neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, effects include an increased tendency ‘to be driven by immediate rewards and not looking for more long-term gratification,’ as well as for anxiety and mood disorders.
Prioritising weed over other important aspects of your life, not living up to your potential and constantly experiencing irritability, crash and mood swings are not exactly qualities of a great partner.
If you were your partner, would you be happy with you?
How do You Know if Your Pot Use is a Problem?
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to any type of addiction, and marijuana is no different. However, there are a few key indicators that mean you should seek the help or guidance of a professional addiction counsellor:
- You’ve tried to quit or cut back but couldn’t.
- You’ve incurred negative consequences due to your marijuana use, such as unhealthy relationships, losing your job or unwanted weight gain.
- You have difficulty paying rent, bills or buying necessities because you spend too much money on weed.
To learn more about the effects of marijuana, check out our post ‘Why Weed Addiction is Worse Than You May Think’.
Marijuana Addiction Treatment at The Edge
The Edge addiction treatment centre his been specifically designed for young men who are struggling with addiction and behavioural issues and could benefit from a fresh start in a new and stimulating environment. Our unique programme places an emphasis on high-intensity physical activity, as well as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness meditation, one-on-one and group counselling and a variety of holistic therapies to create a most healing atmosphere in which our clients can safely and privately recover.
If you feel that your use of marijuana is getting out of control, contact us today for a consultation. Our trained professionals can help you determine the severity of your marijuana abuse, and set you on the right path to recovery, and living a fulfilling and healthy life.