Question: I smoked 10 joints a day for 30 years. Now I have quit and I don’t have a clue how to deal with people. I don’t need addiction treatment because I have beaten my addiction for more than 2 months but I feel very anxious a lot of the time when I have to interact with people. The anxiety is honestly worse than the side effects of all the smoking I was doing so I am not sure if things have improved. Is this something that is likely to go away or is this just what not being high for me is going to feel like from now on?

Donald McCoy Says...:

smoking that much pot changes your perception of life and how you act and react to others. removing this from your life has caused you to face people without the 'mellowing' effects of pot.

I do seriously reccomend counseling and ask you to ask yourself why your were smoking pot to such a degree, usually an addiction is to not deal with a major issue in life, is this a possible reason?

If you look at yourself and this with honesty and courage, your interactions with others will get better.

Don McCoy LPC NCC

Question: How can I tell if I am addicted to marijuana or if it is just a habit? I smoke everyday and but I’ve never seriously tried to quit because invariably at least one of my roommates will offer me a joint at least a few times per day and it is just too easy to smoke here.

Donald McCoy Says...:

Do you find that smokiong is negatively affect any part pof ypour life?

Are you feeling like you need to quit?

Is smoking keeping you from doing what you want or need to do?

If you answer yes to any one of these, yes you have a habit and addiction.

I won't get into the legality issue.

I hope this helps...

Don

Question: If I am addicted to more than one drug do I have to detox off all of them at the same time? I am addicted to hydrocodone and xanax. I would like to detox off hydrocodone but I can’t image doing that without taking xanax at the same time, just the thought of it gets my anxiety spiking.

Donald McCoy Says...:

Thank you for your question.

I believe that you need to look at your addiction as just that an addiction to pain relievers. I think you may need an anti-anxiety medication to help you through this, prescribed by one doctor. I also believe that you at least need to enter into counseling if you have not done that yet.

There is a reason you are abusig the medications, possibly some part of your life is painful and you are having difficulty facing the issue and use the meds to help you past the moments of pain (physical, emotional, spiritual).

My reccomendation is to find a good counselor first, work with her or him on this issue and whether or not you need to enter into a treatment center. Of note, many of the new substance abuse centers are marvelous today, offering mindfulness, yoga, and other holistic therapies.

I do hope this was of help, I wish you all the best. Don McCoy LPC NCC