Adderall can be a life-changing medication for people who have ADHD and certain other conditions. But those who take too much of the drug may be at risk for an array of severe side effects, including psychosis and paranoia.

What Is Paranoia?

Before we address the question of what is Adderall paranoia, it can be helpful to review what the term “paranoia” means from a mental health perspective.

Paranoia is an unhealthy mindset that involves maladaptive thoughts such as misplaced suspicion, inability to trust, and unjustified fear that someone is plotting to harm you. This is a type of delusion, or a rigid belief that you cling to even in the absence of any credible evidence. 

Paranoia is sometimes (but by no means always) a symptom of a mental illness. Examples of mental health disorders that can cause paranoia include:

• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Delusional disorder
• Paranoid personality disorder (PPD)

Other risk for factors for paranoia include:

• Family history of mental illness
• Personal history of untreated trauma
• Exposure to overwhelming stress
• Being bullied or harassed
• Certain types of substance abuse

What to Know About Adderall 

Adderall is the brand name of a prescription medication that contains equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Both of these ingredients are stimulants, which means that they increase activity throughout the central nervous system (CNS).

When a person takes Adderall, the drug boosts the amount of two neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, in their system:

• Dopamine, which is involved with functions such as mood, attention, arousal, learning, and memory
• Norepinephrine, which plays a key role in the body’s “fight or flight” response and sleep/wake cycle

Adderall also causes smaller increases in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that influences mood, appetite, sexual desire, and sleep.

For someone with ADHD, increases in these neurotransmitters can have a calming effect, improving their ability to focus and concentrate while minimizing symptoms such as restlessness and distractibility.

Unfortunately, these effects have prompted many people – primarily college students and young professionals – to abuse the drug in an attempt to improve their cognitive performance. 

Can Adderall Cause Paranoia?

Even when a person uses Adderall as directed by their physician, they may experience certain adverse effects. When someone uses the drug without a prescription, their risk of unpleasant outcomes may be even greater. 

Common physical side effects of Adderall include:

• Elevated heart rate
• Pan in lower back
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Flu-like symptoms

Common psychological side effects include:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression

From a mental health perspective, one of the drug’s more concerning (but thankfully less common) side effects is psychosis, which can include a condition called Adderall paranoia.

Recently, researchers from McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA, reported that people who regularly take large amounts of Adderall have a particularly high risk of developing psychosis and paranoia. 

The McLean study, which appeared in The American Journal of Psychiatry in September 2024, determined that a person’s risk of psychosis may increase by 400% if they take at least 40mg of Adderall per day. 

Symptoms of Adderall Paranoia

Someone who has developed Adderall paranoia may exhibit signs such as:

• Being overly sensitive, defensive, and/or argumentative 
• Taking offense at even the slightest perceived criticism
• Inability to compromise
• Holding long-term grudges
• Finding it difficult or impossible to relax
• Indecisiveness due to fear of making the wrong choice
• Hypervigilance, or a heightened sense of alertness due to the mistaken belief of being constantly in danger
• Social withdrawal and isolation

Paranoia is just one of three types of symptoms that a person may experience when they develop Adderall psychosis. The other two are:

• Hallucinations, which can include seeing, hearing, or otherwise perceiving things that do not actually exist
• Delusions, which are rigidly held beliefs that are easily disproven or that have no basis in reality, such as claiming they have magical powers or are being unfairly persecuted

What to Do If a Loved One is Experiencing Adderall Paranoia

Understanding the answer to the question, “What is Adderall paranoia?” can help you identify when someone that you care about is in crisis. Recognizing the problem is an important step, but it’s just one part of what could be a long process. 

If you’re not a mental health expert, what can you realistically do to help a friend or family member? First, you need to acknowledge that you cannot cure your loved one – but you can play a vital role in connecting them with the care they need. 

Other steps you can take include:

• Educate yourself about Adderall paranoia (which, if you’re reading this post, you’ve already begun to do). The more you know about what your loved one is experiencing, the better prepared you’ll be to offer meaningful support.
• Explore treatment options. There’s no single “perfect” way to treat Adderall paranoia, so you’ll want to focus on finding the programs and services that best align with your loved one’s needs and goals.
• Talk to your loved one. Perhaps most importantly, listen to them. This conversation should be an actual discussion, not a lecture or an ultimatum. Express your concerns, reiterate your support, and talk about treatment. 
• Keep the lines of communication open. It may take multiple conversations before your loved one is ready to get help.
• Don’t go it alone. Recruit a small group of close friends or trusted family members to help you. You don’t want your loved one to feel like you’re ganging up on them, but you do want to demonstrate that you’re not the only one who truly cares about them.
• Get help for yourself. If you are close to someone who has been exhibiting signs of Adderall paranoia, you’ve been affected, too. Talking to a therapist or counselor can help you process your experiences and ensure that you’re not neglecting your own needs.

Treating Adderall Paranoia

As alluded to in the previous section, effective treatment for Adderall paranoia can look quite different from one person to the next. Factors that can influence which type of treatment is ideal for a specific person can include:

• Their age and gender
• Their treatment history
• The nature and severity of their symptoms
• If they have any co-occurring mental or behavioral health concerns
• The effectiveness of their personal support network

With these caveats in mind, the range of options for treating Adderall paranoia includes:

• Detoxification (detox)
• Inpatient rehab
• Outpatient programming
• Medication management services
• Individual, group, and family therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Psychoeducation sessions
• EMDR and other trauma-focused services
• Holistic therapies

Contact Sanctuary Treatment Center for Help

Sanctuary Treatment Center offers comprehensive, personalized care for adults who have been exhibiting symptoms of Adderall paranoia and other mental health challenges. We also provide dual diagnosis programming for those who have both a mental health condition and a substance use disorder (addiction).

Our treatment center in Los Angeles, CA, is a safe and supportive place where you will be cared for by a team of skilled and compassionate professionals. With our help and a concerted effort on your part, you can take substantial strides toward a much healthier and more hopeful future.

To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today. 

Published: 4/4/2025

Crack cocaine Addiction doesn’t dominate the headlines the way it did in the 1980s, but the drug continues to inflict substantial harm on individuals and families throughout the United States.

History of Crack Cocaine

Humans have been using cocoa leaves for their stimulating properties since at least the 1400s, though scientists did not isolate the primary psychoactive substance in these leaves (cocaine) until the 1860s. 

Following this development, cocaine began to be used for many purposes, including as a painkiller/headache reliever, as a medication to treat tuberculosis, and even as an ingredient in the original recipe for Coca-Cola soft drink.

Cocaine became illegal in the U.S. in 1914, though some people continued to use it illicitly for recreational purposes. The drug saw a significant resurgence in the 1970s, which was followed by the “crack epidemic” in the 1980s.

Crack could be manufactured more cheaply than powder cocaine, which meant that it could be sold for a much lower price on the street. The affordability of the drug, combined with the intense high it produced, soon made it an extremely popular substance in major cities throughout the nation.

Signs of Crack Cocaine Addiction

One of the reasons why crack is such a dangerous substance is that a person can become addicted to it after only using the drug a few times. 

If you suspect that someone in your life has been using crack, being able to recognize the signs may allow you to intervene before this self-defeating behavior turns into an addiction. 

Common signs of crack use include:

• Dilated (expanded) pupils
• Rapid breathing
• Significant boost in energy
• Restlessness
• Agitation and irritability
• Erratic behaviors
• Dramatic mood swings
• Burns on lips and fingers

When a person’s crack use progresses to an addiction, they may exhibit symptoms such as:

• Spending significant amounts of time seeking, using, and recovering from the effects of crack cocaine
• Being unable to stop using crack once they have begun
• Becoming agitated or otherwise upset when unable to acquire and use crack
• Unintentionally losing a significant amount of weight
• Failing to meet their personal or work-related responsibilities
• Lying to loved ones about how they have been spending their time
• Continuing to use crack cocaine even after they have experienced physical, psychological, social, or legal problems as a result of their prior use of the drug
• Having unexplained financial issues
• Undergoing a dramatic change in personality and behaviors
• Ignoring their appearance, grooming, and hygiene

Crack Cocaine Side Effects

Smoking crack can expose a person to substantial physical and psychological harm. People who use the drug on a regular basis have the greatest risk of these negative outcomes, but using crack even once can be extremely dangerous, and potentially fatal.

The side effects of using crack cocaine can include:

• High blood pressure 
• Abnormal heart rate
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Seizure
• Liver damage
• Kidney failure
• Malnutrition
• Respiratory problems
• Extreme tooth decay
• Paranoia
• Psychosis
• Overdose
• Death

Is Crack More Addictive Than Cocaine?

Crack cocaine and powder cocaine are both highly addictive substances. Is one more dangerous or more addictive than the other?

While many sources identify crack as the more addictive substance, the truth is that there’s no substantial difference between the two.

Why, then, is crack so commonly cited as being more dangerous? This has less to do with any differences between the drugs themselves, and more to do with how they are consumed.

Why Is Crack So Addictive?

The most common way to use powder cocaine is to inhale it through your nose. Crack cocaine is typically used by heating the rocks and inhaling the flames.

When a person snorts powder cocaine, the drug must pass through several membranes before it is absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the brain. When someone smokes crack, the drug can quickly pass from the lungs to the bloodstream to the brain. This causes a more intense high, a larger buildup of dopamine throughout the central nervous system, and a greater likelihood of becoming addicted.

Again, it is the method of ingestion (smoking vs. snorting) and not the chemical makeup of the drugs that cause these differences. If someone smokes or freebases powder cocaine – or dissolves it in a solution and injects it directly into their bloodstream – their risk of addiction would be the same as if they were smoking crack.

Crack Cocaine Overdose

Overdose occurs when a person ingests more of a substance than their body can safely metabolize. In 2022 alone, more than 27,000 people in the U.S. died from overdoses involving powder or crack cocaine.

Signs of a Crack Cocaine Overdose

Someone who exhibits the following signs after using crack cocaine may have overdosed and should receive immediate medical attention:

• Confusion and disorientation
• Hallucinations
• Impaired coordination and muscle control
• Extreme rise in body temperature
• Excessive perspiration
• Difficulty breathing
• Chest pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Seizure
• Loss of consciousness

If you are with someone who has overdosed on crack cocaine, call 911 immediately, then stay with them until help arrives.

Crack Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Treatment for crack cocaine addiction may involve one or more of the following levels of care:

• Detox: If intense withdrawal symptoms have been preventing you from ending your use of crack cocaine, detox may be the ideal place to begin treatment. Detox is a short-term program that offers medical and therapeutic support to help you get through withdrawal safely and as comfortably as possible.
• Inpatient rehab: When you are in an inpatient rehab program, you will live at the center where you are receiving treatment. Common features of inpatient rehab for crack cocaine addiction include personalized daily schedules, multiple forms of psychotherapy. It also includes relapse prevention education and round-the-clock supervision.
• Outpatient treatment: In an outpatient program, you will only need to be at the center when treatment is in session. This provides you with a structured connection to personalized clinical care. It also gives you the opportunity to put your developing recovery skills into practice in real-world situations during non-treatment hours.

Customized Treatment Elements for Crack Cocaine Addiction Recovery

Depending on your unique needs and the parameters of the program you’re in, your customized care for addiction to crack cocaine may include elements such as:

• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): This form of therapy can help you adapt your thoughts and behaviors to align with your values and goals. ACT can also help you eliminate negative thoughts, accept your emotions, and focus more fully on the present moment.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is based on the view that addictions and other psychological challenges are caused in part by negative thought patterns and maladaptive behaviors. During CBT sessions, you can begin to identify how these concerns have affected your life. You can then adopt healthier ways of thinking and acting.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): This approach focuses on developing and enhancing your skills in the areas of mindfulness, distress tolerance. It also helps with emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: EMDR can help you overcome psychological distress that is related to traumatic memories. If your struggles with addiction are related to untreated trauma, EMDR can be an essential component of your treatment plan.

Contact Sanctuary Treatment Center for help with Crack Cocaine Addiction

Sanctuary Treatment Center offers a full continuum of customized care for adults who have become addicted to crack cocaine and other dangerous substances. 

Our drug rehab facility in Los Angeles, California, also serves patients whose struggles with addiction are accompanied by anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.

When you choose Sanctuary Treatment Center, a team of compassionate experts will work closely with you to identify the full scope of your needs. They will then develop a plan to help you build a healthier and more hopeful life in recovery.

To learn more about our programs and services, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.

Published: 3/20/2025

With more states legalizing marijuana, cannabis has been in the headlines a lot in the past few years. However, amid the many articles about the drug’s possible benefits and potential risks, relatively little attention has been paid to a weed-related health condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.

What is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome?

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS, is a health condition that causes people to become extremely sick when they use marijuana. 

Two fundamental features of cannabinoid hyperemesis system are:

• It typically affects people who have used cannabis on a regular basis for an extended period of time. Some people have developed CHS after a year or so of heavy marijuana use. However, others used the drug frequently for a decade or more before exhibiting CHS symptoms.
• Once a person develops CHS, they may have the condition for the rest of their life. Though sufficient research has not been conducted to confirm or disprove this, it appears that a person’s risk of developing CHS symptoms after using marijuana doesn’t dissipate over time

What Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is Not

In addition to understanding what cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is, it is also important to know what it’s not. For example, people may have unpleasant experiences after using cannabis for several reasons that have no relation to CHS, such as: 

• They ingested more cannabis than their system could handle. This is most common among people who have little experience with the drug, or who are trying it in a form they haven’t used before (such as edibles or as concentrates).
• They used cannabis that had been sprayed with certain pesticides. Recent investigations into California’s legal marijuana industry have revealed that many dispensaries have been selling weed that has been contaminated with a variety of harmful substances. 
• They used marijuana in combination with other dangerous drugs, or while taking certain prescription medications. Various legal and illicit substances can interact with marijuana in ways that can cause a person to experience considerable physical and/or psychological distress.

To summarize: Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome does not result from overusing cannabis one time, or from being briefly exposed to tainted weed. The primary risk factor for developing CHS appears to be using marijuana on at least a weekly basis for several years.

What Causes Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome?

Researchers have not conclusively identified the cause of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. 

Some experts have theorized that the condition may result from extended overstimulation of endocannabinoid receptors. 

These receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system (EDS). EDS is a recently discovered network that is involved with myriad functions, including how the body responds to inflammation and controls pain. 

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Symptoms

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome causes four types of symptoms:

• Persistent nausea
• Repeated vomiting
• Severe abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite

Please note the presence of the adjectives persistent, repeated, and severe in the list above. The symptoms of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome are decidedly unpleasant. 

Here are a few examples of how bad CHS symptoms can be:

• The vomiting that is characteristic of CHS can include throwing up four or five times per hour, or up to 15 times per day. This experience is often so intense that it has spawned the slang term “scromiting,” which combines the words screaming and vomiting.
• A 2019 article in the journal Missouri Medicine reported that severe vomiting has caused some CHS patients to develop inflammations of the stomach and esophagus, as well as pneumomediastinum (a painful and potentially dangerous buildup of air around the lungs).
• The same Missouri Medicine article also noted that CHS patients are at risk of extreme dehydration, to the point that they could incur permanent kidney damage.

CHS symptoms can also put people at risk of various other health concerns. These include electrolyte imbalances, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, fainting, and seizures.

Some people have found that hot baths or hot showers can ease some CHS symptoms. However, while this can briefly alleviate discomfort, it is not a cure for CHS itself. Also, spending too much time in hot baths or showers can cause increased perspiration, which contributes to dehydration.

Can Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Cause Death?

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is unlikely to cause death. A person’s risk of dying from CHS is especially low if they get appropriate medical care and stop using marijuana.

The greatest risks of CHS-related death secondary effects of its symptoms. For example, if a person doesn’t receive enough fluids to stave off severe dehydration, they could experience kidney failure, which can be fatal. 

Also, persistent vomiting could cause aspiration pneumonia, which can also be deadly.

Is There Treatment for Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome?

There’s no known cure for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. However, there is a simple way to avoid its symptoms: Stop using marijuana.

Once you stop using marijuana, your CHS symptoms should dissipate within a week or two. However, if you start using the drug again, the symptoms are likely to return.

If you’re unable to quit using cannabis even after experiencing CHS symptoms, that could be sign that you’ve developed an addiction to marijuana. In that case, you may need professional help such as marijuana rehab. Rehabilitation will help rid your body of cannabis and learn how to resist future urges to use it again.

With appropriate treatment and a concerted effort on your part, you can end your weed use for good and start living a healthier life in recovery.

Treat Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome at Sanctuary Treatment Center Today

If you want to stop using cannabis, but you’ve been unable to successfully quit, Sanctuary Treatment Center is here for you. 

Depending on the full scope of your needs, your care at our marijuana addiction treatment center in Los Angeles may include detoxification (detox), inpatient rehab, and outpatient treatment.

In each of these programs, your treatment will be guided by a personalized plan.

To learn more about how we can help you, or to schedule a free assessment, Contact us or call our team today.

Published: 10/23/2024

Knowing how long alcohol stays in your system can help you make important decisions regarding your health and safety.

How Does Alcohol Interact With Your Body?

Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. This means that it slows the delivery of messages between your brain and various parts of your body. However, its initial effects are similar to what you might expect from a stimulant. 

After your first drink or two, you may experience effects such as: 

• Diminished inhibitions
• Increased talkativeness
• Improved mood
• Burst of energy

Eventually, though, alcohol’s depressant properties will make themselves known, and you will likely start to feel effects such as:

• Impaired coordination
• Slurred speech
• Delayed reaction time
• Impaired cognition
• Poor judgement

Alcohol elicits these effects in part by altering the performance of several neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin. These chemical messengers are associated with pleasure, learning, motivation, and mood. 

Initially, alcohol use increases your body’s dopamine and serotonin levels, which accounts for its early stimulant-like effects. Following this initial rush, as your dopamine and serotonin levels begin to fall. Additionally, your mood and energy level may also begin to crash. 

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

The question “how long does alcohol stay in your system?” can have several correct answers, depending on your purpose for asking. For example, do you want to know how long alcohol will be present in your body, or are you trying to find out how long alcohol will show up on drug test?

If you are inquiring about alcohol being detected on a drug test, that answer can also vary depending which type of test you’re talking about. The answer to “how long does alcohol stay in urine?” will be different than the response to questions about alcohol’s detectability in breath, blood, saliva, or hair.

Let’s start with the first version of the question, how long does alcohol stay in your system?

There’s no precise answer to this question. Many factors, such as a person’s weight, metabolism, and overall health can influence how long it will take their body to process and eliminate alcohol.

However, the following information can help us make an informed estimate:

• The half-life of alcohol is about four or five hours. A half-life is the amount of time it takes for your body to reduce the amount of a substance by 50%. 
• It usually takes four to five half-lives for a substance to fall below a detectable, clinically significant, level.
• Applying this formula to alcohol gives us a range from 16 hours (four hours multiplied by four half-lives) to 25 hours (5 hours multiplied by 5 half-lives).

So, how long does alcohol stay in your system? According to the information above, you can expect to have some amount of the drug in your body for about 16-25 hours.

Now, let’s turn our attention to the second version. How long can a drug screen detect alcohol? Since there are many types of drug screens, this question is actually asking, how long does alcohol stay in urine, blood, saliva, breath, and hair?

Depending on which type of screening you complete, here’s how long you’re likely to test positive for alcohol:

• Breath analysis: Usually up to 12 hours after your last drink. However, some people may test positive for up to 24 hours
• Saliva test: Up to 12 hours
• Blood test: Typically a maximum of 12 hours
• Urine test: 72-120 hours (three to five days)
• Hair follicle test: As long as 90 days after the last time you consumed alcohol

You may have noticed that some of these tests can detect alcohol long after the drug should have been eliminated from your system. How can that be?

The answer isn’t as mysterious as it might first appear. Drug screens aren’t only set up to only identify the actual presence of a specific substance. They can also detect metabolites, which are byproducts that your body creates as it processes and eliminates a drug. The presence of these metabolites are proof that you recently had alcohol in your system.

Thus, while alcohol may only stay in your system for 24 hours, alcohol metabolites could be detectable for a few days to a few months, depending on which type of test you take.

How To Get Alcohol Out of Your System

Here’s a quick overview of how your body metabolizes (or breaks down and eliminates) alcohol from your system:

• When you take a drink, most of the alcohol enters your bloodstream by passing through the lining of your small intestine or stomach.
• Your bloodstream carries the alcohol to organs and tissues throughout your body. 
• Your liver plays an essential role in removing alcohol from your body. The liver produces several enzymes – including alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) – that begin to break alcohol down on a molecular level.
• Initially, the ADH enzyme converts alcohol into a poisonous, potentially carcinogenic compound called acetaldehyde.
• Then, the enzymes convert the acetaldehyde to a less dangerous substance called acetate.
• Your body breaks the acetate down into water and carbon dioxide, which it can then easily and safely eliminate.

The speed with which this occurs can be influenced by several factors. These factors include your age and body weight, how much you’ve been drinking, how long you’ve been drinking, and the health of your organs. 

Contrary to what you may have seen in films or on TV, you cannot speed up this process by activities such as drinking black coffee or taking a cold shower. As far as your behaviors are concerned, there are only two steps you can take to get alcohol out of your system:

1. Stop drinking.
2. Wait for your body to do what it’s designed to do.

If the first of these steps is difficult or impossible for you, it may be time to get professional help. Untreated alcohol addiction can be devastating – but when you get the care you need, you can start living a much healthier life in recovery.

Is Alcohol Becoming a Problem? Contact Sanctuary Treatment Center for Help

Sanctuary Treatment Center offers a full continuum of customized care for adults who have become addicted to alcohol.

Treatment options at our alcohol rehab in Los Angeles include detoxification, inpatient care, and outpatient programming. We also offer detailed discharge planning services to ensure you are connected with the resources that can support your continued recovery after you transition out of our care.

To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.

When you use recreational drugs, traces of the substances will remain in your system even after their effects have worn off. Your body can eliminate some drugs relatively quickly, while others take much more time. If you’ve ever wondered how long does weed stay in your system, the answer may surprise you.

How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System After Quitting?

The question, how long does weed stay in your system after quitting, can have multiple correct answers depending on why you asked it.

For example, you might be asking simply because you’ve decided to end your cannabis use, and you’re wondering how long any remnants of the drug will stay in your system. Or you may have been forced to quit because you have to take a drug screen, and you want to know how long you might still test positive after quitting.

The answers to these questions can be further influenced by factors such as:

• Your weight and metabolism
• The type and amount of cannabinoids in the weed you’ve been using
• How often you use cannabis, and how much you typically use

Having established all of these variables, let’s explore some answers. First, let’s focus on how long you might have weed in your system after you stop using it:

• According to a November 2020 article in The Permanente Journal, the plasma half-life of THC (the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) is one to three days in casual users, and five to 13 days in heavy users. 
• Experts estimate that it usually takes four to five half-lives for a substance to fall below a clinically significant amount. 
• This means that if you use marijuana on an occasional basis, you will likely have the drug in your system for four to 15 days after you stop using it. If you’ve been large amounts of the drug on a regular basis, might have traces of cannabis in their body for 20-65 days.

The drug screen timeline can vary depending on which type of test you take. Here are estimates for how long weed can show up on various types of drug screens:

• Blood: About 12 hours after the last time you ingested marijuana
• Saliva: 24-48 hours after your last use
• Urine: Up to 30 days after you quit 
• Hair: As long as 90 days (three months) after you stop 

Benefits of Quitting Weed

If you have decided to quit using weed, you probably have your own reasons for doing so. These may involve your health, your job, your relationships, or other factors.

Regardless of what prompted you to stop using this drug, the general benefits of doing so can include:

• Healthy brain development: This especially applies to younger people. Research suggests that those who use marijuana prior to age 17 may have an elevated risk of myriad cognitive concerns. These include problems with attention, memory, processing speed, verbal learning, and sequencing. 
• Cardiovascular health: A February 2024 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) linked past-month cannabis use with several adverse cardiovascular outcomes, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, and coronary heart disease. The study also found that a person’s risk increases along with the frequency of their cannabis use.
• Improved lung functioning: The American Lung Association has reported that the effects of smoking marijuana can include chronic bronchitis, chronic cough, thickening and inflammation of the airway, and respiratory infections.
• Better mental health: For some people, cannabis use eases the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. But for others – such as those who abuse marijuana as a way of avoiding difficult emotions – the use of this drug can exacerbate their psychological distress and delay their efforts to seek appropriate help.

What if You Are Having Trouble Quitting Weed on Your Own?

If you’re having trouble quitting weed on your own, this may indicate that you have developed an addiction. (And yes, contrary to what you may have heard or read elsewhere, it is possible to become addicted to marijuana.)

Research indicates that about 10% of people who begin using marijuana will eventually develop cannabis use disorder, which is the clinical term for weed addiction. Among current weed users, experts estimate that about 30% meet the criteria for addiction.

Addiction is a chronic, progressive disease. This means that the urges, compulsions, and other symptoms that it causes are unlikely to simply disappear on their own. Thankfully, there are treatment options that can help you end your weed use and build a healthier life in recovery.

Depending on a variety of personal factors, your path to freedom from compulsive weed use may include:

• Detoxification: If you’ve been experiencing particularly severe withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop using weed, a detox program may be the ideal starting point for you.
• Residential treatment: At the residential level, you will live at the center where you’re receiving care. This allows you to focus your full attention on therapy and other support services, without having to deal with the typical stresses and distractions of daily life. Residential programs usually include a customizable variety of therapies and support services to help you establish a strong foothold in early recovery.
• Outpatient programming: In an outpatient program, you may take part in full or partial days of treatment, but you won’t stay at the center when treatment isn’t in session. This gives you the freedom to practice your new skills in a real-world environment, while still benefitting from structured clinical services. 

Contact Us to Detox and Recover from Weed Addiction

Untreated weed addiction can be devastating. However, when you get the right type of treatment, you can rediscover your innate strengths and abilities and reconnect with the best version of yourself. 

Our rehab center in Los Angeles, California, offers a full continuum of care in a comfortable and highly supportive environment. We never have more than six people in treatment at any one time. You can rest assured that you will receive the individualized care you need and the close personal support you deserve.

When you’re ready to get started, the Sanctuary Treatment Center team is here to help. To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today. 

You may not have heard about chroming, but your children probably have. This dangerous behavior isn’t new, but it has recently received renewed attention through social media. When you understand what chroming looks like and why it can be so harmful, you’ll be better prepared to keep your loved ones safe.

What is Chroming?

Chroming is a form of inhalant abuse. Other common terms for this practice include huffing and bagging. 

The term “chroming” originally referred to inhaling fumes from aerosol paints that had been sprayed into a paper bag. People who engage in this behavior usually use metallic spray paint. When they hold the bag to their mouth and nose in order to inhale the fumes, they often end up with a paint ring where the bag came into contact with their face. That effect let to the practice being called chroming.

Through the years, chroming has evolved in to a more general term. Today, it can be used to describe the intentional inhalation of several dangerous substances. In addition to spray paints, chroming can also involve:

• Household solvents
• Gasoline 
• Kerosene
• Paint thinner
• Certain types of glue
• Nail polish remover
• Hairspray

Chroming is most popular among adolescents and teens. This may be due to the fact that the practice incorporates many common household items, which may be easier for young people to acquire than other recreational substances.

About The Chroming Challenge on Social Media

Videos on Tik-Tok and other social media platforms can make chroming look like fun, without acknowledging its many dangers. For some young people, this misinformation can be fatal:

• In March 2024, an 11-year-old boy from the UK died of what authorities believe was cardiac arrest after engaging in chroming. Members of his family reported that the boy had learned about chroming from videos on Tik-Tok.
• This was unfortunately not the first death that has been tied to chroming and social media. In March 2023, a 13-year-old incurred irreparable brain damage and later died after engaging in this behavior at a sleepover party. 

As evidenced by previous trends such as the Benadryl challenge or the choking game, teens can quickly become swept up in hazardous fads like chroming. Some may be fueled by the desire to gain social media attention, while others may simply want to feel like they are fitting in with their online peers.

Regardless of what prompts a young person to try chroming, the results – as we will discuss in the next section – can range from upsetting to devastating.

Dangers of Chroming

Chroming is extremely dangerous. People who engage in this behavior put themselves at risk for many harmful effects, some of which can be severe and irreversible. 

The long list of possible chroming-related damage includes:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion and disorientation
• Problems with coordination and muscle control
• Muscle weakness
• Respiratory distress
• Cardiovascular damage
• Liver and kidney damage
• Delayed responsiveness
• Cognitive impairments
• Brain damage
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Psychosis
• Seizure
• Death

How to Talk to Your Kids About Chroming

With such a significant amount of incorrect and intentionally misleading information available to young people online, parents need to be sure their children understand the very real risks that chroming poses.

5 Tips on Having a Productive Conversation with Your Children about Chroming:

• Be honest: If your children spend much time online, there’s a decent chance that they’ve already heard of chroming. They may even know peers who have engaged in this behavior. So you need to be honest about why some people get involved with chroming and realistic about the dangers they face.
• Take an age-appropriate approach: For younger children, it may be enough to say that chroming is dangerous, they should never do it, and they should find a responsible adult if someone tries to convince them to try it.
• Discuss, don’t lecture: Lectures or threats can cause your children to tune you out or immediately become defensive. Instead, make your conversation about chroming a true discussion. Ask them what they’ve heard about this practice, correct any misinformation, and help them brainstorm ways to say “no” if someone asks them to try chroming.
• Focus on education, not intimidation: We’ve touched on this in other tips, but it bears repeating. Threats, ultimatums, or efforts to intimidate your children into staying away from chroming can easily backfire. Instead, help them understand the dangers of this behavior and provide practical guidance on how to avoid it.
• Plan to revisit the topic: One conversation about chroming can be a great start. But it’s just that: a start. Be prepared to have many discussions about chroming, other types of substance abuse, and other potential threats to your children’s well-being.

Contact Our Substance Abuse Treatment Center Today

Chroming can lead to a type of addiction known as inhalant use disorder. If you or someone that you care about has become trapped in the downward spiral of compulsive inhalant abuse, please know that help is available at Sanctuary Treatment Center.

When you choose our addiction rehab in Los Angeles, you will find a safe and welcoming place where you or your loved one can receive personalized services from a team of skilled and experienced professionals. 

Our continuum of care includes detoxification, inpatient treatment, and outpatient programming. We work closely with each patient and, when appropriate, their families to understand the full scope of their needs, so that we can provide them with the most effective types of treatment.

To learn more about our programs and services, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.

The question is short, direct, and deceptively simple. The answer can change your entire life. Am I a drug addict?

If you’re not sure how to accurately answer this question – or if you don’t know what to do next if your answer is “yes” – then this page is for you.  

What Does Drug Addiction Look Like?

Close your eyes for a moment and form a mental picture of what you think a drug addict looks like.

No matter what image popped into your mind, you are both right and wrong. 

The truth is that, when based solely on a person’s appearance, drug addiction can look like, well, anybody. The disheveled old man drinking from a well-worn flask. The college student “pregaming” before a big night out. The suburban mom who has been using prescription painkillers a bit longer than she should have. The successful executive who often needs a drink or two to unwind at the end of the day.

Any of these people – along with countless others who look and act differently than these four examples do – might be addicted to alcohol or another drug. Some of them may realize they have a problem. Others might find it preposterous to even suggest they have a substance use disorder (which is the clinical term for addiction). 

Outward appearances might hint at a person’s struggles with addiction. But to truly understand if someone is a drug addict, you need to know how substances have affected their body, their mind, and their behaviors. 

How Can I Tell if I Am a Drug Addict?

It can be surprisingly difficult to answer the question, “Am I a drug addict?” Addiction is a complex behavioral health condition that can be characterized by a variety of symptoms. Also, as noted in the previous section, this disorder can look very different from one person to the next.

Instead of wondering, “Am I an addict”, it can be helpful to focus on specific circumstances or behavior patterns that may be signs of a problem. 

Here are 15 questions that can help you decide if you should seek help for drug addiction:

1. Do you need to use drugs to wake up in the morning and/or to get to sleep at night?
2. Do you find it difficult or impossible to have fun without using drugs?
3. Do you need to use drugs to cope with stress, setbacks, or other difficult experiences?
4. Have you ever lied to or otherwise deceived friends or family members about your drug use?
5. Do you often use drugs when you are alone?
6. Do you spend significant amounts of time thinking about, acquiring, and using drugs?
7. Have you ever prioritized drug use over important personal or professional responsibilities?
8. Has your drug use caused you to miss school or work?
9. Once you start using a drug, do you find it difficult or impossible to stop?
10. Have you used drugs in situations where it is clearly dangerous to do so, such as before driving a car or in combination with other substances?
11. Have you continued to use drugs even after experiencing personal, professional, or legal problems due to prior substance abuse?
12. Do you need to use drugs more frequently or in larger amounts to achieve the desired effect?
13. When you can’t acquire or use drugs, do you feel agitated or angry?
14. Has someone in your life ever expressed concern about the amount or frequency of your drug use?
15. Have you ever tried to stop using drugs, but found that you were unable to do?

The only way to be sure if you have a substance use disorder is to be assessed by a qualified professional. But if you answered “yes” to any of the questions listed above, you might have a problem, and you should consult with your family doctor or another healthcare provider. 

What Are My Options if I am an Addict?

There is no universal, one-size-fits-all approach to treating drug addiction. Depending on your specific circumstances, one or more of the following drug treatment options may be valuable:

• Detoxification: Also referred to as detox, this is a short-term program that can help you get through withdrawal. In addition to protecting your health, detox professionals may offer both medical and therapeutic support to help you manage discomfort.
• Inpatient rehab: While you are in an inpatient program, you will live at the facility where you’re receiving care. Inpatient rehab typically features several types of therapy as well as educational sessions and other services to help you gain a solid foothold in early recovery.
• Outpatient treatment: Outpatient programming for addiction usually includes therapy, education, and related services without a residential requirement. Some people transition into outpatient care after completing detox and/or inpatient rehab. If you don’t need detox or round-the-clock care, you may enter treatment directly at the outpatient level. 

At the inpatient and outpatient levels, you might take part in individual, group, and family therapy. These sessions may incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and other modalities as needed. 

When you’re seeking drug addiction treatment, what’s most important is finding a provider that can assess the full scope of your needs, then provide the types and levels of care that are right for you.

Begin Treatment for Drug Addiction in Southern California

Sanctuary Treatment Center is a premier provider of customized services for people who have become addicted to alcohol and other drugs. We also offer individualized programming for clients who have both a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health concern. At our drug addiction treatment center in Southern California, you will receive compassionate care from a team of dedicated professionals. Contact us today to learn how we can help.