Almost one in five Americans use marijuana at least once a year. Many people believe that the drug is harmless. However, a sizable number of long-time users become addicted to marijuana or otherwise develop serious problems. An effective marijuana treatment program can help you overcome these problems. Recovery begins by halting your drug use. During this time, you may develop significant withdrawal symptoms. How long does it take for you to go through withdrawal and get marijuana out of your system? The answer to this question varies somewhat from person to person.
Understanding Marijuana Withdrawal
About half of all long-time marijuana users will experience withdrawal symptoms when they quit. Compared to the effects of quitting most other addictive substances, these symptoms are relatively benign. However, left untreated, they can still be unpleasant enough to make you want to halt your attempts to get sober. Specific symptoms you may experience include:
- A down mood
- Headaches
- Sleep difficulties
- Unusual dreams
- Restlessness, nervousness, or anxiousness
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach discomfort
- Increased feelings of anger and irritability
- Unusual aggressiveness
- An urge to use more marijuana
Each of these symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe in intensity.
How Long Will Marijuana Stay in Your System?
When thinking about quitting, many people ask how long does marijuana stay in your system. This makes sense since falling levels of the drug in your bloodstream are what trigger withdrawal. However, traces of marijuana may be found in your system long after withdrawal itself ends.
What’s more, the detectable amount of marijuana in your system depends on multiple factors. These factors include:
- How long you’ve been using the drug
- The amount of marijuana you habitually use
- The method used to test the levels of the drug in your system
Still, some general estimates can be made. How long does marijuana stay in your system if you’re not a heavy user? Even one-time drug use can lead to a positive urine test for up to three days. Regular, moderate use can lead to a positive urine test for roughly five to seven days after you quit.
Chronic, heavy use can leave marijuana in your system for much longer. In this situation, a blood test can detect traces of the drug for up to a month or more. A urine test can detect these traces for an even more extended amount of time.
How Long Does Marijuana Withdrawal Last?
How long will it take you to withdraw from marijuana? No one can provide an exact answer to this question in advance. But for the average person, most of the symptoms of withdrawal peak and fade within roughly one to three days. However, sometimes, it may take a week or two before you start feeling better.
Be aware that some of your symptoms may linger for a more extended amount of time. That’s especially true for withdrawal-related headaches. Some people experience this symptom for weeks or even months after quitting. Generally speaking, the physical effects of marijuana withdrawal take longer to resolve than the psychological or emotional effects.
Find Out More About How Long Marijuana Stays in Your System at Northpoint Colorado
Have more questions about how long marijuana stays in your system? The professionals at Northpoint Colorado can answer them. We can also help you determine if you’re affected by marijuana addiction and need treatment.
Northpoint provides full support for recovery from marijuana addiction. We feature a complete slate of customized services from detox and withdrawal to follow-up treatment. For more information on how we can help, call us today at 888.231.1281. You can also make contact through our online message form.