The demand for Pennsylvania marijuana drug rehabilitation centers is higher than ever, as the number of individuals that are using the drug throughout the state steadily trends upward. Marijuana has commonly been referred to as "gateway drug," thus, many individuals from Pennsylvania that have sought professional treatment for addictions to various other types of "harder" drugs have reported that their initial drug experimentation started with marijuana use. Many marijuana users in Pennsylvania are under the illusion that the drug is relatively harmless; the actual truth is that marijuana is a mind altering drug that has the potential to create a great number of negative effects, including the risk of developing a serious addiction to the drug.

Pennsylvania marijuana drug treatment facilities have reported a sizeable increase in the number of individuals that are seeking treatment for an addiction to the drug within the past several years. Many studies have reported that chronic marijuana use can cause impaired coordination, and various other types of learning and memory problems. A large body of government sponsored research has determined that the long term use of marijuana can adversely impact learning and memory for as long as one month after the acute effects of the drug has worn off. Chronic marijuana use has also been reported to alter the brain, through causing changes in its regulatory systems; a series of brain imaging studies that were conducted on individuals who were regular marijuana users have confirmed these conclusions.

Most people in Pennsylvania are unaware that marijuana use can increase an individual's heart rate for up to 4 hours after use, and that this common side effect can cause the person to begin to experience acute anxiety. It is estimated that marijuana users have a much higher risk of a heart attack for up to two hours after smoking the drug; this cardiovascular risk is likely due to the palpitations and arrhythmias that are potential side effects that have been reported to be associated with marijuana use. A quality Pennsylvania marijuana drug rehab center can educate a person in treatment about the serious side effects that are directly related to the use of the drug.

The effects of marijuana use on the lungs has been reported to be extremely detrimental, as users will commonly inhale the unfiltered marijuana smoke deeply into their lungs, and hold it there for as long as they can stand it; as a direct result of this action, the marijuana smoke will often be in contact with lung tissues for extremely long periods of time, which can irritate the lungs and can also have a negative impact on their functioning ability. In order to avoid permanent damage to the lungs, an individual that is struggling with marijuana addiction problem should be admitted to a Pennsylvania marijuana drug rehab facility, where they can receive the support that they need to overcome this serious substance abuse problem.

Although each Pennsylvania drug rehabilitation program may offer various different drug recovery approaches, most drug recovery centers will include the following treatment components:

Marijuana detox process - In order for an individual to be successful in finally overcoming their addiction to marijuana, they must first go through detoxification. This process is used at a Pennsylvania marijuana drug rehabilitation center in order to rid the body of the toxins that have accumulated due to the individual's chronic use of the drug. Once a person from Pennsylvania that is in treatment abruptly stops using marijuana after their body has become accustomed to the drug, they will begin to experience a series of uncomfortable drug withdrawal symptoms. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms that a person from Pennsylvania may have to contend with as they go through the marijuana detox process are nervousness, depression, sweats, chills, nausea, and diarrhea.

Marijuana drug counseling - The types of counseling that are most often utilized at a Pennsylvania marijuana drug rehabilitation program will generally include individual, group or family counseling. With individual counseling, the individual from Pennsylvania may be required attend private sessions with a trained counselor in order to help to them to finally be able to get to the root causes of their marijuana addiction problem.

Many Pennsylvania marijuana drug treatment centers will also offer group counseling sessions; this particular component of treatment can help the individual to be able to connect emotionally with others that have experienced similar substance abuse issues. In this type of a drug recovery setting, individuals can unite and develop healthy strategies that will help them to maintain their sobriety upon leaving the safe environment of the Pennsylvania marijuana drug rehabilitation facility. The intense group counseling that is commonly a component of a Pennsylvania inpatient marijuana drug treatment center often opens the door for the person in treatment to feel free to speak openly and honestly about the fears that they have about leaving the safe harbor of treatment center and living without the crutch of their marijuana addiction.

Aftercare - This component of a Pennsylvania marijuana drug treatment program consists of a series of follow up calls in which the counselor will have the opportunity to continue to encourage the individual to utilize the relapse prevention techniques that they have previously learned in treatment. These phone calls present the perfect opportunity for the counselor to be able touch base with the individual from Pennsylvania, post treatment; additionally, the counselor will be in an unique position to be able to establish a dialogue where the person can feel safe to communicate honestly about the successes and struggles that they have experienced in as they begin process of restarting their lives.

When an individual from Pennsylvania is struggling with a marijuana addiction, reaching out for professional help is the best way to finally be able to beat this serious chemical dependency problem. Finding a quality Pennsylvania drug rehab that has a history of a high rate of success in treating individuals with a marijuana addiction, should be the first step in this process.