What self-help is available for cannabis users?
Self-help for cannabis use often begins with the first step of finding information and looking honestly at your own behaviour. There are several options: digital counselling, telephone hotlines, information websites and groups on site. Which one suits depends on how much use shapes your life and what kind of support you want.
What self-help means
Self-help means that people affected engage with their situation and receive support, without relying solely on treatment. It can take place in a group, in conversation with a counselling service, or through information offers that you use on your own. When in doubt, self-help supplements professional counselling.
Digital addiction counselling for cannabis
DigiSucht is a digital counselling service for cannabis use. According to the site, people seeking help can contact professional counsellors anonymously and free of charge. Registration takes place via the button “Start addiction counselling”. This route suits people who want to make first contact online.
The cannabis self-test as a starting point
The DigiSucht website also has a cannabis self-test. It is meant to recognise early signs of problematic use and, according to the site, gives individual feedback on consumption behaviour. A test can help put your situation into words, though a personal assessment remains necessary. How to classify such tests properly is shown in the article Which online tests can help with self-assessment?
Information to read at your own pace
Alongside counselling there are information offers that you can read in peace. The drugcom site is an offer of the Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit (BIÖG) and offers background on effects, risks and tests. The Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen (DHS) offers free publications on effects and risks. The infos-cannabis.de offer of the BIÖG provides information on the law, effects and risks of cannabis.
Anyone looking for background will find a starting point for self-reflection in the article Why do I use cannabis, and how do I check that?
Telephone help
For quick information by phone, the Sucht & Drogen Hotline can be reached on 01806 313031. The hotline advises on questions about your own use. It is available daily from 8:00 to 24:00, and the call is charged. Anyone who dials the number does not need to prepare anything. A short description of your situation is enough.
Many offers rely on voluntariness. No one has to commit before they have formed an impression. Anyone who attends an appointment and notices that it does not fit can try another service.
Groups and local services
You will learn best whether there is a self-help group near you from the local addiction counselling service. Counselling centres know the offers in the region and can say which group suits your situation. The DHS Suchthilfeverzeichnis lists counselling centres and other institutions offering help and treatment for cannabis. The family doctor can also give a pointer. This article offers no complete list of all groups.
Keeping relatives in view
Relatives also need support. The DigiSucht points in its menu to an addiction counselling service for relatives. Whether this offer is anonymous and free is shown on the offer’s website. Parents who are worried about their child can reach the Elterntelefon of the Nummer gegen Kummer on 0800 111 0 550.
What self-help can do in everyday life
Self-help works above all where those affected do not feel alone with their experiences. An exchange with people in a similar situation can help to reduce shame and to talk more openly about relapses. Self-help cannot replace medical treatment where that is needed.
Online there are also forums and information sites. They are low-threshold but can also contain inaccurate information. That is why information on law and health should be checked against a reliable source. The information sites of the Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit and the DHS are among the reliable offers.
How to get started
- Take a self-test to classify your situation.
- Try an anonymous counselling offer such as DigiSucht.
- Call the hotline if things become acute.
- Look for a group or counselling service on site if you want regular contact.
Anyone interested in the way out of use will find first information in the article What happens when you stop after long use?
Frequently asked questions
Is anonymous counselling available for cannabis use?
Yes. The digital addiction counselling service DigiSucht says it offers anonymous, free contact with professional counsellors. Registration takes place via the website. For counselling by phone, the Sucht & Drogen Hotline on 01806 313031 is available.
Where can I find a self-help group for cannabis use?
The addiction counselling service on site knows the groups in the region and can say which group suits you. Your family doctor can also give a pointer. Online offers and telephone hotlines complement this path but cannot replace a group on site.