Cannabis use care, written from your assessment.

Cannabis use disorder is a substance use disorder driven by problematic use of marijuana or cannabis-derived products, diagnosed when at least two of eleven clinical criteria appear in a twelve-month period, including tolerance, cravings, using larger amounts than intended, continued use despite consequences, and a recognized withdrawal syndrome, with severity rated mild, moderate, or severe (NIDA). In daily life, the pattern often shows up as climbing daily use, the need for higher-potency products to reach the same effect, sleep that does not happen without it, and a slow narrowing of activities, relationships, and goals around the cycle. Outpatient care is appropriate across that severity range when the assessment indicates the level of structure that fits.

Yes, marijuana is addictive for a clinically meaningful share of users, and roughly three in ten people who use cannabis develop cannabis use disorder, with risk significantly higher for those who begin use during adolescence (NIDA). Cannabis use disorder is the second most common substance use disorder in the United States behind alcohol use disorder, with an estimated 20.6 million people aged 12 or older meeting criteria in the past year (SAMHSA NSDUH 2024). High-THC concentrates, vape products, and edibles have raised the average potency available today, and the addiction profile has tracked the potency curve.

Yes, most adults with cannabis use disorder can be treated effectively in outpatient care when the clinical picture is matched to the right level of care (ASAM Criteria). The Stepwell Center treats cannabis use disorder across four outpatient levels in Lakeway, Texas: PHP for the most structure, IOP for daily clinical contact while continuing to work, Evening IOP for working adults, and Outpatient for maintenance. Inpatient is rarely required for cannabis use disorder alone, and most plans begin in PHP or IOP and step down as stability holds.

The evidence base for cannabis use disorder centers on cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and contingency management, with the strongest outcomes when the three are combined inside one plan (PMC review of cannabis treatment). CBT identifies the triggers and routines that maintain use and rehearses different responses. Motivational enhancement strengthens your own reasons for change rather than imposing them, particularly useful because users often arrive ambivalent. Contingency management reinforces verifiable abstinence on a documented schedule. At The Stepwell Center, your combination is selected from these modalities and others based on your comprehensive assessment.

No, there are currently no FDA-approved medications for cannabis use disorder, and the treatment plan is built on behavioral modalities rather than on a daily pill (NIDA). Medication may still be prescribed at Stepwell to treat co-occurring conditions like anxiety, depression, insomnia, or attention difficulties that commonly travel with cannabis use, with selection informed by your clinical interview and, when indicated, pharmacogenetic testing. The behavioral plan, not a pill, drives the change for the cannabis use disorder itself.

Cannabis withdrawal is a recognized clinical syndrome that typically begins within one to three days of stopping or significantly reducing heavy use, peaks in the first week, and resolves over one to two weeks, with sleep disturbance lingering longer for some people (NIDA). Common symptoms include irritability, anxiety, restlessness, sleep difficulty and vivid dreams, decreased appetite, and physical discomfort such as headache or sweating. Withdrawal is not medically dangerous in the way alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal can be, but it is the most cited reason people return to use during a quit attempt, and is one of the reasons your plan pairs behavioral support with the first weeks of reduced use rather than waiting until withdrawal has passed.

Yes, integrated treatment that addresses cannabis use disorder and a co-occurring mental health condition in the same plan is the standard of care when both are present, and approximately 21.2 million US adults have both a substance use disorder and a mental illness in the same year (SAMHSA). Cannabis use commonly co-occurs with anxiety, depression, attention difficulties, and unprocessed trauma, and treating one alone tends to leave the other free to keep pulling the pattern back. At Stepwell, integrated dual diagnosis care is built into every plan when both conditions are present, written and delivered by a single care team rather than referred out.

The Stepwell Center offers same-day or next-day admission to its comprehensive assessment program, with treatment placement following the assessment, typically beginning within a week of your first call. Speed applies to getting you into the assessment, not to skipping it. Your prescribed plan is what determines your starting level of care, the modality mix, and any medication considerations for co-occurring conditions. Call 512.743.9285 or use the contact form to begin.