A structured self-check with 15 reflection questions, the traffic-light model, guidance on keeping a consumption diary, the Prochaska stages-of-change model, and concrete reduction strategies – including contacts for professional support.
## Why Self-Reflection Is the First Step
Change begins with awareness. Anyone who does not reflect on their own consumption cannot make an informed decision – neither about reduction nor continuation. This self-check is not a judgment or accusation. It is a tool for honest self-assessment.
## The 15 Reflection Questions
The questions cover five areas: patterns and frequency (how often, has frequency increased, are there "automatic" situations), control (failed reduction attempts, consuming more than intended, discomfort without access), functionality (neglected duties, reduced activities, cognitive changes), social environment (concerns from others, hiding use, peer group composition), and motivation/function (using to suppress negative feelings, fear of going without, desired future role of cannabis).
## The Traffic Light Model
Green (no immediate action needed): controlled occasional use, no central daily role, no impairments, can take breaks without difficulty. Action: stay informed, apply safer-use rules, continue self-monitoring.
Yellow (caution – first warning signs): several questions point to emerging problems, occasional loss of control, cannabis used as a coping strategy. Action: start consumption diary, set reduction goal, use online counseling at drugcom.de, talk to a trusted person.
Red (professional support recommended): many "yes" answers, clear effects on functionality and relationships, loss of control and withdrawal symptoms, cannabis centrally structures life. Action: contact addiction counseling center, speak to a doctor, use drugcom.de or BZgA phone counseling.
## The Prochaska Stages of Change Model
The transtheoretical model describes change as a process with five stages: Precontemplation ("I have no problem"), Contemplation (ambivalence – seeing pros and cons simultaneously), Preparation (planning concrete first steps), Action (actively implementing change), and Maintenance (stable new behavior with relapse prevention focus). Relapses are part of the process, not failure.
## Reduction Strategies
Structural rules include: designating cannabis-free days (e.g., Monday–Friday), defining maximum amounts per use day, never using in the morning, and not using as a sole activity. Alternative coping strategies include sport (which releases endogenous cannabinoids and endorphins), breathing exercises or meditation for stress, social activities in non-using groups, and improved sleep hygiene.
Withdrawal symptoms are temporary (1–3 weeks). Expect irritability and sleep disturbances. Ibuprofen or valerian for mild symptoms. For severe symptoms, seek medical support.
## When to Seek Help
Professional help is appropriate when: own reduction attempts repeatedly fail; withdrawal symptoms are severe (anxiety, insomnia, depression); psychological comorbidities are present; use is causing professional or family crises; or safety without cannabis feels absent.
Contacts: BZgA phone counseling 0221 892031 (Mon–Thu 10am–10pm, Fri–Sun 10am–6pm); drugcom.de for online chat, self-tests, and forum; local addiction counseling centers via caritas.de, diakonie.de, or bzga.de; emergency number 112 or psychiatric emergency room for acute psychotic symptoms.
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