I didn't get addicted or have withdrawal from valium because I took it for so long it quit working. I see your point, but I mentioned pot because that was my horrible withdrawal. The medical community states that pot is only psychologically addictive. Almost everyone says oh pot is no big deal; I quit with no problems at all. So, we were in the exact same situation. I gave been physically addicted to drugs and they were not half as hard to quit. Cigarettes and alcohol combined were easier to kick than pot!! I was pointing out a correlation. When I quit pot it was like taking the lid off a pressure cooker. All the problems I'd escaped slammed me in the face. My first year sober I was in the psych ward twice. And, as you stated yes long term abuse does change brain chemistry that's the definition of paws. In Cali brain scans were done on people who shoot meth. The pleasure center in the brain can take a year or two to reset back to normal. This explains high relapse rates. Addicts go to rehab for 90 days and are not given this info or the tools to expect and handle a long term recovery. Society thinks pot is a gateway drug, but it took me a long time to recover. I have been smoking it for 30 years, so you shouldn't have near as long of a problem.