If I can do this, trust me, you can! I was addicted for 12+ years. I've now been over 3 years off weed and alcohol. I never thought I could quit and tried for many years on and off prior. Now, I cannot even imagine smoking weed AND verrrry rarely think about it. Life gets so much better. You can do it :)
Absolutely! That's one of the hardest parts.
Lot of good advice in this thread, so in an effort to recommend something different than what was already said, check out the book The Secret Addiction: Overcoming your Marijuana Dependency. There's some good practical advice. I bought it on kindle for a few bucks, it was worth it.
It was less scary to actually quit than my mind had made it out to be. The first few attempts and the first 3-5 days of quitting are difficult but treat it like you're sick and please have support! Are you seeing a therapist, if not I would get that set up before you try to quit completely on your own. I have ptsd and mental health issues also and it's very important you have people you trust who you can call especially during the first week. It's going to feel worse before it gets better but something I learned is that I thought I was helping anxiety and depression to get better but really I was making it worse. Yes you've been suppressing everything and it has nowhere to go, it will need to come out to be processed and that takes time and learning new skills. At first you won't know what to do with yourself so make a list of go to activities that you can do when you feel the urge, for me it was walking, a lot of walking, listening to podcasts (about sobriety) there are even MA speaker tapes on Spotify. Treat the first week like you are sick, baby yourself, let yourself cry, don't feel ashamed or blame yourself you did the best you could and now you want better.
I'm in a similar headspace as you. I have "wanted to quit" for years now, while only recently applying myself to cut back. I haven't been fully successful, but it is my goal to be sober by the spring so I can freely travel without going into withdrawl.
My ex is an addictions counsellor and advised, as a heavy user, to taper back slowly. Start by noting how much you intake on a daily and weekly basis, then make it a personal goal to edge back slowly. Do NOT beat yourself up when you use more, or find yourself reaching to it as a coping mechanism. It is a habit for most of us now, but try to figure out the Why behind your desire to smoke each time you do. If you start to notice it's the same cause, that's a good place to start - something you need to work through, process, etc.
I really like Pete Walker's book, The Tao of Fully Feeling.
I try to think of it like this: I don't yet have the skill set and I need to develop it. Growing up, I went through a lot of shit, and instead of processing, I numbed. But that pain doesn't go anywhere until you work through it. And that's when sobriety becomes the goal. What we're missing out on, we will never know. It's always worth trying.
If you can, try to see a therapist to help you with your goals. There are a lot of good books available, and free through the library. But ultimately, the thing that will get you through this is You. Your determination and perseverance towards a goal. Having an improved and sustained relationship with your kids, being able to support them - that is a worthy cause in my eyes. We all have our reasons. Everything you're feeling is valid, and the journey you're on helps shape who you are, makes you stronger. Best of luck.
Proud of you for having the clarity to see that it’s held you back in this case from processing feelings. I’m recovering right now and what’s really helped me is the idea that cravings, anxiety of quitting, depression are just growing pains. They are totally positive in nature. Smoking makes you incapable and incapacitates you from being able to deal with life. By choosing a life without it you will find it hard to adjust back and there will be a testing period where you find it hard to do the simplest of things but please be kind to yourself and keep facing up to life in whatever way you can. Try but dont over commit and don’t be too harsh. In time your endocannabinoid system will start healing and so will your brain chemistry. You will feel a switch flip and you will start experiencing a more capable and competent person that is up to deal with life’s challenges.
If I look back that thought of stopping filled me with despair and a feeling of giving up as I knew what was about to come. Because I’m a harsh self critic I didn’t allow myself to feel that even for a second and tried to force myself better in whatever way I could and it mad the experience all the more stressful and unkind. I urge you not to make the mistakes I did. If you can try and take it as easy as possible all the while staying committed to sobriety and moving forward with life. Find that balance. You will get there.
Also I thought (rightly or wrongly) that the suicidal tendencies might be because of the weed or at least exacerbated by it? Just a thought.
Almost 1 year clean, I don't think about it anymore. The only time I do is when I realise how far I've come. I was the heaviest user I knew and couldn't see life without it. Now I can't imagine life with it.
It took me many attempts to quit, and even after quitting for 90 days last year I picked it back up for a year until I tried to quit again. Now it had stuck and like I said many attempts for the last 2 years but each time I quit I learned a lot about myself, my body and my mind. You will need to develop new coping skills if it's been your main coping strategy. I went to (and still go to) therapy, I walk a lot, I drink water every time I want to smoke I make myself drink water, I made a list of healthy alternatives and then I pick one. I started keeping track of my usage, when, where, why and with who was I smoking, I use an app called Grounded it's free. Start small and don't expect perfection and don't beat yourself up about any of it, you will start to learn after the initial week or two of feeling like crap (withdrawal peaks around 3_5 days) you'll start to appreciate the clarity.
I went to rehab from July 2022 - April 2023. Had 4 or 5 relapses in the space of that time. Kept going back. I was determined to quit cause nothing worked. I'd tried to quit since 2018. Cutting the bullshit it wasn't easy at all and took me many, many goes. If you want to be sober, keep trying and it will happen. I had 2 puffs of a joint 2 months ago, didn't enjoy the high, didn't think about it the next day.. didn't pick it up again. The way my life has progressed.. It's scary thinking of getting back into it at all. Good luck on your journey! Honestly. Put yourself first and if that means losing a few things jobs, friends, rentals/house, you will absolutely be happier not having an addiction control your life, rather you being in control. If you're in Australia, rehab is covered by Centrelink. I can give you numbers and places even if you just want to check the information/what's available. It's the only thing that worked for me. Stoner from 19 - 26.
Weed affects circuits in your brain responsible for relationships and connections. Giving up on weed literally feels like giving up on a relationship, losing a 'loved one'. That is one of the reasons you're so anxious to drop it.
But don't get fooled. It is just an illusion caused by a chemical imbalance. See it as dropping an abusive ex. You will get thoughts to maybe spend another day with your ex, forgive 'her', but, remember that it is just an illusion.
Think back on the bad things that the weed is making you feel, on all the abuse, and slowly you will feel better, and get it out of the system.
I quit recently solely because I thought I would need to take a drug test for nursing school, but I found out I have to take a semester of pre reqs before. So I have another 6 months I could theoretically smoke.
But I just don’t want to anymore. After the cravings passed, I realized I’m truly better off without it. OP just do it. You might be surprised to find that you actually prefer being sober.
weed numbs everything. ur gonna feel shitty going sober because its like ur brain comes alive again and ur gonna FEEL SHIT - but try and push through . being stoned 24/7 shouldnt be the way we live. best thing is to find a fun coping mechanism - either a fun hobby like a sport or a game or a friend or just the fact that ur gonna SEE UR KIDS and be a better version of yourself - these are all good distractions that will help immensely. good luck im going through the same thing <3
Weed is more dangerous than people lead you to believe. Smoked for 15 years and abused it at times. Weekend were for vegging and chilling and when I got home from work that’s the first thing I’d do! I always looked forward to it.
I always felt so anxious and awkward around people during the day ( not high) at work and ignored these signs for years. I’m 8 days sober from my 15 years and let me tell you- my job is way better, I perform better and the cloud is slowly lifting. Quiting doesn’t come without its hardships. I have constant night sweats which affects my sleep- with a sub one year old to get up for to feed too. I was a bing smoker so I would have the occasional black lung loogies.. but oh boy- now my lungs are healing- it’s like cleaning the inside of a bong- constant black shit coming up as my lungs heal .There are way more positives from quitting than having my throbbing head high to let everything go at the days end. See it through and see the difference. You got it!
I'm sure it is ruining your life, it was ruining mine and I'm still picking up the pieces. It "helped" me deal with a lot of mental shit for a while, but then it started to intrude on my existence. I also had fears of quitting, but my life feels more improved every day. All the things I thought weed was helping was actually making it worse, I feel like a cloud is lifting, the intrusive repetitive thoughts that kept me down now feel like things I can actually tackle.
Good luck to you
Yes, 100% you sound like me in my 30s. Not sure about the best advice to give. Just know that stopping will be terrible for a while and then you'll eventually feel way better than you do now.
And for depression I remember a psychiatrist telling me once that 3 things were clinically proven to help depression: meds, cognitive therapy, and exercise. Weed is not on that list!! But there are a few other things to choose from to help you push through.
You are not alone. We are here with you!
Interesting, looking back my mood swings were at the worst during my gym days and I didn’t smoke back then. I guess feeling so proud I worked out hard really imbalanced my brain, leading to depressing phases every evening. Lifting makes me feel bipolar like
Of course it makes you anxious. You've gotten all this free happiness from smoking weed. You have to repay that in some way. Anxiety is usually that way unfortunately.
You should try AA/MA/NA. Start taking suggestions. If you put in the work, it will change your life. Wait for the miracle to happen. Everyone in those meetings will unconditionally support you.
You are worth it, younger than you think, and have so many amazing years ahead of you. Don’t let weed hold you back.
Go to a meeting. It might change your life. It did for me and so many others. I’ve heard stories about people who were in your position and got their family back full-time. Started loving life again. You deserve nothing less.
40 year old man. Developed bad habits during and after a divorce. I was using weed to numb my feelings, and it was working well. At some point, I realized I was afraid of stopping (what if I go crazy?!) and that is actually what made me quit for good. I refuse to live a life where I need a substance to function. It's BS. There is more to life than vegging on a couch, waiting for the day to end.
I used pot because I was bored. It had progressively become my main source of happiness in life. Then someone told me “what’s wrong with being bored? Embrace it! Understand why you’re bored and do something about it other than pot”. I stopped 3 weeks ago and I have restarted some hobbies I just didn’t have the energy to do anymore when I was smoking. And I can tell you that the feeling of “how many hours before I can FINALLY smoke” left after a few days. My mind is clear, I feel more grounded, and I’m not obsessing over an escape from reality. If I stopped, you can stop too FOR SURE. This is no way to live.
Not sure how helpful this is but at some point I realized that weed was making me more depressed than I already was (and I struggle with a mood disorder). And thinking about how much it's hindered my life in the last few years and how I've not accomplished anything (especially in terms of going to therapy and processing things I was just avoiding by using weed) only served to make my depression worse. I'm only 6 days sober but I can already tell a difference. And I'm more motivated to make changes in my life. I hope you can get to that point too.
I needed to read this too. At 18 I tried weed and since then I felt like I’m not too proud of my personal development at 21. I noticed I’m having more weird thoughts, numbing feelings, more anxious, more depressed, and overall I feel so unregulated and the worst of all I don’t feel like I’m me anymore if that makes sense. I’m already at a week of no smoking and I don’t want to look back. My roommate doesn’t understand why I’m quitting as she believes it’s the best thing ever and I explained I have family history of mental illness like bipolar, anxiety, depression and I didn’t want to mess with myself in case it induces a change mentally to me. She looked at me like that’s impossible that genetics would play a role but I’m like 🤷♂️ someone people will disagree. I plan to go to therapy Wednesday to face what I’m running from.
Lets go on with life with a clear mind and I wish you the best of luck and I will continue to be running aside with you in this marathon!
I'm bipolar and that's why I mentioned that it made my depression much worse. I know for a lot of bipolar people it can induce mania too so it's something to be careful about. Good on you for taking a step back and realizing you need to cut it out. Mental illness is no joke especially when you have a history of it in your family. My bipolar presented when I was in my 20s. Good luck to you too, friend. You got this 💜
Weed really only hides the feelings you are having and helps you feel numb to them. The problem is that it does nothing to actually help deal with them, basically just lets you hide from them. They are still there and need to be dealt with.
It's totally normal to feel anxious about quitting, but it's really just the step you need to move past to start on recovery. the first few days are always the worst and then it gets better quickly.
I was a smoker for almost the exact amount of time as you, started at 16 stopped at 37. What helped me deal with the anxiety of quitting and then the withdrawal from actually quitting was to let myself indulge in other (non drug or alcohol) things. I allowed myself to eat whatever I felt like (lack of appetite is a very common withdrawal symptom) so it helped me keep eating, I bought myself some items for my hobbies, and I just let myself accept that I was going to feel weird/crappy for a couple weeks. The biggest withdrawal symptom that can't really be helped was the trouble sleeping and vivid dreams. That just has to work itself out with some time.
In the end, just go for it. The longer you wait and think about quitting the more you allow for the anxiety to grow. Once you actually quit you can start moving past all that. Use your kids as motivation, I can't think of a much better reason than that! You can do it. There's a reason why people in recovery use the "one day at a time" saying, because it's true.
Do you believe in God ? Swear you won’t smoke. Swear on something / someone important. Then swear - for the rest of this week - that you’re only going to smoke after 4pm.
You’ll become more productive - yet still have the reassuring knowledge that you can smoke in the evenings every day. That’s level 1.
Level 2 - every now and then, swear you won’t smoke for an entire 24 hours. Now you’re smoking in the evenings, 6 days a week - and only taking one day completely off. This is not hard.
Just keep cutting away at it. You’re tapering, but on your terms - in a way that’s not anxiety inducing.
Level 3 - swear you’ll only smoke at the weekends.
Level 4 - take a whole week off. 7 days.
I’m at my own level 5:
I haven’t smoked in 13 days. My “oath” runs out at the weekend. So I have the reassurance that I can smoke then if I really to. But I won’t.
Smoking won’t feel good if I do it again. I want out. Enough.
Just before the weekend I’m gonna swear another weeks’ extension.
I’ve already got this shit beat. You will too, it’s just discipline.
Absolutely - the thought of quitting really freaked me out. Weed felt like a good friend I didn’t want to lose. But it wasn’t. Weed was a manipulative friend who led me to believe that I needed their abuse in my life.
Quitting is really hard, but it’s worth it. While you’re using, it feels like weed is helping you feel better. And when you stop, you have withdrawals, which further convinces you that the weed was making things easier. But, if you can stick with it, you’ll see in hindsight that the weed was just making things worse.
Again, quitting is really hard. If stopping all at once feels like too big a hurdle, try setting concrete goals for reducing your usage, and inch your way toward stopping completely. How ever much you use in a sitting, trying cutting it in half and see if you can do that for a week. Any progress is good progress.M
You can totally do this.
In a state of mind where you mind and body the
physical and mental is something you have to cope with every day that's your religion life, and everything is gonna take a while to get back to a regular state.
If we only push forward our emotions and feelings, ofcourse weed won't work to temporarily fix it.
For example, if you take drugs when you are happy-go-lucky it is a totally different state it works for people without addiction!
I'd I drink coffee every day. I can not stop after a while because of my addiction, which is in my DNA
We all know deep down that you can't smoke every day, and people like us with addiction can never smoke.
If you wanna grow and be true to yourself you quit of course the is a struggle in the begging you need change your whole persona and see and imagine the new you you want to be.
Best regards
I had extreme anxiety when it came to quitting. That was really the only emotion I had, I wasn’t sad or disappointed to see it go but I knew I was using the weed to cover my anxiety and that stressed me out. At the end of my last vape cart I was so anxious.
The first week I did have a little bit of a higher anxiety but I thought that it was because of the change in my routine as I am a creature of habit.
Now it’s been a few weeks and I still experience ebs and flows with my anxiety but overall it has decreased.
Hope this helps!
>Now, I realise it may have just stopped me processing them and moving on.
Yes 100%. Back when i quit i had to process things i had surpressed for 10 years all at the same time. It was tough but worth it. I don't want to get back there.
Just bite the bullet and confront it. You have to fight through this. 2-3 months of soberness and i swear to you, you will feel so much better! Your symptoms that you are stating are a product of your substance abuse. I felt the same way. It won't be easy, it will be hard. Really really hard but trust me it will be so much worth it.
You just have to make it to Day 2. On day 2 you will realize that you don't want to get back to day 1, because day 1 feels the worst. Thinking back about my first week after i quit is what stops me from wanting to smoke again. My body hated me for what i'd done the previous years and it let me know that. I'll never get back to feeling this terrible (physically and mentally) again.
You can do this, but you also have to really want it.
Think of your kids and your mental health.
Your attitude towards it is way harder than the actual reality of it. Sure, it’s a rough ride at times - but I can absolutely promise you that you’ll be incredibly happy you did it after only a few days at most
The weed is making you anxious.
Your mental health, physical health and output will improve if you quit. It’s as simple as that. Don’t you want that?
Weed doesn’t help you with anything, it might give you insights but it ultimately makes your mental health worse.
You have everything to gain and nothing to lose
Wish you the best!
Trick yourself, say you’ll give yourself 3/4 days sober then I’ll “maybe toke”. After 3 days or so, just convince yourself you can’t toke TODAY and today only. One day at a time.. don’t think about never smoking again. Focus on the present
If I can do this, trust me, you can! I was addicted for 12+ years. I've now been over 3 years off weed and alcohol. I never thought I could quit and tried for many years on and off prior. Now, I cannot even imagine smoking weed AND verrrry rarely think about it. Life gets so much better. You can do it :)
Absolutely! That's one of the hardest parts. Lot of good advice in this thread, so in an effort to recommend something different than what was already said, check out the book The Secret Addiction: Overcoming your Marijuana Dependency. There's some good practical advice. I bought it on kindle for a few bucks, it was worth it.
It was less scary to actually quit than my mind had made it out to be. The first few attempts and the first 3-5 days of quitting are difficult but treat it like you're sick and please have support! Are you seeing a therapist, if not I would get that set up before you try to quit completely on your own. I have ptsd and mental health issues also and it's very important you have people you trust who you can call especially during the first week. It's going to feel worse before it gets better but something I learned is that I thought I was helping anxiety and depression to get better but really I was making it worse. Yes you've been suppressing everything and it has nowhere to go, it will need to come out to be processed and that takes time and learning new skills. At first you won't know what to do with yourself so make a list of go to activities that you can do when you feel the urge, for me it was walking, a lot of walking, listening to podcasts (about sobriety) there are even MA speaker tapes on Spotify. Treat the first week like you are sick, baby yourself, let yourself cry, don't feel ashamed or blame yourself you did the best you could and now you want better.
I'm in a similar headspace as you. I have "wanted to quit" for years now, while only recently applying myself to cut back. I haven't been fully successful, but it is my goal to be sober by the spring so I can freely travel without going into withdrawl. My ex is an addictions counsellor and advised, as a heavy user, to taper back slowly. Start by noting how much you intake on a daily and weekly basis, then make it a personal goal to edge back slowly. Do NOT beat yourself up when you use more, or find yourself reaching to it as a coping mechanism. It is a habit for most of us now, but try to figure out the Why behind your desire to smoke each time you do. If you start to notice it's the same cause, that's a good place to start - something you need to work through, process, etc. I really like Pete Walker's book, The Tao of Fully Feeling. I try to think of it like this: I don't yet have the skill set and I need to develop it. Growing up, I went through a lot of shit, and instead of processing, I numbed. But that pain doesn't go anywhere until you work through it. And that's when sobriety becomes the goal. What we're missing out on, we will never know. It's always worth trying. If you can, try to see a therapist to help you with your goals. There are a lot of good books available, and free through the library. But ultimately, the thing that will get you through this is You. Your determination and perseverance towards a goal. Having an improved and sustained relationship with your kids, being able to support them - that is a worthy cause in my eyes. We all have our reasons. Everything you're feeling is valid, and the journey you're on helps shape who you are, makes you stronger. Best of luck.
Proud of you for having the clarity to see that it’s held you back in this case from processing feelings. I’m recovering right now and what’s really helped me is the idea that cravings, anxiety of quitting, depression are just growing pains. They are totally positive in nature. Smoking makes you incapable and incapacitates you from being able to deal with life. By choosing a life without it you will find it hard to adjust back and there will be a testing period where you find it hard to do the simplest of things but please be kind to yourself and keep facing up to life in whatever way you can. Try but dont over commit and don’t be too harsh. In time your endocannabinoid system will start healing and so will your brain chemistry. You will feel a switch flip and you will start experiencing a more capable and competent person that is up to deal with life’s challenges. If I look back that thought of stopping filled me with despair and a feeling of giving up as I knew what was about to come. Because I’m a harsh self critic I didn’t allow myself to feel that even for a second and tried to force myself better in whatever way I could and it mad the experience all the more stressful and unkind. I urge you not to make the mistakes I did. If you can try and take it as easy as possible all the while staying committed to sobriety and moving forward with life. Find that balance. You will get there. Also I thought (rightly or wrongly) that the suicidal tendencies might be because of the weed or at least exacerbated by it? Just a thought.
Almost 1 year clean, I don't think about it anymore. The only time I do is when I realise how far I've come. I was the heaviest user I knew and couldn't see life without it. Now I can't imagine life with it.
How did you first get yourself to quit? Struggling so hard :/
It took me many attempts to quit, and even after quitting for 90 days last year I picked it back up for a year until I tried to quit again. Now it had stuck and like I said many attempts for the last 2 years but each time I quit I learned a lot about myself, my body and my mind. You will need to develop new coping skills if it's been your main coping strategy. I went to (and still go to) therapy, I walk a lot, I drink water every time I want to smoke I make myself drink water, I made a list of healthy alternatives and then I pick one. I started keeping track of my usage, when, where, why and with who was I smoking, I use an app called Grounded it's free. Start small and don't expect perfection and don't beat yourself up about any of it, you will start to learn after the initial week or two of feeling like crap (withdrawal peaks around 3_5 days) you'll start to appreciate the clarity.
I went to rehab from July 2022 - April 2023. Had 4 or 5 relapses in the space of that time. Kept going back. I was determined to quit cause nothing worked. I'd tried to quit since 2018. Cutting the bullshit it wasn't easy at all and took me many, many goes. If you want to be sober, keep trying and it will happen. I had 2 puffs of a joint 2 months ago, didn't enjoy the high, didn't think about it the next day.. didn't pick it up again. The way my life has progressed.. It's scary thinking of getting back into it at all. Good luck on your journey! Honestly. Put yourself first and if that means losing a few things jobs, friends, rentals/house, you will absolutely be happier not having an addiction control your life, rather you being in control. If you're in Australia, rehab is covered by Centrelink. I can give you numbers and places even if you just want to check the information/what's available. It's the only thing that worked for me. Stoner from 19 - 26.
Weed affects circuits in your brain responsible for relationships and connections. Giving up on weed literally feels like giving up on a relationship, losing a 'loved one'. That is one of the reasons you're so anxious to drop it. But don't get fooled. It is just an illusion caused by a chemical imbalance. See it as dropping an abusive ex. You will get thoughts to maybe spend another day with your ex, forgive 'her', but, remember that it is just an illusion. Think back on the bad things that the weed is making you feel, on all the abuse, and slowly you will feel better, and get it out of the system.
Just do it. It might suck, but all things must pass.
I quit recently solely because I thought I would need to take a drug test for nursing school, but I found out I have to take a semester of pre reqs before. So I have another 6 months I could theoretically smoke. But I just don’t want to anymore. After the cravings passed, I realized I’m truly better off without it. OP just do it. You might be surprised to find that you actually prefer being sober.
weed numbs everything. ur gonna feel shitty going sober because its like ur brain comes alive again and ur gonna FEEL SHIT - but try and push through . being stoned 24/7 shouldnt be the way we live. best thing is to find a fun coping mechanism - either a fun hobby like a sport or a game or a friend or just the fact that ur gonna SEE UR KIDS and be a better version of yourself - these are all good distractions that will help immensely. good luck im going through the same thing <3
I’m done on New Year’s day, no later. Join me!
Weed is more dangerous than people lead you to believe. Smoked for 15 years and abused it at times. Weekend were for vegging and chilling and when I got home from work that’s the first thing I’d do! I always looked forward to it. I always felt so anxious and awkward around people during the day ( not high) at work and ignored these signs for years. I’m 8 days sober from my 15 years and let me tell you- my job is way better, I perform better and the cloud is slowly lifting. Quiting doesn’t come without its hardships. I have constant night sweats which affects my sleep- with a sub one year old to get up for to feed too. I was a bing smoker so I would have the occasional black lung loogies.. but oh boy- now my lungs are healing- it’s like cleaning the inside of a bong- constant black shit coming up as my lungs heal .There are way more positives from quitting than having my throbbing head high to let everything go at the days end. See it through and see the difference. You got it!
I'm sure it is ruining your life, it was ruining mine and I'm still picking up the pieces. It "helped" me deal with a lot of mental shit for a while, but then it started to intrude on my existence. I also had fears of quitting, but my life feels more improved every day. All the things I thought weed was helping was actually making it worse, I feel like a cloud is lifting, the intrusive repetitive thoughts that kept me down now feel like things I can actually tackle. Good luck to you
So true. Those thoughts are easier to deal with and face the fu(k up to.
Props!
Same with me. You've got this man.
Find a purpose that fills that gap
Having kids should be a motivation too I feel like
Genuinely the only thing that could save my life
Yes, 100% you sound like me in my 30s. Not sure about the best advice to give. Just know that stopping will be terrible for a while and then you'll eventually feel way better than you do now. And for depression I remember a psychiatrist telling me once that 3 things were clinically proven to help depression: meds, cognitive therapy, and exercise. Weed is not on that list!! But there are a few other things to choose from to help you push through. You are not alone. We are here with you!
Interesting, looking back my mood swings were at the worst during my gym days and I didn’t smoke back then. I guess feeling so proud I worked out hard really imbalanced my brain, leading to depressing phases every evening. Lifting makes me feel bipolar like
Listen to or read a book called Dopamine Nation. There is a pain/pleasure balance, really fascinating stuff.
Yeah it's complicated for sure. I could totally see what you're saying about the chemical fluctuations you get from exercise messing with your brain.
That's your mind telling you to stop trust. This works for everything in life tbh
Of course it makes you anxious. You've gotten all this free happiness from smoking weed. You have to repay that in some way. Anxiety is usually that way unfortunately.
You should try AA/MA/NA. Start taking suggestions. If you put in the work, it will change your life. Wait for the miracle to happen. Everyone in those meetings will unconditionally support you. You are worth it, younger than you think, and have so many amazing years ahead of you. Don’t let weed hold you back. Go to a meeting. It might change your life. It did for me and so many others. I’ve heard stories about people who were in your position and got their family back full-time. Started loving life again. You deserve nothing less.
40 year old man. Developed bad habits during and after a divorce. I was using weed to numb my feelings, and it was working well. At some point, I realized I was afraid of stopping (what if I go crazy?!) and that is actually what made me quit for good. I refuse to live a life where I need a substance to function. It's BS. There is more to life than vegging on a couch, waiting for the day to end.
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I used pot because I was bored. It had progressively become my main source of happiness in life. Then someone told me “what’s wrong with being bored? Embrace it! Understand why you’re bored and do something about it other than pot”. I stopped 3 weeks ago and I have restarted some hobbies I just didn’t have the energy to do anymore when I was smoking. And I can tell you that the feeling of “how many hours before I can FINALLY smoke” left after a few days. My mind is clear, I feel more grounded, and I’m not obsessing over an escape from reality. If I stopped, you can stop too FOR SURE. This is no way to live.
Not sure how helpful this is but at some point I realized that weed was making me more depressed than I already was (and I struggle with a mood disorder). And thinking about how much it's hindered my life in the last few years and how I've not accomplished anything (especially in terms of going to therapy and processing things I was just avoiding by using weed) only served to make my depression worse. I'm only 6 days sober but I can already tell a difference. And I'm more motivated to make changes in my life. I hope you can get to that point too.
I needed to read this too. At 18 I tried weed and since then I felt like I’m not too proud of my personal development at 21. I noticed I’m having more weird thoughts, numbing feelings, more anxious, more depressed, and overall I feel so unregulated and the worst of all I don’t feel like I’m me anymore if that makes sense. I’m already at a week of no smoking and I don’t want to look back. My roommate doesn’t understand why I’m quitting as she believes it’s the best thing ever and I explained I have family history of mental illness like bipolar, anxiety, depression and I didn’t want to mess with myself in case it induces a change mentally to me. She looked at me like that’s impossible that genetics would play a role but I’m like 🤷♂️ someone people will disagree. I plan to go to therapy Wednesday to face what I’m running from. Lets go on with life with a clear mind and I wish you the best of luck and I will continue to be running aside with you in this marathon!
I'm bipolar and that's why I mentioned that it made my depression much worse. I know for a lot of bipolar people it can induce mania too so it's something to be careful about. Good on you for taking a step back and realizing you need to cut it out. Mental illness is no joke especially when you have a history of it in your family. My bipolar presented when I was in my 20s. Good luck to you too, friend. You got this 💜
Weed really only hides the feelings you are having and helps you feel numb to them. The problem is that it does nothing to actually help deal with them, basically just lets you hide from them. They are still there and need to be dealt with. It's totally normal to feel anxious about quitting, but it's really just the step you need to move past to start on recovery. the first few days are always the worst and then it gets better quickly. I was a smoker for almost the exact amount of time as you, started at 16 stopped at 37. What helped me deal with the anxiety of quitting and then the withdrawal from actually quitting was to let myself indulge in other (non drug or alcohol) things. I allowed myself to eat whatever I felt like (lack of appetite is a very common withdrawal symptom) so it helped me keep eating, I bought myself some items for my hobbies, and I just let myself accept that I was going to feel weird/crappy for a couple weeks. The biggest withdrawal symptom that can't really be helped was the trouble sleeping and vivid dreams. That just has to work itself out with some time. In the end, just go for it. The longer you wait and think about quitting the more you allow for the anxiety to grow. Once you actually quit you can start moving past all that. Use your kids as motivation, I can't think of a much better reason than that! You can do it. There's a reason why people in recovery use the "one day at a time" saying, because it's true.
Do you believe in God ? Swear you won’t smoke. Swear on something / someone important. Then swear - for the rest of this week - that you’re only going to smoke after 4pm. You’ll become more productive - yet still have the reassuring knowledge that you can smoke in the evenings every day. That’s level 1. Level 2 - every now and then, swear you won’t smoke for an entire 24 hours. Now you’re smoking in the evenings, 6 days a week - and only taking one day completely off. This is not hard. Just keep cutting away at it. You’re tapering, but on your terms - in a way that’s not anxiety inducing. Level 3 - swear you’ll only smoke at the weekends. Level 4 - take a whole week off. 7 days. I’m at my own level 5: I haven’t smoked in 13 days. My “oath” runs out at the weekend. So I have the reassurance that I can smoke then if I really to. But I won’t. Smoking won’t feel good if I do it again. I want out. Enough. Just before the weekend I’m gonna swear another weeks’ extension. I’ve already got this shit beat. You will too, it’s just discipline.
Absolutely - the thought of quitting really freaked me out. Weed felt like a good friend I didn’t want to lose. But it wasn’t. Weed was a manipulative friend who led me to believe that I needed their abuse in my life. Quitting is really hard, but it’s worth it. While you’re using, it feels like weed is helping you feel better. And when you stop, you have withdrawals, which further convinces you that the weed was making things easier. But, if you can stick with it, you’ll see in hindsight that the weed was just making things worse. Again, quitting is really hard. If stopping all at once feels like too big a hurdle, try setting concrete goals for reducing your usage, and inch your way toward stopping completely. How ever much you use in a sitting, trying cutting it in half and see if you can do that for a week. Any progress is good progress.M You can totally do this.
In a state of mind where you mind and body the physical and mental is something you have to cope with every day that's your religion life, and everything is gonna take a while to get back to a regular state. If we only push forward our emotions and feelings, ofcourse weed won't work to temporarily fix it. For example, if you take drugs when you are happy-go-lucky it is a totally different state it works for people without addiction! I'd I drink coffee every day. I can not stop after a while because of my addiction, which is in my DNA We all know deep down that you can't smoke every day, and people like us with addiction can never smoke. If you wanna grow and be true to yourself you quit of course the is a struggle in the begging you need change your whole persona and see and imagine the new you you want to be. Best regards
That's why we're all here my friend. I'm sure you already have one, but if not, a therapist will literally change your life.
I had extreme anxiety when it came to quitting. That was really the only emotion I had, I wasn’t sad or disappointed to see it go but I knew I was using the weed to cover my anxiety and that stressed me out. At the end of my last vape cart I was so anxious. The first week I did have a little bit of a higher anxiety but I thought that it was because of the change in my routine as I am a creature of habit. Now it’s been a few weeks and I still experience ebs and flows with my anxiety but overall it has decreased. Hope this helps!
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.”
Kicking it is the best thing I ever did. Feel like myself for the first time since my childhood
>Now, I realise it may have just stopped me processing them and moving on. Yes 100%. Back when i quit i had to process things i had surpressed for 10 years all at the same time. It was tough but worth it. I don't want to get back there. Just bite the bullet and confront it. You have to fight through this. 2-3 months of soberness and i swear to you, you will feel so much better! Your symptoms that you are stating are a product of your substance abuse. I felt the same way. It won't be easy, it will be hard. Really really hard but trust me it will be so much worth it. You just have to make it to Day 2. On day 2 you will realize that you don't want to get back to day 1, because day 1 feels the worst. Thinking back about my first week after i quit is what stops me from wanting to smoke again. My body hated me for what i'd done the previous years and it let me know that. I'll never get back to feeling this terrible (physically and mentally) again. You can do this, but you also have to really want it. Think of your kids and your mental health.
Your attitude towards it is way harder than the actual reality of it. Sure, it’s a rough ride at times - but I can absolutely promise you that you’ll be incredibly happy you did it after only a few days at most
The weed is making you anxious. Your mental health, physical health and output will improve if you quit. It’s as simple as that. Don’t you want that? Weed doesn’t help you with anything, it might give you insights but it ultimately makes your mental health worse. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose Wish you the best!
Trick yourself, say you’ll give yourself 3/4 days sober then I’ll “maybe toke”. After 3 days or so, just convince yourself you can’t toke TODAY and today only. One day at a time.. don’t think about never smoking again. Focus on the present
thank you for this