Marijuana Detox
I love to smoke marijuana occasionally, to be honest I smoke too much.
When I was younger it was very difficult for me to go even 1 day without smoking. Now that I am older it is much easier for me to go several days without smoking. So I think with age it is easier to go through marijuana detox.
If you are a fairly regular smoker of marijuana, we would like to read your thoughts on marijuana detox. Was it easy or hard, what methods did you use to detox marijuana from your system.
Please mention how much you were using marijuana and for how long you had a break from marijuana.
posted by Mark Levins at
12:45 AM
34 Comments:
I think you're absolutely wrong. No offense, but the level of dependency is absolutely not contingent on age. Myself being of 16 years, having no problem toking once or twice a week, and knowing plenty of people young and old who allow it to control their lives. It is not an issue of THC. It's a placebo effect. You tell people over and over again in all of the media you put out, "THIS DRUG IS ADDICTIVE AND DEADLY". Then people expect it to be, at least to some degree, even completely subconsciously. If we'd simply send out the truth, there wouldn't be much problem at all.
February 21, 2007 4:30 AM
Im glad I came across this blog as Im in day 2 of detoxing from weed....and yes, its VERY tough. Im 26, in university, and smoked everyday for the last 10 years or so. I need a break from it...but struggling to do so. Any ideas you can provide would be so greatly appreciated.
Cheers!
J.
February 23, 2007 7:25 PM
I came here to read about other's experiences, but this site seems fairly new. So here's my contribution:
Regardless of the debate whether it is difficult to stop smoking marijuana, or if it is addictive, etc... I'll focus just on the physical detoxification aspect of my experience. (And, for the record, I believe anything can be psychologically addictive. I also believe marijuana has incredible healing benefits. But, as with mostly everything in life, moderation/balance is the key.)
I'm a 31 year-old female. I've been smoking marijuana for little over a decade, on a frequent-to-heavy basis. I've stopped off and on over the years, but this most recent decision to quit has brought about some very real physical detoxification symptoms that I wasn't expecting!
The first few days I was unbelievably tired. Exhausted and depressed. I indulged myself in as much sleep as my body craved. I also forced myself to get some form of vigorous (sweat-inducing) exercise every day.
My appetite was low, so I used this opportunity to just drink a LOT of water (with lemon). When I did eat, I stuck to a diet with as much raw food (fruit mostly) as possible.
Throughout the course of the week, I continue to release a lot of crap through my pores... my skin seemed somewhat tacky, particularly my face. After about 6 days of this, my skin returned to normal, or actually better-than-normal with a healthy glow. (I believe the intensive exercise, hot yoga to be exact, was very helpful in helping detox through the skin.)
To aid this, I also took several long hot baths, using sea salt and specific detox-salt mixes.
I am currently in the 2nd week. I started coughing a few days ago. Dry coughing, but every now and then hacking up some phlegm, from what feels to be very deep in my lungs. Also, my throat is currently very sore. To help I've been drinking herbal tea.
So, that's my detox experience. It has been interesting to observe. And even though it hasn't necessarily been pleasant, I'm enjoying witnessing my body get physically healthier each day.
I searched around on the internet to find out if other people went through similar experiences, but found very little real info out there -- just a lot about marijuana "addiction", and how it's a dangerous drug, etc. So, if you've come seeking a real, unbiased experience from a heavy smoker who is now detoxing... I hope my story helps a little. Maybe you're going through something similar. Enjoy the ride!
June 13, 2007 9:13 AM
I haven't smoked pot in 28 days, prior to that I was smoking on a regular basis, and I have to take a drug test, what are my chances of passing a piss test?
June 28, 2007 4:47 PM
The 31-yr. old woman's comments on 7/13 were useful to me, because she's right - there doesn't seem to be much out there re: conscious, straightforward information. I smoked consistently for about seven years, and coming off I'm experiencing most of the symptoms she expressed, particularly flushed and broken-out face and sore throat, even with a slightly swollen feeling. The MD's say I'm fine, so I stay with exercise, lots of water and smart food. For me, feeling better due to exercise is a key to the transition.
To Mr. 7/28: go to Super Supplements and ask assistance from someone who looks a bit more plugged in. Twenty-eight days is a good amount of time to be off, and they've got stuff that works well to cinch the deal.
July 11, 2007 12:54 PM
I concure with the 31-yr old female. 32-yr old male with the same history...exact same symptoms, but also had the sweats, insomnia, the dreams.
I also developed a severe case of anxiety about a week in. On day 12 and the anxiety has seemed to peak on day 10 and is working back down.
I feel better and worse all at the same time...know that it's the right move, however.
Will post again when I get to day 28 to hopefully inform others who are experiencing mj detox symptoms.
July 26, 2007 11:19 AM
I am two days in, and I feel awful. I am marking an x on my arm every day to remind myself of how far I've come.
I'm 24 years old and have stopped and started pot for years now. And every time I stop, I seem to have a nervous breakdown.
Weed is a DRUG, plain and simple, and anyone who tell you it isn't is either in denial, on it, or knows no better and needs to gain some perspective.
I can't believe the time I've used consuming myself with weed. Waking up and smoking it, etc.
I am on edge and anxious, feeling like I am about to pass out. I keep having these weird delusions or feelings like my brain is going outside of my body.
My appetite is off, my dreams are weird, and I pretty much feel shaky, uncontrollable, and uncomfortalbe.
My body feels weak and I feel drained. I'll keep you posted, but this is indeed WITHDRAWLS!!!
August 25, 2007 6:41 PM
I recently learned about a scientific study that isolated a gene responsible with one's tendency to become an addict. So the problem is also genetic. I for one have been a regular pot smoker for about 8 years of my life, and during that time I tried all sorts of drugs just for "a taste of a different buzz", and before I knew it I was an addict. I did manage to kick my addiction after a 6 months period in a drug treatment center which literally gave me my life back. It's been 5 years since then, and I'm still smoking a joint every now and then, but I stop the moment I feel the "need" for another one. And I think I have it under control, it's just for fun.
August 26, 2007 12:46 AM
I've been smoking weed for 8 years, and thats rediculous, marijuana is not an addictive drug. therefor you cannot be addicted to it. I've had to quit and start up again, several times. But i only started up because i enjoy it, not because i am addicted.
October 8, 2007 9:57 PM
I'm a 37yr old female and have been a kronic smoker for 20years. Have decided to give up and thought that my main problem would be insomnia. Well wasn't I surprise when I had no problem sleeping at all in fact I have found that I am nearly falling asleep while driving every day and still do after 6 weeks of not smoking. I've been doing heat yoga three times a week which of course is helping I'm sure but my energy levels are quite low. I've also been getting a lot of diarrhea and some headaches. Today Ive investigated the internet and am happy now that I'm not only one with these symptoms. I was thinking that I was feeling a lot healthier while I was smoking but now realise that my body is just detoxing from the shit and to keep the good work up. Good luck to everyone else whose trying to kick the habit.
October 11, 2007 1:31 AM
I am about a month into quiting weed. Same symptoms - in particular bad break outs on my face, neck and torso, trouble sleeping and a period of getting that nasty coating on the tongue that smokers develop. This all seems to wax and wane however in I do feel a sense of centeredness and clarity. Yoga and meditation is helping a grea deal.
October 14, 2007 6:49 PM
Eat right, exercise, shower every day, don't do anything you love to do for a week or so and sleep a lot - that's how I like to kick the pot whenever I have to.
It can be more mentally taxing than physically taxing. It doesn't make you sick, per se - and a lot of the symptoms I experience seem psychosomatic.
November 5, 2007 8:09 AM
32 year old female lifetime pot smoker here. My family has been in the "business" for years and I recently smoked a quarter pound over 3-4 months. Needless to say I have been very productive in my business, I sew and it helps to do this...but my body has said stop: I am aching all over, with my back and ankles/wrists being the worst, when I run my lungs feel tired first-before my muscles! I dont believe you can be addicted to pot...physiologically, mentally yes, but you can be addicted to anything mentally. I have done the master cleanse in the past..this is where you drink ONLY lemon juice cayenne pepper and honey tea for 10 days...It was great to detox my intestines but now I want to detox my lungs, liver, and other organs so I dont ach as much. I dont crave pot...my stash ran out and I dont pay for it or go out and get more...if more is given to me I'll smoke it when I want: after the cleanse. I believe I over did it by smoking so much (quantity) and that overdoing anything is bad for you...if is was cheese-burgers I would do a colon detox, but I over did it on pot and plan to do a liver cleanse with lemon juice/olive oil/and epsom salts...a lot of water to flush the system, heated yoga is a great idea! I also need to loose about 8 lbs I put on with 'munchies" attacks, so I'll be sticking to the master cleanse again as I also feel it works on the whole body...
PS: my achs are from lactic acid as I was lifting heavy stuff yesterday. Normally I wouldn't be laid out from such activity but believe the pot has slowed my metabolism AKA my liver to be able to purify my body
SO: a full body cleanse supporting the organs especially the liver is the way to go for me and I think I will experience some relief in my lungs, It usually takes months before my lungs feel better though. I might try hot compresses on my chest to loosen some of the phlem..I want to cough it up so I can enjoy running again. I am also going to do inverted positions (getting the body upside down) as much as possible to the phlem wants to drain out my lungs and also to stimulate the lymph system which runs in that direction and carries toxins out. I am not a first timer to pot detox, though it seems to get tougher with age, but I usually do a cleanse and then wait for harvest season or a year or two, then indulge again:)
January 24, 2008 9:59 AM
First off, thank you to all who have left comments and suggestions on this blog. While in the midst of an insomnia ridden detox it helps to know of you folks out there trying to deal with your symptoms and staying focused on getting clean.
I am a 31-year-old female, smoker of 7 years or so. I've been a daily smoker for 3 years ranging from once to multiple times per day. I've been trying to reduce my smoking for the past year now. First, trying to quit the wake-and-bake to make sure I am clean during the day. Then, reducing to once in the evening. Last summer I stopped smoking for 5 weeks, mainly due to lack of supply, but praising myself for not making greater efforts to obtain pot. Before this I found any shortage of supply a horrendous ordeal... had terrible cravings whenever I ran out. So, mentally I was not ready to quit and as soon as my supply was back I was back to using. Since this however I've pretty much been able to keep it at a reduced level, but am finding that if the supply allows it I quickly begin to escalate my usage again.
So, I am currently six days into this detox. Ironically an impending trip to Amsterdam with work is a huge motivating force to quit. I don't want to go there with my colleagues being an addict!!! The observation that I indeed have withdrawal symptoms is another motivation to stop using. Withdrawal effects means this is more than a psychological addiction! My brain apparently needs the drug to sleep normally and I certainly don't like the idea of having to go through this withdrawal whenever I may run out of pot, or I travel to places that don't supply it.
This time as much as last time I detoxed I have found insomnia and nighttime sweats to be my worst withdrawal symptoms. I am excercising and drinking tons of water with ascorbic acid mixed into it. I try dealing with my insomnia by accepting it. It's not only my liver and other organs that need to be reset - my brain needs to learn to function without the drug again!
This is hard. I love the drug. I feel sorry for myself when I hear others talk about using, or I think about it. My goal is to finally find a way to be an occasional user and not one who says "what the hell" every time and escalate my usage as soon as I own it.
Thanks for all encouraging words and keep up the good work! Detox strong!
February 17, 2008 11:06 AM
I have been a very heavy user of cannabis for the past 12 years. I smoke up to 6 joints a day. My biggest fear is that I may develop some sort of cancer.
I love pot but at the same time I know ot has imposed huge problems into my life. I feel very lonely, depressed and the idea of having a pot-free life is simply horrid.
What can I do? I have lost grip of so many things. I feel so tired and lonely.
I am tired of amoking this s* but I just can't stop.
Reading your comments is great because it makes me be aware of others like me.
I am 34 now and I am sure that this heavy pot smoking has brought lots of problems into my life.
A sad thing is that in my country you get to find this really molded, low quality pot...I've been smoking that for over a decade and now I fear i have already triggered a cancer mechanism or something, although I don't really feel anything.
I have lost so much because of pot. Can a pot addict ever forget the pot memory?
My dream is to arrive home at night, watch some tv without smoking anything, eat a nice , delicious meal and go to bed early.
Without smoking.
If anyone would like to share more and maybe give me a few words on how to deal with mariuana quitting, I'd love you to email me at caieiros@hotmail.com
thanks a lot.
February 23, 2008 12:51 AM
I have been clean and sober for 2 years now and among other drugs, POT was by far my best friend!! I was a heavy smoker. I can't remember a day that went by that I did not smoke. If the rare occassion came and I had no pot, I was scraping the bowl. Now my life is so good. I have not put any drug in my body for almot 2 1/2 years. I am not posting this blog to brag, but to tell anyone that might identufy with theese feelings that "POT IS EXTREMLY ADDICTING" I know that today I live my life pretty free from any kind of cravings of drugs, but when my addiction starts to talk to me, it tells me that I just need a bong rip!! 2 years ago there was no way that I could ever imagin my life without pot. Now I feel like I would loose everthing if I went back to being a pot head. Ask yourself this one question. " Why give up everything for one thing, when you can give up one thing and get everything?" ask god for the willingness and find an NA or AA meeting. Start Living...you can do it!!! you can!! really!
February 28, 2008 7:33 PM
wow. thank goodness for this blog.
i am 6 days off pot after an everyday 10 year addiction.
i quit cigs in november- coughed up a ton of flem...but coming off of pot is hurting my throat and lungs so much more. the amount of mucus coming out of me is amazing...but i also feel tired, depressed and like i have a cold...this must be detoxing right? the dry hacking cough...could hardly get to bed last night.
i'm reading a book that shies away from the AA approach and gears change more towards a values approach. makes a lot of sense to me.
i never wanted to believe that pot was addictive but come on, it is. but it is because i made it that way in my life and now i've decided to change that and value my health and mind more than ever before.
i am interested to see what i start to feel and what i have to deal with in the future without numbing myself every day.
good luck to all and keep posting...
March 5, 2008 1:49 PM
I am coming off pot. I quit for a while and got drunk and lost a lot of my things ($400 iphone) that really sucks then I broke down and bought pot and tried to limit my smoking and couldn't I just flushed everything I had down the toilet and I sought out help on the internet. I am so glad to hear other people are quitting. I obviously can't drink either, so I need support. I went to an NA mtg and it seemed to get me to this point so I feel confident that I can do this. I am 31 year old female and quit drinking alcohol and smoking pot. I quit alcohol for 7 yrs and pot for 4 1/2. I have been drinking occasionally since July (with a few times drinking and blacking out) and smoking pot for the last 4 years with a 4 month period of clean time. I am tired of this incidece desire to be high, then I get high and all I want is to not want to be high. Any encouragement is greatly appreciated
March 19, 2008 11:07 PM
mm, im a 18 year old highschool student with psycho parents who keep catching me, so i smoke everyday for probably 2-3 months at a time, get caught and quit for about 4 weeks untill i realize theres no reason not to smoke again blah blah blah...
the worse symptom ive experienced was anger really. when im smoking weed everyday i never get angry at anything, but when i have to quit i get super pissed off at everything..haha
other than that, all i get is less sleep, more stress and less of a day to day EXPERIENCE. my days seem slightly uneventful when im not smoking weed.
oh well, likkle more mah dready bandulu's
April 9, 2008 8:03 PM
I like this blog. I've been smoking pot almost daily for about 3 years, and finally decided that it was time to give up. The 'good times' I used to have turned into a constant feeling paranoia.
I've experienced all of the above-mentioned symptoms and feelings. Just like previous fellow bloggers mentioned, online resource are biased in both directions. There's no real help out there I feel, except personal stories of real people trying to take serious steps towards detoxing.
Vitamins - especially Niacin, tons of water and green tea, exercise and relaxing hot baths are my methods of cleansing the body.
Six weeks of detoxing so far.. Every time I smoke a cigarette or break sweat, I smell pot reeking out of my lungs and body, which makes me feel very nervous, self-conscious and paranoid. Paranoia is definitely the biggest down-side to my herb-smoking habit, and is the main reason why I'm quitting it.
Keep on sharing, it's most inspiring to hear stories of people who've been there, really!
April 10, 2008 10:01 PM
Great to find weed detox info that isn't attached to a product. I've been a regular smoker for the past six years and decided last month that enough is enough. I still love the drug and will probably never have any disparaging words for it, but it just isn't fun for me anymore. I've been clean now for almost four weeks and I haven't had too rough a ride as of yet. My throat has been a bit sore, my tongue a bit pasty and I've been experiencing some gas and indigestion, but all quite minor. The anxiety that I would always get upon previous attempts at quitting has been virtually non-existent this time around... probably because I actually WANT to quit on my own terms, rather than at the behest of someone else. So the cravings are not there. I've been drinking lots of green tea and trying to eat fruit and other healthy, non-processed foods when I can. So far, so good.
April 23, 2008 4:41 AM
I am a 38 year old male. I first tried MJ quite late, at the age of 24. I fluctuate between casual use on the occasional evening or weekend. Abstinence was generally due to lack of supply. Sometimes, I was just too busy with graduate school or work to smoke and would stay away for several months at a time.
I lead a stressful life with a demanding professional career and the typical personal ups and downs of life (family, relationships, money). The past 2 years I have been using medical MJ, largely to help control anxiety and stress. This is complicated by a personal history of depession. For me stress means tension headaches and insomnia, with frequent stomach problems. MJ has been a godsend and a curse.
However, I now can see that I am addicted. I feel that my use of MJ is making me less effective than I use to be. These days I fall into the "wake and bake" category.
It is difficult to say whether pot led to me being unemployed or my use has increased due to the idle time. The sad thing is that pot is what I use to cope with my stressful life, but at the same time is probably keeping me from making the progress I desire.
It is clear to me that I need to quit- at least for now. The real question becomes what outcome do I want? I do not see a life completely devoid of MJ. But, I do not know if I can return to the restrained use levels of my past.
This detox should be unique to this forum because I am a legal user of MJ who has unlimited access to amazing MJ. My withdrawl may be somewhat different because I have been using a Volcano Vaporizer, so my lungs are quite healthy and the typical smoking symptoms are not likely to be my biggest problem- my fear is the onset of depression. I quit smoking cigarettes in January, which was tough but doable. So, I will be comparing the 2 withdrawls along the way to help inform others.
To bolster my cause I am pursuing a regular exercise program, healthy diet, and daily meditation.
Wish me luck!
April 30, 2008 7:07 PM
I'm a 52 year old woman and I smoked pot for 32 years... every single day for 21 of those years. Some days I smoked a lot of very stong stuff.
13 months ago I quit, cold turkey and I became very ill afterwads. The detox process was very tough. I had never imagined it could be so difficult. When I quit I was in a natural health clinic where the program focuses on detoxing the body... from anything, so this made my detox more dramatic than just quiting smoking would have been. I'm very very lucky I had no cravings but here is the withdrawal symptoms story.
1- On the second day of detox I got lots of anxiety.
2- On day 3 I woke up at 3:00am vomiting, with a fever and shaking. By 9:00am I was loosing coordination of my limbs... I shook a lot and barely was able to get a fork with food into my mouth. This lasted for about 6 hours.
3-After that came depression, fevers, vivid dreams, weakness, insomnia.
4-Three weeks later, still in the clinic... I started to have panic attacks, almost fainting, very dizzy most of the time.
3-The period of panic attacks lasted 3 months... tapering off slowly until 5 months. I would faint in the suppermarked... could not drive very far.
5-After 6 months my immune system crashed... constant viral throat inffection, dry nose and eyes (painfully so)...topped off by chronic fatigue and fever.
6-After continuing the detox regime that includes a vegan diet, steam baths, colonics and more I finally got my energy back after Ozone injections into the blood stream, (nothing else worked).
7-Ten months after quiting my thyroid began to show symtoms of hypothyroidism... probably was going on for months since quiting but was not diagnosed.
8-now I'm still dealing with the thyroid issue and its lovely symptoms.
I've read that all my symptoms are some what unusuall but all of them part of "marijuana withdrawl syndrome": Chronic fatigue, weak immune system, hormonal problems (thyroid), vivid dreams, depression etc.
...I had no idea the withdrawl hell with last so long.
On the other hand I feel better in many ways... after smoking so much for so long marijuana was making me ill. I breath better, my lungs are clearer. My mood is conciderably better. I think better (dah!), I am more myself! I'm more alive, no longer sedated. And most of all I feel free for not being and addict... not having to procure pot for myself constantly and spending a small forutne on it. I calculate I spent in the last 21 years close to half a million dollars on pot.
My symptoms seem to have lasted longer than I've read. However, I'm continuing the body cleansing program I started at the clinic and that might make my detox more severe.
I've no idea how much longer the symtoms will last. I hope not too much longer. I think once I get the thyroid back on track I can say I'm done with detox.
I share my extreme story because there is not much info out there on long time users like me, and much less on detoxing from long time use.
To any one who says that marijuana is not addictive nor harmfull mentally and physically I only say: "I used to think it was harmless and never though I was an addict. I was wrong"
Congratulations to all of you who did stop usig.
Be well.
May 25, 2008 7:58 PM
I am a 34 year old female who has been a very heavy smoker since the age of 13. I quit 13 days ago and it is kicking my ass. I can't sleep and when I do I am sweating like a beast and having very disturbing and vivid dreams/nightmares.
Mentally I am doing a bit better, I am doing this for many reasons, all of which are very important to me and I keep reminding myself of that when I start getting depressed. The anxiety is a bit odd, I have been so used to doing everything high that even going to work sober is quite bizarre. Sober feels like a high, but one I don't particularly enjoy.
June 4, 2008 9:09 PM
I am a 38 year old male who recently stopped smoking after 20 years of daily use. I used ot live in BC CAnada which is known for its high quality potent marijuana and laz enforcment laws. Recently I moved to Hong Kong where I had trouble finding good product. I could only find hash from a street dealer. It was poor quality and definetly cut with some thing my lungs burned so bad i couldnt breath and coughed up nasty all morning and through out the day. I decide enough was enough I wasnt goign to kill my self and ruin my health any longer. My girlfriend didnt really understand my addiction as she could take it our leave it. I just refused to pay those slimey drug dealers for toxic fake hash any longer and decidd to quit.
It has been harder to stop tham I have ver imagined and experienced some pretty serious withdrawl that I never expecetd. Firstly I had trouble sleeping and still do but the dreams are way to strange. I have not had an appetite in days and have had severe anxiety all day for the first 4 days. Then I had a panic attack and thoght I was having a heart attack which I was not thank goodness.
Today is day 7 and Im startimg to feel a little better. I thought initially I would just stop until I go back to Canada next month but am now very hesitant to even pick up a joint for fear of anxiety attacks once I smoke and i never want to feel like this again.
I gave up ciggs as well yesterday and ma having a bad time with anxiety again because of this but when I think of the damage I am doing to my lungs it makes me shudder at the thought of goig back to smoking.
If I knew how addictive pot was when I started in my teens I never wuld have used it for so long. Im so glad I can give it up and glad that the withdrawl is normal and I not going crazy. I am lucky to still have my health and greatful that I have a chance still to recover.
And if I can stop smoking ANYONE ONE CAN.
PEACE.
June 6, 2008 8:43 AM
I have smoked for the past ten years on a regular basis. I now have COPD which is related to smoking, period. Just got out of the hospital last week with another bout of it. COPD is somewhat like a cross between severe asthma and emphysema. I'm on my 6th day off of smoking. It's tough but it's easier that I thought it would be if you get a support system going, like a 12 step program or friends that are supportive. Good luck to the people that think smoking pot is harmless. I just have to look at my chest xrays and ER visits. Best wishes.
June 9, 2008 5:09 PM
I am a 52 year old woman that has smoked pot daily for the past 12 years and for most of my adult life. Tomorrow will be 90 days since I quit. I found this blog when I quit in March 2008 and it has helped motivate me. I will say that it has been a very difficult experience, but I am finding more peace with it each day. I definitely experienced serious withdrawal symptoms, including lots of sweating, especially at night, anxiety, loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, nightmares and other strange and disturbing dreams. I do believe pot is addicting, both physically and psychologically. But I think it's more addictive depending on one's own traits -- if someone has an addictive personality, I think it will affect you more than others that do not -- I unfortunately do. That said, I knew it's not healthy and I do feel better since I quit. My father died from lung cancer and I have always worried over the consequences to my lungs from smoking, but kept doing it. Since I quit, I am able to breathe better, I get more accomplished, have saved a lot of money, and I don't miss the urges to smoke(getting to be less frequent now) and needing to accommodate and often hide doing it. I quit for over three years many years back and regret going back to it. I thought it would be different, but it was only worse, and I'm not getting any younger. I do miss the relaxation and peace that smoking pot brought me, but so far I think this has been worth the effort.
For anyone out there trying to quit or who just did, like someone else just recently wrote, if I can do it, anyone can. If you want to quit, give it a couple of weeks at least - it will take that much time to start to feel somewhat "normal". Like many people have recommended, lots of water, keeping active, eating healthy, trying to exercise -- they all do help. An OTC sleep aid helped me to get to sleep at night. I think this blog has been really helpful and am thankful to all the people that have taken the time to write. I wish everyone the best. I hope people keeping posting here, because it's really helpful to hear from people that are getting through this. Good luck to everyone.
June 14, 2008 2:36 PM
I am a 41 year old woman who has smoked pot since the age of 12. I liked it instantly and I have smoked on a daily basis for at least 21 years. I have a handful of buddies that I smoke with, my brother is one of them. He recently saw me sober and said wow you look 10 years younger and I said that's because I'm not high. My daughter, who has long suspected and now knows, is 22 and an occassional smoker. I have been high around her her whole life, and I've accomodated this habit for years. Now I want to smoke less and I'm afrain of how I'll cope when I'm sober. I wake and bake, and I use pot to forgive myself of my shortcomings. I am quite irritable off of it, QUITE irritable. As soon as I smoke, I can take things in stride. I will need a lot of support to get through this, and most of my close friends are addicted to pot or other things. I wonder who I am withough pot.
June 16, 2008 10:19 AM
WOW. It seems like the most difficults periods of time of quitting weed are the first and the second days, all the week long, the month, maybe the next month. But after all it´s just simply to figure in our heads "Hey, there is so much in the world, so beatiful so nice, and we are loosing it because of being smokey all day". It´s true we can stop smoking. One day smoke it all you have. The last joint, say this is the "REAL" last joint and smoke it and relax. We can do it. Someone has told me that story, and I know is true, and he has now been free from weed for about 20 years. We can controll everything if we wants. Be yourself.
June 24, 2008 1:12 PM
I very happy to see this blog. I have decided to stop for good as I don't get much out of it other than paranoid, with disgusting phlegm problems, itching ear canals, short term memory problems, lack of concentration, exhaustion and depression.
I have been a smoker for 16 years on a regular to heavy basis. I started at 17 and now I just turned 33. I am just not having fun anymore with it. Honestly, when I am not on it I really don't care much for it. I don't like to deal with stoned people as they bug me & repeat their stories & think they are cute when they giggle about stupid stuff or worse get horribly moody and bitchy. This has been another reason I don't like it, I don't want to be one of those people.
I am struggling as I live with a chronic smoker. So I know this will be a challenge. I tried an MA meeting last night but in all honesty I was disappointed. One guy was bugging me to go to more meetings but I feel like he was just trying to come on to me, as he kept staring at me the entire time. I have tried Alanon meetings before as I grew up in an alcoholic home but I felt like I was dealing with people who just were not dealing with the problems that got them there, & just rehashing the same thing over & over again. Maybe I just need to find a new meeting but I have a counselor & I have been working with her as well.
I have found that before I did drugs I was very good at going off into my own world & daydreaming I didn't grow up with much peace in my life & my self esteem was in the toilet. Smoking weed was not good for someone like me as it just fed into me going off into my own world. However, now I am an adult & my life is as peaceful as I want it to be. I have been lucky to have friends who are sober living which helps a lot. I don't live near family anymore and I want to start being active in my life again. I have a lot of good things going on which are going to get ruined if I keep this up.
I smoked because I didn't want to drink & figured it was less harmful but anything is an addiction if you let it. I know this won't be easy but I want more out of my life than this & I have gotten in way to much trouble & let my life get out of control because I have been off in my own universe high & not caring.
My hat is off to you all for making your health & well being a priority. It is amazing how easy it is not let that happen. I will take all of what you have been through into consideration so I can be prepared if I have withdrawls, I have been trying to cut down how much I do over the past week & last night was my first night without getting high. It wasn't so bad, I hope I have the same for the rest of the time as I clean out my system.
June 27, 2008 11:55 AM
phil
I was a heroin addict for 8 years went in to rehab and managed to kick my addiction there was ppl in there for weed and my view at the time was how can any 1 go into rehab for skunk, well 6 yrs down the line and iv been a very heavy smoker 4 of them im 3 days into my detox and iv had a bad belly for the first 2 day its started to get better 2day and been very awake at night, shit i do dream and smoking more fags. The good side my anger seems to be going away and now i want to get up and do more things. your all right everybody is different so if your feeling like its all metal then for you it is, if your feeling a pysical withdrawal then thats how your body feels good luck every 1.
July 3, 2008 9:26 AM
i have been a chronic smoker for over 10 years and never thought there was any problem or possible harm. i am even in the medical profession! then a few weeks ago, my brain finally told me it had had enough -- i started to get vertigo when i smoked. now i am feeling physically and emotionally quite sick. sore throat, nausea, difficulty waking up in the morning, angry, irritable, depressed, and feeling like i have spiderwebs in my head. i guess i have been pushing down my feelings for many years with pot and now they are coming back at me all chaotic and unstable. i am fearful on many levels of what my life will be like without my daily smoking and also i am trying to figure out what i was hiding from. my dad is an alcoholic and addiction is definitely a problem in my family...i have loved reading everyone's posts on this blog and while i still believe that there is a very occasional role for mj for some people, i am becoming convinced that chronic smoking is as much of an addiction as anything else. the insights and experiences i have had while high have been amazing and nurturing on many levels, but my chronic abuse of the drug is frightening. i will have to re-immerse myself in my meditation practice to help my brain re-experience some of that naturally. in the meantime, i am trying to support my body through exercise, healthy food, rest, and herbal teas.
thanks, everyone, for being so open about our struggles.
July 11, 2008 6:53 AM
First I want to say that, like everyone else who has posted here, I really appreciate the comments. The support gained from reading other people's experiences is more than I had expected.
I am 31 years old, female, and have smoked pot since age 15. Over the past 16 years I have quit a handful of times and reduced my smoking to occasional use a few times. After reading the other comments here, I realize how lucky I am that I am one of those who does not experience physical withdrawal symptoms.
The biggest problem I face when quitting is the self-induced anxiety of whether I can pull this off, of how I will feel about myself if I backslide, and whether I am going to be able to get to sleep at night without pot.
Knowing I have done this before helps a lot, but still I get anxious just knowing the pot is right there because I live with a smoker. I am a very routine-oriented person so this is one of the biggest battles I face when quitting; even when the resolve is there, I just want the comfort of my routine to help me through the anxiety I face.
When I give in I just feel bad about myself, my lack of will-power and my failure to take control. This has happened in the past and I have learned not to be too hard on myself. Even if I break a week or month straight of not smoking it doesn't mean all is lost.
As far as sleep is concerned I always find that I have the same erradic sleeping patterns whether or not I smoke pot, but again, the anxiety is there and it's enough to keep me awake if I let it.
The first time I quit was ten years ago when I, and my then boyfriend, took a roadtrip to Alaska. Oddly enough I actually forgot about pot since he didn't smoke and I didn't have access to it; I don't recall having the least bit of anxiety over it. I learned from this how helpful it is to change my routine Entirely when I want to quit. That way I don't find myself walking through the same old habits and blindly heading for the bong, pipe, or rolling papers.
The second time I quit was for a drug test. Through an accidental twist of fate I was able to gain a 10 day headstart on the test -- they usually just spring it on you. I quit right away, started drinking LOTS of water, sweat heavily with every opportunity by turning off the A/C in the car (mid-summer in Florida), going to the beach, riding my bike, etc. I started Ulimate Cleanse and took recomended doses of golden seal daily. I passed. [I think golden seal may just be a masking agent.] Not sure how much the last two things helped, but I was and am convinced that the water and sweating were key. My skin was also much better for it.
Third time was a combination of factors: availability, under-grad work getting heavy, and problems at work. I reduced my smoking to a few hits at night to extend my supply and make cold-turkey less like a jump off a cliff. I can't read when I smoke pot so it was really interfering with study time. And problems at work had me worried that I would need to find a new job. When I quit that third time, I stayed clean for almost a year and a half. I maybe smoked three or four times, one or two hits each time, in that year and a half period. That is the longest I have ever gone without being a regular user. That third time was the most difficult because the stress from school and work encouraged me to seek comfort in my habits.
Since then I have alternated off and on anywhere from clean to smoking a little just at night. Recently I've smoked every night for the last couple of months and it's the longest period of continous use since that third time of quitting.
Today, I have been clean for five days,and every day that I am further from being a regular user makes it easier to stay that way.
I prefer occasional use (once every few months) to regular smoking for several reasons: I wake up better without a pot hang-over, I read better, eat better, breathe better and in general am more productive. I am not burned out all the time. Alternately, I can actually get high when I smoke on occasion, and it takes very little to do so; as a regular smoker I begin to find that no amount of pot will get me high and that I am smoking simply to "maintain." A friend once asked me what it was like to be clean after smoking for so long. I told him, "It's the same." And it really is. Except that I feel better, mentally and physically, when I don't smoke all the time. I especially like being free of having to procure pot, of worrying about running out, and having to go through the quitting process again. I like not being a pot-head! And I know it is better for my health.
I'm sorry to have gone on and on like this. I just hope that there is something here of value that someone trying to quit can take from this.
July 14, 2008 2:42 PM
I posted on June 14th when I was just reaching 90 days of pot sobriety. I am happy to say that I am about to celebrate 120 days tomorrow. I am finally having days that I am really not thinking about it too much, although sometimes I really still want to smoke. I still miss it and like it (unfortunately, I suppose I always will), but the desire is more short-lived and not nearly as strong. Thanks to all that have posted before and since. I return to this blog regularly to keep me honest and remind myself that this is a positive step in my life. I am 52 years old and have smoked pot regularly, multiple times per day, for almost all of my adult life, with the exception of 3 1/2 years back in the early to mid-1990s. In many ways, I feel like I have my life back now. Not that I was a total loser when I was smoking, but there was always the feeling that I needed pot way too much abd I feel more peaceful now that I don't need to worry about keeping my supply going and making time to smoke. I feel healthier and more energetic overall. All of the withdrawals symptoms stopped and I self-tested negative after 75 days without pot. It took that long!! Good luck to everyone and keep it up. I am going to do my best on this side. The worst is (hopefully) over and it is definitely worth it! Peace.
July 14, 2008 8:15 PM
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