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
72 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
Pass the blame if you wish, according to EVERYONE says this the life of a smoker is wrong.
It's not place to judge to tell you that your choices are inanane.
Yet all of Life is an addiction. Sex, Exercise, Playing video games, Talking on the internet, Going to work everyday these things are just as harmful as weed. Use some common sense, Moderation is key.
I have quit not because I felt negetive effects, or my life was going down the crapper.
But because the law says I don't get to make my own choices on what to smoke.
We have the Freedom to not do it. Freedom to make the "Right choice" which is what the voting majority says.
I am not saying those that want to quit are cowards, and I am not saying that those who use it are holy.
I am saying it should be left up to the individuals. There are those people who feel the same effects when they quit caffine, or processed sugar.
My grandmother did not drink, smoke ciggerettes, or pot, never did anything that would be considered "bad". She is still alive at 91. Does she remember her children? Does she remember where she lives? Nope.
sorry to be so harsh but "get over yourselves" Go through your choices with some dignity.
I have, I may need some work on my attitude towards the suffering of others, yet I enjoy being me, not just some carbon cut out of everyone else.
July 26, 2008 2:10 PM
Smoke daily since 15, now 37. Can't burn off munchies too much any more. the only bad thing about pot = it makes you eat and gain a bunch of weight!
August 10, 2008 9:02 PM
hey everyone, I'am a MAJOR POT HEAD I would smoke at least four blunts a day maybe two or three joints with my parents. My family is a a POT FAMILY it's our dinner time special, we did it for every event,...and I mean EVERY HOLIDAY, BIRTHDAY even after my grandfathers wake in the parking lot I remember my cousin say you guys aren't going to smoke that now and I replied uh no for the ride home, but as my family got in we BURNED. I grew up with the stuff remember smelling my dads finger tips loving the smell think it was his smell now I'm 26 a male, and wanting to stop for many personal reasons. I've finally lost a job I really wanted paying 69k a year (failed piss test) Now a year later and after working a dead end job that allowed me to put one in the air with out any worry I'm trying to get another 69k a year Graphics Job, Yes I'm an artist but never creative as people would think while high although I do day dream like crazy, and love my stories and ideas, but I'm not motivated to do much, sometimes but not always. I'v had friends say your not motivated in life and I would defend that I was, but now 14 days dry I feel super motivated. I'm back in college YA!
Ok so we all have issues in life I LOVE POT and getting high and it's hard to stop because everyone I know smokes accept for my girlfriend that I had to hide it from for 7yrs now. I just visited her for 10days and since I didn't have it and forgot about it thanks to her I decided to give it up hopefully for good. I've smoked for I guess 15yrs thanks to older bros and sold a lot to pay for college. I was smoking a quarter bag a day 7-8grams on my own and with on average 6 heads to a blunt I like blunts. Be back got to go but I feel much better I stopped digging this site will be back, at work and cowork returned his a pothead to or meeting me got him back on...BAD, but GOOD. Later all keep it up
~SYN~
August 13, 2008 5:23 PM
Has anyone experienced headaches or migraines while smoking and/or detoxing?
August 13, 2008 6:47 PM
yooo,
first site i've found where it shows others experiencies with the mari mari. right 19 bin smoking hard since i left school atleast a ten weed a day. Also been on a few amsterdam trips and hang around with a large network of weed smokers. the area i live in it is never to hard to find a chum to get a reef on. which has made it so hard quiting!.
so my reason for quiting i suppose is life does seem to revolve around weed, i would finish work then rush to go out and get a bud. Also i know that once i have had a joint i dont feel like going out and doing normal things and jobs just get put back and back!.
day 19 and im currently coughing up absoulubtly nothing whilst typing this message. My tactic was to wait until i go on holiday which was 2 weeks in magaluf. yes i replaced my weed with alchohol lol!. But never the less ive mannaged 14 days on holiday without smoking.
Well i tell a lie i got to day three and i was absoulubtly gagging as i smoked an 8th of cheese before i went away lol, was pukka!!, so as a replacement i smoked a large cuban complimented with a can of stella whilst lying on a lylo in the pool kinda did the trick for about an hour lol.
i think days 7-12 where deffinitly the worst as i was pretty sure i could of filled a 2 litre bottle up with pure green shit! ohh and forgeting to mention i havent eaten properly since about days 3 of quiting!! although sweating alot alot, i have been drink alot of water also.
now im on day 16 i think if i havent mentioned already and im feelin good, although i know i couldnt buy any decent weed abroad their for i didnt smoke for 2 weeks it hasn't been a bad plan ive seen a few of my pals since being back and have chilled with them whilst they have smoked sum nice cheese around me lmao. but i do feel slightly more alive. Just thought also i dont normaly do theese blogs but probably becouse i was stoned.
im not the best at wrighting large comments and things may seem a bit all over the place but, i do belive depending on who you are will affect how much dependancy you actualy have! but anyways...
i hope, an i mean on my knees praying to god, after all the shit i have gone through on my detox i have realised how hard it was and it was hard! that i can just keep going until i no longer need a reef but i feel pretty good at the moment ohh and had my first FULL breath of air the other day which feels just great!! so i might even get down the gym as soon as i stop f£&*ing coughing!!!
so to all my fellow weed smokers farewell and good luck cus i no i need it!!
bill
August 20, 2008 1:24 PM
Hi there,im a 34year old male smoker who olso is in the process of quitting.Were do i start? from what i can remember i've smoked since i was about 13,14 smoking socialy with my mates at first then eventualy isolating myself with my gear(more 4 me)during this time i would be only interested in geting in from were ever i had been to plonk my ass down and get stoned.Like everyone else i never gave a thought to weed being addictive.Next i introduced lsd and extcy into my diet,which i took from thurs through to mon morning,all the while holding a job and functioning quite normaly,this carried on until til i was about 19 when i was introduced to heroin!now i know this blog is about weed so i wont share my horror stories on this as its a time in my life id rather forget,however as you can see theres a definte pattern developing in my words here!Anyway after many jail terms and lost friends i got off through cold turkey (enforced) and got on with my life, found a job,better friends and eventualy a loving lass.Now this should be the end of my story,however it only opened up another chapter!.as i soon found myself buying hash on a regular bassis,at this point there seemed to be no problems at all,i told myself that i deserved it, i worked all week my bills were paid my girlfriend liked a smoke so all was cool,then as time passed i got access to really good weed which almost over night seemed to take over my life and my wallet! my every minute i was dreaming of it,i loved everything about it,i talked about it constantly whether people wanted to hear it or not,it really had became the most important single thing in my life. As more years passed with a blur i plodded on with my cronic use eventually isolating myself from my girlfriend as she had stoped smoking altogether, although we lived together i was neglecting everything thats excpected in a relationship,i was stoned 24/7, a joint was the first and last thing i had on my mind every day.Olso i had become very moody,bad tempered and aggresive,although not physicaly violent,i found myself launching into tirades over nothing and scareing others around me.My other problem whilst smoking was my heavy weight loss! I no everyone goes on about "getn the munchies" but in my experience that wears off after a short term of cronic use,same goes for the effect of the weed 2!my eating habbits were dreadful,i could'nt eat proper meals,instead opting for cereal or toast and chocolate as a result im as thin as you could possibly imagine,it's that bad some people think im back on the heroin! i seem to be able to go for days without eating a single piece of food,instead geting by with tea and joints,its not that i dont have food or cant phone a pizza or anything,its just that i cant be bothered!when stoned im totaly demotivated.Anyway all of the above resulted in my girlfriend and i splitting up, not the usuall kind of split were i could talk myself back in with a few assurances of my good intentions for the future,but a split were even if i manage to break free of this addiction, may well allready be to late to get back,NOW its time for me to wake up break free of my crutch,after speaking to my g.p i was reffered to a phycologist to try and go over my addictive lyfestyle, which is ongoing i've not had a (weed) joint for a few weeks although i bought a small piece of crappy soap bar to help ween me off,but still im experiencing lots of withdrawels,constantly soaked in sweat,very vivid scary nightmares,paranoia and anxiety.im not loosing to much sleep as yet, thanks to the soapbar but its in the post.I keep telling myself that i've came through heroin withdrawels,so weed should be easy, but it's different,the hardest battle is in my head! im glad i was told about this blog as i to have found it usefull in my own battle. thanks
August 25, 2008 7:16 AM
I smoked weed everyday for about four years now. I mean I am a stoner! and I quit, i had a nervous breakdown for about 2 seconds. All of the people who complain need to shut it. You could be addicted to crystal, and thats a lot worse. It's not hard you guys are just being lazy, get your big butts off the couch and go do something.
August 25, 2008 12:57 PM
Wow! I am a 48 year old female...smoked pot when I turned 16 and all the way through until I got married at age 29. I was a pretty disorganized, aimless chick...and this "normal, straight" man seemed like the way to go...but stability drove me nuts!! Anyway, I quit all my drinking and smoking pot until our marriage ended after three children and four years. As I pieced my life together, I used to bum some weed off one of my bro's ...and I thoroughly enjoyed sneaking off and smoking it, especially knowing nobody knew or suspected..it was pure recreation. I smoked on and off for years...not much...purely for fun. In 2000 I was diagnosed with a serious cancer and did treatments and a major, major natural healing detox...and all kinds of things. I am 100% clean scans for over a year and a half. However, back to the pot...I had a friend who was the only person who knew I smoked pot..my two kids have never found any evidence or had any reason to suspect me...I would only go to his house on occasion and smoke, drink have sex...it was fun..all the "bad habits" in one place...he was a great friend. However, eventually I started sneaking pot from him. He gave me some if I ever asked, but I didn't want him to think I smoked more than I did. My life was always so damn complicated that I couldn't function and I found smoking made me "normal" or able to make it through the days. My friend died last year. My bro will give me some anytime I want it...but I don't want him to think I smoke as much as I do either...my daughter recently got arrested and piss tested and while I was in the police I realized that I would have failed the piss test. I have been a "sneak" smoker, "stealing" from my friends stash, etc...because I cannot be honest about my use..I recently read a book and I am quite convinced that I have Attention Deficit Disorder (without the hyper) and that pot actually helped me to function, to focus, to slow down to connect the dots...however, I am right now suffering from an incredible sore throat that I am quite sure is from smoking from a ridiculous series of aluminum cans and this terrible harsh weed that I was going to make a batch of brownies for a friend but kept it and have smoked it daily.... I know how to be healthy...and have good reasons to want to be (almost died from cancer, etc)..but I realized that because I was such a sneak, and nobody knew or suspected, I sort of convinced myself that I wasn't...like I wasn't having to admit it...I am seeking ADD drugs to see if that helps, but I am quitting today. I use Sonne 7 product and do liver cleanses, etc.
I was glad to find this blog...it helped me get real about this habit...pot has helped me cope tremendously...but I am at this age where I can feel it saturating me...and it is too easy to just decide to put off all of the 'to do's" until tomorrow... I also am not sure how to handle the honesty...although I didn't even know what self medicating was...which is how I have handled stress... I am one sneaky person...I never broke my own rules...never smoked near the home, never left a trace, never told anyone else...so it has been a very isolated secret, makes me smile...nobody can judge who I am by saying I was a pothead, it made it easier to be me, never felt right in my own skin until I smoked...now I am looking forward to experiencing the second half of my life here in a more manageable world...juicing, organic good foods, good clean water, and I have been jogging like crazy and wanting to get buffed up and strong...anyway, peace and love...don't beat yourselves up too much... we are all just angels in earthsuits, anyway...this human experience can be pretty wack sometimes!!
September 1, 2008 5:30 PM
Social Worker: I am 84 days sober with much anxiety about testing clean tomorrow for an important career position. I am Latina in my early thirties who has smoked everyday probably for ten years. Sobriety for me came about after graduating with from graduate school this May. I knew that any job I would seek to have required a drug test and I wanted to pass the test by simply being clean. But here I still sit filled with worries about passing tomorrows test.
The first day I didn't smoke was really rough for me. I didn't realize how many detox symptoms (physical & psychological) I was experiencing until a least a month after of being clean. Insomonia, mood swings, irritability, obsessive thoughts of wanting to use, and nightmares. Ismonia and the nightmares were the hardest to deal with. For my partner, at the time who was unaware of the amount of pot smoking I was doing, delt with my mood swings so beautifully. Every problem that arised for me seemed heightened and I felt an emotional mess when trying to problem solve.
I've always known that my connection with pot has been linked to the absence of my father. He was only in my life until the age of 6 and the memories I have of him are of him smoking pot and having a marijuana plant taller than me in the living room as a child. I enjoy pot but also have come to recognize that this has been the way I have tried to stay connected with my father. Til this day, I do not know if he is alive or dead but what I do know after being sober for 84 days is that I have been supressing feeling related to his absence by smoking pot excessively. I don't think there is anything wrong with smoking if it is moderation/recreational use. I past moderation years ago and this year my use intenisfied.
I still miss smoking but what I don't miss is feeling like I needed it to get through the day. Now I know I could get through the day without it. We'll see what happens next. I can only try my best. I still struggle with insomnia and dream intensly. Anyone have suggestions? Reading only does so much. Will keep you posted. This was a such a helpful site!Good luck everyone!
September 22, 2008 11:16 PM
I'll start by saying that I spent the last year and a half staying totally and completely ripped 24 hours a day 7 days a week regardless of what I had to do. I could function well enough to get by.
I recently lost my (very good) job, basically because I just HAD to run home over lunch hour to get high and couldn't make it back on time. Now, I hated the job (even though it paid well), and the only reason I hadn't quit by now was because I knew I couldn't pass a urine test and loathed the idea of suffering through a week or more of detoxing in order to make a change.
Well, now I don't have a choice... Seven days without it, and it's starting to get better. I still feel hopelessly lethargic and I've become a bit of an insomniac. When I do sleep I get super-vivid and sometimes lucid dreams, then suffer through the day feeling lethargic and just basically like I want to nap. But I can't seem to do that for more than twenty minutes at a time.
I bounce off the walls like a manic depressive nut job at night when I'm alone, losing all hope for no reason at all and having feelings of dread and guilt that I can't even put a reason to. These feelings are completely new to me... as far as I can remember I never had problems with depression before I started smoking.
I just hope this lethargy and lack of energy goes away... It's pretty much the last noticeable lingering symptom of withdrawal. The dreams were sort of fun for a while, but I'd rather sleep well. I just bought a bottle of Tylenol PM. We'll see what happens.
September 29, 2008 6:51 PM
I'm SO GLAD this blog is here. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
That said. I'm a 24 year old female, who has been a daily smoker for almost 3 years. There have been periods of lapse (mostly related to travel, supply), but this was no longer than about 6 or 7 days at a time.
I'm currently on day 2 of detox. I've been moody today and anti-social, but there's no telling it that is related to detox or if it's just me being me. ;)
I've been exercising regularly for the past two months, and I've been eating better (no fast food, lots of veggies, low-fat meats, more conscientious in general). I think this has helped because I've been feeling stronger, and proud of myself, lately.
I can really relate to this comment:
"My hat is off to you all for making your health & well[ness] being[sic] a priority. It is amazing how easy it is not let that happen."
And I'm very grateful to this poster, as well:
"he 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."
I'll be using some tips garnered from your comments (keep up the exercise! stay hydrated! sleep! fruits and veggies and soup!). And, of course, the encouragement is really awesome.
My initial decision to quit was based on needing to pass an employment screening but I think I may go for broke! Yay! :)
September 30, 2008 10:55 PM
Great Blog! I am glad to read that I am not alone in my secret pot world. Congrats to all of you who have not let something so small and powerless direct your life and health. I'm a professional athlete who faces the same challenges as most of us. Like most on here, I first smoked a doobie when I was 13,compliments of my brother. I started listening to The Doors and Pink Floyd and The Dead and went to a few concerts back in the hayday. It was becoming my lifestyle. I turned 35 in Sept. Looking back, it is much too young to start. Do I blame my bro? Yes, a little. I do wish I had never been introduced to it. The past ten years, I consider myslef a chronic user. The past week I smoked a half of mr nice and discovered I was taking giant lunger bonghits. I ended up burning my throat really badly and developed my 3rd lung infection in my life. Riding my bicycle is my passion and weed has done a lot more bad for me than good. The longest Ive been able to quit is 2 or 3 months so that I could train and race. During this short time, I never felt better. I am amazed to read that we all get the vivd dreams. Personally, I saw this as a gift of getting my dreams back and actually being able to remember them again. This also tells me that herb messes with your stage 6 r.e.m sleep, which is not good. My short-term goal is to stop for one full year and my longterm goal is to cut it out of my life completely. All my friends fire it up but not all of them are as addicted as I, nor are they as intense of a person as I am. At this moment, my throat hurts so badly that I could hardly ride the past couple of days. I've been coughing up painful thick brownish green disgusting mucous. I keep thinking its actually chunks of lung! Smoking weed has permenantly damaged my lungs and throat and who knows what else. The worst and most powerful message is that it has gotten in the way of my dreams. Sure, there are plenty of people who can handle smoking very little. They can make a small sack last a month but not me. I always have to do more, get higher, go further. Its just my nature. Gosh, I could go on forever about this but a lot has been said in these blogs. It really helped me to read about other peoples experiences. I think stopping is simple but the roots can be deep sometimes. I don't agree that is not addictive. I can also relate to people who can hardly fathom what they would do with themselves if they quit. I also feel that allowing medical marijuana sends a mixed message about the health hazards. I found a lot of studies that showed smoking from a vaporizer is the least damaging. I just want to ride my bike and not hack up a lung. I've already demonstrated to myself that I cannot moderate, so I must stop. I actually look forward to living more of my life "not-stoned" because at this point, Ive been stoned more years of my life than sober. Its not fair to me. Its not fair to my family. "It is our character that is determined not by what we say, but by our actions and behaviors, which makes us the people we are".
peace
October 9, 2008 3:09 AM
i smoked weed at least twice a day or more, getting really stoned everytime, usually went through about a quarter ounce of high grade a week, stopped completely cold turkey, no negative side effects, get some drive and quitting anything is easy, used to smoke hookah every day all day and i have no problem with tabacco addiction
October 10, 2008 1:00 PM
Ok woosh here goes! I am a 26.5 yr. old male. I smoke herbs... everyday for since I was 18. Just shy of a decade. I quit for like three months total over this time because of drug tests and it wasn't straight it was one month and then two. I am not quiting but I can empathize with all of you and would just like to add my two cents.
MJ is addictive mentally and physically. Mentally it really is about will power and where you are mentally. I find that if I am incredibly stressed and disadvantaged( like just getting out of jail or unemployed)I feel I must smoke. However when I am at peace and happy and busy like on vacation or accomplishing life goals it is much easier to quit.
What makes quiting so sticky is that part of the apparition MJ puts in your brain is that without MJ your whole life would make sense and be easy.This is a lie This is why many people here state they are starting yoga and doing all of these esoteric projects they are not likely to do for long. Its true you must substitute MJ for some other ritual inorder to fill the void in your life its just hard to pick a ritual out of a hat. I find that other drugs are by and large the easiest substitutes. When I first quit ,especially, I often substitute my addiction to MJ with cigars and tea or coffee. This is not perfect but can buy me a couple months.
This brings me to the physical addiction. MJ is physically addictive. However, it is a weak addiction as many have stated. The reason it makes such a large impression on users is that they are feeling coupled effects of mental and physical withdrawl, and also because they are unknowledgable. For example to stop insomnia all you have to do is take two benadryls or tylenol pm's your first two nights quiting. I am very sensative to MJ withdrawl. If I go cold turkey I lay awake literally THE WHOLE night not one minute of sleep for the first three days straight. However, if I take some form of dyphenhydramine (benadryl, antihistamine etc.) I can sleep during the whole withdrawl.
In terms of anxiety and dreams this is real. It is also true with all drugs and alchohol. Most addicts use drugs to numb or dull their mental processes. Thus, when they quit they experience rushes of emotions panic, passion, dreams, visions etc. This is your brain going crazy with all the excess neuro chemicals you have without MJ using it all up.
This is where my story gets personal. After my accute symptons are done i.e. one week or less of quiting. The dreams, the anxiety, and crazy emotions all cease completly and I return to the same psyche as when I was smoking i.e. no dreams. Even when I was a child I only had a few dreams. So my whole conclusion is yea during withdrawl you get crazy dreams but I would rather pay for mine so on that note I have like 30 minutes until I smoke my next blunt and end the day. With my own goddam dreams. With my own dreams that I bought, that I pulled out of the bag, that I rolled up, and that I smoked, and you know what? If you read this post tomorrow at the same time you already know what I am doing and I'm gonna be like that till the end of my days. Good luck to all and hope you all find your approriate places mmmkay
October 11, 2008 8:12 PM
I am a 22 year old male and have been a stoner since the age of 13. Pot and cigarettes went hand in hand for many years; I'm not really sure which one I picked up first. I made the decision to quit smoking cigarettes last December, and will celebrate 1 year smoke-free on the 28th. My decision to quit the pot was somewhat of a difficult one. My reasons are personal, and are not influenced by anyone else; yet I found it 10x easier to quit ciggs than to drop the pot. I was smoking anywhere between 1/4oz - 1/2oz every 2 days, which is alot even for a seasoned stoner. It's been 8 days since I smoked my last joint and I can still feel my body changing, getting clean. My symptoms include insomnia, nightmares, coldsweats, upset bowels/stomach, depression and irratability to name a few. I've noticed that allthough I feel like shit mentaly, I am looking better physicaly - my complexion is much clearer than before, and I have put a few pounds onto my skinny frame. I've been drinking ALOT of green tea and water, along with taking long, hot showers to help my body get rid of any toxins/tar/whatever shit is in there. I'm glad I found this blog and that many others are sharing what they've been through. It's good to know that I'm not the only one who wants to better themselves, and that I'm not the only one going through this odeal.
October 13, 2008 12:32 AM
Thank you so much for making this post! I just found it on google. I'm 22 and I've been smoking regularly for the past 3 years. Luckily, this past year I've been gradually coming to my senses and growing sick of the redundancy of my pot habit and I've been off and on this year, but I'm finally ready to kick it for serious now. Hopefully I will be starting a new job soon that will enable me the lifestyle change I need to forget about it all together. Smoking pot has turned me into a paranoid, unmotivated, excuse making, depressed, insecure person... even when I am off it for a short time I can see changes so I'm hoping that I now have the courage to stop for good and see myself come back to normal all the way :)
October 26, 2008 10:16 PM
I am a 31 year old female who has been smoking since age 14. For a long time I dated a stoner and never had my own stash, so I guess I didn't even realize how much I smoked b/c I never had to pay for it. I am an artist and always think that smoking weed makes me more creative, and in some ways it is cool, I get crazy ideas and feel free. But in the end I think my work has suffered and I'm not actually seeing things thru or finishing projects. That said, I have managed to keep my use to a bowl once a day, which many on this blog might think is nothing. But I want to say that even a tiny bit, if you think you "need it" and feel anxious without it, scraping the bowl, calling up smoker friends "to hang out", wondering when the next score will be, thats addiction. At lest for me it is. I use weed to deal with anxiety and depression. Everytime I try to quit, I find my self in tears, at work, in public places. I love how weed makes me feel, its like a friend. Except that its not a friend. Its keeping me sick and I hate the idea that I have to have it. I can't apply for a job with a drug test. I can't even think about having foster children, which I always thought was my dream to do. I guess I should probably be on anti depressant meds but I dont have insurance so I treat weed like medicine. Last night I watched episodes of VHI Celebrity Rehab. Its a real eye opener. My point in posting this comment is to say that even small amounts used everyday can be a problem for some people. I am not clean now, but after reading this blog, I hope I can start. Thanks everyone, Try to be happy. Everythings gonna be ok.
October 31, 2008 11:39 AM
i am a 43 year old female marijuana heavy smoker i have smoked over 20 years i get very depressed and sweat a lot when i quit i have never gone over 5 days without weed i have tried water extra sleep vitamins but nothing seems to work i guess age and the length of time you have used has something to do with if you can quit
November 9, 2008 1:22 PM
I'm a 39 year old female who quit smoking pot several months ago because I am trying to get into a hospital clinical training program. My problem is that my husband is a daily user and smokes in the house. I'm worried that I will test positive from second hand smoke. Does anyone have this kind of experience?
December 6, 2008 12:40 AM
Some people like pot, and some people loooooove it. I am the latter. I am 39 years old and I have been smoking daily and constantly since I started. I have quit before, for six months or a year at a time, but then I am right back to it, sometimes smoking even more than before. When I quit, I am irratable and anxious for the first week, with restless sleep and horrible dreams, but that stuff goes away. However, even a year after quitting, I still crave smoking, a lot! I smoked the last of my bag yesterday (man that was some good stuff) and today I am having a bad day. Work, while not stoned? How is this possible? I guess I will drink a lot of water, exercise, read, sleep a lot, eat right, and try not to have a serious meltdown and annoy people. I never liked coke, acid, alcohol, but pot has always been my best friend. I am a bad asthmatic so my smoking has caused a lot of breathing problems. I bought a vaporizor recently, a Volcano, and the idea was to only vaporize my weed and all of my problems would go away. I didn't like inhaling vapor - I missed my bong. So, I packed away the $500 vaporizer and got out the old bong, and was back to doing what I have been doing for most of my life. Honestly, I feel that I am not happy smoking it, and I am not happy not smoking it. It has been a real bitch for me. I am sick of resin on my fingers and lips, I am tired of coughing, and I am tired of having to deal with lazy pot dealers for my happiness. My kids have been taking a backseat to my smoking for a long time, and I am sick of that. I know my 8 year old has smelled it on me numerous times - she isn't dumb.
Congrats to everyone who has successfully quit and has found their lives again - I hope that happens to me.
January 7, 2009 9:40 AM
I'm 19 and I think I just realised that what I'm feeling may be detox. I started smoking green when I was 12/13 socially, then only occasionally until I left school. When I came to University, it started socially until one day I realised I was sitting in my room absolutely baked on my own and doing this before lectures first thing in the morning and bailing out of my lectures early to go for a smoke. Last year I had an extreme heavy period and didnt leave the flat much. I was ill with severe tonsillitus for 3 weeks and missed exams (which luckily due to a doctors note I have been able to sit). This is when I stopped smoking, mainly due to lack of money. This was followed by an extreme mental breakdown with insomnia, panic attacks, stress rashes, extreme anger, lack of sense of reality etc which led to me staying in my room for about a month. I would occasionally attempt to eat (a friend visited frequently as I was suicidal) but at one point did not eat anything at all for more than a week. I would even make food then put it directly in the bin. I eventually came round (as much as possible) from this and started to go out again. So...I started smoking again and have been for the last year. Its January again so exam time. I figured I needed to get my head straight as I would literally sit watching tv and smoking for days on end which obviously isnt very productive. My first exam is in 5 days and I have a 2000 word report due for 3 days after that. Yesterday I felt off but still smoked some (what I had left). I woke up today feeling terrible at around 2.30pm after a restless night. My throat hurts and my whole body feels like its dying. I have been feeling like I'm going to vomit all day. Perhaps I truly am ill...or maybe im detoxing, I can't be sure. Either way, I cant concentrate, and I'm panicking. I haven't been going to uni so I need to learn everything from scratch. Hopefully this won't develop into anything as serious as before.
January 11, 2009 10:06 AM
I'm 21 and i have been smoking for the last 5 yrs, every day and quite heavily. my life has sunk to an all time low, i became anti-soical, craving pot more than conpanionship.....after a recent break down, and the end of an important relationship i have decided to quit.
it is only day one and all i can think about is smoking, boredem is my biggest hurdle when i've tried quitting in the past. this time i'm trying for good.
January 15, 2009 12:15 AM
over the span of 7 years or so i have smoked for a year, stopped for 1 yr and a half, then picked up again for a year then clean for 3 yrs, then one year of pot. I am in debt a few more thousands on credit,
still have a job, living but not really advancing, just chillin, whole lot of hangin and chillin,
you gotta get on with it sometimes, I think i just was having trouble deciding what was the next step career wise, and well the pot helped me go on exploratory journeys to find what i wanted to do. I ve decided to go back to school and get a graduate degree. So that takes focus and commitment, two things that dont jive too well for me with the ganga. Perhaps abstaining for the 3 yrs tought me about control. The real issue is mental. So the decision is to smoke what i got and deal with the withdrawals, the main thing is sleeping, and not pissin people off. Get off of it and get on with my life.
January 16, 2009 12:21 AM
I AM A POT HEAD!!! now that that is out of the way detox is not hard at all the easy way is to not be arround it at all. THC is a chemical and like all chemicals it has reaction with other chemicals, so when it enters our blood and gets to our brain it causes a reaction. now that we all understand that I can continue, I have smoked every day since I was 13 years old when I started taking it from my father. when I was 21 I got a job working as an airframe and powerplant mechanic. if you dont know what that is its an airplane mechanic I recieved a piss test every 2 weeks sometimes sooner so I had to quit smoking I quit cold turkey and dint smoke for 5 years after that and what I did is tried not to be arround it tried not to think of it chewed gum like a crack feind and ate twice as much but if you Have to quit I suggest quitting something else like quit drinking or quit cigs dont participate in the activities that would let you think of it stay away from peer presure Your mind is the strongest weapon that you will ever use and it will try to fool you but dont let it be stronger than the fealings that you will experience. I have since changed careers and continue to smoke all day every day without incident it cost me some personal relationships and a few good pieces of ass but hey I have fun GOOD LUCK!
January 21, 2009 1:09 PM
420.Freindly..I've been a massive cron smokin some of Canada's finest bud for 3 plus years. I read about some guy in the states whos been smokin mouldy shwaggs for a long time..that would make me wanna quit 4sho..so anyways i am not even 18. I am worried about what it has done to the development of my brain. Like could i be having clearer thoughts. I don't think so but who really knows. I've recently slowed down because of family and school related problems due to this so called "drug". My mom will only let me live at home under the recent condition that she will take random piss tests. I quit 4 a couple or 3 weeks and then read some shit bout how to beat a piss test while still smokin daily..ahah so basically now i play the waiting game till the 1st..wish me luck cause im pretty much a thc factory.
ps. that last blog blew my mind..buddy quit for 5 years then jus got right back into it and his life prolly sucks again..after bein so rank i realized its not bout being high for everything where i got to a point wher i had to smoke to feel normal. I refer to this as the point of no return. NOBODY should ever smoke that much i use to think u couldnt smoke too much then i stopped getting high and thats what inspired me to slow things down. Its all bout moderation and i wish i woulda know this prior to my huge pot smoking rampage. DONT let this shit take over ur life cause u wont no until after u quit. I feel like an old man preaching but its the truth.
peace out.
January 25, 2009 6:39 PM
It really has not been that hard for me. I am 19 and been a toker for 3 and a half solid years now. Smoking almost everyday, with a period of at least a year and a half of smoking everyday. The main reason I found myself smoking was depression. It ate away at me and the only escape I knew was to blast the tunes and blaze the trees. Having gotten to the root emotional problem of my depression, I have found myself happier and more active than ever. This new positive, love directed, way of life has really been my main motivator to quit - there is no need to get high on weed, get high on how stellar life is! The biggest hurdle I am finiding now in quitting marijuana is boredom. There are times that I just have no idea what to do with myself. I feel that by smoking a joint it will open me up to doing so much more - but I have to remember all that usually happens is I sit and listen to music for a few hours, think about a lot, and maybe, if I am lucky, have an epiphany or two. While already living an extremely healthy lifestyle - working out 4 to 5 times a week, eating as close to a raw diet as I can get and only just gettin ginto including meditation in a daily practice, perhaps this is the main cause of a lack of difficulty. Again, the only enemy for me is boredom. It sinks in and I just cannot shake it. I start questioning everything and all that makes sense is to toke. I just have to remind myself, do I really need it, or am I just wanting it?
Wish me luck for the rest of the way. 4 weeks is the goal, then 8 weeks from there.
January 25, 2009 10:01 PM
I'm 44 years old...I've been smoking since I was 20...Pot was my drug of choice. I decided New Years eve that I would quit for good...since I'm older now. I don't want to wake up one day and find out I have lung cancer or whatever. Also...as much as I love it...I feel like I havent been really "living" my life...I've been drug free now for 27 days...I feel alot better physically...but I'm depressed alot...I call it the "blahs"...I do drink a couple beers here and there which makes me feel better...but not trying to replace one drug with another...so I'm being careful with that...it's tough...but I'm the type of person that when I smoke once...I'm doing it everyday. I'm gonna try to keep this up though. If anybody out there is going thru the same stuff....and want to talk...e-mail me at J.Rock16@live.com...:)
January 27, 2009 7:55 PM
For those of you who think Marijuana is not addictive....that's bull...it may not be physically addictive...but it is psychologically addictive...take it from me....I've been smoking for over 20 yrs.
January 27, 2009 8:00 PM
This detox is horrible for me I sleep to much i have no desire to eat and i am constinitly feeling like shit but this blog has helped me when ever i feel the desire to smoke i read an entree here and it helps a little. I have had insomnia like crazy. I feel just plain sick from it. But i feel that this is something i can beat hopfully. Thanks to everyone that has posted here wioth their experinces its really helped.
-S
February 10, 2009 1:16 PM
Hello. I am a 35 year old woman who has been smoking daily for 9 years. I have decided to quit because I want to get pregnant, but I am very worried about how I am going to do this. I tried to not smoke yesterday and I felt like I was having a combination of a meltdown/anxiety attack. Pot has been very helpful for me emotionally, I am a highly successful person business-wise, and I've always been high functioning in every sense. I don't find pot interferes with my life in any way, it just helps me be a calmer, happier version of myself. I've had depression issues in the past, and pot helps me be calm and content on a daily basis, and in particular helps me with anxiety and insomnia.
Any advice as to how long I should quit smoking before becoming pregnant? Doctors are NO HELP. If you mention you smoke pot, they act like it's as bad as cocaine or heroin. I am so sick of not being able to get a true medical response. My biggest concern with smoking is any toxins it may have from pesticides used on it...I do believe that pot itself is natural and not as harmful as doctors play it out to be. (But that's just a sidenote...really, I just want to make sure I have a healthy baby and don't do it any harm). One last question...any detox solutions/herbal medicines that might help get pot out of my system quicker?
February 20, 2009 8:42 AM
I'd like to thank all sharing their experiances. I'm a 35 year old male who's smoked for around 20 years. I'm returning back to study soon and want to give my brain the best opportunity to operate. I've been off the Grass for around 6 days with my own share of drama's. The most prominent would have to be the dreams. I've never been a violent sort or encouraged it in any way but last nights dreams where full of incrediable rage I never knew existed within myself. Sure I woke up with sweating and feeling uncomfortable but that I can deal with. I'm fit and generally active enough, eat and drink well but would like to speed up the extraction of the drug in my system. I've read a few good tips on this blog but can someone suggest anything radical? Perhaps valium?
February 21, 2009 1:30 AM
im a 17 year old boy and ive been smokin the magical herb everyday for about 4 years now. what can i say, i love it man. its just a natural thing. grows from the earth. how can it be called a drug? it hasnt affected me in many ways at all although loads of people say im real skinny and i reckon it could be cos of the weed. my fitness is still good. im a happy person most of the time.. but when i dont smoke weed for a few days i get angry. stil tho, long live the herb. u only live one life. so we might as well enjoy it.. stay high people..
March 2, 2009 5:37 PM
Thank you all for your comments. They have been more helpful to me than anything else I have read. My husband has been smoking heavily for 30+ years.
I have threatened to leave him many times for this and recently decided that I would follow through because I am tired of living with an addict and the emotional roller coaster that it involves. I'm tired of my kids having to deal with it too. Always walking on eggshells around dad because he might explode in rage, or just not even care.
It isn't about the pot. It is about his inability to deal with reality. If it were a once-in-a-while thing, I wouldn't have this decision to make. But to have to check out constantly of the life you share with other people hurts them. It makes them feel like they are alone in the relationship. It makes kids afraid of what personality they are going to run into today.
He promised to quit cold turkey but I think he is still smoking. He thinks he is hiding it from me. I don't think he can stop.
You all are very brave to battle all the things it takes to stop being addicted to pot. I appreciate your stories. And I wanted to thank you all for helping me understand how addictive this drug can be. My husband can't get there, or doesn't want to. And he is about to lose a lot because of it.
Good luck to you all!
March 5, 2009 11:52 AM
Hey, I'm detoxing too. My legs itch more now, is that a common detox symptom? I've had that before, mainly during wintertime so hopefully it's just that. But if anyone has any insight I'd like to know.
March 10, 2009 9:32 PM
I am 45 years old and have been a daily pot smoker since age 16. I do think pot does have many medicinal medical uses to comfort people who suffer from cancer, etc.I also believe people should have the freedom to choose whether to light up or not. I have 2 days clean today, I am restless,irritable and discontent.Not sleeping well,angry,confused,night sweats,headaches,loose stools,etc.I realized my brain and body has established a relationship with these chemicals due to overuse over the years. It will take some time to pass. I must be proactive to exercise,eat health, whole grain bread,veggies,drink lemon water,vit.c,vit b,and if I need sleep take Tylenol PM or an antihistamine.The feelings of inadequacy,anxiety,etc I realize will come and go,these are not facts but feelings,these to will slowly dissipate,(1999 I had 11 months clean) and felt great,but in a moment of weakness picked up and off to the races once again. Here I am 10 years later, 2 days clean,I have received a lot of helpful info from some of you and good luck to you all! Hey, if this was easy everyone could do it.
March 19, 2009 4:35 PM
I'm a 33 year old female with a family history of depression. I've tried to take different types of anti-depressants, gone to many different counselors and talked to many of my loved ones about my mental addiction. Currently, I'm on Day 8 of detoxing after almost 15 years of daily use (morning, noon and night). I was down to 1 gram a day before going cold turkey. I've tried to quit many times before but the depression, anger and anxiety were too overwhelming. With the mental discomfort, I often have suicidal thoughts when I try to quit smoking.
I've been dating a non-pot smoker for 8 years now. It kills him to see me go through this vicious cycle of (albeit) mental addition. A few years back I promised him I will no longer talk about my suicidal thoughts. Instead, I go back to smoking to eliminate this feeling of despair. I figure it's better to be alive and smoking than the alternative I continue to contemplate while detoxing.
Even if it's all psychological in origin; physical withdrawl systems are clearly present. Night sweats, loss of appetite, vivid dreams of happily smoking all make me want to go back to my old ways.
I quite a few months back for 4 weeks. Then, PMS set in and back to the bong I went.
I really want to have a baby, but only if I can become sober and mentally stable for a while (at least 8 - 10 months). In school, I was a good student and in the working world, I'm a reliable team player with strong attention to detail. I do not seem to possess the stereotypical stoner personality traits. When I get high, I feel I have an increased ability to prioritize, concentrate and my physical endurance is increased. Now all I want to do is cry and sleep.
My current goal is to make it past 4 weeks so I can regain control of my mind and ultimately my body. Thank you to all who posted tips on how to minimize the withdrawl symptoms. It's very reassuring to hear I'm not alone and that it will get better. :)
April 12, 2009 3:32 PM
This is the most useful blog out there on quitting smoking marijuana, I appreciate this site, and it is comforting to hear people going through or who have gone through what I feel. I'm on day 1.... I use to smoke an eight every couple days, tried to go cold turkey, relapsed. Now I cut back recently (very very hard for me) to about a gram each day and now think it will be easier to quit because I feel how much less THC I have in my body just from cutting down. I'll check back later and update my status when I have reached a respectable milestone. Thanks to all who posted.
April 30, 2009 7:57 AM
Hi you all. Thank you for sharing your stories. I'm 45 and have been smoking pot pretty much daily since 17, except for three years - pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, nursing. I was super-motivated to quit because of my baby, but I couldn't wait to start again as soon as I weaned my son. I'm the fittest person at the gym, I'm a super-successful lawyer and I'm involved in all kinds of exciting activities from dawn to dusk. I've even taken those reaction tests and received the very highest scores; I wrote my law school exams while high! My eyes don't get red and I don't get the munchies. The only downside for me (besides the social stigma)is the damage I believe I may be doing to my lungs. So, even though I feel it's really beneficial for me in a lot of ways, I'm anxious about my usage, which has increased over the years, and the harm it may be causing. The difficulty I have quitting is that my husband gets medical marijuana, so we have an unlimited, free supply of excellent quality government-approved weed delivered by courier to our house whenever we want - up to 5 ounces a month. It's always around me and it's always super-duper. I've had no problem quitting whenever we've left the country for vacations - the distractions, the fun, the no-supply - all of this makes it easy for me to quit...temporarily. But as soon as I return to my daily routine, with all the stresses of my work and parenting a now-teenager, I instantly start up again. Lately, I've been concerned because I've had a chronic cough for five months now. Although I love the smell, I can't risk anyone finding out I'm constantly high, so my greatest anxiety is someone smelling it on me. I want to set a good example for my son and feel like a complete hypocrite telling him not to use drugs and then sneaking off for my fix. Somehow, I've managed to hide the fact that I smoke all day long from him...I've learned every trick in the book to keep my secret from being exposed. But the bottom line is...I hate being dependent on a drug and feeling like I need it to make everything better. I want so badly to be in control of my choices. I miss having dreams, as I view them as spiritual guides. I know that being a stoner has caused me to sometimes avoid people or situations that don't support my addiction, and I've made others uncomfortable when I have revealed my passion for weed. I hate feeling like a fraud. Others seem to be able to get through life straight and narrow and I'm frustrated that I've come to rely on this wonderful, magical, natural, powerful herb, as though it's the most important component for getting through the day. I've stopped smoking for five days now...at home...no vacation, no fun. Work has never been more stressful and I've been having huge mood swings. Every minute is a struggle not to light up a joint and have the anxiety and angst dissipate with one toke. I hate myself right now for wanting to quit so badly and for feeling so desperate for one more joint. I'm crying all the time. I can't focus; my thoughts are scattered. It's tough to finish a sentence sometimes. I don't know if I can handle having pot around me all the time and not smoking it. I love pot; I always will. I wish to God it didn't have this effect on me.
May 22, 2009 7:37 PM
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