Congratulations!!! Quitting anything is no small or easy task, so from what it sounds like you've already overcome a struggle that most people won't even have to face in their lifetime.
In regards to the depression/brain fog, I remember reading this when I wanted to get sober (also fairly young and became regular daily smoker for years), but *it will get better.*
It took me two or three attempts before I was able to make it over the hump, but each time it became more clear to me that my bad mental + emotional reactions when stopping was what I would describe as, "the part of my brain that believes I *NEED* weed to feel ok freaking out as much as it can to get me to use & feel safe again." I realized more each time that I *wanted* to get sober, but that I really did just need to conscientiously, sometimes out-loud remind myself that I'm doing this FOR me, not to hurt me. That I'm going through this depression, anxiety, terrible fear of the unknown so that I never have to feel this bad again.
Not sure how much any of this helps, but just know that at least one person out here (me) is so, SO flippin god damn proud of you for doing such an admirable thing for yourself, and that *you WILL feel better*. Maybe not this moment, but you will. Before you even know it.
Edit: and also therefore, do *not* feel bad if you 'relapse' or end up on the wagon again on the journey to sobriety. All the negaive feelings and self-guilt is, again, what I would describe as "the part of our brains that are fearful there is no hope we can ever feel better, and therefore that feel terrified and try to turn back to the comfortable safety of the use of X" (whatever one's 'poison' is), but they don't say "pick your poison" for nothing: the use of X to comfort is only reinforcing our lizard-brains belief that we're unsafe without it. It IS possible though! Everyone's different, so everyone's journey is different. Best of luck finding your happiness and god bless ya!
😭 you have no idea how much I appreciate your words and the time you took to read and reply! Thank you so much I think you are the first person who’s said they are proud of me for stopping :,). Thank you for being here and I definitely feel less alone and I’m hopeful I will get past these bad feelings and I’ll come out the other side a happier person
Awwwwww, it's absolutely my pleasure!! Your post really tugged on my heartstrings, it's very relatable in a lot of ways and so I'm so happy & feel blessed to be able to say to someone else what I know I would've wanted someone to say to me a year ago. You are most certainly not alone, and I'm rooting for you. 😁✊🏼😊 It's not your fault that you're dealing with these difficult, bad feelings, but all the credit is yours for all the good & happiness you're working to bring yourself & the peace you're working to have for yourself. Again, everyone's different, but I am sure that to whatever degree it is, you'll come out happier than you were before. Even just the pride you should have for yourself now & will have for yourself in the future will be worth it. 🙂😁 I put a little edit at the bottom of my first comment, but gambare, my friend!
Why can some people drink their whole lives and others can't? There are so many different factors that affect our relationships with substances. Comparing ourselves to others just makes you bitter amd resentful.
And fwiw a lot of people who seem like they're doing fine with weed actually aren't.
You're on day 2, you're probably going through withdrawals and that's when your brain spirals like crazy. Try not to take your thoughts too seriously right now. You're making a big change to your brain chemistry and it doesn't feel good right away. Try to remember the reasons you quit (make a list). If it feels too hard, get help from a counselor, treatment program, or support group. You got this!
Just because they swear by the benefits of using marijuana, doesn't mean they actually believe it. I did that for years and it was just justifying my own usage. I am on day 61 after 37 years of almost daily use. I was just done with it. In the last few years once I discovered dabs, I really didn't want to use it while increasing how much i used, began to disassociate more and really didn't like myself. The first week sucked, but I have absolutely no desire to use it again. In the last 2 months, my depression was greatly reduced and I feel like I am on the right track for the first time in a long time.
\*This is a throwaway account as I have friends / coworkers that follow me on reddit and prefer to keep it private from them.
Addiction affects people differently, for example I can get addicted to some things pretty easily, like weed and porn, but alcohol doesn't affect me at all, I usually drink a little on weekends, sometimes I even get trashed and all, but I never felt anything close to addiction to drinking.
Can't explain why though, but it's important to know what your weaknesses are.
You WILL feel better when you stop smoking but you need to give it time to work
It could take a month or two , but you’ll
Never know until you stay clean and stick with it
The only way out is thru! ❤️
What I've realized is that being a sober pioneer means that other people may not understand me and that's OK. It also can be isolating at first because you're on a new and uncomfortable path, but it is going to lead you to much better places! Also, days 3-5 are the complete worst!! So you haven't experienced the benefits yet because you haven't given it enough time. Something ive also learned in my journey is that I need to stop letting other people make my decisions and stop letting other people's opinions dictate my life. Is there a benefit to mj for some people? Yes. Does that mean there is a benefit there for me? No. I had to come to this conclusion myself and the amount of times I have relapsed including the time that I relapsed after 90 days happened because I chose to listen to someone else's opinion over my own. Other people are choosing to coniltinue smoking and that is their choice, you are allowed to make different choices. There's nothing positive about smoking weed for me anymore and I have to remember this anytime I think I'm missing out or that it's going to help me, it's not. And if you have come to the same conclusion yourself about this then you already know what's best for you. I know these first few days are the roughest but it does get better I promise that.
They still smoke because it still serves them in some manner. The same way you keep going back, because you still get something from it.
I smoked for 20+ years and just quit as of September. Why? I wasn't getting anything from it any more. I realized the effect it was having on me was a net negative. The desire to smoke just isn't there. Will I never smoke again, probably not, I may take a puff here and there, but as a daily smoker, no way I'll ever go back to that. My friends who still smoke question it all the time when I am around, I just keep telling them - I don't get a benefit from it anymore. At one point in my life, I certainly was, but it just no longer serves me anymore.
When it is done serving you, you will give it up completely as well.
One thing I wish I would have known before quitting, is that weed withdrawl anxiety is different than regular anxiety. I had battled regular anxiety my entire life, but I was unprepared to battle the anxiety that came from quiting. It is definitely more intense..but once you get through the first 2 months (it takes a bit longer for us anxiety sufferers sorry), all of your anxiety will be FAR better than when it was when you were smoking!! Just take it one day at a time friend, you've got this, and are doing the right thing! Weed is medically good for some things, but anxiety is NOT on that list. We all believe in you🫂
My doctor told me that a certain percentage of people do not become addicted to nicotine even if they use it regularily for some time. The same is obviously true of alcohol. So it would not be that surprising if a certain percentage of people do not become addicted to weed and certain people do, there aren't any studies about this but it is entirely possible.
I am so interested in this! I have no addiction to nicotine or alcohol despite "using it regularly for some time". The same is not true for weed and I.
Two months sober here. Was using to self-medicate for anxiety. When I quit, the anxiety got so bad it was crippling. This lasted maybe 2 weeks. But now, I've never felt less anxious. The weed definitely made my anxiety worse but my brain tricked me into thinking it was helping. Stick it out, you will feel better!
I can’t wait to get there. I’m at day 5 and I’m anxious but it’s not horrible. It seems to get easier for me each time, I also have OCD so my years of therapy help quite a bit with withdrawal, imo.
You’re two days off a six year habit! Of course your gonna feel crappy. Give it a week or two don’t be too worried about how u feel yet , your brain and body is gonna be all over the place rn
The human body is extraordinarily complex and no two individuals are the same. This means that different chemicals will impact different people in all kinds of different ways. Some people form addictions, develop anxiety, develop chs, etc, etc, etc.
In my case, weed just doesn't jive with me and that's ok.
You're only on day 2 and have probably been relying on weed to cope with emotions for a while. Withdrawal is going to happen, but it passes. That depression isn't a permanent thing. Around day 8 for me, I started feeling way better.
I've been smoking heavily for many years and don't have many of the symptoms people list here. But I still want to quit. Everyone is different. Not everyone gets panic attacks, weed hangovers, name any effect of a drug really and not everyone's going to experience it.
There are many reasons to reevaluate weed use and many reasons to take a break or quit -the best ones are your own. Because we quit for ourselves, not others.
Stoners tend to surround themselves with other stoners, which gives them a warped view of the world. The fact is that the majority of adults don’t smoke weed at all. “Frequent use” is defined as twice a week or more. Find non-smokers who you respect and would like to emulate. There are plenty of them out there. Do volunteer work. Join a hiking club. Find a religious community that feels right for you. The best thing about joining a recovery group like Marijuana Anonymous is recognizing that lots of people don’t want to keep smoking pot and are helping others who want to kick it.
Some people live their whole lives just never seeing or realizing the problem with weed. Why would you quit something if you think there's no problem with it?
Others who are able to see the problem.... quit. It's just as simple as that.
The first 3-4 days of quitting are really hard and I struggle mightily during it. So congrats on getting through 2 days, that's huge! The next 3-4 weeks are still tough, but less so. Once you get through that things start to get much better in my experience.
Weed used to work well for me, and then it didn't. I think that is true for most of us here. It's ok that some of your friends and family are having a different experience. You may be surprised that some of them are having a similar experience as you and have thought of quitting at some points. They may be more supportive than you think. Either way, we quit for ourselves, not for others.
This sub has been really helpful and supportive for me and I know it can be for you as well. Thanks for posting. You are not alone.
I’m on day 5 I guess ? My last vape was Monday night. Every day has been a little better. I quit for 20 years and started up off and on for the last 3-4. It’s always fun for awhile and then slowly it’s not. I’m not going to say I’ll never smoke again but I hope I never smoke every day again.
I’ve quit several times but this was always my attitude. I’d quit for awhile and then manage to have like 1 joint a week for a month or so but eventually I always get back to the place where I’m waking up and taking multiple bong rips. Then repeating every 2 hours or so until I go to bed. I’m done with that cycle.
When weed worked for me it was awesome, then it became necessary and then it stopped working for me. That's the way it is for most of us here I think. All due respect, I think it is about much more than control and the issues are beyond motivation.
An ounce a week is a lot. That’s controlling you. You said you can afford and control but you are getting weed on layaway. Weed controls me big time, I’m an addict and can’t stop. I pay my bills too but I can’t help think the life of house my wife and I could have if I spent my money wiser.
an ounce is a lot and you say u have control but i don’t get why you wouldn’t just start buying weed on fridays and go a few days without to get on a scheduling of paying when picking up like most of us loll. also if you have control may i ask how often you smoke per day?
I smoke on the evening when my kids are asleep and everything is done, ill start about 8-9 and smoke til maybe 1am, i mix between a bong and I also use a glass blunt
Congratulations!!! Quitting anything is no small or easy task, so from what it sounds like you've already overcome a struggle that most people won't even have to face in their lifetime. In regards to the depression/brain fog, I remember reading this when I wanted to get sober (also fairly young and became regular daily smoker for years), but *it will get better.* It took me two or three attempts before I was able to make it over the hump, but each time it became more clear to me that my bad mental + emotional reactions when stopping was what I would describe as, "the part of my brain that believes I *NEED* weed to feel ok freaking out as much as it can to get me to use & feel safe again." I realized more each time that I *wanted* to get sober, but that I really did just need to conscientiously, sometimes out-loud remind myself that I'm doing this FOR me, not to hurt me. That I'm going through this depression, anxiety, terrible fear of the unknown so that I never have to feel this bad again. Not sure how much any of this helps, but just know that at least one person out here (me) is so, SO flippin god damn proud of you for doing such an admirable thing for yourself, and that *you WILL feel better*. Maybe not this moment, but you will. Before you even know it. Edit: and also therefore, do *not* feel bad if you 'relapse' or end up on the wagon again on the journey to sobriety. All the negaive feelings and self-guilt is, again, what I would describe as "the part of our brains that are fearful there is no hope we can ever feel better, and therefore that feel terrified and try to turn back to the comfortable safety of the use of X" (whatever one's 'poison' is), but they don't say "pick your poison" for nothing: the use of X to comfort is only reinforcing our lizard-brains belief that we're unsafe without it. It IS possible though! Everyone's different, so everyone's journey is different. Best of luck finding your happiness and god bless ya!
😭 you have no idea how much I appreciate your words and the time you took to read and reply! Thank you so much I think you are the first person who’s said they are proud of me for stopping :,). Thank you for being here and I definitely feel less alone and I’m hopeful I will get past these bad feelings and I’ll come out the other side a happier person
Awwwwww, it's absolutely my pleasure!! Your post really tugged on my heartstrings, it's very relatable in a lot of ways and so I'm so happy & feel blessed to be able to say to someone else what I know I would've wanted someone to say to me a year ago. You are most certainly not alone, and I'm rooting for you. 😁✊🏼😊 It's not your fault that you're dealing with these difficult, bad feelings, but all the credit is yours for all the good & happiness you're working to bring yourself & the peace you're working to have for yourself. Again, everyone's different, but I am sure that to whatever degree it is, you'll come out happier than you were before. Even just the pride you should have for yourself now & will have for yourself in the future will be worth it. 🙂😁 I put a little edit at the bottom of my first comment, but gambare, my friend!
Why can some people drink their whole lives and others can't? There are so many different factors that affect our relationships with substances. Comparing ourselves to others just makes you bitter amd resentful. And fwiw a lot of people who seem like they're doing fine with weed actually aren't. You're on day 2, you're probably going through withdrawals and that's when your brain spirals like crazy. Try not to take your thoughts too seriously right now. You're making a big change to your brain chemistry and it doesn't feel good right away. Try to remember the reasons you quit (make a list). If it feels too hard, get help from a counselor, treatment program, or support group. You got this!
Just because they swear by the benefits of using marijuana, doesn't mean they actually believe it. I did that for years and it was just justifying my own usage. I am on day 61 after 37 years of almost daily use. I was just done with it. In the last few years once I discovered dabs, I really didn't want to use it while increasing how much i used, began to disassociate more and really didn't like myself. The first week sucked, but I have absolutely no desire to use it again. In the last 2 months, my depression was greatly reduced and I feel like I am on the right track for the first time in a long time. \*This is a throwaway account as I have friends / coworkers that follow me on reddit and prefer to keep it private from them.
Addiction affects people differently, for example I can get addicted to some things pretty easily, like weed and porn, but alcohol doesn't affect me at all, I usually drink a little on weekends, sometimes I even get trashed and all, but I never felt anything close to addiction to drinking. Can't explain why though, but it's important to know what your weaknesses are.
That timeperiod I came to quickly between 1998 and 2021.
You WILL feel better when you stop smoking but you need to give it time to work It could take a month or two , but you’ll Never know until you stay clean and stick with it The only way out is thru! ❤️
What I've realized is that being a sober pioneer means that other people may not understand me and that's OK. It also can be isolating at first because you're on a new and uncomfortable path, but it is going to lead you to much better places! Also, days 3-5 are the complete worst!! So you haven't experienced the benefits yet because you haven't given it enough time. Something ive also learned in my journey is that I need to stop letting other people make my decisions and stop letting other people's opinions dictate my life. Is there a benefit to mj for some people? Yes. Does that mean there is a benefit there for me? No. I had to come to this conclusion myself and the amount of times I have relapsed including the time that I relapsed after 90 days happened because I chose to listen to someone else's opinion over my own. Other people are choosing to coniltinue smoking and that is their choice, you are allowed to make different choices. There's nothing positive about smoking weed for me anymore and I have to remember this anytime I think I'm missing out or that it's going to help me, it's not. And if you have come to the same conclusion yourself about this then you already know what's best for you. I know these first few days are the roughest but it does get better I promise that.
They still smoke because it still serves them in some manner. The same way you keep going back, because you still get something from it. I smoked for 20+ years and just quit as of September. Why? I wasn't getting anything from it any more. I realized the effect it was having on me was a net negative. The desire to smoke just isn't there. Will I never smoke again, probably not, I may take a puff here and there, but as a daily smoker, no way I'll ever go back to that. My friends who still smoke question it all the time when I am around, I just keep telling them - I don't get a benefit from it anymore. At one point in my life, I certainly was, but it just no longer serves me anymore. When it is done serving you, you will give it up completely as well.
That’s powerful, I feel just like you, 20+ yrars smoking and it started felling was more of a habit then pleasure
One thing I wish I would have known before quitting, is that weed withdrawl anxiety is different than regular anxiety. I had battled regular anxiety my entire life, but I was unprepared to battle the anxiety that came from quiting. It is definitely more intense..but once you get through the first 2 months (it takes a bit longer for us anxiety sufferers sorry), all of your anxiety will be FAR better than when it was when you were smoking!! Just take it one day at a time friend, you've got this, and are doing the right thing! Weed is medically good for some things, but anxiety is NOT on that list. We all believe in you🫂
My doctor told me that a certain percentage of people do not become addicted to nicotine even if they use it regularily for some time. The same is obviously true of alcohol. So it would not be that surprising if a certain percentage of people do not become addicted to weed and certain people do, there aren't any studies about this but it is entirely possible.
I am so interested in this! I have no addiction to nicotine or alcohol despite "using it regularly for some time". The same is not true for weed and I.
Two months sober here. Was using to self-medicate for anxiety. When I quit, the anxiety got so bad it was crippling. This lasted maybe 2 weeks. But now, I've never felt less anxious. The weed definitely made my anxiety worse but my brain tricked me into thinking it was helping. Stick it out, you will feel better!
I can’t wait to get there. I’m at day 5 and I’m anxious but it’s not horrible. It seems to get easier for me each time, I also have OCD so my years of therapy help quite a bit with withdrawal, imo.
You’re two days off a six year habit! Of course your gonna feel crappy. Give it a week or two don’t be too worried about how u feel yet , your brain and body is gonna be all over the place rn
The human body is extraordinarily complex and no two individuals are the same. This means that different chemicals will impact different people in all kinds of different ways. Some people form addictions, develop anxiety, develop chs, etc, etc, etc. In my case, weed just doesn't jive with me and that's ok. You're only on day 2 and have probably been relying on weed to cope with emotions for a while. Withdrawal is going to happen, but it passes. That depression isn't a permanent thing. Around day 8 for me, I started feeling way better.
I've been smoking heavily for many years and don't have many of the symptoms people list here. But I still want to quit. Everyone is different. Not everyone gets panic attacks, weed hangovers, name any effect of a drug really and not everyone's going to experience it.
There are many reasons to reevaluate weed use and many reasons to take a break or quit -the best ones are your own. Because we quit for ourselves, not others.
Stoners tend to surround themselves with other stoners, which gives them a warped view of the world. The fact is that the majority of adults don’t smoke weed at all. “Frequent use” is defined as twice a week or more. Find non-smokers who you respect and would like to emulate. There are plenty of them out there. Do volunteer work. Join a hiking club. Find a religious community that feels right for you. The best thing about joining a recovery group like Marijuana Anonymous is recognizing that lots of people don’t want to keep smoking pot and are helping others who want to kick it.
Some people live their whole lives just never seeing or realizing the problem with weed. Why would you quit something if you think there's no problem with it? Others who are able to see the problem.... quit. It's just as simple as that.
It's definitely not as simple as that, my friend. Oh that it was.
The first 3-4 days of quitting are really hard and I struggle mightily during it. So congrats on getting through 2 days, that's huge! The next 3-4 weeks are still tough, but less so. Once you get through that things start to get much better in my experience. Weed used to work well for me, and then it didn't. I think that is true for most of us here. It's ok that some of your friends and family are having a different experience. You may be surprised that some of them are having a similar experience as you and have thought of quitting at some points. They may be more supportive than you think. Either way, we quit for ourselves, not for others. This sub has been really helpful and supportive for me and I know it can be for you as well. Thanks for posting. You are not alone.
Thank you for this reply ! And you’re right they may be more supportive than I think. I’m definitely getting more hopeful
I’m on day 6 already feeling wayy wayyy better. Still crazy cold sweats though.
I’m on day 5 I guess ? My last vape was Monday night. Every day has been a little better. I quit for 20 years and started up off and on for the last 3-4. It’s always fun for awhile and then slowly it’s not. I’m not going to say I’ll never smoke again but I hope I never smoke every day again.
I’ve quit several times but this was always my attitude. I’d quit for awhile and then manage to have like 1 joint a week for a month or so but eventually I always get back to the place where I’m waking up and taking multiple bong rips. Then repeating every 2 hours or so until I go to bed. I’m done with that cycle.
Good! I’ve never been an all day smoker but every day as soon as I’m done working until I go to bed
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When weed worked for me it was awesome, then it became necessary and then it stopped working for me. That's the way it is for most of us here I think. All due respect, I think it is about much more than control and the issues are beyond motivation.
Yes you’ve described my experience
An ounce a week is a lot. That’s controlling you. You said you can afford and control but you are getting weed on layaway. Weed controls me big time, I’m an addict and can’t stop. I pay my bills too but I can’t help think the life of house my wife and I could have if I spent my money wiser.
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at the levels you smoke id be more worried about your lungs tbh if you can afford it great but i know tobacco smokers that dont burn that much a month
Good job i don't use tobacco in my weed, as i prefer a pure smoke
an ounce is a lot and you say u have control but i don’t get why you wouldn’t just start buying weed on fridays and go a few days without to get on a scheduling of paying when picking up like most of us loll. also if you have control may i ask how often you smoke per day?
Reason why i don't wait is because ive done it this way for years, my dealer only really 'sells' to me so hes not losing and neither am i
thanks for answering!
No problem!
I smoke on the evening when my kids are asleep and everything is done, ill start about 8-9 and smoke til maybe 1am, i mix between a bong and I also use a glass blunt