been smoking everyday for close to four years (smoking about an ounce every two weeks split with my boyfriend) and casually smoking since eighth grade. I’ve used weed to self-medicate due to my developing mental illness, and it helps my anxiety, tics and insomnia much more than any prescription doctors have given me (a LOT)
my doctor has been taking steps to help me get diagnosed with what we believe is schizophrenia (this includes a CT scan, assessments ect) however he has advised that I quit smoking weed temporarily for two months.
Even though I know I was sick long before I had my first puff of a joint, it would be stupid to think it was impossible that years of chronic use could lead to my illness changing. Therefore I’m going to listen to my doctor and try quitting something for the first time in my life.
I have tried quitting weed a few times since he gave me this news, yet I haven’t been able to make it past a few days. I become a complete wreck. I throw up everything I eat, get extreme amounts of rage that result in me either smashing ■■■■ or having homicidal thoughts to the point that I can’t stop shaking. I get wicked headaches and my memory is so effected I forget I’m even talking halfway through my sentences. I can’t sleep even 20 minutes a night and this almost always triggers my psychosis.
I know I’m also dealing with certain things that are psychological and may have nothing to do with quitting weed but its hard for me to distinguish whats what. Could anyone give any tips for how they quit smoking weed?
It’s really discouraging for me reading online how most people generally have an easy time quitting. Maybe its because I’ve become dependant after years of use, or its just my addictive personality. Either way I don’t want to admit myself to hospital because of this, but I really can’t see another way if it stays this difficult.
Yesterday was my first day smoking after quitting for a month and a half. I thought it was fairly easy. My advice would be to just stay busy so you don’t think about it.
I’ve been an everyday cannabis user since I was about twelve (now 32, almost 33).
There have been a few years in between that I’ve quit,
And I feel like its not easy, but its also not as difficult as getting off of real drugs, like APs or something illicit.
Usually, its more about habit. Like I wake up and have coffee and a joint, every morning. Breaking my routine was probably the most difficult part. When you smoke everyday, its part ritual, that’s what hurts more than anything.
Of course my anxiety skyrocketed and I had sleep issues,
But I used benedryl and melatonin to sleep and used l-theanine for anxiety.
I don’t encourage smoking pot but back in high school in the 1970’s, you could get an ounce of homegrown for $10 or $15 dollars. I realize pot is more potent now. The most popular marijuana was Colombian and it cost about $40-$50 an ounce. Are you serious about quitting?
Yes, at least for two months so we can figure out what’s going on with me. After that it depends on whether I’m fine without it or if I’ll still need it for sleep, anxiety, cramps ect.
should be possible…I never smoked every day…not even drink every day which I did more often. I started smoking when I was 11…but I stopped at age 23. the most I ever smoked is every other day for a month and a half. Then I just resumed to weekends only or so. it can be tricky, I self medicate with alcohol but I don’t think I’m addicted because I don’t go through withdrawals and I don’t shut down or find it difficult without it. I DO enjoy a bit of things while drinking but its hard to say in your condition. Your BF should help you out, its good that he’s there to be able to help you. My bro smokes everyday also but once in awhile he takes breaks but he gets grouchy sometimes when he does. I do things a certain way when I quit…but maymbe if you have trouble… try reducing 50% every couple of days till your not smoking anymore? everybody is a little different. i usually have a so called “party” to signify my end of things and make sure i end it. that’s how i usually do it…
The way I quit weed was probably different than most people. See I lived with my step brother who was a thief in our parents house. I kept my weed in my room. But then it started not being their when I went to look for it. And I was always high so I couldn’t remember if I smoked it, or if my step brother stole it. Either way, I made the decision to stop and it was really encouraged because if I ever tried to smoke weed again, I wouldn’t know if I had or not.
But if this is your first time quitting anything, it will be difficult. Especially if you have been doing it for over 10 years. We are creatures of habit, and once we get into a habit, we don’t want to stop. And each habit is like a pokemon, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.
I’m used to quitting things but I will tell you that weed was one the more difficult things to stop. Probably number 2 or 3 right under porn and an ex girlfriend.
It felt impossible for me to quit… I went through task which monitors urine every week, a couple different out-patient programs, and did a year and a half of narcotics anonymous… finally I stopped for about a year,than I picked back up just to try to remember why I smoked and my sz went wild, I was hallucinating and so delusional I ended up in the hospital and decided my sanity is more important than feeling high… but it took me bout 3 years just to be able to stop for a straight year…
I have plenty of experience in pot addiction. A little about my history: started smoking mj my junior year in college, got sick and have been off and on maryjane the 15 years since. Marijuana Anonymous (the website 77nick77 mentioned) is a good place to start. If there are no meetings nearby, pick up the literature: Life With Hope, it is the AA big book equivalent.
The symptoms you are describing since quitting sounds like withdrawal symptoms. Keep at your sobriety and the symptoms will subside. If you absolutely cannot stop, I believe admitting yourself into the hospital should be your last option. You’ll be clean, but you lose freedom for one, two weeks.
If you do not have any MA meetings nearby, try NA (Narcotics Anon), NAMI, or even AA. But it’s imperative you involve yourself in recovery, it’s almost impossible to quit alone or with just one other person.
I was a daily user for years and years. I am 3.5 years clean and sober. Some withdrawal that u are going thru thats why u cant sleep or eat or anything. Honestly its going to be hard but u should start feeling better after a couple of weeks but honestly if u just plan to go back to smoking again in two months i dont even know why you are quiting. Weed was great for a long time but at some point it turned on me and i started getting paranoid and delusional when i was high and depressed and angry when i wasn’t high. Anway i wish u luck on quiting.
