Benefits of quitting cannabis

Hi, i'm Bert and i've been smoking about 1 - 1/2 a gram of weed every night for the last 10 years (excluding the 10 to 12 times i've given it up for a few weeks and fallen off the wagon) and have been 'cold turkey' for the past 2 weeks... again.

Firstly i'd like to say that i've been reading through some of the posts on this forum and think this is such a great resource for habitual pot smokers who want to kick the habit. As much as I have a few close friends who are supporting me with this I don't want to burden them with what is essentially my issue.

Anyway, after going through the vivid dreams, anxiety, etc and having to deal with the reality that is my life again i'm at that stage where i've run out of things to distract myself with and have been forced to take a good, hard look at myself.

I'm hardcore determined to stay off it this time but right now i just want to smoke a bowl and forget about everything.

Hello Bert,

Congratulations on making the decision to quit. I know some people find it hard but stick with it, I'm sure it'll get easier.  It is best to try and take it just one day at a time.

You say about being 'forced to take a good, hard look at myself'.  I wonder whether what you mean is similar to what I went through (it's been 3 1/2 months for me, with just one unfortunate relapse).  

I found that once quitting I was forced to re-evaluate my life - what I had been doing, how I had been screwing up, how much there was that was wrong etc.  It was hard, without the weed to numb the fears these thoughts provoked, and in a state in which I faced these things with a clear head it was too easy to feel overwhelmed.

But the good thing for me at least is that however uncomfortable those thoughts were at least now I wasn't in since a doped up way that I couldn't deal with them.

However hard it was to face, at least now I am doing things about them, making my life better in a way I never could have achieved had I kept on smoking.

I guess I have a 'better late than never' feeling about it all.  I could have smoked for the rest of my life and had things get worse and worse, but I have quit and my life is better for it.

I think that however good weed seems, in the broader view of things it offers no benefits and causes (has caused) severe damage to my life (and my physical and mental health).

It is these thoughts that have, except for that one time of weakness, kept me off it for all this time and which will continue to keep me off it.

Stick with it.  You should feel some benefits soon, it just might take some time, and it might not be easy.

James

Hey Bert... welcome aboard.

this is indeed a great place to find support.  I unfortunately fell off the wagon about 8 weeks ago, after a 6 week quit.  I can certainly identify with being forced to re-evaluate one's life.

I' just gutted that I started smoking again after doing so well, but I can certainly agree with James that feeling clear headed and healthy is MUCH better the underlying constant "stoned" feeling that we've all become far too used too.

Stick at it, and look out for those "just one won't hurt" moments. I regret succumbing to mine.

Good luck, and see you around!

Pete