Benefits of quitting cannabis

First of all thank you for creating this forum to try and help people quit smoking dope.

Sorry for the length of the post, I am feeling rather emo today and really want to pour my soul out.  So I apologise in advance and thank you to anyone who can actually make it to the end.

I am 32 and have been smoking pot for the last 17 years, I started when I was 15 and at first it was only a few joints a week.  Social smoking and totally in control, or so I thought.  I did not have an overly happy home life and left home when I was 16 as I couldn't handle living there any longer.  This is when the pot smoking started to increase from socially to daily smoking.

For the first 8 years of my smoking I was only able to find and afford solid (pot), but since early 2000 none of this has been available and dealers have only been selling weed.  This is I believe when the real problems started.  In addition to being 4 times as expensive the quality and THC strength is much much higher.  This lead to me developing a massive tolerance and smoking stupid amounts.

From the moment I wake to the moment I go to sleep I am stoned.  Even at work, I will go to my car to smoke during breaks.  This is an exceptionally stupid thing to do and very nearly lead to me losing my job.  But I couldn't help it, I had convinced myself that I couldn't get through the day without a smoke.

I have tried numerous times to quit in the past, ranging from several days abstinence to six months.

The pot has to go though as I am both spending crazy sums on it, and it is definitely having an effect on my mental wellbeing.  I get really bad mood swings and have anger management problems.  Nothing violent, just mood swings and pot rage.

I have recently (10 days ago) split up with my girlfriend of 4 years, there were other issues despite my mood and the pot, but it was obviously a contributing factor.

I have decided to change my life and quit pot.  The last few days (even when I was smoking pot) the anxiety began as I cannot imagine a life without pot.  It is all I have known for my adult life and excluding one exception, all of my friends smoke it.

Today has been extremely difficult and I am really suffering withdrawal from it.  Every minute my mind is trying to get me to score some.  I have really bad stomach cramps, feel sick, no appetite, exceptionally emotional and keep dwelling on the fact I have split up (even though I actually know it is for the best).  I am sure this is my mind inducing this fear and feelings so I go and buy more.

I am currently taking kalms tablets which contain the following: Hops 45mg, Valerian 33.75mg and Gentian 22.5mg.  These are advertised as an anti stress / irritability homeopathic remedy and really are being of limited use.

To help with sleep I am taking Nytol which contain: Hops 200mg, Valerian 160mg and Passion Flower 130mg

Well it has been 21 hours since I last had a smoke and I am just taking each hour at a time.

I am trying to drink as much water as I possibly can, going for walks anything to keep busy, but all I can think about are my ex and the weed.

I know this feeling will pass, but I dont remember it being this intense when I quit before.  Maybe its the extra emotion coming from a relationship ending.

Well thank you for reading this and if you can think of any tips / homeopathic remedies I would be extremly grateful.

I know this is the right thing to do, but it doesn't feel like it at the moment.

Well thats 24 hours straight and officially day 1 is over.  Off to try and get some sleep now.

Day 2 and feeling a lot better today.

I managed to get some sleep but nothing brillant, woke several times and could only stay in bed for 6 hours.

Still at least it was a sleep without weed which is positive.

All the cramps and most of the emo feelings have gone today and I am actually feeling really optimistic.

Still thinking about it loads but that is to be expected.

Meditation, deep breathing and EFT techniques are really working and I feel much calmer inside.

I am still smoking tobacco today, but my desire for a roll up is very very small.

38.5 hours weed free and counting

congrats im 6 weeks in now and was smoking approx a q a day for 15 + years, it does get easier and posts on here really helped me. i now go outr socially with my non smoking buddies and have been enjoying riding my motorbike instead of it just sitting outside my house with no fuel in due to my habit. i do warn you however i am still getting really vivid nightmares but imm sure these will pass in time. i will be one of the success storys on this site if it kills me, my whole family have noticed the difference in me, my brother actually broke down in tears and said it was nice to have the brother he knew as a child back, which in turn made me sob and only deepen my desire to stay weed free, i have had an oz of solid in the cupboard the whole time so i know its there if i need it, perhaps this has helped as when my mum quit fags she could only do it when she had 20 tucked away just incese. well done and keep up the good work

I am 31, and from your first post it looks like you were almost in a period where you could not get hold of any... been there before! - I never really took to green, I always liked Solid instead.

Sleeping is hard initially... try not to take anything instead... I was amazed I was able to still enjoy films and doing all of the things I used to do when stoned..

I got a best friend who have up weed and bacci 2 years ago, he has been a real help.  However after a few bad days I finally started grabbing the benefits and have suprised myself how easy it is not to even think about evil weed!

Stick with it because you will feel so much better for it! - I am only posting on here for other peoples benefit and to proove it's possible.  Believe me if I can give up anyone can!

I remember those "Crawl the wall times" when nothing was available!

Good luck and keep up the good work :-)

Congrats !  keep it up and keep posting and letting us know how you're getting on .

I am following , although I don't have much to say at the moment as I'm very stressed .

Sending warm wishes and good vibes your way .

CAT

Day 3 and feeling not too bad.

Didn't get much sleep again last night, but not overly bothered as I know it will come back to normal at some point.

So glad that I have taken these last few days off work to enable me to have my own space.  I think that has made a huge difference.  I have mainly just been sat on the couch watching movies, but at least I have not had to deal with other people.

Unfortunately it is raining really heavily at the moment as I want to cut the grass and have a few hedges that need trimming.

Surfing tomorrow though which I am really looking forward to as its been a few weeks since I last went.

Just spent a few hours hanging out with some of my stoner friends watching movies.

I am happy to report that not only did I not smoke, but I honestly had no desire for one either.

This situation can normally cause me to crack and I am so glad I didn't have any cravings.  If anything I felt sorry for the 2 guys skinning up every 20 minutes

I do not ever want to go through day 1 again or be addicted to anything again.

Going to bed now in such a good mood, so so happy

Really looking forward to a good surf tomorrow and I hope the swell report is accurate.  Nothing special, but it has been flat for a few weeks now and anything is better than nothing.

Peace out

Hi Jim,

That's a good stage to get to.   I'm around the same point as you this quit..  a few days, almost a week?  not really counting to be honest.

Funny how you really notice how much you used to smoke when you've given up but in the company of smokers.

I'm off the cigs too, using nicotine patches.  I'd been wary of using them as the last time I found they gave me a tendancy to "flip". When I tried then out the first time I ended up hitting a Jehovah's Witness on my doorstep.

Luckily, in this case, he deserved it, but I'd hate to flip on someone who didn't.

(hot tip : when someone's stressed and late for the funeral of one of their best friends, who has just died of an AIDS related illness; he was a haemophiliac who'd been injected with AIDS HIV infected blood before they knew what HIV was....it's not a good idea to announce "AIDS is a punishment from God" when they open the door!)

Anyway.. amusing religious extremist story aside, well done Jim and I'm right there with you.

Just be careful over the next few weeks.  They may soon come a time when you're convinced you've beaten it, and you think.. "Yeah, I've beaten this.. one little recreational spliff won't hurt!".   Don't.  It will. 

Enjoy the surfing.  I bet it's a whole load more fun when you're not stoned!

Thanks to everyone fot their kind words of encouragment and support

Doneforever - I hope you are feeling less stressed now

Day 5 finished and almost 1 hour into Day 6 - feeling fine now.

Much calmer and so much clearer headed.

I will remember that there is no such thing as one toke, I am loving this feeling of liberation and never want to go through day 1 again.

I never want to be out of control and addicted to something so destructive ever again.

Surfing on Saturday was absolutely epic.

Although the waves were not massive, they were consistent - no waiting around.

I surfed my heart out and was amazed at how much better at it I was.

I have joined a Rambling / Social group aimed at people in their 20's and 30's and am due to meet them next Sunday for my first outing - cant wait.

Really looking forward to meeting some new people and hopefully making new friends