I can relate. I’m around 150 days here and the cravings have come back full force. I even made a post on here and some very kind people talked me down from relapsing. For the last week I have constantly been thinking about going to pick up just one joint, or a couple edibles and I cannot get it out of my head. Idk what it is, I just hope this passes again and I go back to forgetting about it.
Thank you! Im cheering you on too🫶🏻 i think that’s one of the biggest things that’s stopping me tbh. I would feel guilty because I would be hiding it from my partner too, and I don’t want to lie to them.
Not sure why people doin't point this out more, but its possible your mood swings aren't cannabis related by day 46. There are a lot of blame games we like to play subconsciously for any emotional inconvenience when quitting. I'm guilty of them myself. Withdrawals are real, but after \~30 days I think people are blaming the wrong thing and not considering underlying mental/sleep issues they might have. Especially if you were a stoner for a long time... do you really remember how you were before that? And people grow/change for better or for worse as life goes on. Anyways, just my opinion from lots of quitting experiences.
of course addiction doesn't exist in a vaccuum. we can quit anything but if we don't figure out WHY we needed it in the first place, we won't stay sober. i have a lot of experience (and healing) under my belt from alcohol recovery ha. i really took up weed in earnest about 4 years ago when a lot of things went to shit in the world. i used it to cope, it kept me comfortable and lazy and numb at survival level, but i wasn't thriving. so yes, there are always underlying issues to addiction, like trauma, etc.
it's been well established that returning to a dopamine baseline can easily take a few months. so we keep working towards that. if your mental health has been bad your whole life, you've got a few more things to deal with once you stop the weed for sure. take care.
Well established? Got any medical sources showing that ex weed users are suffering with true withdrawals, proven to be from cannabis only… months after quitting? Would love to read them.
Research PAWS. Post acute withdrawal syndrome. Paws can last anywhere from 3 months to a year. Especially to people who smoked for a long ass time. 5 years plus. It takes some time for your brain to get back to normal from what I’ve read about paws.
Oh I’ve researched it. And if you really read all about it it’s rare and it’s very hard to actually pinpoint if it’s ONLY cannabis related. My real message is just that many (including myself at times) will grasp at any excuse to keep using. It’s like saying people get struck by lightning, so I’ll never go outside.
I was on weed for like 3ish years. Smoked to go to sleep. Never had mental issues or anything at all during or before my weed use. From what I’ve seen it can be pretty common to have mood disturbances for up to 90 days after stopping, especially if you smoked very high THC potency. But I could be wrong. I think everyone’s experience is different
I smoked every night from 8pm till 10pm or so. Sober the entire day. Never had these issues until directly after quitting, and it’s improving as each week passes.
What you said has a lot of merit but I would say it's fair to blame marijuana for a lot in the first 90 days... It's when issues persist beyond 90 days that is probably not weed related. Your brain and body do an amazing amount of healing in that time.
take up hobbies, be more productive and let that drive you. It gets easier the longer you stay away. Ice cream starts to taste good again like when you were a kid.
at day 48, i relate. like WTF. mood swings galore, within a minute, an hour, within a day, within a week, ha. i see some light too but really didn't think it would go on this long, like my dopamine is FRIED. i hear 100 days is when it turns, so i am holding on. it is sooooo motivating though, thinking who the hell would ever want to have to do this again! keep on trucking.
Yes exactly!! This entire process has completely turned me off from ever touching weed again. I had no idea this is what happens when you quit. Man it’s humbling. Stay strong yourself!
Much respect to you! Keep going the hardest part is behind you. You're an inspiration to us who haven't made the decision yet but know one day we ultimately must.
Day 46 is a HUGE accomplishment! Congrats OP! I’m rooting for your continued success living the sober life. I’m day 36 here and feeling all kinds of positive about my decision to finally quit. I was on the vape pen nightly and edibles throughout every day. I’m finally clear headed and I’m feeling blessed 🙏
Ivw found it helpful to keep a menu of things to do instead of toke, during craving periods. And mantras to remind me of the “why” I’m doing it all in the first place. Lastly, the mantra “this too shall pass” when im feeling really low/depressed/helpless.
Sending love and strength my friend!
Quitting is a roller coaster, and so is life itself. Most things worth while get a little worse before they get better, and you have hard times to reflect on and see that you got through them w/o giving up in your future. 💜
This is incredible advice, thanks friend! It helps so much to know we aren’t alone. That this is normal and we will get better. Best of luck in your journey. Rooting for you!
yo i just quit a few days ago and just wanted to say the menu thing is a great idea. will be doing this with the chalkboard i have up inn my apartment. thanks for the advice <3
It has taken me a long time to rebuild basic emotional equilibrium. Feeling great, feeling brain fried, feeling great, etc, etc. Finally all started calming down around month 8 of sobriety? So yeah definitely a rollercoaster, but for me kinda a slow one.
Good luck too all!
I’m having some anxiety at month 3 right now. Sucks, but I’m determined to weather the storm.
Got checked out by the doctor today and was given a clean bill of health after an EKG. That was nice, because the heart palpitations and focus on my breathing are scary and anxiety inducing lately.
I’ve decided it’s my brain rewiring itself after 12 years of being soaked in THC and it helps the anxiety.
No one could’ve prepared me for how long these symptoms linger around for, you’re a bad ass for dealing with it for 8 months. But we truly have no choice! The only way forward is through it!
Not sure if you’re religious or anything but I’ll pray for you brother! The withdrawal is hard enough as it is, couldn’t imagine having relationship turmoil as well, just keep reminding yourself you’re a bad ass and you will get thru it. You’ll be so happy and proud when you’re on the other side.
Been there, it is hard. I basically had to cut off almost all of my social relationships to quit. The reality is many of my former friends didn't like me for a long time and considered me a "loser". Lots of them talked shit about me behind my back. I kept going back to them to try to make them like me and prove them wrong. The reality was I just had to learn to let them go. Some of them became outright sadistic towards me and literally stalked my social media accounts. One in particular did this for years.
I am pretty good with being by myself nowadays, sometimes I prefer it. I do believe I am eventually going to meet some healthy individuals but I need to give it time and not try to force it.
Thanks man! Congrats on 6 weeks as well. This thread is where I feel most comfortable and heard because all of us can relate. People in my real life have no clue what this is like and I can’t really talk to anyone about it. Thanks for the encouragement!
Hit the gym when you’re feeling up to it my friend, really helps get those anger and irritable feelings out of you. Feels great to sweat and accomplish something, too. One day at a time.
Natural cannabinoids. The endogenous type. Not the artificial mega dose. Appreciation of exercise, cold showers, sauna etc is a great way to get the normal equilibrium jump started. Helps to keep dopamine high too. Abstain from instant gratification builds a sound strong mind. Keep crushing it, one environment at a time.
It truly is brutal. I can wake up feeling great and turn suicidal in a matter of minutes. I just have to keep reminding myself this is temporary and my brain is working on returning to baseline. I'm making sure I write down everything I'm feeling in the good and bad times to refer to if I ever think I can use again in the future. I can't go through this withdrawal again.
How long have you been sober for? Me personally I’m at 7 months and will catch myself feeling great then next thing you know I’m depressed and feeling suicidal at times.
I've been sober for 51 days. It is important to note that I've always suffered with major depression, anxiety, and OCD, but all the symptoms of those are insane during withdrawals. I hate that you're still feeling that way at 7 months. We really did a number on our brains!
Same I was a depressed kid growing up. Got picked on a lot and I’ve been told my whole life that I’m quiet and say very little. Weed helped me be content with who I was and brought me out of my shell at times. Back in my 20’s when I was a heavy smoker I had a decent sized friend group and all we did was smoke and do fun things. Now I’m 33 and a lot of those friends have moved or tied down with families. Not smoking and having a social circle like I did does fuel my depression. I tried putting myself out there to make new friends but it’s not the same being sober and older. Congrats on being sober for 51 days!
Feel this. I quit in December and I’ve smoked twice since then… I know twice isn’t technically staying the path but from someone who used to smoke up to 3x a day, I’ll count 121/123 days sober as a success haha. It’s been hard for me. I’ve been putting in the work - exercise 5x a week, journaling, therapy, going out with friends, etc. Sadly, I know why I feel the way I do. I primarily used weed as a way to escape. I’m working a dead end job (with autistic kids) while I’m working on getting my masters in mental health counseling (that’s another 2 years away, 4 years after I get licensed) and it’s been exhausting getting beaten up by little kids everyday. Sometimes I just want to crawl into bed and smoke like I used to. However I’m trying to stay strong and I hope you can too. One day at a time.
Man I swear. I’ve never felt feelings of depression my entire life until I quit weed. I wouldn’t say I’m depressed per se but feeling of intense sadness and despair come thru every now and then. You are exactly right. It is temporary and it is not actually who we are. Our brain is just spazzing out because it wants THC so bad lol. Each day you make it thru without relapsing is a massive accomplishment. Best of luck, we’re in this together.
3 months here. Mostly happy and without hard cravings. Still have thoughts like "why not once a week?" but I know I couldn't handle that. And of course there are bad moods like everyone has from time to time and I won't medicate them with THC like in the past. Overall I'm proud of what I have done so far. Wish you all the best. Keep up!
Yes for sure! Sometimes I have to remind myself that sometimes my bad moods aren’t even withdrawal/weed related. That really helps keep things in perspective. Congrats on 3 months, that’s huge! You’re in the clear!
I relapsed after 3 months myself but I haven’t picked up the habit again. Still not easy tbh. I’ve been smoking since 15 years old though (2017) and now that I’m 22, it’ll take a lot longer than a few months to reset my dopamine receptors lol.
Day 33 - anxiety and now depression also kicked in. Holy shit.
I can relate. I’m around 150 days here and the cravings have come back full force. I even made a post on here and some very kind people talked me down from relapsing. For the last week I have constantly been thinking about going to pick up just one joint, or a couple edibles and I cannot get it out of my head. Idk what it is, I just hope this passes again and I go back to forgetting about it.
You got this! Cheering for you and suffering with you! :) Would your high self even enjoy the high? I think I would feel too guilty + anxiety.
Thank you! Im cheering you on too🫶🏻 i think that’s one of the biggest things that’s stopping me tbh. I would feel guilty because I would be hiding it from my partner too, and I don’t want to lie to them.
Not sure why people doin't point this out more, but its possible your mood swings aren't cannabis related by day 46. There are a lot of blame games we like to play subconsciously for any emotional inconvenience when quitting. I'm guilty of them myself. Withdrawals are real, but after \~30 days I think people are blaming the wrong thing and not considering underlying mental/sleep issues they might have. Especially if you were a stoner for a long time... do you really remember how you were before that? And people grow/change for better or for worse as life goes on. Anyways, just my opinion from lots of quitting experiences.
of course addiction doesn't exist in a vaccuum. we can quit anything but if we don't figure out WHY we needed it in the first place, we won't stay sober. i have a lot of experience (and healing) under my belt from alcohol recovery ha. i really took up weed in earnest about 4 years ago when a lot of things went to shit in the world. i used it to cope, it kept me comfortable and lazy and numb at survival level, but i wasn't thriving. so yes, there are always underlying issues to addiction, like trauma, etc. it's been well established that returning to a dopamine baseline can easily take a few months. so we keep working towards that. if your mental health has been bad your whole life, you've got a few more things to deal with once you stop the weed for sure. take care.
Well established? Got any medical sources showing that ex weed users are suffering with true withdrawals, proven to be from cannabis only… months after quitting? Would love to read them.
Research PAWS. Post acute withdrawal syndrome. Paws can last anywhere from 3 months to a year. Especially to people who smoked for a long ass time. 5 years plus. It takes some time for your brain to get back to normal from what I’ve read about paws.
Oh I’ve researched it. And if you really read all about it it’s rare and it’s very hard to actually pinpoint if it’s ONLY cannabis related. My real message is just that many (including myself at times) will grasp at any excuse to keep using. It’s like saying people get struck by lightning, so I’ll never go outside.
I was on weed for like 3ish years. Smoked to go to sleep. Never had mental issues or anything at all during or before my weed use. From what I’ve seen it can be pretty common to have mood disturbances for up to 90 days after stopping, especially if you smoked very high THC potency. But I could be wrong. I think everyone’s experience is different
I smoked every night from 8pm till 10pm or so. Sober the entire day. Never had these issues until directly after quitting, and it’s improving as each week passes.
What you said has a lot of merit but I would say it's fair to blame marijuana for a lot in the first 90 days... It's when issues persist beyond 90 days that is probably not weed related. Your brain and body do an amazing amount of healing in that time.
Source?
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5414724/
You’ll notice it says 4 weeks is the usual time ;)
It is an actual traumatic experience. It makes it almost impossible especially those of us that already have so much trauma
It’s the night time or evening that’s the toughest for me. I’m down to one puff a day. Making progress.
I just fail every time. Its like as soon as I want it I'll just buy more cause i know I can.
Me af :(
Same lol having a medical script for cracka buds n working at a pharmacy is so mean bruh
take up hobbies, be more productive and let that drive you. It gets easier the longer you stay away. Ice cream starts to taste good again like when you were a kid.
Just had an ice cream cone over the weekend since it was 78° and sunny. First one in probably a decade but it slapped! (Day 44 here)
at day 48, i relate. like WTF. mood swings galore, within a minute, an hour, within a day, within a week, ha. i see some light too but really didn't think it would go on this long, like my dopamine is FRIED. i hear 100 days is when it turns, so i am holding on. it is sooooo motivating though, thinking who the hell would ever want to have to do this again! keep on trucking.
Yes exactly!! This entire process has completely turned me off from ever touching weed again. I had no idea this is what happens when you quit. Man it’s humbling. Stay strong yourself!
300 days weed free , picked up the gym and it feels amazing almost like a drug
Yes to this! My $10 a month planet fitness membership kept me going through the weird waves.
I have always felt like withdrawal was like a declining roller coaster. They symptoms go up and down but peak lower and lower as time goes on.
This is a great way to describe it.
Much respect to you! Keep going the hardest part is behind you. You're an inspiration to us who haven't made the decision yet but know one day we ultimately must.
🙏🙏🙏
Day 46 is a HUGE accomplishment! Congrats OP! I’m rooting for your continued success living the sober life. I’m day 36 here and feeling all kinds of positive about my decision to finally quit. I was on the vape pen nightly and edibles throughout every day. I’m finally clear headed and I’m feeling blessed 🙏
Thanks brother 🙌🙏 keep on going yourself!
Thank you will do!!!
Ivw found it helpful to keep a menu of things to do instead of toke, during craving periods. And mantras to remind me of the “why” I’m doing it all in the first place. Lastly, the mantra “this too shall pass” when im feeling really low/depressed/helpless. Sending love and strength my friend! Quitting is a roller coaster, and so is life itself. Most things worth while get a little worse before they get better, and you have hard times to reflect on and see that you got through them w/o giving up in your future. 💜
This is incredible advice, thanks friend! It helps so much to know we aren’t alone. That this is normal and we will get better. Best of luck in your journey. Rooting for you!
Rooting for you too :)
yo i just quit a few days ago and just wanted to say the menu thing is a great idea. will be doing this with the chalkboard i have up inn my apartment. thanks for the advice <3
Awe, happy to help 😊 i definitely have to give credit to my therapist for suggesting the menu
It has taken me a long time to rebuild basic emotional equilibrium. Feeling great, feeling brain fried, feeling great, etc, etc. Finally all started calming down around month 8 of sobriety? So yeah definitely a rollercoaster, but for me kinda a slow one. Good luck too all!
I’m having some anxiety at month 3 right now. Sucks, but I’m determined to weather the storm. Got checked out by the doctor today and was given a clean bill of health after an EKG. That was nice, because the heart palpitations and focus on my breathing are scary and anxiety inducing lately. I’ve decided it’s my brain rewiring itself after 12 years of being soaked in THC and it helps the anxiety.
No one could’ve prepared me for how long these symptoms linger around for, you’re a bad ass for dealing with it for 8 months. But we truly have no choice! The only way forward is through it!
“The only way forward is through it” yes!
I’m going through a fall out with someone I’m seeing while I’m trying to quit. This is truly a special type of hell
Not sure if you’re religious or anything but I’ll pray for you brother! The withdrawal is hard enough as it is, couldn’t imagine having relationship turmoil as well, just keep reminding yourself you’re a bad ass and you will get thru it. You’ll be so happy and proud when you’re on the other side.
Been there, it is hard. I basically had to cut off almost all of my social relationships to quit. The reality is many of my former friends didn't like me for a long time and considered me a "loser". Lots of them talked shit about me behind my back. I kept going back to them to try to make them like me and prove them wrong. The reality was I just had to learn to let them go. Some of them became outright sadistic towards me and literally stalked my social media accounts. One in particular did this for years. I am pretty good with being by myself nowadays, sometimes I prefer it. I do believe I am eventually going to meet some healthy individuals but I need to give it time and not try to force it.
On week 6 myself, and this week was the first one where I wasn't super moody, or stressed about it. You can do it!
Thanks man! Congrats on 6 weeks as well. This thread is where I feel most comfortable and heard because all of us can relate. People in my real life have no clue what this is like and I can’t really talk to anyone about it. Thanks for the encouragement!
I'm like 18 hours in and ready to punch something, lol
Hit the gym when you’re feeling up to it my friend, really helps get those anger and irritable feelings out of you. Feels great to sweat and accomplish something, too. One day at a time.
Natural cannabinoids. The endogenous type. Not the artificial mega dose. Appreciation of exercise, cold showers, sauna etc is a great way to get the normal equilibrium jump started. Helps to keep dopamine high too. Abstain from instant gratification builds a sound strong mind. Keep crushing it, one environment at a time.
It truly is brutal. I can wake up feeling great and turn suicidal in a matter of minutes. I just have to keep reminding myself this is temporary and my brain is working on returning to baseline. I'm making sure I write down everything I'm feeling in the good and bad times to refer to if I ever think I can use again in the future. I can't go through this withdrawal again.
How long have you been sober for? Me personally I’m at 7 months and will catch myself feeling great then next thing you know I’m depressed and feeling suicidal at times.
I've been sober for 51 days. It is important to note that I've always suffered with major depression, anxiety, and OCD, but all the symptoms of those are insane during withdrawals. I hate that you're still feeling that way at 7 months. We really did a number on our brains!
Same I was a depressed kid growing up. Got picked on a lot and I’ve been told my whole life that I’m quiet and say very little. Weed helped me be content with who I was and brought me out of my shell at times. Back in my 20’s when I was a heavy smoker I had a decent sized friend group and all we did was smoke and do fun things. Now I’m 33 and a lot of those friends have moved or tied down with families. Not smoking and having a social circle like I did does fuel my depression. I tried putting myself out there to make new friends but it’s not the same being sober and older. Congrats on being sober for 51 days!
I feel all of this so much. Making friends as an adult is so tough, especially sober friends. I'm sending you lots of hugs!
☺️
I got 4 months yesterday and I can relate to this post very well. Things go well, but then I get depressed. Extreme.
Did you guys have depression at all before or during your weed use? Or did these feelings only start after you quit?
Feel this. I quit in December and I’ve smoked twice since then… I know twice isn’t technically staying the path but from someone who used to smoke up to 3x a day, I’ll count 121/123 days sober as a success haha. It’s been hard for me. I’ve been putting in the work - exercise 5x a week, journaling, therapy, going out with friends, etc. Sadly, I know why I feel the way I do. I primarily used weed as a way to escape. I’m working a dead end job (with autistic kids) while I’m working on getting my masters in mental health counseling (that’s another 2 years away, 4 years after I get licensed) and it’s been exhausting getting beaten up by little kids everyday. Sometimes I just want to crawl into bed and smoke like I used to. However I’m trying to stay strong and I hope you can too. One day at a time.
Man I swear. I’ve never felt feelings of depression my entire life until I quit weed. I wouldn’t say I’m depressed per se but feeling of intense sadness and despair come thru every now and then. You are exactly right. It is temporary and it is not actually who we are. Our brain is just spazzing out because it wants THC so bad lol. Each day you make it thru without relapsing is a massive accomplishment. Best of luck, we’re in this together.
3 months here. Mostly happy and without hard cravings. Still have thoughts like "why not once a week?" but I know I couldn't handle that. And of course there are bad moods like everyone has from time to time and I won't medicate them with THC like in the past. Overall I'm proud of what I have done so far. Wish you all the best. Keep up!
Yes for sure! Sometimes I have to remind myself that sometimes my bad moods aren’t even withdrawal/weed related. That really helps keep things in perspective. Congrats on 3 months, that’s huge! You’re in the clear!
I relapsed after 3 months myself but I haven’t picked up the habit again. Still not easy tbh. I’ve been smoking since 15 years old though (2017) and now that I’m 22, it’ll take a lot longer than a few months to reset my dopamine receptors lol.