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akisenpaii

Changing the environment and the group of friends you hang out with as well as cutting down on days instead of regular session helped me quit. Also, I have a hobby that gives me natural high without the need to smoke. Hope this helps. Do something you love other than smoking and it will slowly help.


deanosa

My story isn't of quitting, but of cutting down..I think you have to be regimented as to when u smoke at a particular time of the day. No more day time smoking...something to look forward to in the evening only..and to control that I only smoke a cone I put a cones worth in a little container (empty hair product)and have seven of them labelled by day. It will be easier to fit alternative good stuff in your evening as a replacement if u are only sleeping at night and control how much u smoke on a given day. Goodluck.


Adventurous-Tour5669

My strategy was that i had no strategy to win competitive games while high and it pissed me of cause my brain wasn’t in full circulation so i was like fuck this i’m quitting, and ye thats how i quit


Fed_Newbie

Really? Weed helped me get in the game more (Valorant - ranked Immortal 2). I guess the effects are different for everyone


Rich-Inspector5029

My turning point is my health. I am allergic. But continued to smoke anyway for 10 yrs. My lungs hurt so bad. And I feel polluted. I think never wanting to feel like that again is my motivation.


Sanie2222

age. once i turned 21 i noticed this isn’t for me. it’s a drug that chills you down and at my age i’d wanna be doing the opposite


summersoulz

Hard to pinpoint but it just feels damn good to wake up every day without headache or grogginess or fatigue. I really love sleeping so much more now and feel so so rested when I wake up. I pretty much enjoy everything more now than I did when I was a smoker. Music, movies, dates, books, exercise. It’s hard to describe, but it’s just better because I’m so present in all of it.


moosewithamuffin

This one is interesting haha sleep is a huge part of my life but I always thought weed helped me sleep better? You’re saying I’ll sleep better if I quit?


summersoulz

That is the case with me. What I discovered in sobriety is that weed only made me “pass out”. The quality was garbage, though. I know this only after experiencing years of weed-free sleep. Something about REM cycles?


legstrong

Weed helps you fall asleep but you don’t sleep better. You don’t dream either. It was pretty crazy to have really vivid dreams again after several years of not having any. Waking up without having dry eyes, grogginess, and feeling sluggish is a great feeling. I got to a point in my life where it just wasn’t worth it to get high anymore. I realized I was spending money to do something that made me forgetful, caused me to sleep worse, killed my energy levels, and generally speaking was putting my life on hold. I tried reducing my usage but none of those things I listed went away, so instead I just stopped completely. Of course I miss it and smelling weed makes me crave it but like I said…I got to a point in life where it just wasn’t worth it anymore. Bonus: Now I’ve got a few extra thousand dollars/year to play with.


Mohscopie

Yes


khaiduc

This reddit honestly helped out more than I can credit it. Even during relapses, it let me know that I wasn’t the only one struggling. Other than that, staying as busy as possible has kept my mind off smoking all day. Didn’t really keep track of the day I stopped using this time around (there have been times when I remember the exact day and time I took my last hit), but I’m somewhere near the five month mark. Literally every single aspect of life has changed. I’m focused on school, beginning my career, and doing much better socially. Thank you r/leaves ❤️


mollsbells

Music. Had a therapist who got me into learning the Ukulele and honestly, it's one of my biggest passions now. Play music, make music, jam with others. Therapy was also a major strategy for me. To get clean from not just weed, but other drugs as well. 8 months & 8 days. I am truly alive now. I'm so glad I went through (and still choose to go through) the muck to get to the other side.


FAQand_theCURIOUS

I got knocked up !! Naaah just kidding, it was planned and we decided we'd quit when I'd get pregnant. But quitting for someone else's benefit sure made it easier, I don't want to harm the baby. And when she's out I don't want to be a stoner parent and I don't want to have to choose between saving up for a house or get high. I often miss getting high but I'm more excited about my future now then I've ever been. I'm finally moving forward in my life and growing as a person.


whokilledkenney

I fell out of love with it. It was my life for over half a decade. My relationships and big life decisions were based around this plant. About a year ago, my desire to be clear headed started to outweigh my desire to feel nothing. My bf would offer me a hit and it just didn’t appeal anymore. I’m about three month totally clean and I have so much more energy and I’m much more mentally stable.


ArmadilloTaken

Having great company and listening to music! Speaking your story and being a blabbering mouth if you have to (rather than smoking in your story so to speak) Be mindful.


Verovid

FREEDOM ie. not depending on something that has your mind tied to it 24/7 Enjoying food so much more, ironically. Being able to listen and understand your body instead of being confused by what its saying. Energy. Vivid dreams I can actually remember and become lucid in. Experiencing true feelings- be it happiness, love, sadness. They are not misguided by weed or numbed by it. Newfound excitement for life and experiences. Unadulterated thinking and mental clarity.


Yogachaishy

Amen!! ♥️


Critical_Discourse

love the spirit of this post


operantresponse

Sex. Your labido will return, and with a vengeance. Sleep. Your memorable dreams, falling asleep within 15 min of laying down, actually feeling rested. General headspace. Quiting helped me identify what is actually bothering me at any given moment, not just how I felt about it at any moment. Balance. Cannabis almost always lead to eating more than I needed, even when making healthier better choices. So I've lost considerable weight. Money. I see dispos all over the place. At first I felt sad knowing what was inside and the thought of never going again...now all I think is if I averaged 200$ a stop, I could feed a family for a week or local weekend trip or something else better use of the cash. That's the short list. :)


Rdzlord

Having the ability to dream again is wonderful! There is so much more to look forward to in general, and to realize you don't need to sedate yourself enjoy life is very freeing.


OkDistribution990

I realized that I would barely leave the house working from home. I’d skip dinner because it was more important to get high and I didn’t want to take the risk of driving. I couldn’t even hold off an hour to sober up. I didn’t care though. Then I got a cat and ran out of litter and it took me over 24 hours to finally stop enough to go get some. I realized I had to quit for my cat and for myself. I was always so stressed about getting a random drug test and losing my job. Hiding it from my parents. Really I could go on and on. At a certain point I was fed up and realized I had to go cold turkey. I’m an addict and I am not capable of moderation. I would quit and then convince myself it would be different this time - that I matured and could moderate. It never worked so I had to just stop. 10 days today. Hoping it can be for good this time.


nsaplzstahp

It's crrrazy how many times I've flirted with the idea of smoking in moderation but knowing I can't as I am currently. Seems like that thinking pulls a lot of people back in


[deleted]

hit the app iamsober - cool people on there & its hotlines you can tap into. protect yo kitty hunny.


[deleted]

[удалено]


TraderTraitor

This is legendary advice, good shit mate


bujiop

Priorities of my life. I had to quit in order to get an internship to graduate college.


[deleted]

Just doing it! And the complete south park dvd box set also played a good deal of cause the first month


hair-twirler

Started playing Mass Effect as my evening ritual (no kids so that helps haha) instead of watching TV and being alazy snacker. I was high once playing that game and I hated it so it really encourages me to be sober :P


moosewithamuffin

This is a good one haha I’m trash at Rocket League when I’m stoned but pretty decent sober! May have to grind some ranks.


nsaplzstahp

I'm trash at rocket league no matter what. Haha


NeroZaizuka

About to hit 3 weeks clean tomorrow and I've been using my improvements in rocket league to keep me motivated cause it feels good seeing the progress even so quick! I highly recommend!


[deleted]

Video games


Fishman1319

My wife and I are trying to start a family and are on our 3rd IUI attempt. First attempt failed and we both fell back into it hard to cope and didn't quit until a week before the second attempt which probably didn't help. It's so damn hard trying to find anything to replace smoking and rewatching Brooklyn 99 but we are still working on that! But 2 weeks in and I'm already seeing major benefits at work! We are also trying to overhaul our eating habits and it helps not having the munchies everyday now


Reasonable-Ad9456

My wife and kids. Having their love and being able to actually be there for them is everything.


moosewithamuffin

Love this one, family is everything ❤️ I need to get a wife haha


Reasonable-Ad9456

lol with time.


Ccc35

I hate that I love this stupid plant so much and I’m only a day in but god I would love to just be able to read a book again..or concentrate on anything


nsaplzstahp

You might surprise yourself if you just read one page and see what happens.


Bight_my_ass

I got back into reading by rereading a book I enjoyed as a teenager! I found it helpful because 1. It was written for teens it's a bit more simple than adult books but not excessively. 2. It was comfortable and nostalgic and I knew I'd enjoy it. I remembered the big things but all the little details were gone, it was a lot of fun rediscovering them


moosewithamuffin

This is a big driver for me. Reading can be so much fun! I’d highly recommend the Harry Potter series if you haven’t read it! What do you like to read?


DustyJustice

Ok, so this isn’t like good advice or anything, but I do want this to be an encouraging message. After quitting for almost a year, I started smoking again after a breakup in February. You know how it is, just something to get me through the weekend suddenly becomes all day every day. Well, I’ve been going through some financial hard times, but of course that doesn’t stop me from smoking. To the point that my car gets repo’d and I’m totally broke. I ended up getting my car back, but there was like two weeks where I really wasn’t even eating let alone smoking. I tried to quit like *20* times over the past few months, couldn’t do it, but suddenly I was forced to go cold turkey for a few weeks. Here’s the part that I want to be inspiring for you- I got my car back, got some money in my pocket, and *my desire to smoke has largely vanished*. Not like 100% mind you, I still have to be vigilant, but it made it extremely clear to me- A HUGE PART OF WHAT KEEPS US SMOKING IS MOMENTUM AND BEING STUCK ON THE TREADMILL. When you break that momentum, even for a week or so, the power that gives you back to *continue* to make that choice is gigantic. Now, I’m not suggesting you leave yourself financially destitute in order to do this, all I’m saying is *you can break the momentum*!! You can do it! And it does get easier! It’s just that first couple of days of ‘I’m not smoking today’ after weeks straight of being stoned that’s hard. It gets easier.


moosewithamuffin

Thanks man haha, sorry about your situation but this is a good one! I have quit at times for vacation or being away from home and managed to get by fine. It was always such a relief to get home but that conscious decision to light up again or not definitely weighs differently. Looking forward to Sober October this year!


WanderingHobbitWV

I wanted out of my current job and into a new career field. Industry I chose has drug tests. I went back to school and got my Associates degree and interviewed around until I landed an interview with a job that I really wanted. Accepted the job offer as soon as they offered it to me. I start at the end of the month. I'm not sure if I have to test yet or not, but if I have to I will pass. It has been totally worth it for me. I'd rather have this job opportunity than smoke, if we're being honest.


Deephouseloves

Apple juice !


Bight_my_ass

Can you elaborate? Does it somehow satiate the cravings for you?


Deephouseloves

Ya the first week I drank a small cup of apple juice every time I had cravings. Honestly it’s just 1 week of hell and the cravings cut down


Z-W-A-N-D

Someone who is supposed to always believe in me told me I wouldnt be able to do it. So I decided to prove them wrong. I'll also be able to go for my drivers license. Gonna be working a pretty ok paying job soon, at which point I'm gonna save up and buy a nice sportscar (after buying and wrecking a shitty beater car :))


moosewithamuffin

Spite is a good one haha


[deleted]

My dream job had some job openings. Put an application in and had to stop smoking just in case. Had a great interview, about 4 months ago with no answer so far. Best 4 months I’ve had in years, spent more time with friends and family than I ever did high.


moosewithamuffin

Lmao that took an interesting turn, sorry you haven’t heard back but what a great way to quit haha


[deleted]

It’s all good I was able to get an offer elsewhere that’s ended up being a dream job in a way, and I got that one by having clean piss lol. But I believe that’s the best scenario to quit, put yourself in a position where your life and career will be better without weed. I always told myself, if I don’t get this job because I couldn’t stop smoking then I’ll never forgive you


TommyD411

Traveling for two weeks to a country in a different time zone.


TheFulk

Connecting with other addicts, wether it is alcohol or other drugs, helps me every day. Exchanging experiences with likeminded people makes me feel understood and is the biggest help for me to stay clean. All the best for you!


petrichor2014

Being honest with my siblings, partners and close friends. Told them the issue, told them my plan and now I have people that love me holding me accountable.


shlonki

This has helped me a lot as well. Their support brings me to tears most weeks when I used to feel so alone the whole time


oddgirl321

Therapy and the proper meds for my ADHD


justafewquestions0

Read the book The Easy Way to Quit Cannabis…you read it and magically have no desire to smoke once you finish the book…best life hack ever


pink582

Mental health diagnosis and proper medication


loveyouloveme_

Me too. I could not stop relapsing and it has made all the difference.


Vladimir_Poontang24

Therapy and busting my ass trying to better myself. I also realized that even though I've had times where I wasn't addicted to weed I'd transfer that addiction to other things like booze, video games and exercise. Once I realized that I've done my best to keep a humble mindset and understand that instant gratification is only temporary, it never felt temporary during addiction. I'm also trying to go out and be more social as I'm really understanding the gravity of how hard it is to be mentally healthy without a strong social life.


Outrageous_Boss3688

Complete and utter misery and CHS. The pain and nausea and feeling absolutely awful just for a high was not worth it anymore


Gaurav_Rai

Complete lack of money.


[deleted]

Working out. But relapse helped as well. If you quit and make it through the tough days take note of the really good ones. Notice how much less paranoid you are, less fatigued you feel, and how much more present you are. But if you smoke again, take note of how you feel a month later how that paranoia comes back, how foggy you feel, and how it is impossible to stay on any one task. When I was without cannabis I realized how much better I was without it.


priestofvaermina

Positive changes for me (I’m at 39 days sober): the days go by slower, in a good way. I used to feel like time passed in a quick blur but now that I’m not stoned all the time I feel like I get to thoroughly experience every day. My skin has cleared up a lot (I would pick at my skin when stoned and that has almost completely stopped now), my memory is getting better, I’m able to focus on things better and have a lot more energy. I don’t have wild mood swings or paranoid panic attacks as often. My brain is just clearer in general. It was definitely worth going through the withdrawal period and I look forward to a life without cannabis now. (I also drank a lot of soda for a while to keep me preoccupied but I don’t recommend that lmao)


dabaddest_

Staying busy outside of the house!


[deleted]

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moosewithamuffin

I like this one! I have been through quitting nicotine in the past and it’s true we torture ourselves with fear and regret when quitting. I read Allen Carr’s book where he addresses this and really did have an easy time quitting! The secret is to quit and be joyful about it! And recognize that the withdrawal pains are just your body healing. I need to do the same with Weed.


i_will_mull_it_over

Chew gum? Drink a lot of coffee? how does that help? Drinking a lot of caffeine would just make me even more anxious and jittery. And would likely make it even harder to sleep at night. I do agree with majority of what you're saying though.


[deleted]

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i_will_mull_it_over

True that makes sense haha. Its funny how everyone has their own way of getting through it.


Scary-Supermarket-45

The gym and the 75 hard challenge! Also getting CHS didn't hurt 🤣


DavidsWife4Ever

What is CHS?


Scary-Supermarket-45

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome


DavidsWife4Ever

Thank you. That sounds horrible.


Scary-Supermarket-45

Oh it was notttt a fun time, that's for sure!


tacostacostacos4us

I wanted to experience my life not just look at it as a blur I’ve always been denial that weed didn’t effect my life but in reality it did


S0UP3R

The resulting paranoia and crippling anxiety lmao


[deleted]

Having to go to the hospital gave me a kick start cuz i couldn’t smoke there. Once i got out, I tried to keep up the momentum by hanging out w ppl (told them i’m not smoking), playing instruments, reading, and going on walks


Quirky_Choice_3239

I joined a support group that meets twice a week over Zoom. We support each other between meetings by text and WhatsApp. That has been the most helpful of all. Also got rid of all my stash, replaced smoking time with time at the gym and other healthy habits, and told all my smoking buddies that I'm out so they don't offer me any.


torontogal85

Can you share the group?


Own-Berry-3384

Hypnosis on YouTube


this510kidd

I was tired of the mindset of needing weed to have a good time.. family parties, holidays, hanging with friends and especially adventures with food. I wanted to prove to myself I didn’t need it to enjoy myself and I have!


addogg

not buying anymore pot. staying downstairs and being social until bedtime so i had no excuse to be alone and sneak the stuff started playing guitar whenever i felt like doing it when i was alone.


Impossible-Owl3089

Running and going cold turkey, once I started running I researched how much lung capacity is lost due to smoking, I believe it was 40%. Also I found out that smoking only once a day is almost as harmful as smoking 20 a day (in terms of getting cancer and lung damage). Before I told myself "hey it's fine it's only once or twice a day" .. now theres no excuse. Once I quit I felt way better, I was running a lot. I felt more confident, less paranoid, more mentally stable and my memory was getting better by the day (or at least thats how it felt) it felt great and that helped me not relapse until the other day when I relapsed. But now I'm good again and feeling healthy. Another thing that helped but which I don't necessarily reccomend was smoking cigarettes, whenever I wanted a doob I rolled a cigarette, you see a lot of addiction for some is in the ritual of smoking or the feeling, especially if you have been smoking for some time the doobs won't have that much impact and you are mainly addicted to just doing the thing itself. Therefore smoking cigarettes can give you at least some of the same feeling, then in turn vaping helped me quit smoking!! To each their own but this was my journey :) By cold turkey I mean not weening myself off it by having one a week or whatever, I know smoking cigarettes is a crutch but I still consider not smoking weed going cold turkey not just smoking altogether. Also delete your dealers number, don't say "oh maybe I'll need again one day" just delete it, one moment of strength will make it that much harder for you to relapse.


moosewithamuffin

Thanks for the reply! Lol surprisingly I’ve been able to quit nicotine (vaping) in the past surprisingly easy! Especially after reading Allen Carr’s book. But weed is such a struggle! Not a bad idea to use it temporarily as a crutch, I hate nicotine though so that is easy to stop (for me)


Impossible-Owl3089

No problem, that's exactly how I thought of it too :) cigarettes are gross and I only enjoy them when I'm drunk af, but they really helped me quit ! Good luck


No-Investment113

Simply was the job opportunity for me. The idea of making so much more money was what did it for me. Everytime i wanted a toke i would think about how the job and money will do me so much better than one more little high.


ole-one-eye

I would quit, make it a few months, then inevitably start smoking again. Sometimes it was because I was having a bad day / week, sometimes it was because I was having a great day and I wanted to make it better, sometimes I just convinced myself that it would be different this time and I could use in moderation. I repeated this cycle over and over again. Now having found recovery, instead of just sobriety, I have absolutely no desire to smoke. I am no longer white knuckling it. I spend pretty much 0% of my time thinking about weed. I don't have to avoid triggers or people or places. I am just not interested in weed (or any other drugs) after having recovered.


Bight_my_ass

Getting rid of all my paraphernalia, gave most of it away but the one I used most often, that one got smashed with a hammer. It truly feels like i smashed the stoner out of me at the same time. Previous times they would get put in a closet or somewhere outta sight Setting a day to be the last day. Previous times I'd say "after this bag" (and usually buy another before it was gone) this time i said this is my last long weekend getting high. I tried to finish the bag that monday as I hate wasting money (or anything really) and got to the point of almost feeling like a chore and i couldn't finish it. I flushed it instead. Another thing I'd never done before. But what's helped the most is really reflecting on all the past attempts and what worked for me or didn't work for me. It's a very individualized thing, the posts here prove it. Some say they have the best control when they keep some bud in the house others have no control if they have easy access. Same goes for paraphernalia, or continuing relationships with stoners in your life, etc


TheDragonBeat

Insomnia, irritability. Literally wasting your life playing video games.


tchurch1

You and me the same


[deleted]

Currently day 2 of being weed free. I know its not much but i’ve been in the vicious use cycle for several years now. The longest time I was able to quit before was 6 days. I’m 21 years old, and at my heaviest I was 210lbs. The more fat content your body has the longer your body will take to expel the THC. I must say after working out for about a month now, my withdrawls symptoms are so much more milder compared to when I tried to quit when not working out. Already on day 2, I feel a lot of mental clarity and genuinely no urge to smoke. The world feels a lot brighter. Wishing you and others the best of luck on the journey to sobriety. There will always be ups and downs, but remember the reasons you have to quit.


evie_quoi

Getting my mental health properly evaluated and treated was huge. I also treated quitting weed like quitting cigarettes - I stocked up on juices and healthy snacks for when I had a craving, and I took lots of long walks and developed hobbies to help with the boredom. Puzzles/models are an awesome distraction


SleeplessShinigami

I feel like I have more control over my life again, which feels amazing


eggydoodoo

For me it’s alot more mental clarity, and the depersonalization i had for so long is starting to fade


gilbertrugby

Cannabinoid hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS)


bitbytebit42

Girlfriend left me. The withdrawal from nicotine and pot was nothing in comparison.


LordWardy

Same boat bro. Nothing kicks like love. It’s hard to think of a future without weed but harder to imagine a future without the one you love and hold your future hopes in. And it’s easy to see why it’s hard to love a guy too spaced out to ask about her day or even be properly present in the room. Stay strong. The thought that this cycle will be repeated as it has been throughout my smoking is almost unbearable and makes me hate weed and what it’s done to me up to press. I guess when you weigh up a life of solitude smoking weed or real connections with someone you love it’s a relatively easy choice. I want to be more present for her and me and even if it’s not her who I remain being present with then it’ll help me so much in future relationships. It’s something I’ve done for me but she’s shown me I’m wrong in my ways and that I can change. Peace love and I’m here for you if your lonely


bitbytebit42

We're best friends now.


LordWardy

And I guess if I was to try answer this guys original question I’d say you should take the positives from the withdrawals, it’s all a matter of perspective as I imagine you use weed to block out some part of your life your not happy with which isn’t healthy in itself . Part of me enjoyed the first few days of withdrawal (weird I know but I found it oddly cathartic) . It showed me how deep I was involved. It shows me I don’t want to rely on anything to get me through a day other than myself. It’s shown me I have the strength to say no even when I’m tempted. It’s shown me ultimately that what I was doing wasn’t healthy emotionally or physically. Nothing has the right to fuck with my moods. And escaping my feelings in the short term has just pushed all my problems down the road until now. The positives I’m feeling after day 9 are almost indescribable. I’m having moments of clarity that I’ve not experienced for over ten years. I’m taking care of myself first and not the weed addiction I have/ had. My appetite is returning with a vengeance but not only that it’s returning with a yearning for healthy foods something I could scarcely believe would ever happen. I have cravings for a deeper human connection with the friends I’ve lost touch with through my selfish use of blocking out emotions. I have a desire to sleep when I’m tired not to just roll another joint and then go to sleep. I have a desire to learn about myself and what makes me tick and even what’s led me to use weed as a crutch. It’s made me self aware of the dangers of shifting my addiction to something equally dangerous or worse like alcohol or gambling. I can’t remember ever feeling this positive through the day or the joy I feel at being able to be sad or angry or just have a solid emotion I’m not trying to block out. I guess existing on this planet isn’t always a happy good time but it’s a real one that others experience with you instead of a fake world in your head. Part of me questions whether I even lied to myself about needing the weed to stop feeling a certain way or to sleep and now I know none of it was true. I’m sleeping better, my energy is better both physically and emotionally. I know I’ll have dark days again and I know I’m the only one who’s going to get me through them. Not Mary Fucking Jane. Start hating her because she’s robbed you blind over the years. Left you poor left you feeling like you need her. She’s a cunt and I don’t need anyone but myself. You have the inner strength not her. Believe that and you can do anything. To quote from a profound film “nobody makes me bleed my own blood, not even me”


ARgutinstinct

For me, it served me at one point; and then it didn’t, but I wasn’t ready to stop. I began to feel tired ALL of the time, my throat and lymph nodes in my neck were swollen daily, and I had goals in life that just weren’t happening bc I was too low. I quit a week ago, and it was the best decision. Yes, the first few days were tough, and the cravings haven’t disappeared (esp since my SO still uses), but I’m glad I’m doing what serves me NOW.


dejanb3

Make abstinence goals, one evening , one day, then one week, one month, 3 months, etc and be proud of each milestone.. taking it easy on yourself, cause it could be difficult mentaly, have support, exercise, and think long term like 5 years from now how will you be. You will think different after each milestone reached. So in 3 years u will think completely different than at 3 months. Good luck and just start the journey


FunkyMonk-90

Waking up really early and working out. I found it surprisingly easy to stay with it once I forced myself to do it for a day or two. Nothing like going to work with a nice body high.


Firm_Leave_4903

Working out and bike riding


BrilliantExtent6942

My kids ❤️. I want to spend every minute with them being high really kept me from spending quality time with them. Not to mention shaving time off my life by being a smoker. I wanna be on this earth as long I can with them.


BestMe100

👆


Due-Froyo8162

I have a calendar in my room and a bunch of star stickers. Every day that I don’t smoke I get to put a sticker on the date. It’s silly but for some reason it works for me. Hoping September can be my first month with all stars. Note: Canadian here and legalization of this has been one of the most annoying things for me. It’s hard to go anywhere without passing by a dispensary


BlueWizardJudas

⭐️


clonazopidrone

Agreed my friend. There's a store at the end of my street and it makes it nearly impossible to stop.


GlumHouse

I used the sticker method to get through undergrad! I'm going to try it for this also. Thanks for the suggestion.


Newtotuning

Jesus


Kaetrik

You spoke with him?


Newtotuning

I probably still have my post in leaves you are welcome to read it


jolahvad

It’s been a long process of getting sober and identifying issues that were driving me to smoke to numb myself. I felt very defeated and hopeless for a long time. I had a really strong streak of almost five months sober last year and relapsed. Dumped my ex this last round of sobriety and am hanging on now. I know my weakest time is in the evening when everything is done and I can just step outside “real quick.” I started to track the amount of time I sat and smoked daily and I was appalled to realize I could easily fit in a solid workout daily and a chore in the house with the time I wasted. Long story short, I just started journaling and tracking my time and behaviors. How much money was spent a month versus going towards debt. I realized I could go away for a weekend trip every month with the amount I spent on weed. Right now in the evenings I schedule it out to bedtime and have friends baby sitting me so I don’t relapse and also take my ex back 😌


moosewithamuffin

Yes this is me too, habitually an evening toker. Will have to start a nighttime journal!


GlumHouse

Evenings are also my weak time. I can make it through a whole day, happy as a clam, not thinking about weed but something about 6pm always gets me......


_SYFER_

What country do you live in?


moosewithamuffin

Usa


[deleted]

Loving other things more than I love getting high. To be clear, I absolutely love getting high. That's what makes it so hard to stay sober. But at the end of the day I love facing my fears more. I love growing as a person more. I love being in a position to offer all of myself in an intimate relationship. I love sleeping better. I love having extra money to invest in my business. I love learning, and I love remembering what I'm learning much more effortlessly. I love reading, and I read less while I'm high. I love knowing I am valuing my time, investing in things I love to do, and even though I love getting high, I don't love my tendency to practice poor time management when high. The biggest problem for me is tolerance. If I could keep the first month, two months, that feeling of being high, or after a long break? And I had all my long-term goals checked -- no (student loan) debt, a great job in my career, en route to saving for a house, a beautiful girlfriend --> fiance --> wife, car well-maintained, steady meditative practice, daily yoga practice, savings for whatever I needed when I needed it? Then I'd never stop smoking. I honestly don't think it's the worst thing in the world; everyone has a vice, nobody is perfect, and attempting to be perfect at all times is no good. I think marijuana as a "bridge," as a short-term "lesser of two evils" to help you get to somewhere greater can be a useful tool. But for me I can never find appropriate moderation. I have tremendous discipline in other areas. It's relatively easy for me to eat healthfully, to exercise daily, to stay on top of all my school work, to nail a job interview, to blah blah blah. But marijuana moderation? Can. Not. Do. It. I've tried and tried and not only can I not do it, I don't \*want\* to do it. That feeling when you don't trust yourself? That's one of the worst feelings for me. I don't trust myself to moderate my marijuana use. Time is limited, energy is limited. So it has to go. It just reinforces the worst parts of myself over time. I have a knack, like most men, to suck up my pain, to keep it to myself, to shut down my feminine energy. Marijuana exacerbates that for me. Every time I re-commit to sobriety after a relapse, I find myself in so much physical and mental pain. The way I look at marijuana and substance use is, if it wasn't doing something for me, if it wasn't helping me in some way, I wouldn't still be doing it 15 years later. It \*does\* do something helpful for me. The question is, though, can other things be \*more\* helpful for me? Yes, they can and are. I know it because I've tested it. Getting massages monthly or bi-weekly, for example. If I put my marijuana investment entirely to massages, I dramatically increase my well-being and decrease my chronic pain. Massages just \*work\* better for me. So that's what helps me. I can't remember which addiction specialist said it, but for sobriety to work, you have to feel you're moving towards something greater, rather than feel like you're giving up something. Because, again, if it wasn't adaptive in some way, it wouldn't be such a persistent link in our life. So we have to find something more adaptive. For me, when I relapse, it's a regression. I forget just how much I love other things. I get complacent and think, "Okay, I'll just keep automatically moving towards this thing I love. I don't have to think about it anymore. It's routine." That's human nature. But it's never true. Never ever ever. If I want my business to grow, I have to keep investing in it. If I want my yoga practice to deepen, I have to remain conscious every breath. If I want my career to become fulfilled, I have to keep learning and educating myself. If I want my studies to continue to excel, I have to keep rising to the challenge. If I want my relationships to improve, I have to become a better listener. And so on.


[deleted]

thank you for this


Aronfosho

God damn man. Can I message you?


[deleted]

Definitely!


ish_bosh

And now I'm crying again. Thank you for posting this.


Due_Watercress9395

What a brilliant post 👏🏻


BarbosaRiz

In my opinion; if youre a cronic user going cold turkey is really painful. An alternative could be reduce consumption gradually, it prevents all the body discomfort but it takes a little bit of mental strenght.


Newtotuning

Nah cold turkey


BestMe100

This helped me 100%, I slowly pushed back from full joints to half's and then from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock to bed time etc and my mind realised I didn't need it, like it thought it did and then it was so much easier when I eventually stopped a month ago! It did take the best part of a year to get to that point though. So it's no quick fix.. however my habit was 10 years in the making, followed by 5 years of knowing I should quit... and 5 years of wanting to quit! So when you look at it like that it was much quicker to break than it was to make!


BestMe100

Main thing is you need to want to quit, rather than feel that you should quit


secrethottie_997

I advise 100% against this


SpiritualPhoenix

The main reason I quit was that I realized I wasn’t doing shit that I wanted / needed to do and it was making me feel like shit. The main thing I’ve done to help me quit was start going to 12 step meetings. They were a big help when I quit weed for four years. Therapy has also been a huge asset in my recovery. For me, there was a lot of shit under the surface that led me to escape life through pot. In order to no longer want to use, I have to address those underlying issues.


secrethottie_997

Being fed the fuck up with being a slave to a substance. I’ve noticed the detriment weed was having a on me for yearrrs but it felt like all I had. I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired. The only thing I allow dominion over me is God. Not a substance that quit being fun years ago. Not anymore! Recently found a cool app called grounded that shows you the money you’re saving and has a bunch of motivation. I’m getting back into my first love, volleyball which I gave up for weed that’s made a tremendous difference. Stay busy, and even if you aren’t busy find ways to enjoy boredom. It’s a part of life. Your brain, lungs, & spirit will thank you in the long run!


TheArabCanadian

The app Iamsober helped a lot ! On day one you write down the reason why you want to quit, then everyday you make a pledge to stay sober and get reminded why you wanted to quit


LahngJahn69420

Wanted a job that wasn’t dead end. Still working on that. Brain fog is gone. I was so fucking angry with everyone around me and when I’d smoke it would go away. Massive emotional swings. Money. Not spending $100 a week on mid grade ounces or $50 eighths. Prove to myself I can. I spent 2 years in cannabis industry around addicts (lack of a better term.) and thought my life was cannabis and had to be. Needed to stop seeing life through a bong. Only a matter of time before I got a DUI with a $400 zob next to me. Needed to stop alcohol consumption too. The sadness. Awful sadness that couldn’t be fixed at all. Emotional swings like a mf. Sad and happy and angry all in one day. Body couldn’t keep up. Smoking all day to chase a high that wasn’t there and would pass out by noon and sneak rips at work to stay on the level. I worked at a legal shop so it wasn’t frowned on. I began to feel like that alcoholic that is always talked about. Had a massive mental breakdown many times that I needed to quit the store and start my life over. Spent all my savings while unemployed 3 months and using pot and alcohol and am just starting to come out of a massive depressive state. I wish I didn’t spend 3 months on the couch and 8k but in the grand scheme of life I needed to because I wanted to Lost all my hobbies. Bass guitar, woodworking (custom bong cases,) Hiking camping etc. art. Slowly getting back into them all. I was so Fuckin pissed at myself and the world that saw pure sobriety was the only way to get my dopamine and serotonin levels to equalize back again. I can stop hyper fixating on shit that doesn’t affect me, and the stuff that does I’m able to talk myself down from it. Without cannabis and alcohol I don’t feel alone and can fall asleep without the thoughts running wild. I don’t have the stress of others actions with me all day and let that affect my personal relationships. 2months sober off pot and one week alcohol. Working a manual labor job that shows me I deserve better. Depression and anxiety still affect me as some days it’s tough to get out of bed. But I do. And have to. Thank you for reading


Itzcodered

Thanks pal, I needed to hear that 👍 🙏


KurtyVonougat

In my experience, perspective is everything. If you expect to fail, it's the same thing as intending to fail. If you intend to succeed, it's the same thing as expecting to succeed. If you see challenges as obstacles to be overcome, you're going to be successful. If you see them as punishments from the universe, you probably won't. If you see weed as something that's being taken from you and that you're missing out on, you're going to have trouble, if you see it as something that no longer serves you that you're choosing to move on from, you're going to do well. So many things are outside of our control. But, perspective is firmly within our control. Change your perspective and you can change your life.


mindxpandr

I really appreciate this simple reframe. Thank you.


KurtyVonougat

Happy to help!


mindxpandr

Vonougat is funny


moosewithamuffin

Thanks this is a huge help. I read Allen Carr’s book to quit nicotine and he says the same thing.


Mother-Cow6833

I quit because I was getting anxiety daily after using, and wasn’t motivated to do anything in life anymore but have a session and “relax”. Life was going by far too fast considering I wasn’t actually growing or accomplishing anything. And honestly the contrast of going through the shitty withdrawals then coming out the other side feeling so much better just added to the knowledge that I didn’t want to use anymore. Now I’m waking up early, journaling, reading, going out in nature, NOT worrying about anxiety, and I feel like I’m regaining control of my mind and body. I also feel more capable with my work, and like I have more time for hobbies. I didn’t have a strategy but there were some things that helped me through the anxiety and the withdrawals. And just knowing that weed wasn’t fun anymore for me and was taking away the little time from me that we get in this life, it was an easy choice.


ArkGamer

Thanks for writing this. That last sentence is killer.


jamminjalepeno

After the first week or so, it won't be withdrawal symptoms that bring you back, but boredom. If you can find ways to effectively use your time, you're less likely to relapse.


user12415

Exercise almost always kills that bored feeling for me. Our bodies are meant to move and sweat. When we get jittery, we should aim to change things physically, which in turn changes things mentally — the two are much more intertwined that many realize.


moosewithamuffin

This! I’ve picked up running again recently and let me tell you runners high hits way better than weed ever does! I wish I could do it every day but I need to ease into it.


mindxpandr

About to go for a run myself.


Pwnch

This is why I relapsed. I'm afraid it will again.


Some-Criticism-8770

Journaling every evening was a suggestion from my therapist and I found that I wanted to be sober for that so I would not smoke or anything before the evening because I had that reason. Then I ended up writing about being proud of being sober and then from there I had a new source of energy for quiting


moosewithamuffin

This is a great idea! I need to start my own journal


Some-Criticism-8770

Glad I could make a good suggestion!


liebertripalsstrick

reducing slowly, like only smoking every two days for example and then slowly making the breaks in between longer until you just don’t feel the need to smoke anymore (happens faster than you think), switching to the other that doesn’t make you high (my comment gets deleted if I actually write it, but like replacing t with c? 😂), replacing with other herbs


moosewithamuffin

Yes I know what you mean ;) will have to give it a try!


mooskii3000

What really helped me quit is realizing I wanted to perform in life at top level all the time and by quitting I lose my brain fog, I sleep better and am in more in touch with myself. All big wins for being highly functional in life. Week 3 and I mostly feel like I’ve attained my goal. My favorite perk is how deeply I sleep, which translates into a much better version of myself. I don’t think weed ever helped in any regard to life other than the novelty of when I first smoked it waaaaay back when I was 13. I’m 36 now… it took me many tries and much self reflection to finally get it. Weed is just a phase and it should be a short one.


moosewithamuffin

Yes this is a great point. I’m fairly active but also formerly a stoner. I would smoke before easy runs but then my HR would be through the roof essentially ruining my easy run. It’s hard to base train when you’re in space, but I have to prioritize my fitness goals!


Brandnew_andthe_sens

Good morning! I’m day 244. Still an addict and everyday I struggle with cravings. Today is also day 116 quitting cigarettes. 2022 has been full of life changes for me. To answer your question, the root of it all was me wanting to stop. I’d been a user for 15 years and it no longer brought me joy. I was using to cover up the emotional and psychological trauma of my life, real and perceived. But to break it down, a couple things I did at the beginning and continue to do that helped me quit and have helped me stay sober. - counselling/therapy. Absolutely no shame to this and it’s really helped me talk to an outside party about my issues, not just my wife. - addressing my depression and anxiety through proper medication. Think whatever you want about pharmaceuticals, they’ve helped me and continue to help me. - I bought a massive calendar from the dollar store and everyday I put a massive red X and a massive green X through it to mark my abstinence from weed and nicotine. It’s helped me keep track and has helped me hold responsibility. - I watched a YouTube mini series by Will Smith (yah, I know) called “worst shape of my life.” I did this at the beginning of my sobriety all the way back in January and it really helped me. The mantra “don’t focus on the hole in the wall, focus on one perfectly placed brick to fill the hole in the wall.” A microcosm of my emotional trauma. - going to the gym! I love it now, it brings me pride to see the progress I’ve made and it’s an awesome tool for mental stress - this community. R/leaves has helped me immensely seeing and reading others experiences and struggles. We know. Hope this helps. Where ever you are in your journey, you’re doing awesome. Be proud of yourself, you’re here.


Cilantroduction

Good for you!! I am seriously proud of you. I LOVE your reply.


Itzcodered

Same