Trying to Quit

[willow7]

I have been smoking green for nearly 4 years now. I used to smoke it on a weekly basis on a weekend. But it turned into an everynight thing for me. I become a heavy smoker. I have tried so many times to quit, my best mate is a heavy smoker and none of my other friends do and he has been smoking it since he was 15 and he is now 30. He has not thought on quitting, I really want to quit. I am a top sportsman and have lost all interest in my sport and i used to be very socialable and now i dont leave the house of a weekend i just get stoned of my nut! i smoke all day and night on a weekend. I never go to work stoned. i have thrown my bong, pipe and bucket all out to help quit. I have been cold turkey since sunday, and i feel really paranoid, i cant sleep and i have anxiety attacks. Is this normal for some going cold turkey? please help me quit. I am still only 24 and i want to quit. I am really unhappy with my life and i feel depressed all the time.

can you please tell me how i will feel going cold turkey in the first week and the folowing weeks. do you have any tips how to quit?

i keep saying that word quit, help me do it.

[Archbob]

And they say it has no ill effects, bah.
Well, for your case, I would seriously seek professional or group therapy. It is near impossible to quit alone and having a professional help you or having group consultation and encouragement every week will go a long way to help you quit. You have to have the determination to fight though.

[harimadsol]

Yeah, I think the anxiety and sleeplessness are a normal part of withdrawl. Knowing it's normal probably doesn't help, but withdrawl is temporary and it will go away. That being said, the addiction won't go away by itself, and it's a really good idea to get some therapy, or at least join a group for recovering addicts. Just talking to people who have gone through it will help a great deal.

[websurfpro]

Just be strong and repeat that word to yourself, anxziety is normal in any recovery , not that is absoluttely to occur but it does occur in most people when they quit. Try also to get some specialized help.

[jnjsarauer]

I agree with the suggestion to get some group therapy. It helps to know that others are struggling with this too and learn from their successes and challenges. You are making a wise decision to quit, and I applaud you for your efforts. Hang in there and take it a moment at a time.

[surfville]

At this moment i think consulting a expert is a must, it is hard to keep it in your self because it is easy to fall back and do it again. Help of family is also needed ask them they will help.

[msshir]

Willow:

Hi, I have been smoking Mj for about 34 years.
Many of these years I did not smoke at all.
So I guess that means its on and off for me.
But in the last 15 years it has become much more difficult
to quit. There are various factors to consider. But I know
Marijuana has compounded these problems.
Such as :
depression
anxiety
mood swings
lack of motivation
memory issues
weight gain
increased isolation
emotional instability
poor impulse control
poor judgement
anger
and general confusion
as well I have to be concerned
about the condition of my lungs.
Although presently I have no
porblem with my lungs.

I have used it almost daily in the past 34 years for maybe 7-8 years in a row.
It has gotten more potent of course. But you could get concentrated oils, or hash, or better quality, more potent Mj back then too.
It is more difficult to quit now. I have concluded in recent years for the
first time that I have an addiction. I experience all the symptoms you do.
It is important to get support and be with people who understand
the same issue. It is hard to quit and stay clean on your own. Professional
therapy is important.

People on this forum are sometimes in denial of the problems
Marijuana can cause. I have permanent neurological problems
as a result of chronic use.

Take it from someone who has over 3 decades of stoned experience.
I see what it has done to me. We must look inside for happiness.

[quitter]

as hard as it may be, you have to get rid of your best mate. Right away too. and maybe you can be friends much later down the road.

[survivor]

I can only give you advice because i was a smoker myself.
I'ts hard. There are people who say its not really a drug and it's not that hard for them to quit. There are also the ones who say marijuana never really hurt anybody. i guess it all depends on why you smoke it. Do you do it to make yourself feel good, do you do it because you don't want to face something. I qiut smoking mj just as fast as i started, and i wasn't one of those people that was new to it. I smoked myself into oblivion for 4 years.
That also wasn't the only drug i was doing. I just woke up one morning and said this is not for me. It's not that easy for others. A dear friend of mine has smoked enough mj to start a plantation, now he wishes he had never started. He has tried to committ suicide because when he comes down of his high he realizes all his problems are still there and haven't gone away. I'ts never to late to start living. after 9 years of smoking it up he's decided to get the help he needs, and that life is worth living. I would suggest counseling if you know that you cannot do it alone.
I wish you luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bud free]

please pardon my bad typing,

i'm quitting as a medical issue, i can't quit cigarettes and still smoke pot so they both had to go. went to a few12 step meetings but that didn't work for me. after the first month a weird thing started happening, i began to dream again. i didnt even realize that i wasn't dreaming but now they are these wild epic scenes, some quite disturbing. i have not given up my smoking friends but i will leave if the smoke gets too thick , so to speak. my advise is to give yourself a break, forgive yourself if you slip and plug right on. there does not seem to be one way to this and if getting help works for you then by all means! for me it was the idea that smoke in your lungs is bad no matter what kind.