Marijuana Detox

My boyfriend is detoxing and I can assure you the withdraws are very real....after only 4 days he is coughing up yellow/black phlem with flu like symptoms and very very irratable almost angry at times for no reason. I've never seen him like this and I'm glad I found a few sights to help me understand what he's going through. It's tough and for those who say mj isnt addictive, it is. If it were not than he wouldnt be going through withdraws=(

I am going through an MJ detox myself. It has been one week, not long I know and right now I'm having a throbbing headache in the very same location that always felt good when I use to hit a joint. However, my mind feels much clearer. I think the best idea I've done was to get away from my local area (at my gf's parents house) and being out of the environment makes it easier, because I think ACCESS is one thing you have to control. If it's easy to get -- you are going to get it. Once you realize you don't really need or want it, it's good. I think another good idea if you're having a hard time giving up is try to extend long breaks in between. Have a budget for MJ that is low enough that will limit what you can smoke. Before I was doing quarter oz a week, I've been cutting that down by half every two weeks. This isn't the best way, but it's a good way if cold turkey is hard. Another important factor is stay away from the environment that promotes it, i.e. friends, being alone, etc. STAY BUSY, I agree completely with this. Most people I think usually smoke a joint because they're bored. Don't be bored.

I also deceided to cut back gradually instad of cold turkey.
This is because the first time I really tried to quit, I went cold turkey and became violenly angry.

I started when I was about 16. Before I started I was very ill. I spent at least 10 mos laying on the bathroom floor trying to deal with paranoia and nausea. This was very scary to me because my mom never took me to a Dr. I didn't know what my problem was or how to deal with it. I lost my summer job and was anxious about school starting soon. How was I supposed to graduate when I couldn't lift my head off the foor?

That is when I was introduced to MJ and for me at the time it really was a blessing. It allowed me to return to a functioning human again. I was just a casual user, once in a while. I became a daily user when I became friends with one.

Being a daily user made me feel shameful, but I figured I could quit whenever I wanted. The first time I seriousy considered it was when I was pregnant. But smoking helped me sleep, eat, etc. so I deceided to wait until after the baby was born to quit. I was very honest with my Drs. They told me that the biggest danger was low birth weight, but since I smoked small amounts at a time (just a puff or 2...anymore and I would get sick) and I smoked low grade (high grade made me sick) my baby was born very healthy.

When she was a couple mos old I gave it a try because I wanted to be a good mom and good moms don't smoke pot. I was a little nervous because I didn't want to return to the person who could't get off the bathroom floor. After one week I was violently angry. Anyone who knows me will describe me as a quiet peaceful person. I can't tell you how this frightened me! I deceided I would rather be a pot smoking mom than a violent one.

After that I never gave it much thought. I was a good member of socitey. I graduated college, started my own business, and I WAS a good mom. Currently I have been smoking for 30 years, and was starting to feel very guilty and shameful. I was spending 25 to 50 a week, and I wasn't wealthy! I did most of my smoking alone from the time I woke up till I went to bed...every 4 to 6 hrs like clock work. I would smoke with others but I could't "keep up", any more than a few puffs would make me sick. I felt so much guilt and shame because I wasn't smoking to get high (getting high made me sick), I was smoking to feel normal and so I could function.

Well, a couple of years ago I was having "change of life" symptoms and deceided to have a check up. The Dr. spent a lot of time feeling a lump in my throat and asking me Q'S like "Do you ever feel anxious or have heart palputaions?" My answers were no...I had gone thru this with every Dr before. But I was also honest about smoking pot (as with every Dr. before) and she followed a hunch in her gut and had my Thyroid tested.

The test came back indicating that I have an over active thyroid, so she repeated the bood test to confirm. The 2nd test confirmed, so then I had to swallow a radioactve pill for another test that made it clear that I have a lump on my thyroid gland which was interfering with it's hormone production. This is what caused my unexplained sudden and severe weight gains and losses over the years, as well as sleeplessness, nausea, panic etc. (all the reasons that made me smoke)

I was put on a med and my levels returned to normal so I was quite exceited and told the Dr. that I would like to quit pot and she said she would help me do that later but first we had to address high cholesterol and diabetes and other issues that were a result of my malfunctioning thyroid. I was also a little concearned about the possibility of radiation treatment if my meds didn't work. I didn't want to lose my contacts incase I did have to go thru radiation because I knew it would help me with nausea, etc. and my DR. agreed. (It is interesting to note that non of my Drs or Dentists were ever concearned about my pot habit...even tho I was an all day user for many years. Maybe because it was just a puff or 2?)

So anyways I stopped beating myself up about it and concluded that God had provided me with pot to help me with my undiagnosed thyroid problem, but I still wanted to quit.

(I did confront my mother and ask her why she never took me to the Dr that year I was so sick and she told me she thought I was on drugs! How ironic because it was the lack of medical attention that led me to drugs! In my moms defense, I did see many Drs afterwards (including 2 prenancies) and they were always curious about the lump in my throat but never followed up on it. Probably because my answers to all their Q's were always no...because pot helped with the symptons!)

So anyways I wanted to quit but was afraid to go cold turkey because of what happened the last time. So I had the same idea you had. Normally I would make sure I got more before what I had ran out (like milk or something), but I deceided to let myself run out and then let a whole day go by before getting more. Turns out it was't so bad. I did that for a while and then went to 2 days. I did that for a while and then went for 3 days, but then instead of buying more I deceided to just go for it.

I have had insomnia, night sweats, some panic(but not much), loss of appetite,etc. but I'm still holding on. I am very greatful for this site because I needed help figuring out if what I was feeling was because of withdrawl or thyroid.

I AM ON DAY 5!

This is a great accomplishment because less than 24 hours after deciding to go for it my 15yr old son was rushed to the hospital with alcohol poisining. He was at a party and someone snuck in a bottle of vodka. This was his first experience with alcohol and he way overdid it. He went into convulsions, vomitting, urinating, devicating, the whole nine yards. Thank you Jesus that his friends called an adult and the adult called 911. When I got the phone call I swear I could hear satan..."Thissss isss not the time to quit ssssmoking pot..." and I have to admit that usually works. But I wanted to be strong for God, for myself and for my son.
So I didn't call my contact and that felt good.

ONE DAY AT A TIME. There is no right or wrong way to get there. If you end up getting some, enjoy. Then try again. Keep trying until you succeed. I quit smoking ciggs over 20 years ago and that was much harder for me than this. The cravings were unbearable and I would always go back. Then I would quit again. I can't tell you how many times I had to try. I would say "you've done well..one won't hurt.". But quitting never got any easier. So eventually I deceided it was always that first cigg that led me back to the painful point of having to quit again, and if I could stay away from that first cigg I would be ok. 20 yrs later and I don't even have a desire anymore. I used to have dreams that I was smoking and I would feel very guilty until I woke up!!

My confusion has been that I don't get cravings for pot so I thought if I could quit ciggs when the cravings were so bad, I should be able to quit pot. But I didn't get withdrawls from ciggs, just overpowering cravings. With pot, I don't get cravings, but I do get withdrawls which have been magnified because of my thyroid! With Gods grace and my thyroid meds.....

I would like to Thank God for taking care of me, even when I was an athiest. I do believe he led me to pot years ago because I needed it. I also believe he led me to the Dr. who would follow her hunch. And now I believe that he will give me the strenghth and courage to dump this habit. I will need him more than ever to face the overwhelming emotions of anger and sadness from my childhood that pot helped me to avoid. It was ok for me to avoid them at the time because I had no support, but now I do.

PRAISE GOD FOR HE IS GOOD.
HE TAKES CARE OF ME LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD.
ALL I HAVE TO DO
IS TRY TO BE GOOD.
PRAISE GOD
FOR HE IS SO GOOD.
PRAISE GOD
THE WAY YOU SHOULD.

Just remember, God created you, and he dosn't make mistskes.
Much love and blessings to you all.
Keep fighting the good fight.

This has been a great inspiration and source of information for me on day 1 w/o mj. Thanks for sharing!!

I needed to hear this story it reminds me of myself. and i now feel like im not alone.

I am going through it right now. As we speak I am sweating, freezing and have no appetite. I agree with the "being bored", I lost my job in June '09 and have been going nuts ever since.
I was on Lexapro and my doc changed me to Pristiq. I have been suffering from depression my entire life, I think this just makes it worse. I thought I was loosing my mind because I could not understand why I was feeling this way. My daughter searched for info for me and found this site. I wish I could go to rehab but I have no insurance, no job and no money. I hope you are coping well and I wish you the best in your daily struggle.

Hi, just wondering how you are. My husband is going through mj detox, and is having severe anxiety, restlessness and even irritable. I can't seem to say anything that will not get on his nerves. How's your boyfriend? Is he out of it? How long did it take? For us it's been only three days. You know? I think the worst of it is he kept smoking to ease his anxiety and I dont know anymore which came first, the anxiety or the pot....I guess I'll find out soon enough.

Hello to anyone, I am going through some horrible anxiety and all the symptoms of MJ withdrawal, but not been able to eat is really eating me alive. I cant seem to eat, i force myself, and im still having the feeling of wanting to throw up. I have so much stress with it all, too and this pain that wont go away, i've been trying to control it with advil, but is not realy helping much. This is like my second week feeling this bad. Im almost at the point of not showing up to work, I cant take this anymore. Anyone has any sujestions on how to ease this pain and anxiety. How can you eat, when you cant even keep a bite in your mouth. What to do about the job, how can I take a break from it, to get better. It sucks when the economy is this bad, I dont want to loose my job, but i cant even think straight

Hi I had been smoking 1/4 a week and thought I'd never be able to stop but i have and it was so so easy i now you will probably laugh or not belive it but i read the book called the "the Secret" by Rhonda B" you can download a PDF it for £1 on ebay if you can't get a copy.
Can't believe I've stopped and how easy it was.
On the down side I have and still am experiencing some side effects ie seem to feel tired all the time which i have not heard of as a side effect but pretty sure it is due to the detox also been dreaming more which i did know would happen.
Good luck to everyone trying to give up and please do try the book its also a fantastic read and you won't be able to put it down. (usually hate self help type books but this one was totally different promise)

i been smoknin for three years ive only been clean for 2 weeks now and i feel tired alll the time and i dream EVERYNIGHT and i loose alot of sleep because of that

I am 51 years old and have smoked pot most of my adult life. It was the coolest thing to do in high school, and then in the bars right after graduation. It was very obtainable, affordable and enjoyable.

I took a MaryJane hiatus for the years I raised my children. That is to say I quit buying it. I don't think I have EVER turned down a smoke when offered. I love being high. But for the last five years or so have smoked constantly. I am a 'wake and bake' kind of gal. I have averaged 2-3 joints a day, and go through a half-ounce in 10 days no problem. Especially since the 'ounces' aren't what they used to be.

My abuse growing up was severe; I have been told by my 60-year old ex-psychologist that I have been more abused than most, for a longer period than most, and by more people than most. I have been abused by mothers, molested by brothers starting at age 6 and continuing through age 18, and just recently found out that my father (who has always been on a pedestal) beat me as a baby. I have no self-esteem. And for the last few years have been going through the change of life. All of these memories have come crashing down and in the last couple of years I have smoked from dawn til dusk. It is numbing and I don't think so much. Which is exactly why I need to quit. It is time for me to face those demons. Well, at least not let them bother me so much.

I come from a very addictive family. My sister has lost dollars in the six-figures to gambling. My brother drinks almost a fifth of whiskey a day. They are both very unhealthy. I have refused to be addicted to anything, believing I am stronger than the others. Pot didn't count as an addiction. haha

I quit for a month last spring. When all those memories came crashing down again, I started seeing a psychiatrist. My regular doctor had been treating me for depression for years. I know the definitions of varying types of depression and I have many of the symptoms. But I knew inside I was not depressed. I am a very happy person and very thankful to even be alive. But when I started seeing a psychiatrist, things changed. She diagnosed me as having GAD, general anxiety disorder. I was put on a very low dose of an anti-psychotic and am a different person now.

I picked up smoking again through the summer, but being on these meds perked me up enough that I painted the whole inside of my house. By myself. I told myself I would smoke pot only if I stayed active.

I am still active. But I know it is time to quit smoking pot. My grandchildren hang around the house quite a bit, and I'm sure they know. If not yet, they will soon. I don't want them to know.

I quit five days ago. The second and third day were the hardest. Talk about not being able to regulate my body temperature! Hot cold hot cold hot cold. Anxiety. And yes, I have to force myself to eat now.

I think my secret is that I find something to think about every time I want a smoke. That would be my grandchildren.

I smoked cigarettes for 27 years and quit eight years ago. At that time, again I needed to think of something every time I wanted to light up a cigarette. In my mind, I pictured my husband and daughter watching me as I die from emphysema. It is a very slow, painful death; I've seen it. I love my husband and daughter enough to try anything so they don't have to watch me die that way. I picture my grandchildren watching that death now. It gets me through.

You say you are in a lot of pain without pot. Do you know what is causing the pain? You need to find out. I have pretty bad arthritis. In the last two years, I've lost 40 pounds and my more-active lifestyle has strengthened me to the point that I am almost pain-free now. I have my days. I don't 'exercise'. I HATE it. I work my butt off around the house, trying to stay busy. I've heard from many people that boredom exacerbates the need to smoke. How very true. I have many hobbies. I have spend most of the summer psyching myself up to the point of today's strength. I know I can do it.

I know I've talked a lot about my past. I hope I haven't offended you by doing so. I guess I wanted you to know that I, with all my problems, am ready to face the world. What the world did to me growing up is not my fault. Neither is the fact that I turned to addictions. But what is my fault, is not being able to overcome them. My husband likes to say, "It's not how many times you fall off the horse, it's how many times you get back on." I believe it.

The biggest thing that helped me stop smoking pot and cigarettes? No promises. I tried the nicotine patch, gum, oral meds and hypnotism. They were all crutches. As soon as the patch was off, smoking started up again. Truly quitting for me was cold turkey. And no promises - to myself or anyone else. It takes a lot of the pressure off.

You need to see a doctor. Maybe you already are. You also need to be honest with him. Go today. Tell him you quit smoking pot. You won't be the first patient to do that. . .it's embarrassing but necessary. Tell him everything you are going through. If he doesn't listen, go to someone else. Seriously consider seeking mental help. Taking meds for anxiety has it's stereotypical mentality among the population. But you know what? It has worked wonders for me. I take a medication that helps my wheels stop turning when my head hits the pillow. I didn't realize that I hadn't been dreaming! Now, I dream. And dream. And dream. Talk about a night's sleep. If you don't dream, you don't reach REM. And REM is absolutely necessary for humans to function. Sleeping meds keep you from REM as well. The simple fact that I get enough sleep at night has probably been the most helpful thing of all.

Good luck. And don't give up. It gets easier. What you are doing is not easy by any means. It sounds like you have some underlying condition that may be contributing to you having such a hard time. Don't be afraid to reach out for professional help.

I just looked at the date of your letter. . .May. Oh well. You probably won't even see what I have written. I'll tell you what though. Writing all this down was good therapy!

This site was very helpful. It gave me a better understanding of why I have been having headaches and unable to sleep at night. The gym has become my best friend. Sweating it out, useing the sauna and drinking lots of water are remidies that I use.

I have been a habitual marijuana smoker for the majority of my adult life, and having stopped again as recently as 20 some odd days ago, I have to say that even while I appear to be doing fine without it, I know that I have certainly stepped myself into the area of substance abuse.

Lucky for me, I have people in my life whom I feel are entitled to my clear headed nature, and deserve not just my best intentions but my best efforts as well.

I have enjoyed marijuana in good times, and I have turned to it in bad. I use poor excuses to explain why marijuana is a less detrimental substance for people to abuse, because unlike alcohol, speed, coke, LSD, or whatever other people also get too easily wrapped up with, marijuana users are most likely to just be lazy, and harmful to nobody but themselves. Thats not entirely true, and if it were the case why not allow say household use Opium Poppies?

The fact is, for me at least, that more often than not, I am seeking a sedation, and generally for little other reason than want for taste and a continued state of euphoria.

I'm no cancer patient, and I don't have to go thru the disorientation of most AIDS medications. I just smoke, and would smoke for just about any reason that could come to mind. I'd smoke to be sociable. Smoke with business clients, (which is similarly dangerous w/ alcohol) and I would smoke because I have a hard time finding the kinds of life opportunities which I feel I deserve. I smoke largely because of my over inflated view of my under achiever self.

Lucky for me, I have forced myself to quit for months at a time every couple of years, just as an exercise in knowing I can. Each time I do though, I have cravings, sure. I reminecse ( however u spell it ). I dream of catching a good buzz, and I know after longer spells without it, that the effect is much stronger. Its almost like wishing I could be with a high school sweet heart again, and knowing for the price of a bag that I might get that feeling again. The fact is I'm older, and putting myself thru a sad holding pattern. It might not be sad for me to want to feel that way, except that when I see how others who are entirely important to me will look at me as a self diminished individual.

I would love to smoke say once or twice a year, but every time I quit, and start again.... it never happens that way. When I have a bag, I will keep smoking, battling with myself, or justifying why "its all good" until its gone.

This leads me to detox. Sure MJ is a strong mentally enhancing substance, which I myself am repeatedly guilty of abusing. And, it does cause me to miss out on a lot in life. The point is that when I try to quit, and become less "clouded" all my poor reasoning for why I would smoke all day before and after whatever occassion or incident, My purely selfish reasoning will amplify itself. Until I realize how much time money and energy I waste, just to be stoned, I am operating my whole life impaired by my own poor reasoning, shadowed by inadequacy and loathing.

Its sad, but getting past the physical addiction is nothing compared to trying to right myself in those ways in which I have repeatedly allowed myself to give in, give up, and call it euphoria.

Most pot heads just need a slap on the ass, and a personal reason to rise to sobriety, and to find what an elevated state of mind really is.

I do all this, and then I still go back. Am I an addict? or am I just getting by the best I know how? Nobody can help me but me, and yet when I do.. ? Is relapse always a sign of a hurtful addiction? I'm still on the fence, and glad not to be a drunk.

i have used self-hypnosis on myself and have no cravings for it however i'm in the 12 day and can't think straight at all. so i found this page/site, it is helpful and I thank everyone who has supplied information. I suppose it is normal to have a couple of days where your brain feels drunk? any recommendations? thank you for your time.

Wow, self hypnosis sounds very cool!

I think that the symptoms of detox and withdrawal can affect people very differently, but that cognitive symptoms that might include feeling distracted or unable to focus would be quite normal. If you feel drunk as in you are slurring your words or you can't walk straight, then I think you may be dealing with something above and beyond the effects of marijuana withdrawal.

Congrats on 12 days clean though! Best of luck.

Use dandelion tea/pills, Vit-C, alpha lipoic acid, garlic and Vit-B and saunas to detox.
Go to NA meetings. 90 meetings in 90 days.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I, too, have had the same. It's so hard to beat. I really don't know if I can without help this time. And I won't get it. I just won't. I find nothing that can make my bad days at work null and void like mj does. I know smoking keeps me from my choice of jobs and even though all I want lately is a new one, the withdrawals I get when I try to quit are extreme. As a youngster I had lots of traumatic experiences in relation to family. (mental, physical abuse) I have nightmares and depression and all I think about is the past, but a single hit is the only thing to take that for even a minute. I actually smoked pot for the first time with my mom around 13. Sans a few times I actually quit for a short time, I've smoked everyday after work and stay lit until bedtime. I would probably guess that in my younger years I would do a couple ounces a week. Now, I smoke a couple joints a night. 24hrs. after stopping use I literally get thoughts of suicide and crying spells in addition to flu-like symptoms. I'm 25 and a man... WTF. I bought a $50 bottle of detox today instead of a sack and my wife was so happy. I was too. I think I did it because I feel stuck in my job, rather than for the smart reasons. I honestly think if it was legal I would never stop. My thoughts as of this moment, 24hrs. later are how the hell can I do this and that this feeling of being clean sure feels like everyone else is missing out. I got on the computer to find something I could do to curve cravings for pot. All I found was that maybe coming clean anonymously would help. I just wanna be happy. Everything seems so lame and unappealing without it. I've decided to try again though. Maybe it'll work. I am addicted to pot.

Well I to have been addicted to pot for about 12 years i started when i was 14 amoung other drugs of choice and have succesfully quit the others on my own at the age of 18. However for some reason i have not been able to kick the pot habit and it has only got worse as time has gone by. I have lost several jobs due to pot( random drug tests) and I am determined to never let that happen again. I am currently in school for phlebotomy and i just found out that indeed they do test upon completion. So I am on day 2 and detoxing is very real. I have the chills, I can't eat I am very angry I am depressed and i could go on and on. I am trying so hard to get through this on my own but it is so hard especially when my husband is a worst addict then me. I have no support what so ever i woke up this morning to find the lovely sent of MJ coming out of the bathroom.It took every ounce of me to go back upstairs and go back to sleep i so badly just wanted to join in. MJ has been my best friend and worst enemy at the same time for way to long and not to mention very expensive I spend about $600 a month. I just think the hardest part is going to be resisting temptation my husband will not quit so I will have to see and smell it on a daily basis. I am just looking forward to saying it's been a month it's been two months and hopefully i will get there. I want to beat this and I will. I will always be an addict just hopefully not a user.

I have not smoked for 3 days now, and I gotta say physically it sucks. Falling asleep has probably been my biggest problem considering that prior to stopping I was smoking every night before bed. Mentally, however, it has been amazing. I realize how dull of a person I am when stoned and how much more I have to offer sober. I have to say that I'm not swearing off marijuana for life, but I'm definitely trying to make a major cutback. I go back up to college in a couple weeks where obviously MJ smoking is prevalent. I'm just worried that if I smoke just once I may revert back to my heavy use. I was hoping someone who has gone through a similar experience could help me out with this. Should I never touch the stuff again? HELP

I sure hope the withdrawal symptoms ease up soon, because I really feel like a lost soul.

Each day brings new challenges. The first week was the confused brain and extreme mood swings - from crying to feeling like a zombie. The worst for me are the alternating feelings of hopelessness and intense anger. I'm completely intolerant of all people - friends and strangers - and just want to tell anyone who makes eye contact with me to go f--- him/herself. I'm not normally this way and it scares me. I've always been the 'go to' person for friends and colleagues in crisis. Now I'm in crisis and haven't the courage to ask for help because most people would be completely shocked to learn that I'm a dope smoker. I'm a successful and independent business woman and I have one adult daughter who is happily married and successful in her own right. I work out regularly and take pride in my personal appearance. I don't smoke cigarettes and drink very little alcohol, but I am a closet pothead.

I've quit before and had a very small support group of non-judgmental loved ones to help me. When I relapsed, I was so ashamed, that I didn't tell anyone I was using again. Now I've made the decision to detox, and I'm suffering alone. I can't be around people because I'm afraid of what I might say or do that will offend a friend or loved one.

Can anyone provide some encouraging insight as to how long it will take to feel human again? It's overwhelming right now, and I can't remember how long it took to feel 'normal,' when I last stopped using.

Be positive and don't give up hope, this will all work itself out for you. You are a strong woman I guess, being a professional business woman with a grown up daughter. We are all human and all make mistakes time and time again, as so do your friends and family also make mistakes. My guess is that you too would forgive and support a friend in need, so don't beat yourself up about your moods and feelings, your friends WILL understand if they are friends, your family WILL understand because you are human and are doing the right thing now for ALL the right reasons, thats what counts.I am in recovery for 6 weeks and I can tell you I have been through the mill with mood swings and strange feelings, but just ride it out and keep occupied, don't let yourself be bored and sit down for long periods on your own feeling depressed, its completely useless and self destructive. Call a friend, join marijuana-anonymous-online and chat with fellow potheads who have given up, do things that stimulate your mind and stop you thinking in your head all the time, play golf/tennis (you don't have to talk too much), go to the movies more (but only comedies!), be positive and give yourself a well deserved break this is what will see you through this hard time and have faith that all these messy emotions are just your brain cleaning itself out, learn to play an instrument, or take up drawing or art classes anything that diverts your attention away from these sh&%%y feelings, and above all share your feelings with someone you love its a really great help and an absolutely necessary support, No Man Is An Island!

Many thanks to the lovely person who posted "Hope" on August 12th.

It's been 18 days since I last had a puff, and I feel better with each passing day. I'm sleeping better (although the dreams are still a little weird), and my brain is still fuzzy, but each day gets a little easier.

I hope that this message will provide support to whomever might be where I was just a mere 10 days ago.

I'm not out of the woods because marijuana is and will always be my weakness; however,I'm not so depressed anymore, which means the world to me.

Just 18 days is all it took to begin to see life through a clearer lens. It was worth the misery of the first couple of weeks.

You are very welcome for my note to you on the 12 of August, we are all here for each other and its really a huge benefit of the Internet, nobody is really alone anymore.
As for your dreams, I concur with you that in the beginning they are quite vivid and can be a little disturbing at times, but as I said before, this is your brain finally getting the true rest it needs and deserves without chemical suppression, and for the first time in along time its got so much excess energy it doesn't know what to do while you sleep, so it makes up some really cool Hollywood Blockbusters that even Stanley Kubrick would be proud of!
But again be reassured that the dreams become more and more pleasant as the days go by, although I keep finding huge bags of weed out of nowhere in my dreams; but in my dreams my subconscious has finally accepted that I have given up, because I still refuse to smoke in my dreams which I found really cool, can you believe that!!
Also if its any help, I found that weed depletes your Vit-B store in your brain, and if you replenish this with a good Vit-B complex, it must be a complex of vitamins not an individual B-vitamin (Solgar are the very best you can get) you will see some great improvements in mood and general outlook. Stay cool, stay focused and stay clean, in a few weeks you will be a new woman with a big smile on your face and will never look back again.

It truly is a love/hate relationship with this drug. I am only on day 2 but am already feeling better. I have tried to quit cold turkey but was inevitably unsuccessful, which I think is largely due to another psychological problem (which is more common to mj addicts than one might think). I couldn't even hold down a job the last time I tried to quit. I actually threw up on the floor in front of my boss one day.

I'm currently on unemployment and am struggling financially as a result. I find that I have a tendency to use more and more of whatever helps me zone out, not only mj, but this is the one drug that has less physical repercussions (while using) and so gave me what I felt was a pretty good reason to justify using on a daily basis. It actually did help me curve alcohol cravings tremendously. I am in the process of identifying why I don't enjoy life sober anymore. You need to make definite changes in your lifestyle after using on a daily basis for an extended period of time; for many I believe there has to be something to replace it (and I'm not talking about another drug!), at least initially. I was clean from mj for about 6 years from age 25-32, and just started again last fall when my life took a dive.

Since quitting cold turkey is truly unbearable especially after several months or years, I decided to stop smoking any kb and just smoked mids for a couple of weeks to help lower my tolerance somewhat. So far it's doing the trick. I know that I'll be able to do it this time because the withdrawal symptoms are far less severe. If you really cannot accomplish your goal of quitting and have honestly given it your best, as a last resort you may want to try this method or something similar (such as maybe taking only one hit a day, then one every two, etc.).

The best advice - work out heavily (as much as possible), force down water a little at a time, stay busy and stay away from anything that causes you to revert back in your thinking or makes you feel that you can't do it. You can! Just remember that the withdrawal symptoms are very temporary, but the rewards for quitting are many - trust me. You'll begin to see what an enslaving drug mj really is. It does not make you a better person - it makes you a slave. Once heavily addicted, without the drug you are a monster. You'll soon begin to realize this and start living your real life once you're through this temporary detox period.

Check other forums too. See what methods others have used successfully. There are some natural supplements I may use this time if it takes too long to detox (honestly I could never function for two-three weeks after daily nugget use unless I was locked away without access).

Please check this link:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2316453_do-marijuana-detox.html

Don't give up! Continue to focus on the near future and constantly remind yourself that it is only a few days to freedom.

I NEED TO QUIT ALSO I HAVE SMOKED FOR 30 YEARS I AM HAVING HEART PROBLEMS WHICH WILL GET YOUR ATTENTION I HAVE SMOKED ALL DAY AND I AM DONE AND NOT PLANNING ON SMOKING AGAIN SOUNDS LIKE AN UPHILL BATTLE SO LETS SUPPORT EACH OTHER

I have smoked weed for 20 years...all stemming from a time when both my Father and sister were very ill in the hospital. The only time i stopped was three one-year stints...twice because i was pregnant and the third time to make sure that i could stop. The last time I quite I remember feeling powerful and in control. even when stressful situations arose. But now i feel like it is sucking the life out of me. My friend for the last 20 years has turned on me. It seems like it wasnt my friend at all, but a little demon holding me down. I want to quit, but i am scared to change and scared to stay the same. Please pray for me.

The way I see it, there are two types of pot-smokers: Some smoke herb while others let the herb smoke them. You are obviously very self-conscious of your little secret. However, you have a good reason to hide it from people, being a successful and independent businesswoman. You have a reputation that you must maintain and pot is not socially acceptable quite yet. I recommend that you be honest with your family. That's the first place to start. Flesh and blood is important and (hey it's 4:20!) your family will love you still, and will probably respect you even more for being a successful yet discrete toker. I admire you for leading the curve in successful stoners. You are living evidence that it is just a plant and the real killers are alcohol, tobacco, obesity, and Uncle Sam. That was a little outspoken, but my point is that you're doing fine on herb. The reason you feel like a zombie is because your brain (out of sobriety) is using old neuropathways that have not been used since before you smoked pot. There are still some cobwebs in the gears. While you did smoke pot, however, your brain created and maintained new neuropathways that it became very accustomed to using. I think for the sake of your sanity and success, you should go back to smoking weed. Definitely find a smoking buddy though; social toking really relieves the potential guilt which occasionally yet invariably accompanies stonerhood. Stay strong! Smoke the herb but don't let the herb smoke you! Be in control of everything. I know that if you're strong and independent enough to be a successful businesswoman then smoking pot should be a snap for you! It shouldn't even phase you! Good luck and Jah bless!

Obviously you are not familiar with the horrendous effects of withdrawal and the truly enslaving properties of this drug or you wouldn't be saying such stupid things. You need to find a different forum.

i want to tell you all something. you are not alone. im here and hundreds of others are detoxing from mj right now. this is day two for me. im a long time smoker up to about a quarter a week. but as high as half ounce a week. it hurts, i cry, i cant think, i shake, i vomit everything i try to eat. i have been down this road before. and i am telling you to hang in there. it will pass. there is no easy answer to how long. indeed it is different for me every time. whenever i feel myself "going over the top" i quit. and i too tell myself this will be the last time. maybe it will maybe it wont. for those of you that can walk away for good it is a wonderful thing. i enjoy being clean at times. however i cannot cope without mj in my life. ptsd, anxiety disorder, mania, depression. ive been smoking off and on for over twenty years. to medicate. i have been prescribed the whole gamut of drugs and all of them come with side effects and in some cases they are extreme and can be deadly. i took one pill that was eight dollars each every day and it could have caused a deadly skin rash. there is risk in the treatment of all medical or psychological ailments. choose what works for you. mj or pills. take them. be careful and responsible as best you can. guilt is a symptom of a problem.
we are not here because we are recreational users. look inside yourself. what are you medicating? it is my wish for none of us to have to suffer. from detox or anything else. choose what you can live with and what you cant in your head. im on day two by choice. dont guilt yourself into quitting. day one was horrible, day two better - and so on.
it is there when we need it and even when we want it. i take comfort in that. these are our minds and we are in control of them - never forget that...
hang in there

regarding inability to eat or keep food down. try the liquid "meals in a can" like "ensure" or carnation. eat and drink lots whenever you can but stay away from fats as it will force you to retain thc longer...

so its day three. ive had alot of time to think about what is really important to me. mj went to the bottom of the list today. for those of you still hurting...i was a daily chronic smoker and i quit cold turkey. day three is not so bad. im seeing the light again - slowly. i have a little discomfort in my belly but its not so bad i cant keep food down. take it slow tho...little bits of food at first. drink as much as you possibly can. on the up side i observed that the physical pain kept my mind off the craving and psych negatives - odd. i cant say for sure but i think i am getting there - again. im quitting cigarettes at the same time - call me crazy. just bring me the misery and let me get psst it.
so just a quick update and a pat on the back for y'all. i also find that when the "urge" comes to me, i come here and read for awhile. maybe respond to somebody. it helps to talk about it.
peace and blessings to everyone...
we can do it. tomorrow is another day. you are doing great!

I'm going through the same thing - sleeping is such a bitch. It's about 4 AM now and I've been awake for 21 hours so far. This was a very inopportune time to run out of herb... I'm taking a full load of classes and working an guess what! I have class AND work today. Although I'm not interested in ceasing my consumption of the sacred herb on account of my religion, I can recommend something for you. My recommendation is that you don't pick a busy week to quit. The insomnia is REALLY bad and I know that this week is going to be terrible for me because I'm out of herb until my paycheck comes next week and I'm freaking busy as hell all week long. The crazy thing is I don't even crave it at all. Granted, I would like some, but the addiction is seriously NOTHING compared to tobacco addiction. The insomnia definitely pisses me off though... this is going to be quite a week...

I haven't smoked pot for 70 days now. I'm a 39 year old single successful business woman who has been smoking pot regularly for the last 20 years. I LOVE the euphoric feeling of pot. I love the way I can escape stress simply by smoking it. It can truly be my "best friend". I've tried quitting so many times in the past unsuccessfully. I recently and finally came to the realization that I am truly an addict. I knew I had a problem but never wanted to admit that I was actually addicted. Any time I was at home I was stoned. I would also smoke before going to work and at lunch knowing I was gambling with my financial stability and future. My social life was suffering and I became somewhat of a recluse. It seemed as though my world revolved around smoking pot. I finally told myself that I deserve better as the people I love and work with also deserve better. I quit cold turkey after I ran out. My detox symptoms were terrible. I told myself to just power through it. I always heard that if you can get through "the first 3 days" of any addiction you were home free. It's true. I eventually got through the first week and then another, and then a month went by and then another. It was and sometimes is still so hard but I know that I'm not turning back this time. I've wasted way too much time not accomplishing the things I've always wanted. You just have to have complete willpower and persistence and stay focused on your goals. I feel like a completely different person now and am a part of the living and am once again enjoying everything life has to offer. It freaks me out that I am considered an addict and that I could easily become a daily pot smoker again if I'm not careful. Take it from me… don't let time pass you by, especially for decades, knowing that pot is controlling your life. You owe it to yourself and others to live to your fullest potential regardless of what negative circumstances happened in the past. YOU CAN DO IT! STAY STRONG!

becuase you were a heavy user there is no going back,all or nothing!!!

I enjoyed reading everyones input. It really does help to listen to others who are dealing with the same problems.

Gee why did a start smoking. I think for the adventure of it, to laugh, to reach a high level of thinking? I was 15 when I started smoking and said I would not smoke past the age of 30. Well I'm 30 and still smoking pot. Everyday at leaste an 8th a week. At this point I'm purely smoking because I'm an addict! No adventure, no laughing and no higher level of thinking. Just parinoia, cognitive distorded thinking, and loneliness. It has for many years had the opposite effect, a vicious cycle.

I have also struggled with drinking, I am now getting over a 2nd DUI!!. I can honestly say that the drinking isn't an issue anymore, maybe two beers with dinner. At that point I feel like shit and don't want anymore, it has caused me enough problems anyhow.

However, the pot still is an issue. I think the reason why I started was not the reason I continued smoking. I continued smoking because of not wanting to deal with the withdraw symptoms, it relieves stress and takes away boredom. I feel that it is starting to really interfere with my life now, I don't want to admitt it but it is. I'm 30, and want to have a real life. I want to feel good without drugs. I know I can do this. Oddly enough a am big athlete, I'll mtn. bike 20 50 miles, ski, rock climb, etc. It does not make me to lazy, I managed to finish college, I'm an EMT, and tend to be pretty smart. I know that quitting pot is not the key. It is diving into my issues( jealousy, anger, judging others, childhood abuse, and excepting our shity economy) learning to be positive even though things are bad, there is only one way to go when you hit bottom, and that is up. Thanks for reading. Wish me luck!!

First off I had no idea how hard it would be to quit smoking. I was glad to find all the information people post. It made me realize that alot of the things I am feeling are actually symptoms of withdrawl. I am 33 years old and have been smoking for 18 years. My use started gradual and by a few years it was all day, every day. I tend to get really into whatever I do, which brought me to all aspects of marijuana use. I smoked it, sold it, and grew it for many years. All this time I thought of it as harmless and thought I could quit whenever I desired to. I actually considered my use to be self medicating. Now I am on day six of detoxing, and the withdrawl symptoms are stronger than ever. I am experiencing flu like symptoms, extreme headaches, hopelessness, depression, and loss of energy. Looking at my life under a sober mind has put things into perspective. Weed has controlled my life for a long time, and I now see the damage it has done in all aspects of my life. I quit cold turkey, and plan on keeping it this way. Although, it is not easy. I smoked up to a quarter a week of high grade marijuana. Kush being my favorite because of its mind numbing effects common to most indicas. Being connected with the grow scene meant there was never a shortage of my supply. I had to pull myself away from this environment. That was the hard part. I have alot of long time friends who are still using. I am still very early in the detox stage and keep optimistic. This is not going to be easily accomplished, and I expect to feel some of the symptoms for months to come. Its been a long time coming.....

Congratulations on your decision to quit, I too have been smoking for about 15 years and I am only on day 1, it is very hard and I am glad to know I am not alone in this battle. Good luck to you!

So I have been smoking mj for 15 years and I finally decided to quit 2 days ago; i know it's not that long but, I have had the worst headaches in the world and,I can't sleep more than 3 hours at night; Don't believe anyone that says mj is not addictive. I recently quit smoking cigerettes also (6 months ago)and the nicotine withdraw was nothing compare to this. I wish everyone the best when you make the decision to quit.

Good luck!!

I must admit that this is probably one of the hardest things I've ever tried to do in my life. The first day wasn't so hard, because I'm dead set on giving it up. I've smoked for about 11 years, on and off for some, but heavily smoked for the past 5 years. Day 2 brought on a lot of emotions, I would cry, think negative and felt like I was going crazy. Day 3 started the insomnia, I won't sleep no more then 4-5 hours a night, but up and down during those hours. I hardly have an appetite, but I'm forcing myself to eat, because I am a slender guy and can't afford to lose weight. I've lost about 6 pounds in the last 7 days, which isn't good for me. I'm guessing some of it has to do with not drinking as much soda as I usually would consume. I have been drinking more water though, which I'm hoping helps move the toxins out of my body. I've heard that exercise is a good way to tire your body, but since I've lost weight it's not an option for me. I just want to sleep, all I want is some rest.

Hello everyone. I'm on day 9, and feel like am going crazy!! Do yourself a favor and don't read about any mental illness disorders, you will feel like you have them all, the signs of withdraw are very similar to many mental illness the scariest one being crazy. Delusions, mind reading, over-reacting, getting angry are some of the things that I'm dealing with. It is so hard, but I'm doing it. Staying true, staying strong, I figure I have about 30 more days until it is completely out of my system. Good Luck to everyone! This site helps, please keep me posted!!

Haha! That's what the quacks call "psychotic precipitation associated with cannabis use"

I'm on day three of not smoking...I've abstained my use before, but I always seem to come back to it. I would love to get to a point where I only use on occasion. It is possible to stop using...the longest I've gone without smoking is 6 months. It does get easier as time goes by, but the temptation never really goes away. The first week or two are the hardest. One of the symptoms I suffer from during detox is heavy dreaming...very vivid dreams...which of course keeps me from really getting a good night's sleep. It is, indeed, comforting to read other people's experiences and realizing that I'm not alone in this struggle. I get VERY irritable and my temper is VERY short when I first stop smoking. Like today, I'm just not in a very good mood. While at work, it doesn't seem so bad; I guess because I'm busy with work stuff, but when I get home (which is when I usually smoke), I'm a grump...BIG TIME. Anyway, good luck to all of you, and keep the posts coming...as I said, it's comforting to read others experiences.

Hello everyone! I hope the fight to stay pot free is gong well for you! I'm on day 28 of not smoking. I'm feeling better every day. No not crazy, just a pot head. Thank God! I was scarying myself good.

You know how some people can't handle smoking pot, they get bad anxiety or hallucinate, or etc..well comming down off of pot was just that for me. A drug holiday if you will, getting those symptoms that people get who don't like smoking pot.

A few different times people have smoke around me, it doesn't bother me belive it or not if anything I see how there personality changes and suddenly everything is all good. Well it's not all good if you self medicating, you mid as well be on anti depression medicine or etc... I feel so much better to think clearly, and people have even comented that I look better.

After quiting I don't feel depressed and am not getting anxiety or having strange thoughts.. It's fun to smoke pot when you actually get stoned, you luagh, and can act silly. But when your smoking every day all day, and drinking coffee, it starts to take on a differnt persona. I do believe smoking pot in moderation is fun and ok, make sure you don't have any laten mental disorders that run in your family for it could trigger it. I don't have any in my family, maybe depresion, but who does't. I have always enjoyed the reality smoking pot put me in and playing music. But the reality is that it is NOT REALITY!! Any if you smoke for a long time everyday all day, after a while it can start affecting your mental dispositon, i.e. it can have negative effects and you may get confused on who you are, are you your drug personality or are you who you are without the drug. Scarry stuff. I don feel that I'm starting to balance out, I feel good like I felt like I was a kid.

The trick is make your life good, with exercise, surround yourself with good hearted people, smart people, and try to aviod falling in to negative crowds. Its ok to not be cool..It is ok to be yourself.. I'm sensitive and still get pissed off when dealing with stupid people, and negative people, I feel like they are just trying to bring me down if they see that I'm happy, so im sensitive, feel inferior at times and I hate to admit it, but a have some self esteem issues. I feel pretty confident so that is hard to admit, But I want to be honest and try to be there for all of you, so know it is ok to feel weak, and not strong or feel like a dork, or whatever, the main thing is its way better than being a druggie loser!! Good Luck and keep me in mind when your hurting..I'm trying to stay positive and healthy and avoid triggers that might make me relapse.

Regards,

Dwight

Hi folks...I fell off the wagon after seventeen days on this last post. Today, again, is my seventeenth day without smoking. I took my last toke on Nov. 30, after the thanksgiving holiday. I have finally made up my mind. I'm done. DONE. I was so sick about two or three weeks ago (sinuses all congested, tight chest, achy), I knew that my pot smoking had a great deal to do with it and I just said ENOUGH. So, I'm on day 17 of no smoke and I'm feeling pretty good. This isn't an "I'm gonna try,"...this is an "I'm doing it!" Needless to say, I've been a grumpy and moody jackass these past few days, but with every passing day, it does get easier. And the best part is, I really don't even have the urge. I guess that's the power of the brain. Anyway, I still think that if pot smoking is all your doing, you're not that bad...there's a whole hell of a lot worse we can do. But, if you're committed to quitting, just know it's going to be a bit difficult at first, but, as with everything, it gets easier with time. Many blessings to all of you and good luck. Namaste.

Hi Namaste, thanks for sharing...

I've Been a smoking herb for years now. Like most people I started using on the weekends and then Lost all my straight friends who thought I was a druggie.

I become friends with a bunch of avid drug users and declined from there. I found I needed to smoke weed for everything, if there was a good movie on or T.V show I just had to get baked. I needed it to go to sleep and If I couldn't buy it I'd scrape the resin out of my pipe even if there were bits of metal shards in the resin, I'd still smoke it because I just wanted to get high.

I didn't care how bad it was damaging me. I went for two weeks without smoking it, but after the second week my symptoms had declined to the point that I wanted to kill myself or get high.

I was constantly sweating, I felt no emotion or passion for anything which scared the shit out of me. I had horrible nightmares, when I woke up I would be so disturbed from the nightmares I'd become depressed and shut down.

So people who say it takes about a week to feel normal are bullshitting.

The only reason i smoke weed now is because Im really scared at being sober and experiencing those horrible nightmares and total lack of emotion.

In my mind I think I've done damage and will never be the same again. I'd rather be dead than go through those nightmares the anger, the sweating and the numbing of the senses, the sleepless nights.

I'm trying to stop smoking today, It's only been eight hours since my last smoke and already I'm covered in sweat and starting to feel really depressed, I'd do anything to be normal again.

this december it'll be 5 years of constant use. I'm so addicted, it's obnoxious. Me and my boyfriend just can't shake it. It's totally making me extremely depressed and anxious more than I've ever been. So I'm going to just stop, it's no longer enjoyable. I'm scared to imagine my life without it, but after 5 years I think it's about time.

Hi eyeryone. This is my first post here. Ive read what everyone here has to say and in a weird way it feels good to see that Im not the only oe dealing with this. I am 29 Ive smoked religiously since I was about 17 and have paid the price for it. Im broke, I work crap jobs and cant hold relationships together, usually because of pot. Two months ago I decided to quit smoking cigarrettes. Ive been between a pack and a half to two a day for a while now. Horrible I know. I decided to get help so I got this drug called Chantix and Man does it work. So about a month and half in I decided that maybe since this drug has worked so well with cigs it might help me with pot. I cant prove that it has and there is no mediucal studies saying it will, but I think it does. Like I said its day 12 I havnt really expierienced the insomnia and other issues many of you have. Somethings show up but for the most part its been fairly easy. The first 3 days were the hardest. I was out of town over a long weekend and thats when I decided I would start. It was good till I got home and then I came so close to relapse. I actually called my dude and was ready to go buy a bag. Thank god he didnt answer right away. He called about three hours later and in that time I guilt tripped myself and ended up turning off my phone. Best thing I could have done I think. Now everyday I feel better and proud of my self. Two months ago I smoked up to 40 cigs a day and at least 2 grams of dank EVERY DAY!! Now I am smoke free its unbeleivable. I wont say its a walk in the park but you can do it. Take it from a dude named Gonge(thats been my nickname for the last 15 years even have it tattooed on my arm) that we are all capable of making changes. My battle isnt over I know I could fuck up anytime. Im just willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that doesnt happen. Good luck to all of you. Ill post again once I hit a month of being weed free.

Good luck homie, I got my fingers crossed for you!

My husband is trying to quit. I really need some help. I am very scared for him and for the state of our marrage. I dont know where to start. He has smoked since college and quit a few times when either I pushed him (which i now know was wrong) or he realized he needed a break cuz work was slipping. He is 30, we have 3 kids and he works in a very stressful job 6 full days a week. I have to admit that sometimes I prefer when he is high cuz we can actually talk. He is more open and has much more patience for the kids. I dont smoke so I cannot understand what he is going through.
He was an everyday user, alone in his office after work to relax and deal with stress. And he was "normal" which for me was wierd since, like I said am not a user, I had so many preconceived notions about it. Its been 2 days and seems worse then ever. He turned on me telling me he hates being married and having a family. that his life would be so much easier if he were single. that i control him, if he didnt have us to worry about he could smoke all he wants - he chose to quit this time because he was slacking at work and because of the new medication he is on (xanax and welbutrin) he is hoping will help ease his stress and depression. he simply blamed me for everything wrong in his life even though he has so many good things that most people dream of having.
i just dont know what to do. i dont know if i should believe him - our marriage has been rocky but lately had been fine - i dont know if this is because of his withdrawal. and i have no idea how to help. i feel like everything is just falling apart and all i can do is watch. there are so many other details but this is the basic summary. i am very scared for my family but i want him to quit. i want him to be healthy and happy. He wont talk to anyone about his problems or feeelngs. They all just come out in anger. I am hoping he will read some of your comments so he doesnt feel so alone. Please feel free to email me. I could really use some advice. pippin926@yahoo.com

My wife is in the same boat as you. I have been smoking pot numerous times a day, for over 20 years. Two years ago, my wife took the kids and moved out because I had quit for about six months and then started back up again and was lying to her about it. We went to counseling and had to deal with a lot of things. We are back together and are really close, but my pot smoking hasn't stopped and is still causing problems. Today is day one of my sobriety and I am having a hard time. I came to this site and felt compelled to reply to your post.

Just give your hubbie a lot of love and support, and don't get too mad at him. Nobody means to be addicted to anything. He needs to exercise, eat right and drink a lot of water and cranberry juice. After a week or so, the problems with sleeping and anxiety will eventually go away. The cravings don't seem to ever completely go away - hopefully your husband will be able to ignore them, and me too this time. Good luck!

I've been smoking pot for ten years. Just writting that makes me feel ashamed of myself. I started as a casual smoker back in highschool, toking up with my friends once every few weeks. It became a daily habit once I moved out on my own. I have always had problems sleeping (before the pot came into my life) and a friend told me that MJ may help. It did alright, problem was I started to justify my use by tying it into my sleep problem. That is how it got so far. I just kept justifying it to myself. After awhile I was smoking everyday. Since my job was between 9am and 5pm I would go to work sober and then smoke until I went to bed once I got home. I would smoke for at least 5 hours a day. At its worst, I was spending $400 dollars a week just to feed my habit. Even when I was so stoned I couldn't move I would just keep smoking. I tried quiting a few times with little success. The withdrawl symptoms always kept me coming back. I was able to successfully quit once a few years back. I gave it up for a month and I felt great. I became convinced that if I quit once I could quit again and so I started smoking again. Now I have a reason to quit. I need to save money for my wedding. Having a reason to quit has made it easier than trying to quit for no other reason than because drugs are bad. The withdrawl has been terrible. I feel weak and dizzy. I haven't slept well in days. I have no appetite for solids. The only thing keeping me from going back to MJ is my girlfriend and the life I want to share with her. Without her I would be smoking right now...I hope it gets easier

its gonge again and for anyone who cares its been a month since i last smoked pot. I even spent last night wight my my ex dealer who needed some pc help. i could have blazed heavily but it wasnt even an issue. Its awesome even my friends who i thought i might have to avaiod are being very supportive. truth is most of my buddies I was there when they started to blaze so for them to see me not smoking is quite a sight. Its cool once you get through the intial detox it becomes easy. It has been proven to me that it is a want more than a need. However, that doesnt mean it should be taken lightly. Im just trying to say to those who want to quit that it can be done. Take it from a guy named gonge who had smoked every day from alo0mst 15 years. It might take a little sacriice and it might hurt a little its not like fighting some of the harder drugs out there. If you want it it can be done. Poeace out

Hi Gonge, this is Martin - I am the webmaster for ChooseHelp... we usually let the comments run their course here, but I was thrilled to hear about your progress, so I wanted to chip in and congratulate you! Glad you made it past the first month!

By the way, if you want to stay in touch with us and the folks that pass through here, we're about to release an online community in a couple of weeks, I'll update you all - I also just set up a Twitter account for ChooseHelp, so feel free to follow us http://www.twitter.com/choosehelp

All the best to you Gonge!

Martin

... hold that you provide references to existing studies to support your arguments. Time and time again I fail to see this basic standard of research met on this (and other related websites), and anyone with a research background can see that the vast majority of so-called "points" made here are emotionally based, rather than objective. I beg you to prove me wrong.

I would love to see a discussion of causality with respect to the impact of smoking marijuana vis-a-vis "motivation" or "addiction" that meets even the most basic academic standard - the concept of "psychological addiction" is so vague that it could be extended to facets of ones life as ridiculous as being addicted to wearing sandals or driving a car. As far as I'm concerned, if withdrawal does not consist of physical symptoms that actually place the user in real, physical danger, then it would constitute one of the substances for which this nonsensical concept of "psychological addiction" has been concocted.

Let's face it, when things go wrong in life, it's in many peoples nature to immediately seek some external reason, a kind of subconscious arrogance that I'm sure almost everyone is guilty of. I could blame my bad day today on a beer I drank last week, but would that be reasonable? But, as a self-admitted regular smoker, I must say that I take great offense to the nonsensical blather espoused by websites such as this. I have three university degrees from three different schools that would all generally be considered in the top 25 worldwide (for those who believe in rankings), a very successful career -- and perhaps for once will voice the opinion that I greatly enjoyed smoking marijuana in my progression to achieving all of this, and that it was not at all a hindrance to anything I have striven for or achieved. I challenge the moderator of this forum to let this post remain, and to discuss the points I've made.

What "points" exactly were you referring to?
Simple research within the NIH (or pubmed), perhaps, can be of benefit to you.
What point are you trying to make, or what is it that you are really looking for? Or is it that you are simply here to irritate people who are already irritable, and are trying to better themselves?
I get your view on "psychological addiction," but lumping that with "withdrawal does not consist of physical symptoms that actually place the user in real, physical danger" seems ignorant to me. Perhaps ignorant is a harsh word, and maybe a tad bit rude... I suppose what I truly feel is that you are justifying your little habit because you enjoy it.
I was able to go to college, be 2nd in my class, earn the nickname "the girl with the photographic memory," take care of 3 kids and a husband, keep my house clean, lose over 120 pounds, and run my own business successfully. So what????????????????????
I still felt like shit- mentally and physically. Sweating/freezing, shaking, coughing, having to use an inhaler, puking, hallucinating, and lying down because you can't even sit up, eat, drink, and the room's spinning uncontrollably while you're puking or dry heaving seems like a physical thing to me. What part of that is psychological? That's what happens to me when I smoke "too much," yet I couldn't say no. It sort of sneaks up on you, and you don't realize that you've smoked too much until after the fact.
I've smoked 1/2-1 oz a week for almost 6 years, and I'm 31... Oh yea- and I can't even tell you how much resin I smoke a week! I'm just through day 3 of not smoking, and it just got 'bad' a few hours ago. I know that I can scrape what's left of the resin within my bowls, but I refuse to let myself even go there. It is time to quit!
So what- I've managed to make some big accomplishments while stoned.... what could I have accomplished if I weren't?
You sound like an addict. A happy-to-be-using-because-it-doesn't-affect-me ADDICT.
Please, do not use silly rhetoric to excuse your bad behavior... especially in a place where it can be damaging to others who seriously have a problem, and are trying to better themselves. It's comparable to loading a needle for a heroin addict.
You came here for a reason, what is it?

Good for you....what do you want a golden star or something! I don't think people have come to this website to have an academic discussion about the existence or non-existence of psychological addiction, its a support group for people going through a tough period in their life, and I sincerely hope you never have one, and if you do that you find the genuine and open support so many people have found here.
You have to ask the question though, how did you land up here on this web-page if you don't have any niggling worries about your pot use? My hypothesis is (academic..!) that you googled pot addiction because you were worried about the grip it has on you and you fumbled your way in here and then decided, after reading all the posts from distressed users to offload and prove yourself right, the mind finds ingenious ways of glorifying our addictions...beware!
I think you should at least have a little compassion for other people in times of trouble and act a little bit more responsibly and empathetically and stop hiding behind your 3 degrees; you are hardly so narrow minded as to believe you are the only one here with an academic background now are you?
Take care.
D

OOOOhhh 3 degrees, Come on. Did it really take you 3 degrees to feel like you learned something. You don't need a degree to learn, you can learn as much as you have learned with 3 degrees for free on the internet, So really you sound broke, hopefully you didn't spend to much money on knowledge you could have gain for no cost. The deffinition of intellegence is being able to adapt to your situation. It sounds like the ability to learn is much more important to you then adapting which might suggest your are not that smart, and just like getting degrees to hide the fact you are really just confused. What ever reasons you have, are your own, and sure it is a free country and you are entitled to speak your mind, but maybe somewhere deep inside these sight make you angry becuse people are further ahead as to , be dealing with there pot addicttion then you are. Stop thinking with you mind and listen to your heart. You know the farthest journey is from our heads to our hearts. This site is meant to be helpful, why would you want to negative about something that is meant to help people. Remember think before you speak, there is someone always watching.

Clearly your cannabis use is exacerbating your extreme natural arrogance! All professionals know that arrogance stems from a deep sense of inadequacy. It's perfectly apparent that the standard of education must be declining pitifully as your argument is absolutely laughable and indicates pure ignorance. I find it highly amusing when self professed "academics" think they can confuse and intimidate others with jargon, which, when examined closely is actually a load of bull. Your contrariness is transparently a ploy to instigate argument for your own amusement. If you need to put others down to puff yourself up, and indeed study and study to gain some piece of paper to prove yourself to others (and then use it to make people feel inferior) you're certainly in need of help. I'm not surprised that you self medicate with cannabis, as it's clear you have self esteem issues, or you wouldn't post such a comment on a website that is a tremendous help to people dealing with real withdrawal symptoms from a drug with indisputable evidence of wrecking lives, motivation and causing psychotic disturbances. I have white papers to prove it. Email me if you want them at hyswann@yahoo.co.uk, but seriously, get some help yourself for the underlying issues that are causing your nauseating arrogance and excessive cannabis use. I'm convinced that behaving that way doesn't make you feel good... While you at it (Mr I'm-so-educated) PLEASE learn BASIC grammar, i.e. don't EVER end a sentence with a preposition. Tut tut.

It's good to read all of these postings and see the progress. I started smoking pot when I was in 8th grade. I was a really bright kid, but a little undersized for my age, and hanging out with the "Cool" crowd helped boost my self-esteem. By the time I entered my junior year in high school, I was in the top 4 students in my class, but I smoked every day before school, during school (skipping class), and after school. I felt invincible because I could still function at a high level. This lead into experimentation with LSD, shrooms, MDMA, and anything else that gave me an "altered" state of reality. I had it in my head that society was ignorant to bash these "drugs" and instead it was the enlightened people who entitled their brain to experience things outside of reality.

By the time I went to college, I cut out all drugs but pot and alcohol. I smoked every day in college, even sold massive quanities for about a year and a half. I've never felt dependent on alcohol, or even liked it in excess, but pot was like my companion...I didn't do anything without it. I began noticing that I was drifting away from family and friends who did not condone the behavior, but I just suppressed these notions and continued to smoke daily.

I am turning 26 in two weeks and this last week it all came to a head. I have managed to be a fully-functioning and contributing member of society with a good job, but I have FINALLY accepted the self-realization that I have lost all the ambition I had in my youth, become more and more prone to do nothing when not at work, and dealt with more feelings of depression than ever. I've tried to use my mental toughness to shake off these feelings, but I have finally admitted that I am just fooling myself.

This is the first time I have tried to quit using since 14, and I am on DAY 10. It has been especially tough because my gf of two years and I have been going through a break up and we live together. I blame part of our failed relationship on our addiction and the unfulfilling lives that it has allowed us to live. I must say it has been incredibly tough. I haven't been hungry, sleep has been few and far between, there has been an overwhelming sense of lethargy (one of the reasons I wanted to quit in the first place), and it is the first thing I want to turn to to deal with the emotions of this failed relationship.

However, I am committed to doing this. I am feeling better EVERY DAY, and the resolve of setting your mind towards doing something that is ultimately good for you is an EMPOWERING feeling.

We only have one opportunity on this Earth (unless you are Hindu), and as much as I used to rant and rave of how rosy the lens was that weed produced to view life through, if you are honest with yourself you know how much more we can do and enjoy SOBER. I want my creativity back. I want my clarity back. I want my ambition back. AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE STILL POSSIBLE, no matter what age you are or how long you have been addicted.

I will never be one to point the finger at pot users, and I am certainly not out of the woods yet, but the notion that pot is not harmful and not addictive is totally false and our youth need to know that this is not just some warning that older generations falsely applied to Mary Jane. Like I read above, the weed we smoke today is 10 times more potent (and I smoked the good stuff) and studies will not truly be able to show the effects until years down the road.

Im sorry for the long, rambling post, but it feels SO GOOD to be honest with myself and get this out there. I hope someone on here can relate. I am looking forward to day 20, then day 30, then day 60, and so on.

I still think smoking weed casually is better than drinking alcohol consistently, but until I can prove to myself that I don't need either to lead a happy and successful life, I am blacklisting them.

Good luck to all of you out there and God Bless.

When the smoke clears...

Hey everybody just felt like sharing my experiences with you. Im 26 and have been smoking since 11 my 1st puff was some that i found in my dads coat at 1st it was rarely then within a couple years moved to daily soon i started selling just to keep up my habit. Over the years i took several possesion charges which was nothing to me because all i would do is just sit in jail for a month and then go to court and be released on time served at that point in my life i thought i wanted to be a thug so i was doing much worse felonies and doing much more time for them so a "vacation" here and there didnt phase me. Eventually i was on the hook for assaulting a police oficer and was put on supervised probation with 2 piss tests a week and still didnt stop i would just drink a half gallon of water on my way to the test and fill the cup with warm evian even with the threat of doing some major time didnt stop my habit. Now im in a different suituation with the courts my ex is trying to take my son from me because i have married someone other than her recently the rapper 50 cent had his ex tested for mj and she failed the judge then gave custody to 50cent i dont want to end up like that my son is my life and i love him dearly i cant stand to think of losing him so i have decided to take a sabatical from mj so i will be clean when i go to court. Im now on day 10 and for the most part it has been easy because i have a personal reason to stop without that reason i would be high right now then yesterday everything changed. As i ws cleaning lo and behold what do i find but a bag of some primos I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THIS BAG CAME FROM my wife thinks its satan tempting me and so do i but now my sabatical has become a little difficult knowing that i have some headdies just waiting to be steamed not having access to weed made it easy but now things are different i find myself thinking about taking 1 little toke but then i know that 1 toke will lead me to want more so i put it in my stash box and i keep a picture of my son on top of the stash box just to keep myself in check. yeah i know i should just flush the bag but i cant i see it as my victory celebration and im proud of myself because now im putting some actual effort into my discipline instead of just avoiding it altogether it is becoming a true excersice in self control and i will win it i will probably smoke well into my golden years (as my father has) but i will go into the future knowing that weed will never again control me and I alone have the power of moderation i believe that when you spend your every waking moment trying to avoid something that your addiction still controls you through your recovery. now please dont get me wrong my prayers and congratulations go out to all those that are quitting cold turkey for you all are stronger than me and i commend you for that we all have our own reasons for putting down the herb so lets support each other everybody be blessed peace and love my bredren

I'm the author of challenging and I just want to say "thanks" for your kind words. Good luck to you with your son and the whole custody case. I hope it all turns out well, for all of you involved. I, too, would like to get to the point where I don't feel the need to smoke every day, all the time. I choose to get to the point where I smoke on special occasions, where I control it, and not the other way around. Many blessings to you and again, thanks.

I never classed myself as an addict or heavy user I have smoked for the last few years just before bed with a joint made from a plant I grew and I thought it was a good way to get a decent nights sleep. When I gave up yes I struggled to get to sleep but started on a weeks holiday when I knew the lack of sleep wouldnt matter too much. The main reason I am writing this is I started getting night sweats which have continued for 3 weeks & didnt at the time make the connection. I went to the chemist & on the internet doctor and started to worry as night sweats meant either the menopause ( I am 38) cancer, tuberculosis or aids no medical site mentioned cannabis withdrawal. It was only when a friens suggested I look up cannabis withdrawal that I found it as a sympton and was over the moon that I was ok. It has however made me realise that I was addicted and no way do I ever want to go back the dreams are well weird even dreaming a nightmare I had from patterns as a young child or baby.

I have had very similar experience as the poster of 'Night Sweats', I never considered myself an addict or a heavy user. I started smoking about a year into my relationship with my current partner (who has been smoking for about 20 years), we have been together for two years now and over the last six months I have been smoking at least once a day. I didn't think that pot addiction was real. I never buy it or seek it on my own accord, I smoke it when my partner has a smoke. So when he is not around, I don't smoke. I have associated what I now know to be MJ withdrawal symptoms to me having withdrawal to my partner not being around - usually I am upset and already feeling emotional.

We had a fight the other day and it has been three days since he has been away and I haven't had a smoke. From the first day I have had night sweats, lack of apatite, severe nausea and insomnia. Now at day three, I am having restlessness, irritability and the beginnings of what feels like depression. It only just dawned on me today that these symptoms are from withdrawal of MJ, not boyfriend withdrawal.

Now I am considering leaving an unhealthy relationship and giving up my apparent marijuana addiction together... I am scared of the consequences that such withdrawals will have on my mental wellbeing.

I have been smoking daily since age 13 (I am 39 now) and today is day one of my sobriety. I feel like my life is over. I feel like crying. I don't want to eat or do anything. Last night, I smoked the rest of my stash and went to bed. I had the most restless night of sleep EVER just anticipating waking up and not smoking before I go to work. I have quit a number of times since I started smoking (sometimes for a year), but I am always right back to smoking just as much, or even more. This time, I knew it was time to quit when I realized that I was more excited to see my bong then my wife and two daughters. Plus, I am an asthmatic and have no business smoking anything and my lungs are a mess.

I am tired of going through a quarter pound every two to three months, having resin on my lips and smelling like a bong. I wish I could live a happy life without smoking, but I don't know if this is possible. It was a relief to see all of the postings here from people going through roughly the same thing. I've gone to rehab, AA meetings and nothing seems to make my sobriety stick. I will stick with it though, and will change my diet and start exercising a lot - hopefully these things will help in my quest. I've never met a bonghit that I didn't love, so this is going to be a major test.

I have been smoking since about the age of 11yrs old. My first initial hit was at six. I was way too young but had a parent that didn't find it that unusual to smoke with their children. Yes my father is a hippie. I quit smoking a few times throughout the years and then at one point started up again about 5yrs ago. After that, my use had increased more and more. I never in my wildest dreams would have said that pot was addictive. I would still fight for legalization of it. I am so confused at this point as to what I think. I have finally agreed that I have an addiction and it kills me. I've always thought I could just smoke and it would be fun and it would mean I was more artistic with my music and able to handle just about any situation. Now I know from the comments my boyfriend and best friend, they like me better sober. It was so hard to believe. So here I am just over 24hrs and not too excited about sleeping tonight because I know sleep is still about 3 days away! Emotional, that's an understatement. Still thinking about the weed, absolutely. I want a better life and I want to break free from this damn drug.

My husband is addicted to marijuana and is also bipolar. He is on medication for his bipolar condition, but he uses marijuana to self medicate.
We are new homeowners now and on a strict budget so we decided he was going to stop smoking. Today is the 2nd or 3rd day he's been without marijuana and I'm really concerned about his behavior. He was depressed yesterday and today he's extremely irritable. I told him I would borrow money for him to get a little bit so he doesn't have to quit cold turkey, but he refused any help from me. I don't know what to do especially because he's bipolar. I want to be as supportive as possible, but it seems like everything I say or do makes him angry.

Hi There,
I have a lot of sympathy for you and your husband, it cant be easy dealing with all this right now, especially under financial difficulties. Its hard to offer advice to you but I would really encourage you not to have your husband stop cold turkey, that is just too hard for him right now, I am sure it is one of the few things he really enjoys and looks forward to, so I would try and encourage him to cut back but at least allow him the space to make his own decision regarding his pot use. He is the only one who can figure it out, and any extra pressure coming from an outside source (including his wife) will only add to the guilt and depressive thoughts he has and will inevitably make him irritable and angry.
There is actually a growing body of evidence which indicates that bipolar is caused by a vitamin imbalance in the brain, becuse some people dont correctly metabolize the vitamins they take in, leading to a mood disorder like bipolar.
Check out this website: http://www.truehope.com/
Love to you all, and try your best to keep positive in these tough times, my prayers are with you.

Hi Everyone

Kudos to all of you and your courage and determination. I just decided to quit (again) tonight. I realized that after two years of daily smoking my tolerance has become so high that I'm not really enjoying the pot at all, I'm just smoking it as a habit. You'd think that would make it easier to quit, but I know that by this time tomorrow I'll be desperate for a hit to make me feel "normal". I want to be able to enjoy the occasional hit, not hate the pot because it rules my life!

OMG I am stuggling right now. I feel nauseau and cried all day lol. This is such an awful feeling and I know if i just hit it once i can make all this go away. I decide to google the symptons and realized i was actually withdrawling from MJ! I didt even know u could have withdrawls. I just wanna be able to keep get at this.

just want everyone to know that it is so hard as a mum to see your child battle with this wretched addiction - it breaks your hard to see them smoke it and worry about the long term damage - my beautiful son is trying to give up and lost the plot big time last night - smashing windows, throwing furniture, damaging our house and cars out of frustration at not being able to control his addiction - i am desperate as a mum to help him - i have made phone calls seeking professional advice - but after reading your comments on your real life experiences i feel like there is a help line available any time day or night - keep up fighting your battles - i am proud of you all for making a change in your lives and wish you every success and happiness.

I can sympathize with any parent who watches their child go through this. I have 2 sons in this situation and we are struggling with this and school as they are seniors. The peer pressure to smoke is so intense that they began and used a little (once a week) for the first month and then during the long summer became 4 to 5 times a week and I think this was medical stuff supplied by a friend of theirs. They are trying to get clean now and it is a real fight. They tried once before and couldnt sustain. I am looking for any solutions as I am scared they will just give up (one is 5 days clean but sufered the most intense mental withdrawl, abusive and aggressive toward me and anyone who tried to help him, as well as physically feeing sick each day. Today was first day he was hungry and ate decent food. My other son was 2 days clean but smoked tonite and admitted he cant handle the physical feelings (pain and sweats and nausea and inability to eat) Dont know what to do and am seeking professional help as this is the most critical school year for them. I am desperate and feel that this is something that is hard to share with others who dont understand. Any advice on any level would be wonderful. It is almost unbearable and heartbreaking as I feel it might be better to not put them through cold turkey but to meter out what they can have. they want to be clean so the issue is helping them achieve this goal realistically.
HELP!!!!
A Mom

I have been smoking marijuana more or less daily from jan 2006 to december 2008. I usually have 7-8 cones a day. I have been clean for 2 months+ now and have never experienced any withdrawal symptoms whatsoever, physiological or psychological, from day 1 of quitting.

Aight here it is! I was a huge stoner for about 7 yrs now. I smoked almost everyday and was high almost all the time in college. I was a 3.0 student and star rugby player. When I graduated I hoped getting into the real world and gettting a real job would be my reason to stop smoking but it didnt so I kept smoking.

I started picking up some extra hours at work, so much so that I started staying on the campus at the skool I work at. With my busy schedule I didnt have that much time for partying at all so I didn't smoke much but maybe once a week. One day in December I got some good shit from my boy and decided to smoke after work. I borrowed his bowl and it was semi-packed so I smoked it and got crazy high. I decided to go to my room and did some push-ups and next thing I knew I was off my fucking rocker. My heart was beating off the chart, my breathing was out of whack and I couldn't calm myself down. I completely freaked out and called my girl and decided I had to go to the hospital. They kept me overnight and said it was asthmatic bronchitis from smoking weed and ciggs.

I should have learned my fuckin lesson but I didnt and I kept smoking on and off but I never enjoyed it as much after that. It wasn't the same and it even got to the point where I forgot why I even liked being high...whatever!

The last time I smoked was Super Bowl sunday of this year and I decided to stop. My life carried on as usual, goin to work, hangin wit my girl all that. Then out of no where I started feeling anxious like crazy. I'd be a work and then all of a suddent felt like I had to fucking escape. I would walk away and calm myself down and normally leave work early. I was completely wacked out and I didn't know why. From that point on my mind had gone to shit, I have a creative mind and it went ape-shit with my thoughts and I felt like I was going crazy....like padded-room kinda thing. I felt like I'm on auto-polit where I just live my life going thru the motions but my mind itself would be running a million thoughts an minute. I couldn't sleep, I was in the ER twice in a week for anxiety, I've been withdrawn from people, its nuts.

I've since gone on Zoloft and Xanax for anxiety and I'm seeing a pyschologist. My pysch pointed something out in the DSM called "Cannabis Induced Anxiety Disorder" and explained pretty much I was such a pothead for so long that my brain has been used to it and now it has to rewire it back to the way its supposed to be. Me being the pysch minor I am I've been all over the internet the last couple weeks reading these kinds of postings and things. But I found little or no comfort because no one was talking about the crazy anxiety I'd been going thru.

It helps me to talk about this and get it out. My pysch has been telling me the important thing is to stay positive because this will pass and my body will fix itself....and I can't wait. I had always thought anxiety was for the weak minded and all that but now I see that it can happen to anyone. I was always the chest beating brute guy and it felt nuts to need meds and all that but hey deep down we're all human. I hope this brings comfort to someone else that is goin thru the same thing.

I started smoking pot in 2004 at the age of 47 when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. At that time the multitude of pills I had to take to control my blood glucose were leaving me nauseated and unable to eat. Not eating if your are diabetic will put you in a coma (I didn't think this was an acceptable option). After my doctor finished experimenting to find out which drug left me with the least amount of side effects. I did my own research and had heard of people with terminal diseases who were prescribed marijuana to alleviate symptoms, nausea being one of them. I experimented on my own and found that it only took a couple of tokes to eliminate my nausea and actually give me an appetite (the munchies). Great I thought the miracle supplement that would help me live with diabetes and it's drug side effects. All was well until a few months ago when I realized that it was still taking me just a few more tokes (maybe 3 or 4) to get rid of the nausea and make me a happy camper but that it was now a routine from awakening to bedtime. I was toking every few hours (3 to 4 tokes) so basically I was constantly high, my career does involve travelling so I would pack the required quantity of joints based on the lenght of my trip. Of course certain travel plans I had to make sure that someone with access to pot would supply me at my arrival, it would stress me out at times wondering what would I do if I didn't have my "fix". My girlfriend an incredible woman who prefers an occasional glass of wine over MJ told me she wanted to "detox" from wine for a few days so I decided to do the same with pot to check whether or not I was capable of living without it for the short term. WOW what a wakeup call, day one was heavy nausea (which I associated with my diabetes drugs) but day two was a combination of nausea, dizziness, flu like symptoms (I call it cloud over the brain feeling) waking up in cold sweats, dreaming vivid dream that were hard to distinguish from reality and feeling totally drained of energy I felt like I should just give up and let death come! Well it is now day number 11 and it is getting better. The mild nausea is still there (I believe this is still a side effect from my diabetes drugs) but it is much less than I can remember. My major issues now are the dizziness, comes and goes and the feeling of constantly being drained of energy. I've resolved myself to sleeping as much as I possibly can since it's the only time I am free of symptoms. I questioned my nephew who is in his 40's and asked him if he ever experienced side effects when he quits MJ, he said only a mild depression for 2 or 3 days. So it goes to show that for some quitting is no big deal but for others and I join the ranks it's hell. My personal goal is to enjoy life with as much clarity as I can, this is an incredible world when you stop and appreciate the people and nature we are all part of. For those who like to stereotype this should shatter some preconceptions. I'm not an idiot who never accomplished anything, I own 3 successful IT related companies which have grown with the help of great people. All I can say is if you want to quit I send my spiritual love and support! Hopefully reading these words will give you the strenght and encouragement you need to stick with it one more day. (no i don't thump bibles)

Namaste...

I have taken great comfort in reading the posts here. It makes me realize that I'm not crazy or alone in this. I have quit for 3 weeks (tomorrow). I smoked ever day for the last 20 years (minus a handful of days a year when I couldn't get any). I smoked often, especially on weekends. I too have experience wicked insomnia and anxiety. I actually went to a hypnotist to help with the sleep and my outlook on life w/out the pot since I used to look so forward to smoking. There was a void without it. I really think he helped on both accounts. My sleep isn't perfect every night yet but I typically get at least 3 hours now which is MUCH better than zero - which made me feel like I was going to lose my mind not to mention how bad I'd feel the following day. Try to keep a positive outlook I think that helps a lot. I liked the saying "fake it until you make it" and I tell myself that often. I've also read MJ detox could take 4-6 weeks. I feel better after 3 but can't wait to get past 6.

One more thing. I've been working out regularly too - rigerous cardio. It has helped me get rest at night plus it gives me something to do with the time I used to spend high and daydreaming.

Keep the faith and ignore those people who think what you're going through is a joke (nobody has w/drawal symptoms from weed - it's harmless, etc). It's simply not true for longtime heavy users but there are ways to deal, get through it, and be happy again without it. I'm sure of that now.

Thanks for the great posts and good luck to all.

Hello All,

I've been out of my goard...had a severe panic attack while smoking some potent stuff...went to the hospital where I was told that I was having a panic attack. They did blood and urine screen...hearts o.k. Quit smoking that day, I've been a daily smoker for 10 years now, probably a quarter a week. I've been under severe stress prior to all of this stuff going on, relationship woes etc...personal injury settlement finally settled, the money scares me, want to make sure that I invest wisely. Haven't smoked for 3 weeks, but still have feelings of panic...finally went to my family physician...didn't disclose marijuana use, but advised him of these panic attacks. He prescribed me Ativan...don't like that stuff either but it takes away the panic attacks...I take 1/2 of 1mg pill when I feel like a panic attack is coming on. Went cold turkey 5 yrs. ago for 8 months and didn't have the panicky feelings that I do now...but I also wasn't post menopausal (had blood work done)also had my thyroid checked (normal). Anybody got any ideas how long these feelings of panic last?

Can I suggest you work on some breathing techniques and keeping a positive mind. I had some anxiety issues. I was letting my mind race with thoughts I didn't need to be thinking. Breathing helped a lot but also working on thinking about all the positives in my life instead of the "what ifs" helps. You can control you anxiety. My anxiety eased after 3 weeks but everyone is different - just like caffeine affects people in different ways/amounts. Generally I've heard 3-6 weeks. Keep up the good work and keep the faith. You'll get there if you keep you mind on the prize - a healthier happieer you! Regards. BTW - I'm on day 23 after 20 years of MJ.

I have been a all day every day user for over 10 years now. This website has helped me realize that I'm not crazy and this addiction can be very real. I have been clean for 6 days now. By the grace of God alone, I have overcome many addictions, cocaine, alcohol,cigarettes...but non quite like quitting the mj. The first day was horrible. Suicide was an option. Thankfully my husband realized I needed his support. I realized that God had provided me with ways to overcome this. Without a whole bunch of man made chemicals. I've had panic attacks, depression...
All that to say, chiropratic care really helps.Also, there's an herb called Valerian root that had REALLY helped (just be careful to not become dependent on that either). It has helped me sleep, relax and get past all the anxiety and cravings(and it's at the local drug store). So,I thank all of ya'll who have been so helpful in realizing I'm not alone. I pray this may help someone get passed this horrible detox!

I've been a regular smoker of chronic since the early 80's, never met a bong hit I didn't like. So here I am day 5 3:25a/m pst, sound familiar? Beeen sweating, having insomnia, some edginess (mitigated by frequent visits to Bally Total Fitness), and loss of appetite. This is it, while I've quit several times before, this one is for real. I'm tired of feeling tired, dull and broke. I encourage all of you to keep it up, nothing good comes from being a pothead.

I posted earlier (Anonymous User at 2009-04-02 05:18 ) and just wanted to follow-up. It look about 6 weeks but I settle back into a normal sleeping pattern. I last smoke MJ over 8 weeks ago now and I feel great - I'm back to being myself. I wanted to follow-up to let you know if you are struggling it will clear and you will feel happy again. That was the biggest question for me - I so looked forward to smoking that I was having a hard time finding equal joy without it. Now I know for sure it's possible. This is the 2nd time I've gone through it - quitting w/ insomnia - and I'm done for good this time after 20 + years. Good luck to you all and keep the faith. You can do it if you put your mind to it!

I have smoked MJ daily for over 10 years, a few joints a day and lots on the weekends. I recently came back from a trip to Mexico where I did not smoke for 7 days. I did not have any withdrawal symptoms while I was away but I knew I did not have access and had plenty of alcohol. Also, on the last day of our trip I was stung by something and suffered an allergic reaction (not anaphalactic). My heart rate and blood pressure checked out fine but it seems like my nervous system has taken quite a hit to this experience. I do not know if the toxin has affected my nervous system or my nervous system has gone array after not smoking it for a bit. I tried to smoke and it went flushing through my body, making my extremities all tingly and numb, I wouldn't have thought that my tolerance decreased that much in just one week. I thought this was part of the allergic reaction to the toxin that was still in my body but now I am starting to wonder if it could be caused by withdrawal. For the last week I have battled these symptoms and thought several times that I was dying. I am starting to wonder if I am experiencing anxiety attacks from my traumatic experience or if this is due to withdrawal. I don't feel the urge to smoke it cause I am afraid I am going to die as it does not make me feel well at all. I have no prior history of anxiety and just came back from vacation. I do not have the swine flu. Any insight would be graciously appreciated. Thanks

I have been a daily MJ smoker for the last 15 years, smoking about 2 joints a day, and recently some pretty strong stuff. I was in Mexico for 7 days and did not smoke any and had no symptoms of withdrawal whatsoever but I had plenty of alcohol to keep my mind off it. On the last day of our vacation I was stung by something in the wet sand and my reaction was awful. I did not have an anaphalctic reaction but tingly and numb exptremeties which could have been anxiety since my vitals were all okay. Ever since then, I feel like I still have this toxin running through my body and that it is poisoning my nervous system. My body feels like it is "falling asleep" and then I jolt awake like I can't breath. I tried to smoke jsut a little bit and it went flushing through my entire body and gave me an intense body stone, with tingly extremeties, just like I experienced with the sting. I have had an awful week trying to flush out this toxin but wondering if it is anxiety related to MJ withdrawal. I don't crave it because it makes me feel so bizarre and kinda scared. I wouldn't have thought my tolerance decreased this much in only one week. Did this sting affect my nervous system or am I just experiencing anxiety from this experience and having withdrawal from MJ??? My heart rate an blood pressure check out fine. I get a bit light headed, mild chest pain and shortness of breath and tingly and pain in extremeties. Any insight would be graciously appreciated.

It is late Monday night and I have not smoked since a week ago Friday. Next month I turn 54 and have been high most days since my late teens, though I have thought about quitting nearly the entire time. My nickname for pot has long been My Friend because pot is what keeps me company when there is no one around, or when I want no one. Maybe, in reality, it is why there is no one around.
About three years ago I began meditating twice per day and started my yoga practice, which is now a central part of my day. Yoga has opened me up emotionally, for bliss and saddness, to the point I finally became unstoppably curious what would fill the vacuum if I removed marijuana.
This has been both easier and harder than I anticipated. To my complete amazement, I have no desire to light up. The one time I was really tempted I remembered I have no rolling papers and simply refused to buy more. Today I gave away the fat bud that is the remainder of my stash. On the other hand, I have had trouble sleeping and feel an echo of the sadness and anxiety that utterly terrify me because, in a far more severe form, that drove me to a suicide attempt and hospitalization five years ago. I have not been in a relationship for a long while now but was at ease with it until these past ten days when acute loneliness settled on me. My dreams have been vivid, a sharp contrast with my usual pattern of sleeping soundly but having no memory of dreaming.
My blessed friend Hank, never a stoner by a long time drunk who drinks no more, pointed out to me that I am very lucky to have a strong foundation in yoga and meditation. Most people, he noted, quit drinking or smoking or whatever and look around for what to replace it with.
Probably my biggest upcoming challenge will be the looks of disbelief from stoner friends who will not believe that I, the chronic, am not imbibing. My biggest relief will be no longer smoking a fat joint and then desperately cleaning up because I don't want anyone to know I smoke pot. I just want to be one person, with nothing hidden (quitting pot is a big step in that direction but it is not all of it).
Reading the posts on this site has been uplifting and incredibly beneficial. I realize that the discomfort is a drag but its normal, just the price of admission to what comes next. I love you all!! Namaste. Peter

i have used pot since i left school (aged 17) and still do, i'm now 21, i will honestly say i have spent a solid 42ish weeks of each of those years stoned, i'm currently studying mechanical engineering at uni (2nd year), i've already earned my advanced diploma of Mech Eng at tafe, now i want to finish my degree.

i have found i haven't lost the ability to remember things, think clearly or gain weight or any of the main problems many people seem to face when addicted to marijuana. the ONLY problem i face is being able to stay off it, i love it. i would prefer to smoke it than drink alcohol. How ever i want to quit for the sake of my lungs and liver.

i've found quitting has become a habbit in itself, everytime i try to quit i find it hard to get a good nights sleep, i find each time i try to quit, 3 or four days in i will ALWAYS wake half way through the night 3 or 4 time drenched in sweat, even though im not hot nor cold, and this will carry on for many nights. Then if i smoke at some stage the sweats in the night dissapear. I must say that i've never felt any anxiety, nausea, loss of appetite, depression, nor do i feel agression or irritation!

i wonder if there is anyone out there who is in the same boat as me.

can anyone explain the sweating?
Regards, Bean

i have smoked everyday for the last 3 years and have decided to quit because i think its has started to play with my head. The first 4 days were really hard, no appetite, insomania, depression. 1 more toke seemed the best thing to do till i read all your posts. They have given me real hope and now feels like its already getting better. BEST OF LUCK for anyone wanting to kick the habit. Its will be worth it in the end

Hey All,

Yes, there are symptoms, anxiety, headaches, lack of appetite, sleeplessness, restlessness, even boredom and inability to concentrate. Yes, that sucks. No, it won't kill you. Yes, you can live with it. The feelings we have are ours, we used marijuana to subjugate these natural feelings. Nothing wrong with that, but in the end you have to come back to earth. I found that rather than just as a sleep/relaxing aid (I am naturally high strung) I had begun to use earlier in the day and to use more to escape the reality of my life (which is very boring right now for reasons I won't go into). I knew that before I could DO something to not really be bored I had to stop using pot to hide from my boredom.
My symptoms are greatly alleviated by doing Bikram yoga which gets me sweating, helps my appetite normalize, helps me sleep at night and relieves the neck and shoulder muscular tension that intensifies headaches and is intensified by headaches.

The main thing to remember is that these symptoms do not last longer than 10 days at the outside, 3-5 is normal, and that they are only that, symptoms. Your body is adjusting and this causes discomfort. Deal with it.

Years ago I had a friend who wasn't physical. I was visiting her and needed to get in a long training run. I ran 20 miles that day and she rode a bike, very slowly, next to me. What she did that day would not have been considered even mildly stressful for a normal, healthy person. That night she ended up, my having left the city that afternoon, in the emergency room. When the doctor examined her thoroughly he was peeved to discover that she simply did not know, having no experience, that exercise hurts and given some tylenol and a day or two, the pain subsides. This is our dilemma, to realize it is normal, and it will pass. Drink lots of water. Get some exercise, be prepared to breathe your way through some difficult hours, don't use other substances to allay the symptoms, just feel it, you'll be OK.

Bikram yoga really helps. I have a friend who used it to permanently and effectively get off heroin so if it works for that it will work for this. Take extra vitamin C and eat healthy food. Remember that there are no good feelings and bad feelings, there are only feelings.

If you are a person who is able to manage balance you can eventually use again if you simply never allow yourself to use more days than not. 1 in 3 is a good rule for weed and alcohol to avoid addiction. Balance is good my friends. Be well. Be at peace...

What people need to bring into consideration, that as there are people that it doesnt work good with and sure there are perks to living a sober world. but to those that live with these symptoms regaurdless of weather we are detoxing or been sober. When i smoke i feel better. i like my self more, and i am most definetly more sociable. when im sober, im overly bipolar, manic, and tied in a big knot. pot lets my mind ease back and not be so anxious all the time. i can think things out easily and am able to be my self. i have smoked marijuana since 9 years old, and i am currently 19, twenty in 8 months, and i had one year of sobriety for probation, in wich i most definetly expierienced sobriety, than another 6 month stint of sobriety, for a job. and i know that i am a better person on marijuana. granted when i get into the pills and coke ill start in on the x and meth, but pot is controllable.think if u take a pill to help with skitzophrenia, or bipolar, or adhd, you have to keep taking that pill to let in engrain into ur chemical flow. same with marijuana. marijuana is a social medicine, it helps those who dont like them selves, as well as a midicinal medicine where it treats symptoms, and sometime cures things. weird stuff happens with this plant, and hey thousands n thousands of years of use cant be wrong.

now detoxing sux. ive been there many times, weather waiting for my next bag, or trying to pass that test.
answer? time, water, antioxidants, vitamins, & good circulation= cardio/exercise. sun is AMAZING at clensing you, so long as u wash all that gross toxic sweat off you. green tea, red tea(best) detox teas, black tea, white tea all good tea weather rooibos or clasic teas are high in antioxidants. onions garlic fruits vegetables. all good sources. eat healthy. drink tea, wich is infused in WATER. walk or run around in the hot sun and take hot steamy showers. eating high in fiber and nutrients will regulate you which clenses the colon which hold dead thc filled cells and resin and whatever else. plus clean colon = less weight, and bigger appitite good thing. take multi vitamins daily and drink water water water, juice juice juice, tea tea tea, alot alot alot. like a gallon or more a day, youll be clean in a week or two, i get clean that way and i smoke right when i wake up, and every thirty mins to an hr after that till i sleep. more at night. = between a 1/4 of a oz and a oz a day. depending on cash flow. +) dont worry be happy.
if ur wondering today was my last day of smoking as i have to be clean for a ct date, but i will have no trouble doing it because its tried and true. ive done it before. and i know that one day me and mary jane will be together again. i will smoke till the day i die because it heals me. im very sic, and with out it i could cause alot of damage, so just get off me dawg

I started smoking weed in college and was a habitual user for the last 15 years. I quit on may 15th and definitely have experienced withdrawl symptoms- the most notable of which being sleeplessness. I wake up in the middle of the night feeling a little "off", almost like an anxiety attack without the racing heartbeat. After an hour or less i feel sleepy again and return to sleep. When will this end? Does anyone know? I've gotta say that other aspects of my daily life have greatly improved along with feeling in control of my addiction, a little empowerment can be a good thing sometimes. Just wondering if anyone out there has detoxed as long as myself and if the continued restlessness and sleeplessness at night is normal.

i am now on day 4 of no weed and i have zero cravings...in fact i just took a huge whiff of some bomb kush and didn't crave...however i am experiencing a lot of anxiety, nausea, loss of appetite and i honestly feel my eyes are going to pop out of my head and i clench my jaw all the time (i pretty much feel like im coming down from ecstasy) cuz i feel extremly hyper and spraked out when im sober...i know its worse than weed but i took a xanaxx and that is the only thing that helps....i sleep fine, it takes away my naseua and anxiety...but i don't want to take those anymore and i was just wondering if anyone knew if this anxiety is gunna be a life long thing or if it will get better...i have only been smoking about 8 or 9 months but from the first day i smoked i became a very heavy user..i was smoking about 8-10 times daily and i would not be able to function if i did not have weed within 5 hours of my last toke...which is why i have decided to go on a 30 day detox...it sucks really bad but i don't want weed to control me anymore ...however a huge plus from weed was my metabolism sky rocketed and i could eat whatever...which is amazing cuz ive always been a psycho calorie counter....and im worried that will fade away if i stop smoking forever...and i had mild anxiety before pot so that helped alot but since ive quit its come back tenfold....so i will smoke again after day 30 but i am going to keep it too maybe 3 times a week...i think weed is amazing and it has helped me a loooooootttttt more than it has hurt me...i just want it under control... i think weed can help alot of people out there and it is a lot better than pills and alcohol...so keep toking but ONLY if u have really strong will power....

Hi guys....my name is Adam and its now 3:15 in the morning and i can't sleep again (I didn't workout today :(). I have spent the last hour reading every word in this forum and wanted to let everyone know how pround I am of everyone. I am 22 and have been smoking pot every hour of everyday since I turned 12. I would normally spend $200 a week to support this terrible habit (pot's much cheaper in Canada). I am currently finishing week 2 of my detox and things are getting better. Here's what i'v been going through.....panic attacks so terrible and so frequently that I can't leave the house, 30min-1hour of sleep per night, no desire to eat, lack of energy, massive headaches, clouded vision/mind, severe depression, and huge mood swings. I was a heartbeat and a half away from giving up in the first week until I started reading forums and relized that i'm not alone. You may not relize it...but even by reading this forum...you are greatly increasing the chance to quit. As i said...during week 1...I couldn't even leave my house.....during week 2...I have regained my self confidence and find it hard not to go out. Here is some VERY helpful advice for specific symptoms and for general detox....trust me...IT WORKS!

1)Not being able to eat- Go out and buy some meal replacements. If you can't eat, you can at least drink your daily required nutrients that the body desperately needs. Make sure it sais "meal replacement" right on the bottle.

2)Anxiety, depression, sleep problems, lack of energy- Running. Running is an exellent way to boost your depressed mood, regulate the chemical emballance in your brain that causes anxiety, and naturally make your body tired. It will also greatly increase your general energy level. If you can't go outside like me during the first week...spend the money and invest in a treadmill. I bought mine for $300. You dont need anything fancy.

3)Lack of sleep- Look around for a sleeping pill called "Melatonin". Its natural, and non-habit forming. Only cost me 12 bucks for 50 tablets. Combine this with running for a good night rest.

4)Mood swings- This one is all willpower but heres the trick...catch yourself doing it! When you flip out on your partner.....ask yourself "why am I mad?"....then apologize. This will lead to a very guilty feeling and will allow you to gain your partners attention and sympathy (cause you were mad), and you can now talk about it in a loving manner. EVERYTIME.

5)General detox- This I cant stress enough....do not start your detox until you have an open week....for example...christmas vacation. Having to work or go to school during your detox will crush your hopes of quitting. I'm not saying that it isn't possible (most people choose to do their detox on a random day)....i'm saying that i highly recommend it! Quitting pot for many people will be the hardest thing they've ever done and having to work/go to school is just adding complications to the matter.

I really hope some1 can benefit from my advice. Quitting pot is not just a battle....its a war! Everyone will handle it differently. Just know that you are going to win and lose some battles, but dont give up on the war, you are not alone in this world and talking to people will help. Goodluck! My love and thanks to everyone :)

Adam

My 26 year old son is missing. He was lost when he started smoking pot years ago. He has been in jail for possession of a tiny amount in the past. His personality is, by nature, caring, funny, quick witted, and a joy to be around. When he is between smokes,I guess,that's when he changes. He's angry, irritable, and doesn't make good choices. He's reclusive, with no motivation. He has lost several jobs because "They just didn't like him". I'm at my wits end. He seems like his developement was arrested at about the time he started using...about age 16 or so. I want to help him but I don't know how. He moved back home and feels like a failure and a complete loser. No jobs to be found, but I wouldn't want to hire someone like him any ways. What keeps him using? He's miserable. Should I suggest helping him detox?

Wow. I have been smoking pot everyday for the last 15 years. I have never tried to quit, even smuggling pot on vacation. In the lsat year I have had to face the loss of my Mom. It was very sudden, appendicidis. My step Dad and I bonded when I was 18 by smoking with each other. So after Mom passed we went on a major binge smoking an ounce of kind a week and finishing off half an ounce of hash. Since that time I have been trying to smoke less but not stop completely.

Yesterday, the love of my life left me. He left because I have irrational moodiness and I make stupid mistakes with trust. I have been a closet smoker for so long that I feel like I have to keep secrets, like they are a part of life. Anyway, he like many others before him, stated that I have a vast well of unrealized potential. He thinks that by clearing out my head, I will be able to fully morn my Mother and start to find a balance with my emotions. I smoked as much of my stash as I could last night trying to get stupid high, so I would realize that it isn't so great, the rest I flushed down the toilet. I am going to try my best not to get any more. I am nervous about losing my coping mechanism but I am very hopeful that I will gain confidence, energy, patience, and strength.

Today is the first day of sobriety and I look forward to seeing my love later today and telling him of my life change. I also look forward to filling my time with endevors unrelated to marijuana. I am scared but hopeful, saying goodbye to an old friend is very difficult, however, I am not afraid to be alone with my busy brain. I am grateful for the chance and ablitily to change for the better. Everything will work out the way it should and I have faith that I can learn from my mistakes even if I continue to make them. Much love to everyone who is doing there best. When things get tough, recount everything you are grateful for. That natural high my distract you from wanting a different type. Thank you.

I've been smoking for over 20 years. I've gone from splitting a nick with my cousin on the weekends to blazing thru a 1/4 a week on my own. I was able to stop while I was pregnant and nursing my son. I told my mother I was just gonna be the weekend warrior again but that didn't happen. I totally fooled myself and believed it was ok cuz I watched cartoons with my son after I had smoked.

Now, 15 years later, I have to quit because I want to start a second career as a nurse. I'm on my second day and God is it hard!! It's like leaving a lousy boyfriend. I know I'm better off without it but I miss not having it in my life. I've tried to stop a few times in the last month but always went back after 2 days. Yesterday, I couldn't eat. Last night, I couldn't sleep. This morning I couldn't stop thinking about all the stuff I've been mad at my mother for over the years. Crazy!! Now that I know it's part of the withdrawal, I feel better. I'm also taking a more proactive approach to the detox. I took a hot bath with lots (4lbs) of baking soda cuz I reaId it helps draw out the toxins. I'm thinking it's working cuz after soaking for only 10 minutes I felt so drained I had to get out and lay down for a while! Now I'm about to chug some cranberry juice.

So thanks again for sharing your stories and knowledge. It's been a big help. All the best to all of you!!!

I found this site last night and have read many of the comments. I truly feel for many of you going through the challenges of quiting. Now, I need some good, solid advise. Here's my situation - I am 55 years old, about 5'9'' and 150 lbs., Yeah, skinny old guy with a rather high rate of motabilism. I have been smoking the herb daily for about 35 years. Never during work hours, just in the evenings, sitting around the house. I have been self employed for the last 20 years and had good succfess in business. With the current economy, my business has totally collapsed (housing finance), so I will be going to work in the corporate world and need to pass a drug test. Pot has never inteffered with business or home life (happily married 36 years to a non-smoker), but I need to get my act together. Because I have established a good reputation, I have several job offers on the table fortunately and I don't want to screw this up.

I really enjoy a joint at the end of the day, but it has been the low to medium quality stuff. I also smoke cigarettes, which I think is an even greater demon for me. I want to work on quiting that next. I also drink one or two beers a day. With the success I have had (great wife, great kids, good friends, and successful business), I have wondered just how much better things would have been without pot.

I know that it has has negative effects. Between pot and cigarettes, my lungs are about trashed. I do get a little lazy from time to time and now that business has tanked, I have been having some depression. I have lived off savings for a year now, hoping for improvements in business, but it just isn't happening, so it's time to make a move. Thank God for my wife; she's nothing short of a fantastic women.

I have tried to quit in the past for monetary reasons more than anything else, and it was very tough. I last smoked 3 days ago and so far the only negative issue has been one night of insomnia. Not sure why, but I don't have the cravings. Even though I still have the stuff in the house, it just has not been a huge temptation. Just lucky, I guess.

I don't plan to start up again and will probably just give my stash to a friend that still partakes.

So, what is the best way to get myself clean to pass a drug test? I have looked at many of the detox products available on the internet, but I am skeptical. I need to take the test in about 2 weeks and want to be prepared. I plan to buy a couple of the home test kits from the local pharmacy to make sure I will test OK. I just want to speed up the cleansing.

Please do not think that I am being frivolous about this. As I said, when trying to quit in the past, it has been very hard. Maybe it's my attitude and strong desire to provide well for my family, but I am not having isssues with quiting this time. I am very thankful for that.

I would sincerely appreciate any advise to speed this process. I have a long way to go and a short time to get there.

For those of you struggling to quit, I can only say that I wish you the very best and just think of how much better your life will be. More money in your pocket, better attention span, better focus, and no legal issues. Good luck!

I have been a habitual marijuana smoker for 10 years and I am in a situation that has made me have to quit. I am on Day 2 and I have to say I am experiencing all the signs of MJ withdrawl. Reading all of these comments and looking at this page have given me hope that I can beat this. Never in a million years did I think that I had an addiction to MJ.

i had being married to my husband for almost 5 years had kids with him and never suspected the fact that he smoked weed, there was a momment that i started using it too but thanks god i quit its all about wanting to change.... im recently pregnant and dealing with him quiting so i decided to study more about detox and all that and i find out the best treatment ever!!!! his excuses were i wont be able to eat!!! guess what vitamins actually increase your appetite!!!!the hardest part is dealing with the emotional behavior... he became very angry said very hurtfull things but i knew it wasnt him it got worst once i asked him to choose either us, our family or his addiction? he doubt about it but he stood there with us and me well im still him.... vitamins, love, sometimes tough love, courage and hope thats the best treatment.... im doing the same now wit his friends and i have to said that indeed it does work....

Have just got to day four of my detox and I have to say that there are definitely symptoms. I was a heavy smoker of pot and I decided ( wisely on hindsight) to detox in my holiday.
I have suffered insomnia and felt a general nausea and a great deal of restlessness.
This site is very accurate with its info and I have to say that stopping whilst not at work is the best way as I have only been able to sleep three hours each night. Would not have liked to go to work feeling tired, iritable and anxious.

This is absolutely without a doubt the one website that I have ever come across that completely and truly explains everything that is associated with the tough withdrawl symptoms after quitting marijuana after long term heavy use. I actually came across one today that said you will get tired!!!! Exact opposite.... Well I'm trying to quit for what may be the umpteenth time (day 3 sober) and this site is definitely a motivator, both the article and the testimonies. Thank you!!!

I am a 22 year old female, I go to school full time and I work full time. I have smoked MJ every night for the past 8-9 months. I never believed that one could become physically addicted to it, I just thought you would be mentally addicted to it. I have gone cold turkey and it has been ten days. I have had the opportunity to buy some, but since I am saving up for Christmas presents I respectfully declined. My "dealer" is one my favorite employees who works for me and he knows of my situation and what I am trying to do. I am not ever around so, he's the only guy I know who has access to it. I don't hang around with people who smoke MJ; not saying that people who do are bad, I just don't know anybody who does except for him. I started smoking because I have chronic tension heads due to stress ever since I was a little kid. The pain would be so bad that it would make me sick and make me feel as if I was dying. I smoked maybe three times in a four year period, so I was never around it too much. I tried pain meds from my doctor and I tried sleeping pills to help me sleep, but in all honesty I hate taking pills. For some reason everytime I take any kind of muscle relaxer, it hurts my stomach and makes me feel sicker - even if I took the pills with food. I started to smoke MJ about 8-9 months ago and since then I have done it every night before I go to bed. Like I previously stated, it has been 10 days since I have smoked. When I smoked at night, the next day I was focused, my grades never suffered, in fact I made Dean's List every semester since I have started. Since I have quit, it has been a complete 180. I am not failing classes or anything, it is just much harder to focus on what I am studying. When I read something, I am looking at the words but not reading what they say. I really want to smoke again, but it's been 10 days. I don't want to have a problem - hell I never thought you could become physically addicted to MJ. I always thought that the people who said they were addicted were just mentally addicted - and maybe we are, I don't know. But what I do know is that if you keep your mind off it, stay busy and live your life without it; everything will work out. I stopped because I was spending $200 a month on it, which is a lot for someone who lives by themself. I know what I am doing is the right thing, but all of my bad habits before I have started smoking have returned and I don't know what to do. If I start again, it feels as if that 10 days sober means nothing. However if I don't, I have to deal with the constant sickness and tension headaches. I don't know what to do.

I have been smoking heavily for the past 5 years and for the last 6 months it's got even heavier as my tolerance is now stupidly high. I smoke pure weed joints because I don't like tobacco and smoke every day for most of the day. It's pathetic, my life is pathetic, i'm just throwing it all away.

I REALLY want to quit and have tried several time in the past, the longest I managed was a month but then the addiction tricked me in to beliving I could do it occasionally which of course I couldn't.

I quit again 4 days ago and this time it's so much worse than before. I am not just feeling sick but spent all day yesterday vomiting repeatedly even when the bile had run out. I haven't been able to eat anything more than a couple of dry crackers in 3 days and i'm not even hungry, isn't this dangerous? I can't keep anything down, haven't eaten in 3 days and i'm still not hungry and feel constant nausea.

As well as this the sweating is ridiculous and I can't sleep! it's so frustrating and I cry all night long. Whren i'm trying to sleep I get this funny feeling in my lower legs and feet I can't really explain it but it sort of feels like my leg wants to twitch.

I confessed to my boyfriend yesterday that I had been lying to him about how much I had been smoking and he was very understanding but today I feel physically so bad and he is going to be home soon and I can't stand for him to see me like this.

I never saw myself as an addict but with symptoms like this it is impossible to deny, i'm gutted.

The thing I am stuggling with is seeing any light at the end of the tunnel, I hope the symptons will ease but then what? what am I going to do? there's nothing I like doing as much as getting stoned. I feel like i'm going to be bored for ever.

I'm sorry to post something so negative but i've been crying, sweating, shaking and despairing all day and i'm starting to feel desperate. I really don't want to smoke but I can't cope feeling like this and even if it goes I feel there is nothing left for me (which I recognise is pathetic as I have a great relationship, home and family and in reality nothing to complain about apart from this addiction which I did to myself)

I just want it to go away, I can't remember how it feels to feel good without smoking and I'm worried that i've damaged my brain so much that it's not possible for me anymore.

hey everybody...Anxiety, Paranoia and depression are my 3 main symptoms...is this even fucking normal? when the hell will this go away i keep dwelling on these emotions i hope i dont go crazy!!! anybody else have this?

I am: scared! I've used daily for 11 years. After losing my job (lay-off) and having to reapply (my prev. employer did not drug test)- I've HAD to quit. I'm scared b/c I never in my wildest dreams thought this would be so hard. I can NOT sleep. I am so irritable, I just yelled at my son's toy! My family doesn't deserve this. I know if I start to use again and it affects me getting another job, it's very likely my husband will leave me. All I can think about is just taking one little puff to get some sleep. I'm not a bad person. I know many people, in high level positions that abuse presciption meds so I always justified by saying, at least this is natural. It's like I want to crawl out of my own skin. I haven't been to NA but I will- and soon. I've never been violent, in fact, extremely passive, but I understand now what rage feels like. I'm terrified I could mess up my whole life if I can't get over these withdraws. Help! I need words of encouragement, PLEASE!

You will make it. One thing thats helped me alot is getting up in the morning and taking a walk any type of execise is helpful. The key is to stay busy. For sleepless nights go to your local drug store and buy, Melatonin, its a natural sleeping pill with no side effects, it will put you to sleep. Good luck we are all on the same team and here to support you.

I thought I could never ever ever ever give up bud. I grew up in the hood and getting blazed was a way of life for me. For everyone who is making this leap of faith. I'm so proud of you. It all starts with wanting to change and already you've made one of the biggest courageous moves of your life, your handling your business. You have a second chance at life, all the money we spent on bud and now we are about to get it all back. Take one day at a time and keep busy. Don't buy bud in large quanities it will only promote you to smoke. Drink lots of water, take (alpha lipoic acid) you can get it at any supermarket it's an antioxidant and helps clean you out quicker, go running, go to the gym especially the sauna. Go visit people who don't smoke who always wanted you to quit they will be proud of you and support you. And ya some people are going to hate on you, but you know what, there just jealous because there weak and they see your strength. They can't bring it like you can. Remember there will always be haters in the cheap seats. It was not my goal to quit but only smoke on the weekends. But when the weekend came around my wife went to visit a friend. I turned on my xbox and take a blast, but it just was not the same. I'm not saying I will never smoke again and you should think the same, it puts way to much pressure on you. But let me control it not vise versa. Let it be in three months at a card game with my boys, or at a party. And even then I bet you will take one blast and you will be straight. Your tolerance will be at an all time low. We all need to look out and support one another because we are all on the same team and I'm proud of all of you. You handle your business.

i dont really want to stop its been 3 days, i havent slept! i smoked it every day for 19 years, im 34 now, i could exceed in all i done and it never stopped me from doing anything, my partner wants to stop for new year, i am so angry bout his decission for us both to stop, i am pretty raged at the mo, what can i do, i want to cry.........

Hi and thank you so much for this site and comments! It's fantastic to know that I am not alone.

I started smoking pot in my early 20's and have watched my habit steadily increase over the past 15 years. My intake has dramatically risen in the last year to the point where I have been smoking upwards of half an ounce a week. I now have a job that allows me to work from home and as a byproduct allows me to smoke bongs 24/7.

I used to get high and have a laugh and a good time with friends etc. I don't laugh anymore and the depression/introversion caused by this habit has seen my list of friends steadily decline over the years. I don't enjoy getting high anymore, I spend the whole time feeling guilty for smoking, yet still smoke weed like clockwork every few hours.

I now have a long term girlfriend and three beautiful daughters which have been my inspiration for quitting. I have tried unsuccessfully to stay off weed 3 or 4 times over the last few years (each attempt usually coinciding with the birth of a child). Every time I have been tripped by a single relapse which quickly spirals back to all day every day use. I'm now treating weed like I do cigarettes with the attitude of 'one puff & I'll be smoking again'. I now hold no illusions that I can have a 'casual' smoke of any kind.

I have successfully hidden the extent of my habit from my partner for ages now (she hates weed with a passion). This time I have come clean with her and told her I am quitting and asked for her help. This has made an amazing difference; she has been so supportive and understanding. My previous attempts I have 'gone it alone' which has really only served in supplying me with an out when the quitting gets too tough.

I am currently on day 7 of stopping cold turkey. I feel like I am going crazy! I am so angry and depressed, I constantly feel like either crying or punching something (or both). I have broken both my Wii controllers over the last week and I feel like wringing Mario's neck - him and his stupid brother Luigi.

Exercise is helping me. Lifting weights is a good outlet, as is hitting boxing bags. I've been running also, although after a week I haven't noticed any dramatic fitness improvements - maybe this will come as my lungs repair themselves?

Again, thank you everyone for the comments (except the tool with the 3 degrees). I wish everyone all the best and hope you all find a way through this.

Best of luck
G

I have chosen to quit using marijuana after about 3 years of on and off chronic use. I feel as though I've wasted a part of my youth to driving around, wasting gas, being stoned and doing generally NOTHING except throwing away money on weed, food, and gasoline. Sure, it feels good, it relaxes you, and many people can have it in there life with no problem. Personally it just made me do a whole lot of nothing, and put all my talents, dreams and aspirations on the back burner in favor of a bowl. Not worth it, and certainly not worth the cash. It's only my third day of quitting, and I have expirienced insomnia (even with taking the natural supplement Melatonin) and mild headaches...also some very strange dreams. Minor loss of appetite, but I'm forcing myself to eat for health reasons. Overall though, I feel clearer headed each day and I'm already getting so much more done. I feel like I have my whole life ahead of me, and nothing is stopping me. Will I smoke again? Probably in the far future, in a party setting. I plan on going completely clean for 3-6 months, and at this point, where withdrawl is supposed to be at it's worse, there is NOTHING standing in my way. Towards the end of my journey with mj I got paranoid, extremely introverted, and just generally not fun anymore and exxtreemely spacey. If it's getting in the way of your life, just quit :)

Well, it's been 1 week without for me & I'm very irritable & nothing, not even this site seems to help. All it does is make me want more & I'm fucking angry my situation doesn't allow me to have any right now.

does it get better????I have been on mj for 30 years never tryed to stop intell now.thanks for this page i can do it.Need to go but this helped me to write this and say i will stop i will and you will too!!!!!

i am currently stopping my use of mj for employment reasons, ihave smoked daily for years. yes its addictive but not that hard to stop, irratable for a few days loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping. this all passed after like 3 days. im not coughing up big chunks or nothing like that,after 16 years of daily use.

Hey folks, im on my 3day free of mj. After a 5 year run, im throwing in the white towel. Its kind of weird. I steel feel stoned but not completley stoned. Throughout the day I have Hallucinations of shit thats not even their. I foolishy see rats crawling across the floor. Men walking around my house. But as I said these are all hallucinations. Thoughts of Suicide, even though I never will act that crazy shit out..lol. Shit is very scary. Withdrawl is very real. I fine myself force eating, because i never get hungry. We all know not eating through a whole day is unhealthy. On day 1, I only ate a snickers the whole day. Talk about insomnia, I only had 3hours of sleep last night if you want to call it sleep. But im keeping the faith. I no longer want marijuan in my life. It has tooking all my ambitions and intiatives from me. I really hope that these pro-pot bastards stop posting on the site. But I kind of need the pro-pot bastards. They remind me of the nay-sayers in my life who dont believe im serious about quitting mary jane. So Im just goin to use those assholes as inspiration to defeat my addiction. Anyway, keep the strength strong, and keep faith, you can defeat pot addiction.

seriouslly I stopped because I want to see my grandchildrens babies which sadly will not happen if I continue down the road Im going....Day 2 not pretty but I will beat it..lets face it...It can only get better from here....

Haven't smoked anything except a little resin in 4 days. I thought I was doing really well with not freaking out, then yesterday evening my fiance tells me to "snap out of it." I got so upset because I thought I was handling it okay. I find I am not as talkative off of pot and he said I seemed zoned out and was not talking to him. I feel like I can't even put a decent sentence together. Anyway, I got so upset after he said that and we argued and the whole night ended up being ruined. So I suffered through that and then couldn't go to sleep. Woke up early today and I've been crying since I got up. I'm stuck in this house alone all day. I don't know what to do and just feel like a jack-ass. I wish I could just go back to sleep.