Marijuana Detox - Common to become depressed?

Question

I smoked between 1 and 2 grams per day (good strong weed) for the past 5 or so years. 6 weeks ago I decided to quit cold turkey because I was going nowhere in life and I could see that my habit was limiting my motivation and energy. But even with all that, I was pretty happy most of the time…I guess I was pretty stoned most of the time :). Quitting wasn’t that tough but now I find that still have no energy and I feel depressed a lot of the time. All of the things I used to really enjoy doing are totally blah to me now. Is it common for people who quit heavy marijuana habits to become depressed? I am not sure if I should start smoking again or not?

Dr. Lani Chin · Accepted Answer

Thanks for your post. Congratulations on your sobriety.

Marijuana is a substance that many people use to numb their emotions. With that being said...your body is now adjusting to being sober. Feeling "blah" is a symptom many people report after quitting continual use.

I think it's important now for you to revisit your motivations for quitting to begin with. You reported you were "going nowhere in life" and your use was limiting your "motivation and energy." It sounds like you had pretty good reasons for quitting. Has this changed since then? Again, you are likely going through a period of detox so feeling "blah" is something that will pass. Your body needs to cleanse itself before you will begin to feel better.

It may be a good time to attend Marijuana Anonymous meetings for some support during this time of transition. Another option would be to attend individual therapy to talk about what you might be numbing out. If you are in the Los Angeles area, I would be happy to help you out with this: www.drlanichin.com.

Good luck to you.

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