Lostinhk

Hey all,

This is a message to those who have quit after being daily smokers for at least a year. After you quit, did you experience a period of anxiety and/or depression? If so, how long after quitting did it start and how long did it last?

Any info would be appreciated!

Lorax1981

It started for me at 3 to 6 months and lasted a year plus. But that was me and I likely have a bit of depression naturally. I smoked heavy for 15 years starting in my teens. It was a tough time but it really showed me the damage I had done. I figured the harder it was to quit and stay quit- all the more reason to not pick it back up. My experience is not necessarily typical but I believe long time smokers can run the risk for a lousy first year or so. Everyone is different though and some people quit and get to skip the blues altogether!
-Ted

wackybunny

Oh man, major anxiety after quitting. It seemed to kick in real bad at the (trying to remember now) 2 - 3 week mark I think. Panic attacks. I had to work through it, tell myself that the anxiety was not going to kill me, surrender to the withdrawal, said "bring it on". As soon as I welcomed the anxiety and did not try to fight it, it seemed to just melt away. About two months after quitting I no longer had any general anxiety feelings. I concluded that pot was causing my long term mild anxiety. Finally I can be truly relaxed in a way that pot never let me be. I am so grateful to have finally given myself this gift and want to cry when I think of how many years I tortured myself with needless worry. This is just how it was for me. I certainly hope that it's the case for some others because the freedom and calm I feel is blissful and I wish everyone got to feel it.

wackybunny

Ps. I smoked daily for 22 years so I think that counts as at least a year. LOL.

FatallyUncool

I was depressed for several months, but it gradually got better. I am much much happier now, but I still get depressed sometimes.

When I quit, my anxiety got better, not worse. I had done most things stoned so I was constantly worried about people looking at me, and acting stupid and forgetting stuff and getting lost and dealing with people.

I was anxious about being social with others because I was so used to doing it with a buzz. I went to meetings and took some classes and got to meet new people who were probably nervous and socially awkward, too.

Dee74

I had 3 months of pretty much not feeling anything Lost...except maybe anxiety...

It's not an easy transition from long term drug use to recovery but like others have said, it got better, gradually after that 90 day mark

stick with it - and use the support here

D

Lostinhk

Thanks guys, am doing my best. I stopped smoking when I stopped doing pills but the insomnia got so bad I started smoking again for a couple weeks. Last smoke was a week ago and just as I started feeling better from the pill withdrawal this has now kicked me in the ass.

Has anyone heard of marijuana morning sickness??? For the past 3 days I've been waking up feeling terribly nauseous, depressed, and keep gagging.

wackybunny

I can't remember morning sickness but it doesn't surprise me. I did have all sorts of strange things. Things like skin tingling, nausea at times, sense of smell totally out of whack, general weird feeling, list goes on. I hope your morning sickness doesn't last long. How are you feeling otherwise? A whole week is great. Well done!

kyle84

Dear Lostinhk,

Well, I can share my own experiences after quitting smoking. I stopped smoking since 2010. The very tender feelings I got after that was I lost my appetite but I do not know if smoking is the factor. Let's talk about something serious other than just smoking. I was used to using drug substances. As I tried to quit, I experienced heavy mental pressure in the form of a colossal wish to do it again. However, I think that state should not last for a long time. I hope you got your answer. Thanks.

Gamaur

Hell yes. I'm only just getting over mine now after doing a bunch of things to combat it, including taking medication. But I already had depression before smoking.

The nausea thing is also pretty normal. I had a few beers at a BBQ and ended up vomiting for a whole day. It takes a while for the body to readjust.

It can take 3-6 months to level out so try to let it wash over you without stressing when you're not feeling the best, it'll only make things worse.

wackybunny

Nice to hear you're getting over it Gamaur. Also nice to read "3 - 6 months" and know I'm at 6 months. I remember being envious of people with 6 months and feeling like they were in another world which I didn't know how to reach. Turns out what they said was true - "it gets easier", "life is better without it", "you can do it".

happycampers

Women May Be More Sensitive to Marijuana Than Men
Ryan Allway

September 5th, 2014

Cannabis Laws & Regulations

Health organizations around the world hold women to a different standard when it comes to alcohol, but the differences in marijuana absorption between genders may be even greater, according to new research.

U.S. researchers found that female rats were at least 30% more sensitive than males to tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) – the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana – because of their increased estrogen levels. The increased uptake could mean that women may be more likely than men to suffer from the negative effects of smoking THC-heavy marijuana, including depression, anxiety, and paranoia.

In the past, research has shown that women were more likely to abuse cannabis and become dependent than men, but the data didn’t provide any insights into why that happened. The researchers in recent study found that there’s a clear spike in drug sensitivity when the females were ovulating, which occurs right when their estrogen levels have peaked and begin to come down.

These trends are especially concerning given that marijuana today is much more potent in THC concentrations than marijuana in the past due to new breeding and refinement techniques. With the negative side-effects of THC already higher in the general population, women may be at an especially high risk of experiencing these problems, which could guide health organization recommendations as the drug is legalized.

The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, analyzed the pain-relieving effects of THC on male and female rats over a span of 10 days. “We’re more likely to see negative side effects today like anxiety, confusion, panic attacks, hallucinations or extreme paranoia and women are at higher risk,” said the study’s lead author Professor Rebecca Craft of Washington State University.