sigint

I'm no doctor but I did take a class on Psychopharmacology and (bear with me this is coming from another professor) he said that weed doesn't have the addictive properties of things like heroin and cocaine. People misuse this by saying things like 'weed isn't addictive', which is false.

Anyone can get addicted to anything- addiction is not based purely on chemical properties of a substance.

Needless to say this did not stop me from getting getting addicted.

fotographia

People do get addicted to cannabis.

Both psychologically, and I've heard of some people who did get addicted physically in a way where they said if they tried to stop smoking or using herb how they would be unable to eat, get night sweats, or a rapid heartbeat. The withdrawal that some people get is not like the withdrawl that comes from opiates, or the very dangerous type from alcohol or benzos but it still can happen to some people.

As for the psychological addiction for years starting when I was younger and first into smoking herb (I don't use anything now and haven't for years) I was told by older people that yes herb is psychologically addictive in that a lot of people use it as a crutch, to relax/destress, or I've met a lot of people who were daily smokers for years or decades and if they did not smoke they felt "off" or some would get annoyed/angry, and there are some people who have said how if they have pot or someone they know does and it's around they'll smoke it, or use it.

Xadem

I hear ya. I live in Belgium, we got some pretty strong weed here. Stopped smoking last week, couldn't sleep for days, felt like **** (still feel depressed as hell), sweating, heart palpitations, It almost felt like kicking off Speed or some ****. Weed nowadays isn't the same as it used to be. You CAN get addicted, anyone who says otherwise has never smoked or is over 50 years old and has never tried white widow from the coffeeshops

Muunray

My boyfriend's blood pressure went through the roof when he stopped smoking marijuana and had to use blood pressure meds for a while.

fotographia

Yes it has gotten stronger. When I was first starting to smoke as a teenager you could very easily find cannabis that was from Mexico or certain South American countries, or Jamaica and it gave a nice experience but you just had to smoke more of it, and clean out the seeds.

Then when I was an adult high grade cannabis flooded the market and it was nearly impossible to find the other stuff. I did not complain since it was high quality and meant you had to smoke or use less of it.

I have seen people smoke way too much of the high grade cannabis and freak out, or have a not too fun time.

Now a lot of people vaporize pure cannabis oil or hash oil and some do this so much that they black out, and you always hear about people eating too much cannabis in food and having a not so fun time with it.

They claim that in most Cannabis coffee bars they don't sell harder drugs like amphetamine, coke, or heroin but there are coffeeshops that do sell it but you have to ask for it. I never did this while visiting the Netherlands but people I know did and said how if you wanted harder drugs you could get them in a coffee bar or just easily find them on the street.

Cannabis coffee shop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The only time I really became "addicted" to cannabis was when I was quitting drinking daily and I slowly cut back on drinking alcohol, and the slowly started to smoke cannabis as a substitute. In my way of thinking it was less harmful to my body, and eventually I just started smoking daily for about a month. I do not regret it but in retrospect it was a substitute addiction and temporarily I became one of those people who if they had it would smoke it all and stay high all night long. I did quit both cannabis and alcohol for a month sometimes having a drink or random smoke after that but I experienced zero withdrawal symptoms from either.

I did wind up starting to drink again and continued to smoke cannabis regularly; but I kept both to only weekends, and did them socially. Then I quit using cannabis, and then alcohol.

For myself when I would want to smoke or drink and did not want to or was abstaining from both I found that daily exercise even if it's just walking helped.

In the United States they have formed the group Marijuana Anonymous that's akin to AA/NA; but for people who use cannabis.

legna

I am younger than 50 and created a number of strains in the lab, some reaching north of 24% THC. I simply have a different opinion than you. I certainly could be wrong, but my opinion wasn't formed from either age or lack of experience.

fotographia

The very high THC strains/types of cannabis reminded me of taking psychedelic mushrooms but without the visuals.

I had smoked cannabis whilst on mushrooms, and on a high dose of LSD so maybe that's why cannabis, or hash is psychedelic for me?

I quit during my mid 20s since I had stopped using pretty much everything else except for cannabis, and alcohol.

I wanted to quit since I have met older people who still acted like they were teenagers or university students and their lives just revolved around smoking or using cannabis daily and not much else, and I did not want to wind up like that.

I am in my early 30s and I know people my age who have smoked cannabis for decades and still use it, or they smoke the legal cannabinoid research chemicals like spice, JWH, etc. and some have told me how they can't function in public without being high, or can't eat or sleep without being high.

Joli

To the original poster, think real hard about your current situation with your husband. It would be a lot easier to break it off now when you do not have kids and have not accumulated a lot of assets together. It will not get better unless he wants to get help!

Look for a local Al-Anon group. Attend six meetings and listen to what people say. Try to find a sponsor and start working the steps. You do not deserve to live this type of life.

I have been living your life for 17 married years. I wish someone had told me when I was first married it does not get any better when married to a alcohol or pot smoker.

PM if you want to talk. We are very similar in personality.

Dee74

Welcome Joli

D

RK2007

My own personal experience with Marijuana is that it was psychologically addicting for me. I loved the feeling of having enhanced senses, and that 'focus' it gives where you think on something (otherwise, non-stoned, pretty meaningless) -that intimacy with the minute details of your 'focus'. I got addicted to that I think.

The first few times I tried it though, I didn't get 'stoned' in the classic sense, maybe just a bit dizzy.

It was only after I persevered with it that I experienced the full psychoactive effects. Appreciation of music, sex, food all increased tenfold when I was high. I smoked quite heavily from age 16 until I was in my early 20's.

I ended up unable to smoke it as it made me very paranoid, and even a couple of tokes would start the negative thinking process. Had no problems giving it up, as I was so terrified of the effects in the end. Wish it was the same for booze.

Gave weed up years ago, drinking's my main problem lol.

Dee74

Good to see you here RK

D

Yssa

@naivechick
Hm maybe your professor will need a professor to know more about the weed.
Sorry for your situation, but I think you don't have to let your life be ruined by your relationship or by your husband, decide for the right one and specially for your happiness. Just be strong..

shelton40

I have the same story...I am sorry for your pain. I hope things get better. One day at a time.

SoberCAH

I don't let people like this in my life today, unless it is someone who wants my help in getting clean and sober.

In my case, it required getting divorced after being married for 21 years to an alcoholic who couldn't stay sober and who had affairs.

Walking out of that courthouse 10 years ago was truly liberating.

This is my ESH - not advice.

I am sympathetic (or perhaps empathetic) with the posters on this thread.

Being around a lethargic pothead isn't my idea of living.

We are here to support you - and I certainly don't think you are naive.

Best.

RamsesOsirus

You can't get physically addicted to pure marijuana.
Psychologically, and habitually though, very much.

Ever heard of being checked into the hospital for MJ withdrawls? Not likely.
It's a willpower thing.
Oh, and it will eventually cause schizophrenia in certain people after long and continued use. Just ask my cousin.

AlexThedude

I certainly have been addicted to marijuana... even physically, to an extent, I have been dependent on its effects to maintain the physiological blockage of discomfort experienced upon withdrawal, however, the severity of physical addiction is minor, compared to the psychological cravings which have caused me to use.

racingthoughts

I'm in a partial hospitalization program right now for my anxiety/depression and subsequent marijuana dependency. The physical withdrawal symptoms from chronic heavy usage aren't unbearable but can become quite uncomfortable for a couple days. The second I'm the slightest bit warm, I'm sweating buckets.

wackybunny

Hi Ramses, Are you addicted to weed or did you successfully quit? What was it like? Willpower is such an interesting topic because it is such a small word which can encompass so much. What does it mean to you to use willpower?

racingthoughts

Btw. For someone truly dependent. It's not a willpower thing. I tried that for six months and it didn't work.

Bassmasters

Why do people drive their selves to hell to fulfill a piece of paper? Best thing you could do for this guy is leave him. You're not going to make him change any other way, and in the process of living with him you're going to feel bad. It doesn't make any sense. He screwed up bigtime , time to ditch.