I quit smoking weed in early December, after a long lifetime of smoking consistently.
I've been successfully clean & sober from alcohol & all other drugs for big chunks of my life, but "never counted" weed. I was raised by weed-friendly/counter-culture family & community, & have always considered it medicine - for anxiety, PTSD, etc. The legalization & casualness of acceptance in many parts of the US supported this perspective for me.
Wow. Letting go of it (which I did for a job which was important to me) has really surprised me with the impact! I've felt really lost without my comfort tool! Feeling restless, vulnerable...struggled with sleep...crazy, vivid dreams.
The lovely part is that it's ok. I can already feel my ability to breathe transforming, I'm capable of dealing with my anxiety (surprising myself), & am starting to sleep better.
But the coolest part is the vivid dreams! They scared me at first with their complexity & clarity, but I'm letting myself enjoy them & be curious. I've probably dreamed like this forever, but never remembered.
It's been about 5 weeks & I feel adjusted from the use (daily) of a substance I thought was required to maintain my mental health.
When you release something you thought was a critical, inevitable aspect of you, it is sort of a revelation.
Most importantly, at those moments that I miss it, I remind myself that I was doing real damage to my lungs & that reduced oxygen makes you tired/less functional. I already have more energy!
Hang in there! Allow yourself to be open to being pleasantly surprised!