Dave's Not Here, Man! (Looking for some support)
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 140
Dave's Not Here, Man! (Looking for some support)
Howdy,
SR has been a great resource to me over the years in regards to quitting drinking and drugging. I come by and I check the alcoholism forum to keep me grounded, and share my experience with others. Fortunately, I've been sober from alcohol for quite awhile. Unfortunately, lately, I've become a bit of a pothead and I can't hang!
I started smoking pot around summer of last year, and have struggled with it off and on. I do enjoy the initial feeling of it, but as I have no real "off" switch when it comes to mind altering substances, it doesn't take me long to become a bit of a burn out and I'm getting high daily.
I've found myself back into mental habits with it that I had with alcohol: the "it'll be different this time!", but again... a few days I can moderate my marijuana use and then I'm off to the races staying high pretty much all the time. I think it's easier to see weed as "less harmful" than alcohol, and I somewhat agree with that. I just really hate losing control of myself, now. I made so many great strides since quitting drinking, I can't help but feel like I'm backsliding. :/
It does sadden me a bit that I can't really hang with marijuana. However, my mental health is certainly more important.
I've been able to quit drinking, and I'm sure I can see myself away from marijuana as well. I flushed the rest of my stash last night and trashed my paraphernalia. I'm gonna have to take a hiatus from my band because my fellow members definitely like to smoke out. Although I know they'd be understanding that I want to abstain from weed, I just don't think I can quite trust myself yet to not quickly justify indulging with them.
Thanks for reading if you do. It feels good to write this out and hold myself accountable.
SR has been a great resource to me over the years in regards to quitting drinking and drugging. I come by and I check the alcoholism forum to keep me grounded, and share my experience with others. Fortunately, I've been sober from alcohol for quite awhile. Unfortunately, lately, I've become a bit of a pothead and I can't hang!
I started smoking pot around summer of last year, and have struggled with it off and on. I do enjoy the initial feeling of it, but as I have no real "off" switch when it comes to mind altering substances, it doesn't take me long to become a bit of a burn out and I'm getting high daily.
I've found myself back into mental habits with it that I had with alcohol: the "it'll be different this time!", but again... a few days I can moderate my marijuana use and then I'm off to the races staying high pretty much all the time. I think it's easier to see weed as "less harmful" than alcohol, and I somewhat agree with that. I just really hate losing control of myself, now. I made so many great strides since quitting drinking, I can't help but feel like I'm backsliding. :/
It does sadden me a bit that I can't really hang with marijuana. However, my mental health is certainly more important.
I've been able to quit drinking, and I'm sure I can see myself away from marijuana as well. I flushed the rest of my stash last night and trashed my paraphernalia. I'm gonna have to take a hiatus from my band because my fellow members definitely like to smoke out. Although I know they'd be understanding that I want to abstain from weed, I just don't think I can quite trust myself yet to not quickly justify indulging with them.
Thanks for reading if you do. It feels good to write this out and hold myself accountable.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Washington state
Posts: 571
Hi RaiseAnchor!
Welcome to the forum. This place is amazing, but I don't have to tell you that.
I was a drinker and toker for a LONG time and I quit booze long before I quit pot. Pot has that insidious quality, especially with so many areas of the world legalizing it. But if you're an addict, you're an addict and it doesn't matter if it's legal or not.
I joined SR when I was 3 months off alcohol. PAWS was hitting me hard and I needed some education. Then later, I was able to quit pot and stay stopped with the help from this site.
I celebrated 2 years off dope yesterday. (Yay!) I never thought it was possible. But it is.
Sounds like you are taking the right steps. I would also read all the threads you can on this forum. Live here if you have to.
Change up your routine. During those times when you'd pick up, go out for a walk. Sounds cliche, but take up a new hobby. Joins some groups, seek out sober connections. Join NA or AA if you need to.
But most all, keep posting here. If you fall, post here. If you succeed, post here.
Hang in there. You can do it.
Welcome to the forum. This place is amazing, but I don't have to tell you that.
I was a drinker and toker for a LONG time and I quit booze long before I quit pot. Pot has that insidious quality, especially with so many areas of the world legalizing it. But if you're an addict, you're an addict and it doesn't matter if it's legal or not.
I joined SR when I was 3 months off alcohol. PAWS was hitting me hard and I needed some education. Then later, I was able to quit pot and stay stopped with the help from this site.
I celebrated 2 years off dope yesterday. (Yay!) I never thought it was possible. But it is.
Sounds like you are taking the right steps. I would also read all the threads you can on this forum. Live here if you have to.
Change up your routine. During those times when you'd pick up, go out for a walk. Sounds cliche, but take up a new hobby. Joins some groups, seek out sober connections. Join NA or AA if you need to.
But most all, keep posting here. If you fall, post here. If you succeed, post here.
Hang in there. You can do it.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,313
Good to hear from you Raise Anchor tho sorry to hear about your situation. O had a twin addiction with pot too as well as alcohol tho in my case the pot came first.
It was definitely the same tho - the same obsession, the same lies, the same withdrawing from responsibilities and friendships, same need to be out of my head.
Its so insidious too... its easy to rationalise that it's 'not as bad'; as drinking, it's not a problem because it's natural...how bad can it be if its becoming legal everywhere..,..
Quitting pot has been a huge boost for me...every year I get farther from my last toke the better my life & my health (physical and mental) gets
D
It was definitely the same tho - the same obsession, the same lies, the same withdrawing from responsibilities and friendships, same need to be out of my head.
Its so insidious too... its easy to rationalise that it's 'not as bad'; as drinking, it's not a problem because it's natural...how bad can it be if its becoming legal everywhere..,..
Quitting pot has been a huge boost for me...every year I get farther from my last toke the better my life & my health (physical and mental) gets
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 140
Just posting an update. I suppose this is day 2. Doing okay. I feel a little on edge. I imagine this might be what people who want a cigarette feel like. (Surprisingly, tobacco is an addiction I somehow avoided.)
Cannabis is still illegal where I reside so there are a few barriers I'd have to jump if I wanted to start up again. While I do feel that cannabis should be legalized, I suppose it's another deterrent for me.
Anyway, I'm doing well. My appetite hasn't been great, but I figure it was a little skewed from the cannabis. My mood is definitely not as dire as finding myself back in early sobriety with alcohol. I've been able to return my focus to better habits pretty quickly. I found myself skipping running/exercising to celebrate 4:20 more often than not.
Still gotta stay vigilant, though. Thank you for your kind responses. Lynnmarie, you mentioned something along the lines of "an addict is an addict", and that's definitely something I try to keep mindful of.
Cannabis is still illegal where I reside so there are a few barriers I'd have to jump if I wanted to start up again. While I do feel that cannabis should be legalized, I suppose it's another deterrent for me.
Anyway, I'm doing well. My appetite hasn't been great, but I figure it was a little skewed from the cannabis. My mood is definitely not as dire as finding myself back in early sobriety with alcohol. I've been able to return my focus to better habits pretty quickly. I found myself skipping running/exercising to celebrate 4:20 more often than not.
Still gotta stay vigilant, though. Thank you for your kind responses.
Lynnmarie, you mentioned something along the lines of "an addict is an addict", and that's definitely something I try to keep mindful of.
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