Philk

Hi there,

I just joined the site recently, and its so helpful to know that others are going through the same - I feel so alone at times.

Been a heavy weed smoker for about 5 years, tried other drugs (lots of E, etc) but always loved weed because it is a soft drug and you 'couldn't get addicted'.

Well anyway I stopped 3 weeks ago tonight. All I've smoked since was some leftover tabacco/some weed that was on the floor and in a drawer, wasn't really enough to get a proper effect, so I'm saying 3 weeks. If anyone disagrees please let me know.

To be honest I'm determined to stop, I've honestly got so much going for me but when I smoke all I want to do is sit alone for months. The main problem I'm having is the depression and boredom/ loneliness since I stopped. I do feel better, but not all that much better, and at times like earlier today I get really really down.

Anyway I will stay off the weed, and I'm determined not to replace it with alcohol. I just hope that I feel happier soon then I can start living life again.

Any feedback is very much appreciated. I was told by someone who recently stopped after around 20 years of heavy smoking that I should expect to feel 'reborn' after around a month of abstinence. When I smoked hash when I was younger, and stopped for a while, I felt reborn after about 2 weeks. Skunk is of course a different kettle of fish.

I just desperately hope that soon I wake up and don't feel afraid/anxious to go out of the house - I'm able to work from home, but want to go into work for a chat and find a GF etc. Right now all I feel like doing is sitting feeling sorry for myself. I'm going away for tomorrow with 2 good friends (who don't smoke) and simply feel its pointless. When I smoked I may go out occasionally but then I knew I'd get a joint at the end of the day.

Anyway - I hope there's light at the end of the tunnel. I'm about to turn only 25 and shouldn't feel like this.

Best Reagrds
Phil

Anna

Hi Phil,

Welcome!

There's always hope and there's always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Good for you getting through 3 weeks and I hope things look brighter for you soon. It takes some time and some patience to get through early recovery. Hang in there!

nogard

Welcome again Phil

Mcribb

sometimes i wish i had a weed problem than a drinking problem. you don't hear about weed smokers smacking around their wives, just a box of fig newtons

nogard

Hi Mcribb welcome to SR, I know you have been posting in teh 2wk thingy but how about starting a thread to say hello so all teh members can come and welcome you.

Alcohol took me to some dark places probably worse than any of teh Narcotics did. I did some awful things but in recovery I have learnt to face them accept them let go of them and to fmake amends when and where I can and most importantly to forgive myself as that was/is a key thing for me. This process continues and I am happy to know that it will continue for the rest of my life as I get freer, clearer and get to know like and love myself more as teh layers of damage and abuse peel away.

Glad your here with me.

Kevin

Philk

Yeah mate, thats the old loss of control that drink tends to bring on. Have blacked out many times whilst drinking, its not pleasant. I have to say that I've known an alcoholic, who had rough rough times, but is now completely clean - and extremely happy. He does still go to AA meetings after like 20 years of being sober mind you - I suppose a relapse is a much bigger risk with a physical as well as emotional addiction.

Anyway good luck mate, and try not to dwell too much on the past, although I'm finding it easier said than done right now.

Tomorrow's another day.

Cheers mate.
Phil

by myself again

Hi Phil, You sound like you have the same problem as my husband, who also drinks though. He also wants to get better so badly but it has such a hold on him. Your story sounds so familiar. Not meaning to be rude, but he also says it doesnt count when its just leftovers from the one hitter or roaches or from the floor etc. and I tell him hes full of it, an excuse. He is a good man though and you sound like you are. This is a great place for support. I wish you well in your journey for happiness and to get clean.

Inhellinfla

Phil, I have quit pot before It was difficult, BUt worthwhile. I hope you are successful, please write back on your progress?

by myself again

Inhellinfa-any tips I can pass along to my husband. He has such a hard time.

nogard

In general each addict has to do have the desire to stop and my experience that I can't stay clean alone. I belong to NA and it works for me, I am clean sane and hvae a ge=reat life. I was clean on my own for 20 years clean but mad and eventaully picked up fro another eleven years.

I don't amke any distinction between drugs including Alcohol its all the same diseaase of addiction.

Nothig beats one addict helping another.

Kevin

James13

Phil, your post I can relate to SO much. It's quite eerie, actually.

Pot was my choice drug. And I too battled (and still do) the "soft drug"/"non-addictive" thing. And I kept smoking all day, every day.

I have tried different drugs, different crutches, different people to make me feel better about myself. I didn't like to leave the apartment when I was high. I didn't like to answer my sober girlfriend's phone calls. It felt nice to just let day to day stress and responsibility vanish in clouds of smoke. I always liked quick fixes, and still expect them at times.

But then it wasn't working anymore. But I still got high all the time. Every day. When I wasn't high, I was wishing I was. Some hash or pot sounded great, even though it wasn't the quick fix it once was.

Then I isolated even more, lost my dear girlfriend, and got sober. I am 18 days sober now. The alcohol thing I dealt with last night. I wanted to drink bad.

A drug problem, or a me problem? I think the latter. I'm dealing with problems I have avoided for years now. But I am dealing with them. That has to be a step in the right direction.

Thanks for sharing, Phil. We care about you. Hope you stay sober today.

Dee74

Phil hasn't posted for nearly a year, but yeah - I hope he kicked it.

D

Bernice94

Hey Phil,

I looked up 3 weeks sober because I wanted to know about my progress being that I’ll be 3 weeks sober this Friday and happened to find your post and decided to join. I wanted to share my experience with you and others in hopes that this finds you well and good and might help you on your sober journey.

I am 24 now and have been smoking weed since I was 13. I stayed away from alcohol primarily because my dad was an alcoholic all my life. I say was because he lost his battle with alcoholism and died of liver failure in 2014. It’s been 4 long years without him and I miss him a lot. I chose to stick with weed because I saw what it did to my dad and it was my way of dealing with his alcoholism. As you said, you enjoyed smoking weed because you consider it to be a soft drug and non addictive. I thought so to and just like you have done e, coke, dropped acid, shroomed, however I tended to stay away from heroin and meth, you know, the harder stuff. I was lucky to be smart with that stuff because I’ve seen what it can do to people.

Unfortunately, as much as people want to say weed is not addictive I tend to disagree. Now, hear me out on this, I’m not saying it’s a strong addiction but rather a mental one you have to make the conscious decision to want to stop in order to be successful.

My wake up moment was when I landed a really good job and thought this would be an easy pass like all the other tests I’ve taken and passed successfully by taking a detox drink, smoking all the way up until a couple of days before my test and it’s all be rainbows and kisses from there. Boy, was I devastated when I got the call about the rapid coming back inconclusive and having to wait for the traditional to come back after the weekend. I agonized over it the whole weekend up until Monday and they still had not called me back.

Tuesday comes around and a third party calls me back with the results. They said I tested positive for a form of synthetic marijuana and that the job offer was off the table. This was the first time my ever failing a drug test in my 6 years of working, and countless drug tests successfully passed.

I felt like a failure, like I had let myself down when I needed to be there for myself the most. Instead of throwing myself a pity party, my next question to myself was “what am I going to do for this not to happen again?”. Being a stoner of 11 years, I dreaded the answer but knew what that answer was indefinitely.

After taking 3 detox drinks in the last two weeks after being uncertain about when I would have the test...and after this devastating loss of an opportunity & being 24...I knew and know that time is running out. I made the decision based off the future me, I know that I don’t want to be 26 and still smoking pot like I’m 13. I know that I want to have a good job, income, and overall a good life. I had been wanting to quit for a while and this was definitely a sign from the universe telling me it was time.

The first week and a half was hell, night sweats, vivid dreams that made me wake in a panic, but overall little cravings. I take it to be probably because of all those detox drinks but then again, it probably was also the fear I had of failing and actually failing and learning from that failure that actually pushed me to my decision to ultimately stop for good. A lot of people I know still smoke and that doesn’t stop me from achieving my dreams.

My dad had many dreams too, but lacked the willpower because alcohol is a hell of a lot stronger than weed is. I saw those dreams never come to fruition because of it. I am determined to not be like my father and hope that wherever he may be, if there is an afterlife, that he is proud of me in my decisions.

As far as you and your sobriety goes, I say consider why it is what it is you are doing. You seem to have a good sense of why, but try to envision, truly envision the life you will lead without weed. Something else that has helped me, is doing a lot of research about what weed does to your body, your mind, your motivation, your anxiety and just your overall well being. You can also find a lot of good background stories about people who are going through the same thing and listen to their journeys and maybe even tips on maneuvering your way through this. I know you can do this! I know I don’t know you, but just by reading what you had to say, I can tell you are longing for a change. I wish you the best of luck on your journey. Feel free to message me through this forum, I have signed up to receive messages. I would love to continue hearing about how it is going for you. I too will try to keep you updated along with everyone else. Ps something I just thought of, find things to occupy your time to keep your mind off smoking such as school, work, maybe even a gf. But don’t make that your whole life, get to know yourself with your likes and dislikes..I’m sure you will enjoy that part more than anything! Again, good luck! I’ll be praying for you!

Dee74

Hi and welcome Bernice

you're actually replying to a thread from 2008 - not sure if Phile is still an active reader here or not.

I smoked pot for 30 years tho and I definitely agree its addictive, and while giving up was hard it was by no means impossible

You find support here, and we also have a marijuana sub forum now. You'll definitely find support there as well.

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...ana-addiction/

glad to have you join us

D