livonphoto

Experiencing what I believe to be withdraws from heavy Marijuana use. Just here for some support.

Dave42001

Sorry you're feeling bad.. Drink lots of water and eat healthy.. Get a walk in if possible! Get better!

Lyoness

Hey livonphoto, welcome to SR! You've come to the right place for support and information.

I quit a marijuana addiction twenty years ago and definitely went through some physical challenges. It took me six months for my mind and thinking to feel clear, though not saying that will happen to you!

Drinking lots of water, eating well and getting some exercise are all really good advice. The water will help your body to flush toxins.

You might also want to check out the Substance Abuse forums as there are currently some threads specifically on marijuana addiction.

Take care.

Dee74

welcome livonphoto

I smoked daily for 30 years, so I think a have some idea of what you're going through...there are a lot of other former pot smokers here too.

You've found a good place.

D

least

to the site!

bigsombrero

Welcome. I am sorry to hear about that - you must be pretty irritated, frustrated, and depressed, at least those were the symptoms that I noticed most upon first giving up the weed. We are here for support and as Dee said there are a lot of folks here who can identify with you and help you through it. Keep posting, keep reading, and good luck.

sugarbear1

I gave up both alcohol and weed about the same time

not sure which recovery "symptoms" were from the weed or the alcohol, but my brain certainly was recovering!

It ALL gets better and better each day, although I couldn't see it when I was there, 2 years later I know how much better I feel!

YOU CAN Do This!!

livonphoto

Today is better than yesterday, atleast some of the physical symptoms I've been experiencing are beginning to fade. When I started smoking I never in a million years thought I'd have this hard of a time quitting, nor that I would experience very real physical and psychological withdrawals. As a matter of fact, until I googled it, I didn't even know that marijuana withdrawals existed. I'll give a little history, mainly to vent, but also to help you understand the situation better so perhaps you can give more insight. I've been an on and off social smoker since about 2004. Never became a daily user until around 2010 when I dated someone who was a regular user and smoked several times daily, I somehow fell into the habit along with him, which at the time only lasted a few months. Shortly after that relationship, I entered another relationship with someone who was also a daily user, and so fell directly back into the daily use. This relationship also only lasted a few months. It's ending was followed by a couple months without marijuana, during which I was stressed, but did not suffer withdrawals. In March of 2012 I began the current relationship that I am in. I was stressed to say the least, but not unhappy. I was in a transitional period with my living situation, and have been working for the last two years towards building my own business, which has become semi well recognized where I live (I'm a photographer). My boyfriend is a heavy smoker, so began my habit again in spring of 2012, smoking at first just socially with him, his step dad, his friends, etc., within a month I was smoking 2+ times a day and by September, just found myself emotionally up and down, mentally foggy, unhappy, and so I tried to quit smoking. After a few days without smoking I was a wreck. Anxiety through the roof, Panic attacks which I had never had before, nausea, diarrhea, depression, not feeling myself, headaches, loss of appetite (which has always been healthy, even without marijuana). I began, at the time to try to rationalize why I was feeling what I was feeling and the anxiety convinced me, something must be terribly wrong with me, so I sought medical treatment. At the ER I explained to them what was going on, they did blood tests, etc, and told me medically I was fine, that I may be withdrawing from quitting cold turkey and that I was experiencing anxiety/panic attacks from this stress and change in my body. Eventually those feelings and symptoms subsided, I began counseling but was feeling really good, clear headed, and positive looking forward. Not even a month and a half later I was back to smoking, and this time heavier than ever before. I smoke several times a day, and found myself anxious and moody if I could not smoke. So 10 days ago, I decided I wanted to quit for good, not a break, but a deep desire to want to be able to cope with life without a substance to alter my mental state. The first couple days weren't too bad, but around day 3-4 I was bad off. Bad anxiety, tremors in my muscles, total mental fog, no appetite, as a matter of fact trying to eat made me sick, depression, general feeling of uneasiness, feeling somewhat detached from myself, crying for no reason, then back to feeling just jittery. During that time, it felt like I was forever going to be suspended in this state of feeling like total **** mentally and physically. I went to the ER again, they prescribed me a few pills of Ativan, which I have only used twice through this process. Today I am feeling totally jittery, nervous stomach and anxiety a little worse than mild, although unlike the past days, I am not feeling totally overtaken by it. I'm beginning to regain an appetite, but everything goes in waves. Yesterday was a bad and good day. I battled some severe anxiety and dizziness while attempting to play frisbee golf, but finally overcame it, and began feeling much more clear headed. I actually ate a banana, some soup, and a piece of chicken yesterday which is more than I have eaten over the past 7 days combined. I keep telling myself its mind over matter, and this will pass like it did the last time, only this time I need a plan for not turning back to the weed. I need to learn healthier coping mechanisms for stress, and allow my body and mind to come back into harmony with one another. A few times the urge to smoke has been really strong, because I know it will relieve what I'm feeling, but that would be taking 20 steps backwards now that I'm finally beginning to pass through the worst of what I've been feeling. Also my boyfriend is still smoking, we live with roommates, who all smoke, so I'm trying to give myself credit for being strong enough not to break down. My legs are shaking and my stomach is knotted up as I sit here typing this, but my brain is feeling better, and I'm trying to be grateful for each little improvement. I'm reading a book called "The Instinct to Heal, Curing Stress, Anxiety and Depression without drugs and talk therapy" by David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., PhD. So far pretty informative, and think that some of the techniques I can learn can help me through this rough patch, as well as in the future. I just can't wait for my body to stop feeling so stressed. I've apparently been putting it through the ringer with stress, and heavy marijuana use, and now I must pay the price. Atleast this isn't permanent. I just needed somewhere to turn for support, since my pot smoking boyfriend is obviously still pro-marijuana. Now that I'm thinking more clearly, I can see definite ways it impacts his life negatively, and numbs him from emotion. I don't know how things will turn out with us, if he never plans to stop. Right now the entire past year feels like a blur, like a jaded far off memory. I'm happy to be getting sober, and looking forward to feeling clear headed, and having a harmonized life, enjoying my passions again, and being the person I know I am inside. Thanks for any and all support, and responses, keep them coming, I could use them. Also, if you need to talk, just let me know. I could use something to take the focus off what I'm going through.

Dee74

Hi livonphoto

To be honest - when I quit I just wanted not to smoke anymore - I didn't want to change anything else about my life...

but... because my life was *so* wrapped up in smoking and being around people who smoked, pretty soon I fell back into old ways.

my goal went from 'never again' to 'ok...just smoking on special occasions' then 'just smoking socially', then 'I'm really stressed today' I'll have a smoke'...and then soon back into every day wake and bake.

I really urge you to think about any changes you're prepared to make....and make them....be aware of the pressures in your life that might lead you back to smoking....make plans, have strategies to stay off the weed...and find all the support you can

D

Mountainmanbob

yes I started smoking at around tenth grade
I immediately lost most of my interest in school
I thought that I enjoyed it so much that I would never stop smoking it
pictured myself an old man in a rocking chair smoking my pot
but
around 10 years ago it all changed
the pot just seemed to make me paranoid
and I couldn't focus worth a darn
that was my last joint
today it is about having a clear mind
and pot has no place there
as I look back at my life
I see where smoking pot put the damper on many things
work, relationships etc etc etc etc

even after smoking pounds and pounds and pounds
going cold turkey wasn't too bad
never really missed it after quitting

you will enjoy life more when you are out of the daze of the smoke

Mountainman

sugarbear1

lots of warm showers also help detox a body

livonphoto

Thanks guys. I'm moving back in with my mom for a while, think it's a good place to detox and recuperate. I have a lot of stress I need to release and this is a safe place to do it.