Quitting weed AND alcohol ..
 

So i'm 22 years old, and i've been smoking weed and doing all kinds of silly drugs since i was thirteen. Needless to say i've been a chronic pothead since, and i've been struggling with getting my life started. I recently moved out of my home for the 20th time, but this time i got enrolled back in high school, started working again, and making all kinds of new friends. I was smoking pot for all those 6 months, but still did what i had to do in order to get by. I recently left because everyone started having drug problems, so i moved back home hoping to salvage what little love my family has left for me. I knew i had to quit smoking weed in order to get my proper perception back, but it was so hard i started drinking for like the last week and it helped alot, but one night i got a little fuzzy and got back into my old coke habits, and popper habits. the next 3 days after were sheer hell, didn't drink or smoke weed. cold turkey. i had so much anxiety. it's been about 3 days since i've drank or had a toke, but now that i know alcohol isn't the best for me i dunno how to get over this weed bizz. I've been so anxious and full of anxiety and i don't know what to do. I feel i should medicate on some sort of schedule, if not have a few drinks a night. maybe slowly but start weening myself off them for good? i dunno...years ago i had to quit weed because i started overusing the BEST kush canadians could buy, and it started doing nothing for me then started doing waay too much..so i quit caffeine, weed, even cigs for the better part of 7 months but i always felt foggy, anxious, etc. The only thing that stopped me from using was my sanity, not even self control. so i dunno if quitting entirely is the best route..should i medicate on a schedule, drink a few times a night or..gheeze plz someone help lol.

I think you should look into the possibility of trying to live a sober life all arround.

Drinking to replace an addiction will most likelly give you troubles.

Friend-

If lasting change is what you seek, then starve the things you want to die, and nurture the things you want to grow. I cannot put it to you anymore simply than that. Trying to moderate drugs and/or alcohol use is like asking a mouse to put a bell around a cat's neck.

Sounds simple...until you try and do it.

As with everything, today will always be the most important day. Can you not drink or smoke for just one day? If so, you're off to a great start.

Astronomical changes usually come from tiny beginnings. :)

You can be sure that quitting entirely IS the best way to go.

Not easy, but really worth it.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. However i don't wish to be this way forever, and i certainly don't want to try prozzack since i've never done anything like that, not even riddlin. Guess i'll try and ride it out again..Who knows, maybe the last time i was a month shy of feeling normal before i screwed it all up by relapsing..

With all do consideration, this is classic. I have no problem with putting huge amounts of THC, cocaine and alcohol in my body -- all of which do measurable damage to our brains and other organs -- but I won't consider medications for psychiatric conditions that may not remit without them. I've no idea how many times I've read similar comments here or heard similar sentiments.

I'm not pushing meds, but discounting methods of healing due to lack of experience or ignorance rarely works as a solution.

Oh man, your post sounds just like me at 22. I managed to quit the hard drugs around then but kept pot for the next 16 years. If only, if ONLY I had really seriously tried to get off it back then. I even went to some meetings and read MA literature but gave up the fight and carried on smoking. If only I could do it over I would. It didn't get easier as time went by, one doesn't necessarily just grow out of it when one hits 30 (as I used to think). I'm here at 38 giving it my best shot.

I've struggled with lots of anxiety (my posts are full of it). BUT I've been assured that the anxiety will pass and I believe it. Anxiety is not really so evil, don't let it rattle you. There is a whole lot of adjusting to do when you quit and the brain chemistry, or whatever it is, does not just snap back immediately as you know. I bet it will be easier for you now than if you wait until my age. Give it up, hold on in there, it will pass.

I've started making notes on my calendar of how I feel each day, to remind myself it's only been 6 days/2 weeks/whatever out of my whole life, surely I can handle that tiny period of discomfort, which is nothing in the long run. I avoided the discomfort before and therefore have suffered a different kind of discomfort my whole adult life - lethargy, paranoia, not living up to my potential and all the other things related to being a chronic stoner. Anyway...

Thanks brother. I hear getting over anxiety and coming out on top makes you 10 times a better person, so that's how i'll try n think of it. Weed truly takes away potential for most people, even all in my opinion. And i'm sick of being happy with nothing, and letting down the ones around me. I'm going to have to make a copious amount of new friends though, and until then try not to go out and relapse..

You'll have lots of time to make new friends, friends who are on the same wavelength, bring out the best in you and inspire you to achieve more. I moved countries a couple times and each time ended up with a new bunch of friends. I was always "cool" but cool changes over time and being a stoner (or worse) turns out not to be so cool at my age and I feel ashamed. Some of the friends from my teenage years went down the harder road and are in drug rehab, jail, or dead. I'm now thanking my younger self for running away from that lifestyle. Easier said than done I know. I have to give up some friends myself and I'm struggling but just today I saw someone who I avoided befriending before (because they are not a chronic stoner) and I arranged a time to hang out with them and play sports. Life is long, people come and go.

How you doing? I'm feeling great (I'm still surprised to feel so great) and the anxiety really didn't last as long as I thought it was going to. I did relapse a lot since I joined this site but I think it matters more how many times you try to quit as opposed to how many times you fail. Just keep trying and you'll crack the code! Seeya when we seeya.