Cannabis Blues : Quitting cannabis

[Lehendakari]

In a hypothetical dream.....

It's been 4 days till he run out of weed, and for the weekend he made it alright, but yesterday he started feeling like crap, he's had very weird and horrific nightmares and just spent the worst night in years. Right now he's is at work and doesn't feel like talking to anyone, he is in a shit mood and depressed.

Colleagues keep asking him what's going on but there is nothing going on, and the continuos asking thing is sicking him even more.

He is not craving smoking, it's not like man I need to smoke or I'll die, but he hasn't feel this bad in years. He's never been very emotionally stable but weed always put him in the right place.

These are the thoughts running through his head:

"I need it, I know I need it, will it destroy me? Maybe but I need it. When did my life improved? Was weed the cause? Did my life ever improved? Yes it did but I'm assuming weed to be the cause, and by assuming I can be wrong"

Crazy thought uh? Mabe he's just making a big deal out of nothing but right now there is plants growing and about to be ready but SWIM agreed with his partner he would give away this to friends. And I think that's the best thing to do. I hope this stops eventually. Thanks for listening (reading).

[hh339]

Could be anything, but because "He's never been very emotionally stable" and the cannabis takes care of that, I see two alternatives: Make sure the supply never runs out and keep smoking 24-7 for the rest of SWIY's life. Or: Get to the bottom of the problem(s) instead of taking short-cuts as temporary solutions. The latter would be the best alternative, if you ask me. I wish SWIY the best.

[pokeyjo304]

souds to me like swiy was using weed as a comfort drug that helps him deal with his everyday world. when swiy ran out it was like somehting that makes him feel comforatable and okay was gone, like a secerity blanket to kids, this put him in a state of depression. my suggestion is to get some more weed or wait a while and come to turms with yourself without having to have the aid of cannibus. good luck

[Nature Boy]

There isn't necessarily a problem with using cannabis in order to enhance one's mood on a daily basis should their lifestyle allow it but one must come to terms with the fact that they will miss it should moderate to heavy daily use suddenly cease. Realistically people may kick up a bit of a fuss but over-playing it is irrational. It's not the end of the world, SWIY will, more than likely, find some green and get stoned within a few days anyway. Don't worry about it so much.

[Nagognog2]

You want worse? How about heavy tobacco smokers tossed into jail (where you can't smoke)? Then being put on a 2-week list to MAYBE get a nicotine-patch. MAYBE. If they go beserk - diagnosed as insane and put in solitary confinement for several years. Parole denied. Too dangerous.

Happens all the time.

[LiLiTH]

How long has SWIY used weed to uplift mood? SWIM was starting to develop similar feelings when she was smoking daily. She found out that it was good to find a purpose for smoking (just as other drugs) rather than doing it to simply kick boredom.

But everyone is a whole different world. Find SWIY'S cause.

[snapper]

SWIM thinks if smoking weed makes SWIY feel better and it does not interfere with SWIYs life, probation or health, then why is it a problem? People take things like prozac, lithium, bipolar meds, benzos and all kinds of other things regularly for life to funtion and no one tells them to come to terms with their psychiatric problems. Weed is a medicine and panacea for many and there is nothing illegitimate about that. SWIM used to fear stopping because it brought on anxiety, fatigue and irritability, but SWIM has stopped and it was indeed not the end of the world. However, SWIM still finds like more pleasant with weed in it ...
Is SWILehedakari stopping for any particular reason ?

[Lehendakari]

Thanks for all the replies. SWIM started his love affair with weed in 2002 while being in the U.K. He’s always suffered Social Anxiety Disorder, and when he went to a foreing country with no known people around, his previous condition made him spend a very difficult time which made him very depressed.

He never actually got to the point to be very bad, but he understood that his situation had to stop. When one has SAD every social interaction make you feel like you are acting, pretending, you are not yourself, and you give a weird and many times rude impression to other people more so with people of the opposite sex.

Then, he got to smoke the strongest MJ he ever tried while on a trip to London, and purchased a good amount which smoked in his own room at the University he was in. The first thing he noticed is that at night, he stopped making a big deal of everything, and he could just get home, hit the bong and forget about all daily problems and shit happening to him and sleep like a baby. Social interaction was still a big problem, but he forgot about it as soon as cannabinoids were in his system. He realized he got addicted when he run out.

Since then he’s been a daily smoker, but not heavily, no more that 3 joints a day and normally just 1 at night. He’s never had any problems with weed, and never interfered with his life, he got a degree and a good job and he started growing, so no economical implications either.

The only reason he wanted to stop is cause his GF stopped tobacco, and he realized that he didn’t want to depend on a substance for the rest of his life and now that he has a good life, he thought it was time to kick it.

Anyway stopping now this biography, he started to feel better yesterday and he spent a good night today with the help of clonazepam, still weird dreams, but his mood has improved, so a guess it was just a result of a bad night, and, well a bit of a withdrawal too.

He is still unsure whether or not stop smoking, cause as some of you suggested there is no real problem besides health issues of smoking. “Or he could try to Get to the bottom of the problem(s) instead of taking short-cuts as temporary solutions” but this my friends isn’t that easy at all.

Thanks again for the replies.

[rizla677]

The dreams are happening becuae you have stoppen rocking the ganj. weed seems to either stop your dreams entirley or just makes you forget them as swim hadn't dreamt in 7 years until. the great british weed drought last summer where swim was forced to fully stop for a very long time, took 6 months to get back to mormal. it gets easier everyday and is nice to know you don't need it. after this period swim has found his cannabis use has decreased to a purely recreational and social use rather than a be all and end all religous rite that swim simply must perform. stopping smoking weed during the day was one the best things swim has ever done. as he can now talk to people and convey his ideas well, as appossed to the red eyed silent heap in the corner doing endless shotties and hardly grunting a word to his girlfriend.

The weed is a wonderful thing, but it should rule no ones life! smoke for fun not cause you need to.
glad your getting better, i have every confidence in you
peace

[Darksanity]

Deprenyl is the answer!!

Dream issue is because cannabis antagonize REM sleep, so now you have full-blown REM sleep (wicked and weird vivid dreams). When I go into cannabis "withdrawal" I often also get sleep paralysis!

For sleep issues get melatonin (preferably 1mg timed/slow-release) and maybe tryptophan + vitamin b6 or just 5-HTP.

Deprenyl is also a god-sent for cannabis "addicts"!! Readily clears ALL cravings and restarts my motivation and drive!!

[kazix]

SWIM gave up smoking nicotine and cannabis this new year's eve (nearly 4mths now) - well first of all tobacco then 9 days later cannabis. This was after smoking daily for over 20 years. The tobacco was easy - probably due to effect of pure green roll ups during the next 9 days!! Then stopped joints too - cannabis withdrawal was, and still is, awful. Horrible nightmares, when SWIM could sleep. Taking hours to fall asleep then waking as soon as had fallen asleep. Now am managing to get to sleep on sleeping pills but wake every morning bet. 4-5am. Feelings of anger for first few months, now just depression, life seems to be without joy. Why did SWIM stop? Health reasons - smoked mainly and was getting very unfit, bad lung capacity, and small kids - didn't want to die before they had grown up. SWIM could use it in food but didn't like to be dependent, made her selfish, obsessed with getting it when didn't have it, didn't want to grow it cos smell could risk getting caught, plus made her lazy. Mind you she feels like a zombie right now through lack of sleep!! Rizla677 talks a lot of sense. SWIM has a lot of stress right now too with looking after small kids and doing full time PhD so am sure sleep/misery feelings aren't solely related to stopping smoking. Hope SWIY is feeling better now. Good luck if SWIY does choose to give up.

[Lehendakari]

Originally Posted by kazix

SWIM gave up smoking nicotine and cannabis this new year's eve (nearly 4mths now) - well first of all tobacco then 9 days later cannabis. This was after smoking daily for over 20 years. The tobacco was easy - probably due to effect of pure green roll ups during the next 9 days!! Then stopped joints too - cannabis withdrawal was, and still is, awful. Horrible nightmares, when SWIM could sleep. Taking hours to fall asleep then waking as soon as had fallen asleep. Now am managing to get to sleep on sleeping pills but wake every morning bet. 4-5am. Feelings of anger for first few months, now just depression, life seems to be without joy. Why did SWIM stop? Health reasons - smoked mainly and was getting very unfit, bad lung capacity, and small kids - didn't want to die before they had grown up. SWIM could use it in food but didn't like to be dependent, made her selfish, obsessed with getting it when didn't have it, didn't want to grow it cos smell could risk getting caught, plus made her lazy. Mind you she feels like a zombie right now through lack of sleep!! Rizla677 talks a lot of sense. SWIM has a lot of stress right now too with looking after small kids and doing full time PhD so am sure sleep/misery feelings aren't solely related to stopping smoking. Hope SWIY is feeling better now. Good luck if SWIY does choose to give up.

Woah, four moths is a long time. SWIM understand though, sleeping without it sucks, and the anger and irritation are also a bitch.

Cannabis withdrawal has few physic symtoms if any at all, but it is not pleasant.

SWIM also experienced the lack of joy. Like the other day, he was in the beach and the day was beautyful sunny and warm, his loved one besides him, and he couldn't help thinking about how good a fat joint would feel like.

[greenthumm419]

Just remember SWIY can survive without it and after a while certain things in life become more enjoyable. It has been over 16 months since SWIM has used marijuana. Prior to this SWIM used daily for twelve years. Swim did not want to quit, but after he did he realized he had fallen into a trap of habitual daily use that he will not return to again. He only grew and smoked the best kind bud and hash for years and misses it daily. Now SWIM is under supervision by the state and maintains most of his rights but submits monthly UA's. If Swim smokes he will likely go to jail or prison for "drug use." So, SWIM chooses not to smoke knowing someday his supervision will end and he will be free to do as he pleases. But his previous habitual use seemed like freedom, but it really was not.
Just remember, it is not paranoia when they really are out to get you!