Symptoms of the marijuana withdrawals

sperber · Newbie Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 18

Hi, I'm 18 years old and I'm addicted to marijuana for 3.5 years now. I have also tried some more addictive drugs like LSD, speed and even once I have tried heroin at a party. But all that was just for a short period of time, and I have been able to control that, but marijuana has become somewhat of a habit for me that I just couldn’t do without. A month ago my dad caught me with a joint in my room. Ever since that I'm under pressure to go to one of those drug rehab centers. Can you tell me what are the symptoms of a marijuana withdrawal, how hard is it and what can I expect in one of those places?

zarah · Newbie Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 21

Marijuana is not considered to be a heavy drug like heroin or cocaine, yet that doesn’t mean that the consequences of smoking marijuana can't be serious. Although some European countries like Netherlands have legalized the use of cannabis it is still illegal in the US and in the most parts of the world and not without reason. Since you already have a history of drug abuse I think it’s the best that you do go to the rehabilitation center to cure your addiction. You didn’t mention how serious that addiction of yours is but I'm sure that your parents know what’s the best for you. Marijuana withdrawal is not as serious in symptoms as for example heroin addiction but it still causes symptoms like irritability, anxiety, physical tension, decreases in appetite and mood. Withdrawal symptoms first appear after the first 24 hours and can last from 10 to 28 days, depending on the person and the seriousness of the addiction. These symptoms are normal and this is something you have to go through not just in marijuana withdrawal but also in withdrawal from any addictive substance. I hope that you will make it through and am expecting to hear from you when you get out of the rehab. Good luck.

Guest · Guest

Marijuana addiction is in fact a myth. It really is all psychological, not to say that this has no ill effects. The primary effects from cessation of marijuana smoking are loss of apetite, inability to sleep, irritability, anxiety and depression. These feelings usually subside in a few days.

LSD is also not addictive.

I don't believe rehab is necessary, just bite the bullet and get through the first few days and you'll be feeling better than ever.

jxack · Newbie Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Posts: 8

I once had to go a rehab program called RAFT. it really wasn't that bad. i heard there that there is no extreme withdrawl symtoms. you will proably only feel like you want to smoke and maybe be a little irritable too.

ziabee1 · Newbie Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

First of all I wouldn't consider experimentation a "drug abuse history" after all, you are only 18. Also, i would not say that your parents know whats best either. This is the point where you have to act like an adult and start making your decions yourself, because you know your situation the best. In my experience, rehabs only work if you want them to work. Most rehabilitation centers are very strict, and in some ways can be compared to jail. thats why you have to judge the seriosness of your own problem. YOu could possibly do research on breaking addictions and design your own method of recovery. Since now you can't get a job without being drug-tested, your future depends on whether or not you can have the self dicipline and self control to go through with it. It has alot to do with your mind, and if you are strong and determined you can do anything. My luck to you.

Lycan410 · Newbie Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

Well speaking with much experience, I know how weed withdrawls feel at least in my head and body. I have had alot of life alltering life experinces that would of lead most to harder drugs and alcohol. While going through a really, really hard time, I decided not to smoke no more weed basically cause my life seemed dull, I became complacent (too comfortable). I hadn't had anything I thought I would of. I waited too long for something that never came.

I experienced withdrawls after full 2 or 3 years at a time of heavy use. I would smoke more then 1.5 grams a day, sometimes by myself. I was literally always hi. I stop smoking for a girl, and that worked out after 4 months, when things seem to settle and the Zoloft I was taking for the chemical imbalance I created by not smoking started. Weed is the cure and cause for that chemical imbalance in most. When you feel gloomy and uninterested, ungrateful when your sober compared to when your hi on weed, everything has great detail, beauty, complexity and just logicity.

Overall, this is the addiction of weed. It's very different then many other kinds of addictions, and this all depends on the individual. If the individual can be honest with him/ herself, and see how far this addiction is, then they can find a plan for themselves. There is no cure for addiction!!
Thats one of lifes funny jokes. What takes one second to love and a lifetime letting go? Addiction, I would think. You dont really get super addicted with the chemicals as much as what the chemicals do for you. Nothing for nothing, I don't promote drugs of any sort even weed, but it is sometimes very beneficial for people with great discipline. If you smoking weed and acting like a bum, not dealing with life and responsibilities, chillin in your moms basement, then you are in for a rude awakening, If you have really good friends to support you in this, cause it is no joke, then use them. You will cry, then fell ok, then cry again. You'll not be able to sleep and when you do you wake up soaked from a weed dream and anxiety.

Worst of all, I does stop spiritual and emotional growth. And this was something I thought I could do with out, and it wasnt a big deal, but overall this is the worst affect of this drug. when I got sober for 6 months, I had major stress, which led me to really grow up. Not to say that I wasnt a functional addict. I maintained great jobs for a while, and always maintained my home. But thats it! I never looked at life and I didnt go the extra mile. I didnt do anything without weed, so if I didnt have weed, there was no point.

Its not good to be dependent on anything. So stoping is best. Im going back and forth with it myself, I value my times of cleanness, but overall I escape my reality at night by smoking. I don't want to be as hardcore as I was before, but I'm not sure if I can control it. See im being a human lab-rat! But if it doesnt, I know I learned great tools to deal with it. After a while we do learn that whatever didnt kill us, makes us stronger. You have to do alot of work, this is true will power and growth. Good thing is the help is usually always free.

If you need to chat or need helpful suggestions or link-ups emal me.

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Guest · Guest

yo im going through marijuana withdrawals right now. and not for the first time. I used to smoke about 5 grams a day to myself. if any of you think im lieing i don't really care. anyways today is day number 9

symptoms ive experienced these past few days are:

extreme loss of apetite
extreme insomnia
pretty gnarly anger
loneliness
feeling like i don't belong anywhere

anyways it can be bad. if you smoke cigarrettes as well, i highly suggest you do not try to quit that at the same time. i tried that for the first couple days and i punched a few holes throughout my home and destroyed pretty much everything i could. i even ripped out some hair and gave myself some pretty good bruises.

marijuana withdrawals are no joke. but if your serious about it, rehab is not necessary at all

anyone who recomends that you go to rehab for marijuana has never been to rehab...

anyways good luck man. your not alone, and i can promise you that after a week or two you'll feel like you belong again

Guest · Guest

Hello everybody,
My names Marco and i have been smoking cannabis every day for about 3 years now. (about 3 joints a day)
I stopped on Jan 28 because of a bad experience as i went to sleep which made me too frightened to smoke it again.
Anyway, i've been sober for over 2 months now and i still don't feel 100%.
I had bad anxiety for over the first month(like butterflies in your stomach and other similar sensations in my hands ,feet,elbows and knees) but it has gradually become weaker with time. At the moment,i can hardly feel the anxiety but it's kind of lingering.Is my body getting rid of it?
Is it going to go for good?
Is this withdrawal?
Am i going to go mad? I feel maybe some of the anxiety is my fear that im going to go mad.
Please write back

Marco.

Guest · Guest

Hi Marco,
First of all, well done for keeping off the weed for such a long time! That's really impressive! I have been smoking pretty much everyday for about 5 years now and just find it impossible to stop. I'm generally ok if I don't have any but if it's in the house, I have to smoke it even when I know I don't even want to really!
A couple of times I had bad experiences going to sleep too (seeing weird, scary things that I couldn't seem to control) and stopped for a while but have always ended up starting again. When I have stopped I've felt less confident, particularly in social situations, shyer I guess, and generally more down and miserable.
I know what you mean about worrying about going mad but stopping is the best thing you can do to avoid that. That's one of the main reason I want to stop, fear that it'll cause me mental problems eventually. The thing to remember is that you feel anxious because your bodies getting used to not having it in your system. It can take up to 3 months to totally get rid of cannabis in your body. It gets stored in fat cells so takes a long time to totally leave your system, particularly if you've smoked for a long time. You've had a chemical going into your system everyday for several years and now its suddenly stopped so it's not surprising you'd feel anxious and different.
The absolute best thing you can do is keep off it and with time the anxiousness will go completely. It may sound rich coming from me as I still smoke but I've had a lot of friends who have given up after smoking stupid amounts a day for many years and they've found this to be the case.
Well, as I said well done! and keep up the good work. It'll be worth it in the end.

Guest · Guest

Marijuana withdrawal is real, especially for people who have some degree of anxiety already. This is a very long, detailed account of my experiences. I'm focusing more on physical symptoms than emotional ones. This whole ordeal has taken up almost three years. Don't get me wrong, It's been a lot of fun, and my life has been progressing (graduating college, getting a job, etc) but it's getting to be more trouble than it's worth.

I smoked a j a night for a year (started smoking due to insomnia) then stopped abruptly. I was a little irritable, had insomnia, and tension headaches. For a few nights I would wake up in the middle of the night, jump out of bed and flip on the light, awakening from a dream that involved snakes, spiders, or rats, or some other creepy things crawling on me. I would get back to sleep ok. The headaches were the most frustrating because they lasted for 3-4 weeks, gradually getting better. I was turning into a bit of a hypochondriac, thinking there was a serious issue, until I did a little research and read about weed and headaches.

After a month or two of not smoking, I gradually fell back into daily usage, this time several times during the day, almost daily, for 7 months. I stopped because I would get this random pinging, or stabbing sensation in my ear after smoking, or a quick heart palpitation (or chest spasm, hard to say). One time I had a mild anxiety attack, heart pounding, etc. I again quit abruptly.

This time was much different. By the second day I was nervous and slightly sweaty. Not sleeping. Chest pain, nervous speech. Hot and cold flashes. Irritability.

By day 4 I had a full blown panic attack. Unprovoked by anything specific, Started with feeling warm, then noticing my heart beat, then dizziness. That was the only major one I had. By day 5-6 I was a mess. Very weak, fatigued, aching chest, light feeling. Worrying that I had a fever. Occasionally my equilibrium would be upset, like I was on an elevator that bounced a bit before catching the right floor. I was worried about my health. Cold sweats/chills. I remember my teeth chattering when I was walking around in the evening. It was warm outside. A near constant, slight burning in my chest. Feeling hopeless. Random electric shocks in my limbs, tight feeling in the throat.

Closer to day 7 my fear began to subside, but my surrounding started to seem surreal, like everything going on was more chaotic than it really was. Detached. My mind was starting to race. Closer to day 10 my jaw started clenching up. It was bad enough to make my upper and lower jaw misaligned when I closed my mouth. Slightly painful. By this point my mind was racing uncontrollably. I'd go to bed feeling overwhelmed, I called the sensation "brain burn". It was like I'd been up for a week and just needed to sleep. But I'd wake up 8-10 hours later and the switch was still on, my mind had gotten no rest, just burning. By this point I knew it was an anxiety reaction, a rebound effect resulting from packing my body with THC, and my body adjusting to function normally with this high presence of anti anxiety substance.

After 2 or 3 days the brain burn subsided and I started feeling normal again, and I felt good, optimistic, social. I started getting more things done in the time I would usually be smoking. I should note that at no point during any if this did I have ANY desire to smoke any weed at all. I wanted to be as far from it as possible. No cravings, even during the worst symptoms.

It took another 2 months before I really felt completely back to normal. at first the headaches crept back in, though mild overall. A new symptom was sore teeth/gums. The hypochondria (anxiety fueled, I'm not actually a hypochondriac) made me worry that I had mouth cancer or something. But again, a little research made me realize it was just another anxiety symptom. Chewing gum or eating got rid of it. During this time I had strong feelings of hopelessness, lack of purpose, direction, slight depression, mild irritability. Once or twice in the morning I awoke from the state of sleep where your body has been immobilized so you dont move around and act out your dreams, but your mind is awake. I forget what this is called, but it also happened the previous time I "quit".

Afer a month of feeling normal, I started smoking again, mostly out of boredom. I fell back into daily usage, but would take a week or two off. High for a week, then not high for a week. This would result in only 2 or 3 nights of insomnia and night sweats, temp. flashes, and irritability. Then I'd fell mostly normal. But then I stopped taking the breaks, using a bong, and the pinging in the ear came back, then I started feeling that sensation in the area where I'd get the tension headaches. Sore teeth, sore neck, sore, burning, lower back. It's like I couldnt get high anymore, it just made me frazzled. Feeling overwhelmed after a full day of being sober, needing the weed to wind down, but too many of the anxiety symptoms now happened while I was high. And rapid onset of anxiety the next day, at work, before I had a chance to get high in the evening. Eye twitch, shakey hands, a slight tremble in my voice. Runny nose. And nausea. Almost forgot that one. It comes in quick waves. This was a new symptom this time around.

Rather than quit cold turkey and put myself through another 2 weeks of hell, I gradually cut back, smoking a half a joint in the evening, the other half before bed. Just enough to feel sane. No more bong hits, they just brought on headaches, and a weird tingling feeling in the back of my head, again where the tension headaches would occur.

I still experienced slight insomnia, but was able to get at least 5 hours of sleep each night. Moderate irritability. Surprisingly little or no mouth pain. Headaches arent here yet. I bet they'll come back after I abstain completely. Unfortunately the back pain is worse then ever for a few days. I'd wake up early in the morning with my lower back burning. Then I'd fall back asleep, and wake up an hour later and the pain would be completely gone. This time I'm getting IBS-like symptoms. Abdominal cramping, it comes out of nowhere, gives a couple jabs, then fades, comes back randomly a few times during the day.

All of these symptoms have that pattern. They happen randomly, for no more than a few minutes, then go away, only to come back several times a day. After a day or two they occur in a different area of the body. Or its a new sensation, but following the pattern still.

I'm still not through it. The next step is taking a day off (which I;ve done afew times int he past two weeks). Then more days, etc. I suspect this is when I'll really notice the THC drawing out but I have to do this gradually. It's simply too maddening to stop all at once, and honestly I'm scared of what the next new symptom would be. They get worse everytime. But at least now I know its jsut anxiety, so it doesn't feed on itself.

I swear, for all this trouble I might as well have been doing heroin (in all seriousness I'msure that is much more severe, I'm just saying thc withdrawal should not be taken lightly among heavy users, or casual users falling into regular use).

One random note, at one point I started making cannabutter instead of smoking. This was great for taking away the compulsive aspect of smoking. But it was too hard to take the right dose. Most times it would take the edge off and make me feel normal without feeling high, and helped to feel like I was breaking the habit. But othertimes I'd get too much and have a mild anxiety attack or get a headache, or pass out and hardly be able to drag myself out of bed in the morning.

Another random note. A week or two after stopping smoking I started coughing up brownish grey specks. This took a full 3-4 months to clear.

My advice to people going through this is just stop and think about why you're feeling what you're feeling. Reason your way through it. The areas of the brain THC affects, the body functions they effect. The rebound effect you'd get from a prolonged/sustained usage of any drug, you're going to feel the oppoisite of whatever effects its high gave you. And it will seem like an eternity at times, and even though it will feel as though there is something seriously wrong, there isn't, and you'll eventually get back to normal. Taper off, if you can.

Symptoms of the marijuana withdrawals

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