I smoked Cannabis relentlessly for around 9 years and found my life deteriorated progressively, slowly but surely until I finally had to confront my problem.
My 3 years of recovery have been hard and challenging, I needed antidepressants to get me over the first year but found my brain power returned somewhat allowing me to push myself through a qualification and get a job with a future.
The social isolation is the hardest part now. Whereas before all I could easily make friends by hanging out with fellow stoners, I no longer have that option. A lot of well trodden paths in my life have had to change, old comfort zones no longer exist. The goal now is to survive and to continue recovering. I know that if I stick to that simple goal then everything else will fall into place and normal relationships will come in time.
Problem is, after 3 years I'm now in a steady job, go to the gym 3 times a week, do yoga on a Friday to wind down, and am saving for the future (just where I should have been 10 years ago..) but I'm still socially very isolated. I have come to think this is why I started using drugs (both cannabis and alcohol) all those years ago.
Any ideas?