Recommendations on how to stop smoking marijuana and what symptoms to watch for

Hey guys. I'm smoking 2-3 bong hits every hour or two. Ill chill out at work minus a lunch time hoot. I work 12 hour days but it's still too much. I wanna quit but I'm mean to my family when I try.. Help? My wife smokes too and understands but doesn't know how to help.

Quantum im really grateful to you on this.

i woke up one day and decided to stop smoking and it really became very difficult, i started having major difficulty in sleeping coupled with lot of nightmares. I had no idea that stopping marijuana is associated with withdrawal symptoms. Craving and panic attacks crept in with no appetite for food, i started skipping my lunch and sometimes dinner.

Then i started smoking a little every alternative day and now i have brought it down to either sundays or saturdays.

I want to bring it once a month and keep it that way for now.

Anyways feels good now and thanks again on this

This was helpful to me also I am trying to stop to save money for Christmas I smoke at least $50 a week but suffer from severe panic attacks I did just take a Xanax which I hate taking pills because I used to be addicted but the pills are free I was actually fine yesterday my first day wo smoking because I kept super busy today is a lot harder i don't know if I can make it a whole month but I'm going to try

Quitting weed, it is an extremely painful experience, but if they think of the positive side, to live a better life, for this simple reason, they must be well prepared psychologically and work out a plan in advance to give it up completely.

What goes up must come down. I don't regret the benefits it has brought to my life. It's been a great ride of enjoyment and enlightment but the time has come to say good bye. The thought had crossed my mind a few times but without conviction, this time I know it's right and every day that goes by I feel better and better both physically and mentally. If you know deep inside its time for a change, muster the strength and push forward. A brain is a terrible thing to waste. I'm on my 10th day clean and its the best I've felt in years. I consider myself blessed cause I have a great life but the idea of life getting even better without a habit makes going thru the detox worthwhile. Be blessed, be bold and set the example.

I am a 31 year old male originally from California, now living in the D.C. metro area.  I have been smoking since I was a teenager, and smoking daily for around 10 years, quitting only once for any meaningful length of time.

I don't think this thread existed last time I quit (a little over 2 years ago).  At that time I had basically hit rock bottom.  I lost my job for unrelated reasons and was unemloyed for 6-8 months, living off my girlfriend (the girl of my dreams who I am still hopelessly in love with), and continuing to buy and smoke weed using my unemployment check.  Eventually my girlfriend got fed up and kicked me out of the house as amicably as possible.  She was heartbroken that she had to do it, but I wasn't a man she wanted to marry anymore.

So in a perhaps misguided effort to get her back, I quit smoking weed finally (6 months earlier and I would probably be happily married now and not posting this).  For me, the worst symptoms were lack of appetite and insomnia (though boredom and irritably get an honorable mention).  Here are my tips.

INSOMNIA:

After a week or so of restless nights, sleep began coming easily, and I began looking forward to it.  Before that, it was very difficult (even with the tips below).  My mind would race until I managed to nod off, and then I would have the most vivid and terrifying dreams, usually waking up in a panicky sweat a few times a night.  Regarding the nightmares, I can only suggest trying to enjoy them.  When I smoke regularly, I hardly dream at all (or don't remember them), so for me the hyper-realistic nightmares were an entertaining change of pace.  Maybe keep a dream journal.

1. Exercise.  This is inarguably the best way to improve sleep, reduce anxiety, improve attitude.. the list goes on.  But even knowing all this, I hate exercise and avoid it at all costs.  So...

2. Try over the counter, non habit forming sleep medications.  They're not a silver bullet, but they will help.

 

NO APPETITE:

I simply do not get hungry unless I am high.  I force as much food down on my lunch break as I can, but these are very nice restaurants and I should be relishing the food instead of tolerating it.  Last time I quit, it took about a week before my appetite was normal again, and by normal I mean I was hungry immediately when I woke up, and could eat like a teenager again.  In the interim:

1. Protein shakes.  Blend frozen mixed fruit, yogurt, milk, and protein powder.  Even when I am not hungry, I can drink one of these.  Bonus points for taking a multivitatmin with the shake.  If you can put one of these down early enough in the morning, it will help set the pace for your appetite later in the day.

2. Salad.  Another food that is easy to eat when you're not that hungry, and is obviously good for you.

3. Water.  It is more important than food.  Drink it.  Lots of it.  Constantly.

 

This time around, I'm mostly quitting to get my appetite back to normal.  Buying weed doesn't hurt me at all financially and I've gotten pretty good at agreeing to go out and socialize even when my inclination is to stay home and get high, but people at my new job have already noticed and commented on the fact that I don't eat much.  They assume I'm just not much of a foodie, and I let them go on thinking that since the truth is worse.  Now I'll just need an excuse for why I suddenly have a huge appetite here in the next few days.  I will probably claim that I have started exercising more, but you'll all know that's a lie.

 

For those of you interested in how things turned out with my girlfriend, we got back together briefly after I quit smoking and landed a new job, and it was magical.  The sex was better, the conversation was better, and I felt more connected to her (she only rarely smoked with me).  But the new job was out of state, and she couldn't handle the long distance thing with our relationship already being fragile.  She's now happily engaged to another man and I am foreveralone.jpg.  (Ladies?)

 

Finally, let's be honest: many of us are going to relapse.  If you do, consider switching to vaping instead of smoking.  I have heard anecdotal evidence suggesting that it's better for you and has fewer side effects.

I have been smoking for about 38 years, more on than of over the years.. Failed a drug test for a good job back in the nineties and just recently became unemployed. I been hi just about all my life and for thirty years I have held a grudge against my childhood love.. I think if I had known pot had made me into a negative person, never rleasing the negative thoughts they grew larger and became an everyday habit smoking pot and being negative. But they say when one door closes one opens for you, I never thought I could kick it but I did with no withdrawal pains or loss of sleep. I want to share this with you all because I have been there. You think of this as far out but it was the help of gemstone/healing stones. Natural stones from the earth can heal you and have the power the clean your body of toxins and kill the cravings. It's only been a week now but I can tell you I have some here haven't touched it my craving it is fading. The healing stone, (there are many out there and are not expensive at so you have to loose) I found by luck surfing the web is called Hematite. Very powerful, grounding healing stone that will cut out any cravings and give you courage and the willpower to quit if you really want to. I bought a pound of tumbled hematite stones for about 15 bucks not magnetic hematite just regular tumbled stones and the make jewelry with this iron ore and it work best when kept close to the skin or placed close by, pocket purse sock anyplace. I have already said no thanks we my bud passed me the joint after smoking with him for years.. So now he is on the stones and I have told everyone I know how blessed I feel now to have lucked up onto this god given power to regain control of my life. Trust me read up on healing stones they really do work they will help you and they come from Mother Nature like pot and you tried that, so try this you will be glad you did......

Hi i have been inspired by the truth being spoken ! i,m 44 yrs & weed has been part of my life since i was 16yrs old it has totally mashed me up with anxiety, stress ,deppession, lack of focus you name it i,m feeling it now i now the root of starting this bad habit was unhappyness and weed has helped hide that from people , so 2014 is time for change for me the feeling don't feel good no more , i feel my only way is cold turkey & mind training ive done it before and it isnt easy as your mind will be telling you one thing and your heart another ! anyone who has been smoking for a very long time , im also feeling your pain , my life needs happyness its gonna be tough but i do advise anyone going cold turkey drinks lots of water cause you will become very Dyhydrated !the dreams will be clear and ah lil bit real thats you tuning back in to your senses but the detox will confuse your vibe ! I pray for a positive 2014 for all (toosweet)

Thank you so much for your post. I have been a weed smoker for about 4 years now. Started out as curiosity, then social, to just smoking alone. I admit that I have abused MJ so bad, and it makes me sick to think about. Wake and back, smoke before work, after, before working out, painting, like almost everything. I didn't realize that MJ was changing me. I would get super lazy and have the munchies. I can't sit here and talk like weed is totally bad cus it's not. God placed it no Earth for a reason....not the reason that most people use it today. And I honestly don't think its meant for everyday use. I am glad that I got tO experience MJ. Helped me discover my spirituality, consciousness, but at the end of the day....it's time to get back to my sober self!

I too did my research on healing crystals, and actually have a few that I use daily. I have a pice of rose quartz in my had as I type on my ipad. Helps me stay peaceful, and calm. Today was my first day going cold turkey. Overall it was okay. I did think about smoking just about 1000 times, but my heart truly has no desire to continue to smoke. Just Have to reprogram my brain back to normal without the dependency of MJ.

The crystals I have are very powerful, and I know they will help me get through this phase of sobriety.

Other crystals that can help are black tourmaline (protection), tigers eye, and amethyst. There's many many more but I have 2/3of these. Just have to make sure you cleanse them right and take care of them.

I'm so determined to not smoke for at least 6 months. I have the will power to stop, and I know that God is helping every step. God is here to help all of us....please call on him for his protection and blessings. He will make your load lighter...believe!

Hello all I agree with the first post I have smoked weed since I was 13 years old om a 35 year old woman now.. it started with hash and bongs and then weed in spliffs all day every day unless working.. i stopped for a year 2 years ago and thought I could handle occasional spliff before I knew it i was a full time smoker with a seemingly worse habit.. i started smoking and feeling c**p about it I just new I needed to stop for good.. i decided to go cold turkey and smoked my last zoot new years eve ( a quarter of bud) and have had nothing since.. i havent slept since then nor can I eat my whole body hurts and I'm sweating constantly... no part of me wants to smoke a spliff I just want to recover from withdrawal and kno that this is the best decision I've ever made.. listen to the advice given.. alongside withdrawal symptoms are positives.. you are instantly more motivated look fresh speak more and generally get ur stuff sorted ahead of time and generally can think clearly.. good luck everyone and best wishes for 2014 and the futor :) xxx

Hi former and wanting to be former stoners...  I am here for the same reason as all the other people..  I googled something about trying to quit smoking weed, i found a few decent websites, but this is much more helpful and inciteful..  Reading these posts about the struggles really helps put it all in perspective.. Also, reading about why people are quitting and how weed ruled their lives and wanted to get a handle on it is inspirational... 

I am 34 and have been smoking weed since i was 15...  over the past 16 years i smoked anywhere from 10-20+ pinch hits or bowls a day, usually by myself (never was big on joints and blunts, i like the fresh green hit of good buds out of a nice clean piece of glass) i pretty much smoked all day every day... typical stoner, my life revolved around it... I would even sneak it on planes (post 9/11) for work trips because the thought of going with out just didnt seem like an option for me..

i did quit once for about 6 or 8 months a few years ago because my girlfriend at the time was going through a nasty divorce and i didnt want anything i did to affect that.  It was hard for the first couple weeks..  Always feeling on edge, very irratable, no appetite, no sleeping, crazy vivid nightmares and dreams but eventually (about 10-15 days if i remember right) all that went away, my head cleared, and i felt normal again, a good normal, not a stoner normal..

For me, I would use "mini prayers" throughout the day when i would crave weed..  God is a powerful thing, and just taking a deep breath and asking help through a tough time is sometimes all you need (no matter who or what your god is)..   i started running and losing weight (probably more from not having late night munchie sessions and eating crappy sweets and fast food throughout the day) eventually i started to feel wonderful and never really craved weed..  even if i was around people smoking it, i chose not too...  

Things were great for about 8 months or so, then i decided it was ok for me to have a couple hits..  no harm right? i made a deal with myself that i wasnt going to buy it but if someone happened to offer me a hit i wouldnt turn it down..  Eventually i moved to California where its more accepted to smoke freely, and my "not going to buy it" deal was out the door ( i couldnt resist the yummy medical grade goodness out here)...  it started out slow, then eventually i was back to my old ways..  smoking whenever i was by myself for any reason.. i would "go for a run" which did consist of running, but i would always get really baked first (you cant feel guilty for smoking if you are running right?)  It slowly became a more relavant problem in my life again, which in turn became a problem in my marriage. (which is why i am on this site today) I tried to quit a few times recently but could only make it a few days, the no sleep thing is really tough, especially when you know you can just take a few hits, and sleep like a log...    My wife was under the impression that i had quit smoking a while back.  I was pretty careful with my smoking and would only smoke if i knew i wasnt going to be around her for a few hours, long story short, she found my stash the other day in my car and was very dissapointed.  (sorry for all this rambling, just need to get this off my chest and out into the world, i think it will help me and who knows, it might help someone else going through the same struggles)  

Today, I am quitting cold turkey again (thats the only way for me), i know its going to be hard for the first couple weeks, but i am looking forward to whats after that..  when i quit last time my weight dropped about 40 pounds..  and now, i have gained back about 50... damn you munchies and stoner contentness!  contentness is a stoners worst enemy!  i think weed made me content no matter what the circumstances were.. not in a good way.  Never be content, always want to better your situation, and if your situation cant get any better, help someone else...  

Its going to be tough, but reading these posts about other peoples struggles and overcoming it is inspiring (who knows how most of the stories end; in my experience, it never ends, you have to stay on top of it.. and do what you have to do to keep your mind occupied with other and more positive things..  Exercise your body and your mind.. Find God (any god will work, just find something greater than yourself that you can call upon and talk to when you are feeling weak)  Its not easy at first, but i know from experience, it is definitely worth it.  When i was sober, things were so clear and good..  I was thinking the other day how much of a dissapointment i must be to my wife.  When we got engaged, i was in my sober period and on top of my game, probably more than i have ever been in my life, she agreed to marry me under those terms.. i honestly dont think she would have married me had i been smoking back then, its not fair to her or my family for me to smoke the way i do.. I owe it to her and my famliy to get back to that place where i once was... (that is why i am on this website today)  If you have read this entire post, i am sorry, i ramble a lot, but i didn't write this for you, i wrote this for me.  Partly, because i wanted to remind myself what it was like when i did quit, and because the next couple weeks are going to suck, but i'm ok with that.  Its whats on the other side of that 2 weeks that is well worth it.. Thanks to everyone who posted on here, i wasnt able to read all 612 previous posts, but i honestly read about 75 of them, and in one way or another, they all were very familar stories..  

So if you are reading this, i wish you luck on your journey, the first few days are the hardest, then it gets a little easier, then eventually one day, you won't even think about weed, and if you do slip up, don't let it get you down, just keep moving forward...  thats all you can do... 

one love... 

 

 

  

Hi Thanks for the article I used to have all those symptoms when I went through psychosis so I know what you mean I cant sleep now! !!

Hi I have tried cutting down many a time but I always found an excuse to smoke every spare minute, whether it be after a stressful day, a reason to 'celebrate' or if I had more spare cash. This time I am going cold turkey and 4 days in (lol) I am finding it ok. I first tried cannabis resin when i was 13 and started smoking it on weekends with my mates. When I was 19 I discovered high quality weed, ended up selling it for a few years until an associate went to jail for dealing so I stopped selling it. Thats when the problems started as I now had to pay for it, I still lived at home and was getting decent pay so I was spending £100 plus a week on weed. I tried buying bulk but just ended up smoking it all to quickly. Then came my son and I moved into my girlfriends mams where I couldn't smoke, I cut down to £20 per week and smoked only at weekends. Great until I got my own place and got a better job, then it was back upto £80-100 per week. I tried to quit in 2012 but lasted 5 days until the weekend when my usual dealer paid me in weed to fix his computer. So back to smoking every spare minute. The reason I am now quitting is I couldn't pay the dealer so had to get a payday loan, then couldn't pay the loan so put it on a credit card. I was ashamed, weed to me was like heroin is to a junkie. I have probably spent 30k on weed and cigs in my life and that is shocking.This time I have looked at sites like this for advice. So far I have binned everything to do with weed and have deleted my dealers numbers. I don't smoke cigarettes and most of my mates don't smoke weed anymore so I cant blame them. Like I said its only 4 days but it feels like a massive achievement. The difference in waking up fresher was instantly noticeable, I am already more alert and dont smell so i dont have to brush my teeth to get some action ; ).

Hello to all, I do hope my post gets read and hopefully helps somebody along the line. After 5 years 10gramms a week , 4 spliffs every evening I also WAS addicted to weed 8 days ago, I attempted to quit smoking weed , time and time again, if I had any less than enough weed for 3 spliffs that night then you wouldn't see me untuil I appeared with a fresh bag, or two if my dealers doing a deal! And that's only when I couldn't get hold of a Quater or a half! For me I needed to be in the right place of my life for this to be successful, YOU ARE YOUR OWN WORSE ENEMY! I found every excuse under the sun to not quit, Before I would tell my "friends" I'm trying to quit, once I was almost successful before my own friend dragged me back in, relapsed for 2 years, This time I knew I wanted to quit just didn't know when, I unsuccessfully tried my very best to get weed for New Years, I didn't ! I had 1 spliff at 11pm New Year's Eve and that was my last spliff! From this point forwards I told everyone I QUIT Smoking weed, after 3 days I stopped thinking about it as much, day 4 I didn't realise at the time but had a mild panic attack when I woke up, shortness of breath, and currently aching joints, (at this point I'm hoping is withdrawal) and will not put myself through cold turkey ever again therefore will never smoke again, Stay positive, you can do what you put your mind to you just need to keep your mind busy with movies e.t.c

As I lay here in my bed @ 7:58 am all I can think about is my crumbling marriage & my desire to stop smoking. I am on my last blunt & I am afraid. My husband doesnt smoke at all but he has tolerated my smoking over the last 7 years...I don't even know where to begin but I do know that I can't continue on this way, whether we make it or not. I will be 35 years old next month and I am tired. I am tired of depending on weed to make me feel better...in reality, it makes me feel worse. I am a heavy smoker so I don't know how Im going to do this but nothing beats a failure but a try. Its especially hard because I am already stressed. But constantly smoking & stressing has me losing weight & Im not liking that. I looked at myaelf in the mirror last night and I can't believe the woman staring back at me...so if anything I have to stop for my health and my sanity. I dont normally comment on stuff online but this hit home for me. I have faith that I will do this though.