I can confirm many of the observations contained in some of the replies to this post. Marijuana is not physically addictive like opiates or tobacco, but is mentally addictive for those that smoke or otherwise consume it for long periods of time. Smoke it for long enough and the brain becomes so accustomed to its effects that you won't feel 'normal' without it being recently absorbed into your blood stream and brain. For me it got to the point where I felt like I couldn't enjoy any activity, whether it be eating or watching a movie or playing video games or having sex or driving around or going on a hike... unless I got high first. After almost exactly a decade of continued, nearly every day (multiple times a day) of use I stopped 'cold turkey' exactly 70 days ago, for many reasons, including its consumption of energy, time, work ethic and motivation and its contributing negatively to poor diet, exercise and general health habits and complications, among other reasons. Since I stopped the symptoms have been severe, and very hard to deal with. I felt relatively normal for about the first 3 weeks after quitting while the cannabanoids lingered in my system but after that I felt the onset of rather severe depression and constant mental haziness. While the depression has lessened (because marijuana dependency alters the brain's 'feel good chemical' workings etc.) I still feel like I'm in a fog most of the time, like all my thoughts are hampered and subdued, and my memory is a total wreck, though I sense that, given enough time, I will recover the mental acuity and alacrity that I once possessed. It literally seems as though my brain is rewiring itself - like it's remaking itself back to the way it functioned when I was younger without the marijuana's alteration of blood-flow and synaptic response within the brain. It took a heavy toll. My brain simply adapted to functioning with marijuana's cannabinoids always passing through it, and now it has to adapt back. Marijuana, like all mind-altering substances, takes its toll and comes with side-effects. Nothing is free, not the effects achieved by this drug, by antidepressants, by opiates, by alcohol or any other unnecessary substance, especially if consumed consistently over long periods of time. Don't believe them when they tell you a drug's harmless; there is a trade-off to every perceived gain. But we will recover - I sense I am very gradually recovering - work on diet and exercise (LOTS of fruits and veggies) and eliminating unnatural aspects of your lifestyle (especially poor dietary intake and drug/alcohol use), and you can achieve good health and full capacity again! Giving up is the only way to lose this battle. Have discipline and stay focused on positive self-improvement.
hi ppl im john 23 from near liverpool england, iv reguarly smoked weed (cannabis) for about 10 years. i started young because i used to hang around with people older than me that smoked it. for years and years i argued that cannabis is harmless, iv grown my own plants (risky business), tried all different varieties, sold weed to make a living, iv read books on cultivating it, read books on rolling techniques (spliffigami), absolutely all sorts of different things because i thought of myself as a connoisseur of cannabis. my mum let me smoke it in the house from a young age because she thought i would get in trouble on the streets, at age 18 she kicked me out. i stopped smoking it for about a month and everyone said i was a totally different person. then i started again and kept it a secret and still people were saying i was such a nicer person for it. this just proved to me that it was how people judged you for smoking it not the fact i was smoking it. i fkin loved weed, i really did, i even have about £300 worth of ashtrays, rastafarian plastic models and even had weed bedding and curtains at one point, (pathetic i know theyre goin in the bin when i get a chance). i think weed was a chapter in my life i wanted to get over, so 22 days ago i quit for good! in those last 22 days iv been really moody, but in the way i just snap at people and dont give a fk atall, iv been depressed, iv been really nasty to people i like, and for some reason im hungrier than ever before. i can sit here at my computer thinkin i want a joint for hours but i wont give in. the hardest times are when im just on my own because thats when i was used to smoking it. other bad times are payday! i know iv got over £1000 in the bank ready for me to spend and there is a dealer lives in view of my kitchen window. i could just walk over and get a fat bag any time i want but i wont! i sat in the car with a friend a week ago on the way home from work and he made a fat spliff, he throws loads in so it smells better than when i ever used to make 1, but i still refused to smoke it even though he was near enough blowing it in my face. i was sat there smelling it so jealously really wanting to just have 1 toke but i never. that was a proud moment for me :-) every one that knows me lately knows iv stopped it but they really dont know the struggle im goin through, and the story i tell. no one knows how it feels to want it so bad and have it there so easy but still saying no! cannabis changed my life for good for bad every way, because it was there every day. i didnt even smoke cigarettes when i got home from work i only smoked joints, now i smoke about 10 cigs a night extra to stop the cravings. i have written alot but also have so much more to say. the reason im seeing clearly now is the last few weeks when iv been moody iv been thinking maybe this is mild schizophrenia simply showing more now because im more aware of myself. i know iv got a while before im gonna be at a stage when i dont want it and dont crave for it, but surprisingly im gonna give it up forever! not the odd one, not even when im drunk or feeling depressed in life, never again am i going to smoke weed and im quite proud of that. anyway thats my huge story your probably thinkin wtf but if it can help someone get to where im goin, then im happy :-)
I am not a user i am only 12 but i am doing a project it is really bad from what i have seen and read
Drink alot of milk or other products related to milk (try the eco ones if you can find) Milk helpes very much . Don`t eat food or sweets just for feeling good . Try to eat healthy and try to keep a schedule of your activities during the week .
Hi, i can see that this topic is an old one, but it helped me a lot. My story is really weird because i've smoked weed about 4 times... it wasn't a lot, it wasn't at a time.. and now for about 8 months, since december when i smoked for the last time i feel like a serious addict who's during a tough withdrawal. Well the truth is that there are such people as me who just can't even try! horrible. Anyway, i've just found a great web page where i found an accurate description of what i'm getting through now. There are also lots of helpfull advice there. So if anyone of you needs help, check it
http://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/post-acute-withdrawal.htm
Yo u just slapped me in the face with your whole experience.. especially after 7 years my girl left back home. Now I'm debating to quit but what's the point I feel like I just want her back.. she's not even callin me bak.... anyways back to budds... I stopped for a day then my girl problems come bak in my head and I go pick up again and again I can't seem to find a reason why .. I need to get a job and I need to leave my apt in a month.. I've been stuck in my pad for the last 2 and a half weeks since she's left just blazing bad trippin.. I gotta get some advice bro what can I do..
Will your health go back to normal if you stop smoking marijuana? I already quit, but I only smoked it about 9 times. Last time I smoked was 1 week ago. Can you please help me?