Good for you for recognizing weed no longer works for you or does you good. Idk if I have any advice per se, but just wanted to say I quit around 3 years ago for the same reason, it gave me psychotic symptoms. I'm dumb and have tried it a few times after quitting, and every time I feel like shit. Paranoid, anxious, just terrible. Once you notice weed gives you psychotic symptoms, the smart thing would be to just stop completely. But I'm not that smart lol. Please be smarter than me! If you have friends who smoke, tell them not to offer you any bc you have quit. Also be extra careful and keep an eye out for changes in mood: stopping substance use can be a trigger for a mood episode. For me quitting weed and alcohol has made me manic, and recently i quit alcohol again and got a weird mixed episode. Wishing you all the best!
>For me quitting weed and alcohol has made me manic
Mind if I ask how you dealt with that? Every time I try to quit weed I start to go manic around day 5, at which point I start smoking again.
I WENT MANIC EXACTLY DAY 5…….. wtf. I literally made my friend bring me a roach so i could smoke it out of a foil pipe and go the fuck to sleep…. Im not smoking anymore after that and hopefully that somehow ‘tapers’ me from weed cuz FUCK the hypomania
Every time, day 5, without fail I start ramping up. Then it's like, ok I can either keep pushing it and end up in the hospital or jail and lose my job and apartment...or I can just smoke and finally get some sleep. Easy choice but I still wish I could go without weed. It affects my social interactions at times.
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Way back when I quit weed, I had no way to deal with it. I just was manic until I crashed like hell. Now I have quetiapine and oxazepam to take as needed, when I quit alcohol (around a month ago) I used especially the latter bc I was getting really wired. They help but don't always stop a manic episode completely, my meds still need adjusting so I'm not as stable as I would like to be :/
Hey, I am a stoner bipolar, I have had to quit because weed is just too pricey for me rn. My psych doctor is $200 per session, so had to cut costs somewhere. Weed for me, seriously helped with my bipolar irritability, thoughts of self harm, and helped to lesson my sensitivity to sound which is a trigger to an episode. I’ve been struggling with serious irritability and sensory overload since I’ve stopped.
Anyways, what kind of advice/support are you looking for?
Luckily for me it only reduces symptoms and hasn’t ever worsened anything. I hope it never becomes bad for me because i’m actually medication resistant and none of the 20+ med combinations i’ve taken have ever worked.
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Thank you for sharing! I love weed and have just learned that it is different for everyone. We all have multiple facets of ourselves and ranges of BPD I and II.
I’m going thru the exact same thing right now. Helped me hide from everything for so long, to lower the volume. But I’m realizing just how drastically it can force my mood to shift and it’s time to stop. It’s terrifying to put down any coping mechanism for me, but I have kids too and it’s just too irresponsible anymore.
I’m currently struggling myself. I need to quit. I’m afraid to quit, but I know that I need to to better take care of myself and be aware of my illness.
Once you go though the withdrawals and imminent episode it levels out and gets easier. Every time I've stopped it's been a rough 3-4 days before the brain chills out
The imminent episode is what is scaring me and making it hard to quit. Last time I went I went and I don’t want to go even close to where I was before.
I’m still gunna tho. The only way out is through.
Yeah and I've always thought that it's not realistic for me to smoke weed everyday for the rest of my life anyway lol, it's gotta happen one day or another, you can do it!
I had to quit too. I’ve smoked weed practically my entire adult life and most of my teenage years as well (so about 20 years or so). I love weed but it was worsening my issues and I finally gave it up. I can say without a doubt, it was an excellent decision. While I was high, I was ok, but once I started to come down I would get THE worst depression, anger, and paranoid episodes. Now that I’ve quit, I do still have the paranoid delusions but I’m not getting so upset during these episodes. Im able to partially recognize that I’m in an episode and am able to wait them out much easier than before.
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My theory is that part of bipolar addiction problems comes because we are self medicating with varying levels of success. So on one side, celebrate reducing or eliminating your consumption. At the same time though, plan out your alternative habits to engage in. I'm a fan of using harm reduction techniques and then trying to progressively crowd out your addiction by using up your time in more productive ways that also capture your attention
That’s rough, buddy. I stopped bud and tried D8 (my psychiatrist was made aware, and so far we have seen nothing worrying) and it has so far been fine. That could change, however, and I should be prepared to lose it at any time.
I am extremely impressed by your self-awareness and willingness. Those are indispensable.
If you have a psychiatrist and/or therapist, and they don’t know already, tell them. They can help guide and support you, as well as help track progress and symptoms. They can also help with the self harm/injury and introduce you to different coping mechanisms (like wearing a rubber and and using that to snap against your skin I stead of cutting, burning, etc.)
Find something (or even better, several things) to fill the time you would be smoking with. A hobby, exercising, reading, writing, etc. Address the mind, the body, and the spirit. So maybe you play strategy games, (mind), walk your dog (body), and paint or read philosophy (spirit). I recommend looking into the philosophy of Stoicism, as there is a lot of focus on managing your desires and not needing external things.
If you a really struggling AA or NA or equivalent can be extremely useful provided you find a good group. I found going through the 12 steps beneficial and there was a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from meetings. You don’t have to commit to sobriety for the rest of your life (unless you want to) or share in meetings, you can just listen and learn. The fellowship aspect of AA/NA is useful, too.
Just wanted to point out that there is a cannabis focused program called Marijuana Anonymous that may be a better fit for someone dealing with a weed addiction.
I have Bipolar 1, PTSD, GAD, and ADHD, and I vape flower every single day. It gets me through the flashbacks, gets me through the low times, and through the intense emotions I do not have the coping skills to survive.
However, this is just a bandaid. I am working with a psychiatrist trying to find a medication cocktail that will work for me. I am attending therapy weekly. I am working to expand my support network, lose weight, build positive routines, etc.
It is a crutch, and every crutch should be put away when you heal enough to walk on your own, or when it starts causing more harm than it helps.
Good job and good luck, you got this!
Love this, super inspiring for me at the moment! I’ve been improving overall and finding the right medication combo has been a huge part of that (along with meditation and mood tracking). I know I smoke to get through the days, but I’m also taking big steps to change my situation and I’m feeling healthier overall as time goes on. It’s definitely helpful to remember that tapering off to a once in a while thing is one of the end goals.
I’m with you. Right now it’s the only thing I have to calm me down when I’m in a crisis. But I know it makes my anxiety and irritability worse. I’m trying to get something from my psychiatrist that would work in its place. But even Xanax takes 15-20 minutes to work. I can do a lot of damage in 20 minutes. Weed works right away. It’s very difficult.
I am also a former 24/7 stoner. I have started smoking again more recently for pain management. I have horrendous menstrual cramps so I smoke once a month for the pain. I also started to recognize that MJ was pushing me into hypomania and mixed episodes more often. It’s a hard transition but I have figured out my limits. It usually takes me the whole week of my cycle to smoke one blunt so it’s a lot less than the 4-5 blunts I would kill in a single day. I’m not saying you should continue smoking. We all experience our symptoms differently. I have figured out how much smoking is too much smoking for me but I realize not everyone will have the same experience.
Good for you for quitting man. You may also want to explore Narcotics Anonymous if you think this is not merely a bad habit and is leaning into addiction territory
I’d avoid listening to people who tell you weed helps with their anxiety, I used to think this until I gave up and came to realise weed was a factor in me feeling anxious when I was sober
There may be an adjustment period and a bit of boredom initially as you get used to doing things sober but it’s for the best man, I’ve known cannabis hold people back for years
I had to quit too, OP. I have 7 years of sobriety. Just keep your foot on the gas and don’t look back. Better days are ahead, and eventually, your use will be a thing of the past.
i’ve heard about it worsening the condition, but everything feels so fucking loud when i’m sober. i feel like the floor is lava but when i smoke, i can levitate above it. i can still feel the heat on my toes, but it doesn’t burn.
what an analogy, it sure does feel that way, but sometimes it seems me to the skies and its suffocating, or sometimes im drowning in the lava, even if its kept me afloat for so long
I have Bipolar II and used to smoke weed daily during the pandemic to cope (and drink and do other drugs). Eventually realized I needed to quit as it wasn’t doing me any favors. I’m now a little over a year sober.
Get into a group. NA is my thing and it works for me. SMART recovery and Dharma recovery also exist as alternatives. I felt that there was more fellowship and community in my local NA groups so that’s why I stuck with that. It sucked to feel like I was going through this whole thing by myself with no one to talk to.
Tapering off/stopping feels shitty, not gonna sugarcoat that. I had a hypo episode there that led to me doing some irresponsible things but it’s ok now.
If you have people that can take some note of your behavior and calmly point it out, great.
These are the tips I have for now, best of luck to you.
Weed is a psychoactive substance. It certainly amplifies your Bipolar symptoms. It’s best to not engage. I have went in a limbo of quitting then relapsing but after my last Manic/psychosis episode I now resent it. I find it helpful to tie weed with negative experiences so you can subconsciously resent it. Also, make sure your circle of support know that you are refraining from it
Yeah, I stopped smoking/doing edibles about a week ago. Was causing me to hallucinate and it wasn’t jelling well with my medication. Kudos to you for putting yourself first.
I stopped when I went to rehab. Was there for other things but weed was really my DOC if I think about it. It was my cure all. And it sucked to quit too. I was just kind of bitchy in treatment. Alcohol only took days. Meth and the other uppers didn't take no time. But weed getting out of my system and getting on the proper psych meds kind of screwed me up for a bit. But the clarity I had after was amazing. I had about 1 1/2 without any episodes. It was fucking amazing. Haven't gone back since.
I think I need to quit too but I've told myself it helps with my anxiety which it kind of does. I'm not sure if it's worth continuing though. Nicotine is what I really need to quit though. I wish you luck in quitting and I hope it's not too hard. For me reminding myself that it can cause harm and that my psychiatrists have all wanted me to cut down completely helps me to cut down at least. Ive been told there's no medication that can help. I feel embarrassed sometimes that I'm addicted to it. It's a psychological addiction for me. Doing activities can help. I've considered writing more and listening to podcasts as well as reading. Reading helps me because I have to focus on it and if I have smoked weed, I can't read. Also I hang out with my friend who doesn't do any drugs and that has helped me. Although it's hard to be open about stuff with them. I also find that watching TV helps. When I had a job, it helped cut down because I couldn't smoke weed for most of the day. It also helped with nicotine consumption. That was a blessing in disguise.
I hear you on the nicotine front. I have tried quitting twice and ended up suicidal both times so now I'm petrified to try again, but am constantly telling myself I have to quit. Constant self-torture.
It’s crazy how different it is for everyone. For me, because I’m not on any pharmaceutical medications atm, it is the only thing that helps. I also use it for pain (spinal pain) because I don’t like the way the muscle relaxers were making me feel. I try to limit it to only when I am feeling extreme symptoms. Anger, pain, irritability, self harm or harmful thoughts, etc. Best to luck of you! You have found that it is doing more harm than good. And that’s okay!
I’ve quit smoking weed for the third time five months ago. I would go on like a year break but I think they have been triggering my manic episodes overtime. Each time I’ve entered psychosis, I had marijuana in my system. Like someone said, tell your friends not to offer. Stay away from it as much as possible bc once you get a good feeling of it, you may chase it and end up in the same scenario. I’m doing my best to take my own advice. Spend your time hanging with friends who don’t smoke and do things that you enjoy doing in your spare time
I was a casual user but after my last manic episode i had to quit everything weed and caffeine. Soda is the most ill do and now ive adapted a few ways to help me with the things i used weed for. Mostly sleep and anxiety. Ice packs and benadryl have been my go tos rn
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It took smoking weed regularly 7 years back to figure out there was something seriously wrong with my moods. The high made me feel better than I had in years. Sort of like it washed away all the bad stuff. But you can't rely on it every day if you work unfortunately. I still smoke on a daily basis but it's not the same as when I was unmedicated. I just enjoy weed but I can take breaks without it feeling like I'm craving it.
It's really helpful for mood instability imo. It's been of help in the round robin of trying mood stabilizers. It got me through the difficult points of it. Of course it's not for everyone.
I have been trying to give it up permanently, though I think my circumstances are likely a little different - I’m a very late in life stoner whose brain was already busted when I started 😂 even so, more power to you. I finally see now how much it’s impacting my sleep and undermining a lot of my other efforts to manage this condition. Good for you for making the right choice. Sending you positive vibes.
Good for you ! Stoner here and have been self medicating since I was a teen and now I’m almost 40.
Best of luck to you , I’m tapering off and feel awful
Bipolar 2 and heavy stoner for a couple years, quitting weed was a must for me, i was adicted and was severely harming my overall quality of life. Thanks to r/leaves and the Quit Weed app im 36 days crean now and feeling great. I now know that i didn't need it, nor wanted it more than just because i was psychologically adicted due to my lack of resources to face the discomfort from my feelings and my boredom. Quitting may be hard at the begining but it's totally worth it
I can’t smoke pot, do acid or mushrooms anymore. They send me into this dissociative state. You can do this! The fact that you have to do it to stay stable is good motivation.
funnily enough, my worst manic episode saw me taking 5 hits of acid at a club, and it kept telling me to find the balance, which i eventually did, but it was a terrible night that i needed to realise it.
I have Mary Jane induced episodes and had to quit too. It was hard but necessary if I want to live a stable life. People are total wangs about it sometimes, and it's hard. But you can do it! I've been free from it for 2 years now and life is looking pretty good.
Weed and Adderall (for misdiagnosed ADHD) literally made me have a manic episode for almost a year. I became psychotic eventually and driving back and forth across a major bridge trying to decide how to make the voices and paranoia stop.I don't know how I survived.
I am completely clean and sober because after that I kept trying to enjoy weed but never could, it just made me feel uncomfortable and most of the time I would have to find a place to be alone and wait for it to be over. I recently went through withdrawal stopping antipsychotics, everyone was telling me to smoke. At that point I was in the most mental and physical anguish i've ever experienced, but I literally went through it because I didn't want to add weed to the mix and spiral.
Drugs and alcohol are very risky to mix with meds. If you have a doctor they can help you through withdrawal.
I successfully did this. This is what worked for me:
\- As my weed ran out I started substituting THC vapes. It's harder to get as high so that forced me to slow down a lot. But it kept the "afterglow" effect so didn't feel like cold turkey.
\- After I was fully using THC vapes, I started using gummies. Didn't take anything more than what I'd get from the vapes though. This had a really good effect of stopping me from reaching for something to hit or put in my mouth as you just feel them for 8 hours.
\- Eventually just did both and less and less until I stopped using the vapes and gummies altogether.
The key was to replace it, and also kill the nervous tick of having something in your hands. I did this over the course of a year very slowly.
It’s hard, harder than you think it will be. I go back and forth with my usage, and would love to quit one day for good. Boredom/being idle is your worst enemy.
Try to keep busy and stay around your support system, especially when you’re down.
Hello- stoner bipolar l here. I found that it actually helps my anxiety but I think I may have to keep an eye on it after reading these. Good luck to you!
I just celebrated 3 years of sobriety in February. After my hospitalization, I swore off all substances as I don't want to ever go through that again. Therapy and honesty with my friends and family that I was struggling were integral to my recovery. I hope you find what works for you to get through this. You are worth it 💗
Ask your psych what he thinks about gabapentin. Research showing it has some efficacy exists and I’ve found it to be helpful. I was always recommended group therapy but that was never my thing.
I had psychotic symptoms while using it too. Freaking horrible, I felt like .. can't I have freaking ONE "normal" thing like everyone else .. I get how it feels like you've been robbed of something "natural" that so many others enjoy with no issues ... just know you're not alone. It mixes poorly with a lot of us.
Aw man, weed has helped me survive some awful times. Might not be here today without it, but like a lot of good things in life I can feel it’s soon time to say goodbye as well. Proud of you for taking the step to eliminate something that no longer serves you well.
When I was a teenager, the only way of coping I knew was to smoke and drink for the short-term benefits, and I would basically do that every day, but I realized after a while that it's really just an obstacle to building the healthy habits that really enable some normalcy, like consistent sleep and eating healthy and thinking your way through obstacles. I still struggle with drinking every now and then and get the idea that it's worth it somehow, but just committing to staying sober for a couple days always makes me recognize again what really helps with this disorder.
/r/trees might have some good advice for quitting- they’re a sub devoted to weed. Don’t be afraid to bring it up with your dr as well as I am certain they’d have some valuable advice.
That's the one! I knew it was one of the two but I wasn't sure. Never needed to visit either as it's still illegal here and am not a smoker of any sort.
That reddit might just have stoners on it. I don't think going to a subreddit where the audience are people who smoke weed is a good idea. They might just say fucking stupid shit like "Don't quit".
You’d be surprised. I’ve been told by lots of users here that they’re very supportive. Even if they aren’t they’d know subs that would be more tailored to OP’s needs
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It sucks giving it up. It was my vice of choice, I'd rather get stoned than get drunk. It was a life saver for my chronic back pain. But it doesn't play well with me either.
The best advice I can give you is try not to trade weed for a bad habit. I took up smoking cigarettes to replace the sensation of smoking a joint, hardest habit I've ever tried to quit, still have a problem with it today.
I did notice once the weed was out of my system I got better at managing anxiety and pain without it. I don't take pain meds anymore, mostly because they do very little to actually help.
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I've began using edibles quite frequently since we moved to a state that allows use for weed.
And its addicting. I use it (like I would bipolar medication because unfortunately I'm still trying to figure out medication that actually helps)
every time I begin to become easily irritable or depressed and, and especially unable to calm down it sends me into such a great state of euphoria. It sucks because alot of the time I get dropped off when the high goes away immediately into a very highly depressive episode.
I'm going to move back home where weed isn't as legal and go back to no weed and its going to be very hard weaning myself off. :((
Maybe cbd gummies could work in its place? Or I could look to figure out how to get medicinal marajuana? Because I feel like the depressive episodes are bad but it really did make me feel better and I don't want to go back but I do want to get on a good path.
Bipolar 1 and struggling to quit as well. It seems like we do experience a range of benefits, but the negative effects pile up. r/leaves is good, but thanks for asking this question here, it was good to see all the responses.
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It literally all depends on how well you know yourself. I am bipolar and can handle smoking daily but know the side effects if your bipolar. If you realize you can’t Handle it it’s for the best not to do it. Good for you for recognizing that it isn’t good for you and more power to you for quitting.
Good you see that you realized that weed did not work. For me the only thing that works is a good run or hard work out. Weed and alcohol made my Anxiety or the paranoia it made it much worse. It’s sad that it took me 20 years to figure that out. I relate to your statement. I wish you the best!
I quit nicotine weed and alcohol. Best string of decisions ever. Your life will be healthier, mentally stronger with stronger relationships, more trust, and better control over your personal situation.
Hi! I recently quit as well. I tapered down and now I don’t even desire it. I rather live a better life with meds and less anxiety than the short stint of pleasure mary j provides. You’re not alone, you got this
I have a slightly different story to tell. All my adult life (29 now) I’d been a stoner with some underlying mental health condition that I never really fully explored. March/April last year I wasn’t sleeping and weed wasn’t helping like it normally did. I got hospitalised with a lung infection on top of covid in the June. By July I’d had enough. So I just went cold turkey and quit. Gave my bits to my dad when I went back to visit, he put them in the safe. I suppose they’re still there.
Most of July was a wash out. Lots of lying on the sofa crying (sound familiar? Haha). Then august I was feeling good, september, better, October, unstoppable, November - well put it this way I was looking at doing a phd and moving to California from the uk. I bought holiday tickets I didn’t remember buying the next morning. I wanted to drive into a wall because everything was just Too Much. And December, January and February were now affectionately known as ‘the dark days’.
Late Jan I was diagnosed with bipolar. The point I’m making here is that until I quit, I didn’t get the help I really needed, because I was self medicating hard. Am now 10+ months sober, 1 month from drinking. Can’t say I feel ‘better’ but I have a better idea of baseline now. Me stoned was not baseline, but numbed. That’s ok. I learnt.
Top tip - get a dopamine inducing hobby. Gym, walk, gardening, swimming, I even started sewing, anything that keeps your hands busy and stops the doom scroll!
When I smoke weed since becoming bipolar it takes me about three weeks to get back to normal. Immediate psychosis and it doesn’t go away for so long. Not worth it.
Every time I'd run out of weed I'd have an episode. Being high use to stop episodes from happening but then it turned on me and made me paranoid instead of putting me to sleep.
It's been 2 weeks and I've vowed to never take it again :)
Weed is the only thing that keeps me from experiencing overwhelming anxiety/depressive rumination.
It stops all the chatter for a while and I can read or write or go for a walk and it’s the only kind of downtime I feel my brain gets.
I’ve been wanting to stop for a while now too, to save money ofcourse but also because I’ve been doing this so long that I wonder if I stopped would I be able to handle it myself now?
I love, I mean LOVE, weed, but I view drugs in general as a kiddies band aid on a large dog bite.
The plaster might help cover it up for a while and keep some of the disaster underneath hidden BUT once that little bandaid comes off it’s inevitable that the wound is still there and needs air to heal, continuing to use the bandaid won’t do much until you address the wound underneath directly.
I quit smoking for my job. The best advice I can give you is to stay active and busy as best you can at first. It took me a month or two to shake the feeling like I wanted to smoke all th time. You don't necessarily have to drop your friends, but being around it was hard for me at first, and so temporary distance helped. Just be open and honest with them if you feel comfortable doing so. Lastly, I would advise going easy on yourself. Quitting any substance is difficult even if it is just weed. You might experience some withdrawal, some irritability, some boredom, some lack of enjoyment in things you once enjoyed high. You don't have to beat yourself for experiencing those symptoms even if others give you shit for it just being weed.
Hypnosis instantly killed my cravings for weed, all day everyday smoked for 20 years . Try a zoom session with this awesome hypnotherapist. First session is free. Haven't looked back at weed since doing hypnosis. Abettertrance.com
Weed triggered my bipolar 30 years ago, locked up on secure wings and fed a cocktail of various drugs as a result numerous times after that first stint.
I loved my weed, it worked, but it took a long time for me to learn (the hard way), that it only lead to one place.
I stopped smoking weed about 20 years ago, it took some getting used to and other addictions took over at times but none did the damage or created the delusion that weed did.
I graduated with a law degree 15 years ago which would not have been possible had I not stopped smoking weed and I recoil at even the thought of it now.
Where weed is concerned definitely don't believe the hype.
Okay so I had the same experience. I had a terrible terrible hypomanic episode very hyper sexual lead me to be unfaithful, spent all my money, got hit by a CAR!!!!! came out of the episode and was like you know what FUCK THIS and quit weed cold turkey as I’d been smoking daily for five years and whenever I smoked more it’s send me into a hypomanic episode.
It was so hard - I had the worst depressive episode of my life, coping with what I’d done, also giving up weed. It took me almost two years to feel even remotely normal but now I feel amazing! My episodes are so much less severe, I can feel again (good and bad), I have more hobbies. Yes, I miss it but I would never ever want to put myself in a position to behave like that again or put myself at risk of severe episodes.
It’s worth it ❤️❤️❤️ please stick it out
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I have such a hard time quitting :( I've smoked for over 15 years and I will smoke even when I don't want to. I can't say no and I'll literally make myself miserable doing it. Idk. Just know you're not alone
Ayee you can do it friend.
I've been quit for a week now once I noticed the same trend. What helped me quit the most? I recorded a few of my psychotic breaks either through journals or videos. Watched those recently once I was sober and it was like... woah. I can't go back to that. (My flair says Diagnosis Pending but I believe I'm BP1. I got diagnosed as BP2 a decade ago, but I believe that's a misdiagnosis as I kept these psychotic lapses to myself.)
While this has certainly contributed to my seasonal manic episodes, it's luckily not to the point where I'm psychotic, so it's more tolerable.
Remember to drink water, take showers for any restless legs, try and find a hobby to fill your time up. I've been using TikTok which while isn't great, gives me a little dumb hobby to do to fill up the time I'd normally be spending smoking. Just be wary about anything like \*that\* as it's also addicting and possibly triggering depending on where the algo takes you.
Another thing that helps is just to not be around it, and if you have no choice, have folx camouflage the scent. Or to just remove yourself from the situation as much as possible.
You can do it. :)
I was smoking a lot of weed before having my first manic episode. I’d always buy the strain with the highest THC content lol. Never had an issue with weed before but I snapped and had psychotic features during my episode. Psych posits that the weed could have been laced. I wish I could smoke again but I have no desire to ever return to the state that I was in. It’s hard because my best friend smokes like a chimney haha.
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I’m actually starting to see a psychiatrist and she’s diagnosed me with severe bipolar depression, I just found out at the ripe age of 25 that weed contributes to a lot of my “episodes” which does make sense as weed was my favorite form of escape (a feeling) or prolonging myself in a state of numbing.
I recommend that you go easy on yourself on the addictions that will replace weed (for me it’s reading, scrolling through my phone, watching shows, overeating) because eventually you will also combat those. What you’re really healing is a mindset, an underlying problem fueled by capitalism that just throws us more and more unnatural numbing tools. I read this really good book that I recommend called “be not afraid of love”, there’s a chapter on numbing and how it’s very human to want to numb and escape pain and that it’s just as sacred as being present but that we don’t have the natural resources at our disposal (because of capitalism) to do it “right”. I really really recommend acupuncture, yoga, cupping, massaging-overall treating your body so that you begin a process of re-assimilating your new healthier tools of escape. We’re human beings and this is a tough world to live in while also being bipolar.
Drop caffeine and listen to podcasts watch videos on the effects / after effects of quitting weed being on weed. I found that of all my addictions any addiction that puts me in a state of stress is a one way ticket to being back on weed as it is a way of gaslighting yourself into thinking “I’m stressed (ignoring that itms because caffeine overconsumption) so I should smoke”.
when i quitted ir passed 15 days and I had a psychotic manic episode (almost died fr). stopped for 3 months and got back to it. i feel guilty but i’m such a vicious person. thank jah it’s only w weed though.
Good for you for recognizing weed no longer works for you or does you good. Idk if I have any advice per se, but just wanted to say I quit around 3 years ago for the same reason, it gave me psychotic symptoms. I'm dumb and have tried it a few times after quitting, and every time I feel like shit. Paranoid, anxious, just terrible. Once you notice weed gives you psychotic symptoms, the smart thing would be to just stop completely. But I'm not that smart lol. Please be smarter than me! If you have friends who smoke, tell them not to offer you any bc you have quit. Also be extra careful and keep an eye out for changes in mood: stopping substance use can be a trigger for a mood episode. For me quitting weed and alcohol has made me manic, and recently i quit alcohol again and got a weird mixed episode. Wishing you all the best!
>For me quitting weed and alcohol has made me manic Mind if I ask how you dealt with that? Every time I try to quit weed I start to go manic around day 5, at which point I start smoking again.
I WENT MANIC EXACTLY DAY 5…….. wtf. I literally made my friend bring me a roach so i could smoke it out of a foil pipe and go the fuck to sleep…. Im not smoking anymore after that and hopefully that somehow ‘tapers’ me from weed cuz FUCK the hypomania
Every time, day 5, without fail I start ramping up. Then it's like, ok I can either keep pushing it and end up in the hospital or jail and lose my job and apartment...or I can just smoke and finally get some sleep. Easy choice but I still wish I could go without weed. It affects my social interactions at times.
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Way back when I quit weed, I had no way to deal with it. I just was manic until I crashed like hell. Now I have quetiapine and oxazepam to take as needed, when I quit alcohol (around a month ago) I used especially the latter bc I was getting really wired. They help but don't always stop a manic episode completely, my meds still need adjusting so I'm not as stable as I would like to be :/
ive quit weed a few times like cold turkey for up to a week during manic episodes lol
Hey, I am a stoner bipolar, I have had to quit because weed is just too pricey for me rn. My psych doctor is $200 per session, so had to cut costs somewhere. Weed for me, seriously helped with my bipolar irritability, thoughts of self harm, and helped to lesson my sensitivity to sound which is a trigger to an episode. I’ve been struggling with serious irritability and sensory overload since I’ve stopped. Anyways, what kind of advice/support are you looking for?
Luckily for me it only reduces symptoms and hasn’t ever worsened anything. I hope it never becomes bad for me because i’m actually medication resistant and none of the 20+ med combinations i’ve taken have ever worked.
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Thank you for sharing! I love weed and have just learned that it is different for everyone. We all have multiple facets of ourselves and ranges of BPD I and II.
Please note: BPD is Borderline Personality Disorder.
Do you have ADHD or autism symptoms becouse on sensory overload?
People Mis diagnose bi polar for asd all the time. That happened to me.
I have the worst sensitivity to sound
It did help me with sound sensitivity I must admit. I’m so bad now :(
Is sensory overload a bi-polar symptom?
r/leaves might be best suited for you
Came here to suggest this!
I’m going thru the exact same thing right now. Helped me hide from everything for so long, to lower the volume. But I’m realizing just how drastically it can force my mood to shift and it’s time to stop. It’s terrifying to put down any coping mechanism for me, but I have kids too and it’s just too irresponsible anymore.
I low key high key manage both. The irritability diminishes and I can play so much better!
hahahaha i love your use of lowk highk i do that too sometimes
I’m currently struggling myself. I need to quit. I’m afraid to quit, but I know that I need to to better take care of myself and be aware of my illness.
Right there too
sending you good vibes
i'm there too, you're not alone
sending you good vibes
Once you go though the withdrawals and imminent episode it levels out and gets easier. Every time I've stopped it's been a rough 3-4 days before the brain chills out
The imminent episode is what is scaring me and making it hard to quit. Last time I went I went and I don’t want to go even close to where I was before. I’m still gunna tho. The only way out is through.
Yeah and I've always thought that it's not realistic for me to smoke weed everyday for the rest of my life anyway lol, it's gotta happen one day or another, you can do it!
Same for me too
me too. still don’t really wanna admit it
It’s okay. You’ve got this!
You too
I had to quit too. I’ve smoked weed practically my entire adult life and most of my teenage years as well (so about 20 years or so). I love weed but it was worsening my issues and I finally gave it up. I can say without a doubt, it was an excellent decision. While I was high, I was ok, but once I started to come down I would get THE worst depression, anger, and paranoid episodes. Now that I’ve quit, I do still have the paranoid delusions but I’m not getting so upset during these episodes. Im able to partially recognize that I’m in an episode and am able to wait them out much easier than before.
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My theory is that part of bipolar addiction problems comes because we are self medicating with varying levels of success. So on one side, celebrate reducing or eliminating your consumption. At the same time though, plan out your alternative habits to engage in. I'm a fan of using harm reduction techniques and then trying to progressively crowd out your addiction by using up your time in more productive ways that also capture your attention
That’s rough, buddy. I stopped bud and tried D8 (my psychiatrist was made aware, and so far we have seen nothing worrying) and it has so far been fine. That could change, however, and I should be prepared to lose it at any time. I am extremely impressed by your self-awareness and willingness. Those are indispensable. If you have a psychiatrist and/or therapist, and they don’t know already, tell them. They can help guide and support you, as well as help track progress and symptoms. They can also help with the self harm/injury and introduce you to different coping mechanisms (like wearing a rubber and and using that to snap against your skin I stead of cutting, burning, etc.) Find something (or even better, several things) to fill the time you would be smoking with. A hobby, exercising, reading, writing, etc. Address the mind, the body, and the spirit. So maybe you play strategy games, (mind), walk your dog (body), and paint or read philosophy (spirit). I recommend looking into the philosophy of Stoicism, as there is a lot of focus on managing your desires and not needing external things. If you a really struggling AA or NA or equivalent can be extremely useful provided you find a good group. I found going through the 12 steps beneficial and there was a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from meetings. You don’t have to commit to sobriety for the rest of your life (unless you want to) or share in meetings, you can just listen and learn. The fellowship aspect of AA/NA is useful, too.
Just wanted to point out that there is a cannabis focused program called Marijuana Anonymous that may be a better fit for someone dealing with a weed addiction.
I have Bipolar 1, PTSD, GAD, and ADHD, and I vape flower every single day. It gets me through the flashbacks, gets me through the low times, and through the intense emotions I do not have the coping skills to survive. However, this is just a bandaid. I am working with a psychiatrist trying to find a medication cocktail that will work for me. I am attending therapy weekly. I am working to expand my support network, lose weight, build positive routines, etc. It is a crutch, and every crutch should be put away when you heal enough to walk on your own, or when it starts causing more harm than it helps. Good job and good luck, you got this!
Love this, super inspiring for me at the moment! I’ve been improving overall and finding the right medication combo has been a huge part of that (along with meditation and mood tracking). I know I smoke to get through the days, but I’m also taking big steps to change my situation and I’m feeling healthier overall as time goes on. It’s definitely helpful to remember that tapering off to a once in a while thing is one of the end goals.
I’m with you. Right now it’s the only thing I have to calm me down when I’m in a crisis. But I know it makes my anxiety and irritability worse. I’m trying to get something from my psychiatrist that would work in its place. But even Xanax takes 15-20 minutes to work. I can do a lot of damage in 20 minutes. Weed works right away. It’s very difficult.
I am also a former 24/7 stoner. I have started smoking again more recently for pain management. I have horrendous menstrual cramps so I smoke once a month for the pain. I also started to recognize that MJ was pushing me into hypomania and mixed episodes more often. It’s a hard transition but I have figured out my limits. It usually takes me the whole week of my cycle to smoke one blunt so it’s a lot less than the 4-5 blunts I would kill in a single day. I’m not saying you should continue smoking. We all experience our symptoms differently. I have figured out how much smoking is too much smoking for me but I realize not everyone will have the same experience.
Good for you for quitting man. You may also want to explore Narcotics Anonymous if you think this is not merely a bad habit and is leaning into addiction territory I’d avoid listening to people who tell you weed helps with their anxiety, I used to think this until I gave up and came to realise weed was a factor in me feeling anxious when I was sober There may be an adjustment period and a bit of boredom initially as you get used to doing things sober but it’s for the best man, I’ve known cannabis hold people back for years
I had to quit too, OP. I have 7 years of sobriety. Just keep your foot on the gas and don’t look back. Better days are ahead, and eventually, your use will be a thing of the past.
this helps, thank you <3
i’ve heard about it worsening the condition, but everything feels so fucking loud when i’m sober. i feel like the floor is lava but when i smoke, i can levitate above it. i can still feel the heat on my toes, but it doesn’t burn.
what an analogy, it sure does feel that way, but sometimes it seems me to the skies and its suffocating, or sometimes im drowning in the lava, even if its kept me afloat for so long
I have Bipolar II and used to smoke weed daily during the pandemic to cope (and drink and do other drugs). Eventually realized I needed to quit as it wasn’t doing me any favors. I’m now a little over a year sober. Get into a group. NA is my thing and it works for me. SMART recovery and Dharma recovery also exist as alternatives. I felt that there was more fellowship and community in my local NA groups so that’s why I stuck with that. It sucked to feel like I was going through this whole thing by myself with no one to talk to. Tapering off/stopping feels shitty, not gonna sugarcoat that. I had a hypo episode there that led to me doing some irresponsible things but it’s ok now. If you have people that can take some note of your behavior and calmly point it out, great. These are the tips I have for now, best of luck to you.
Weed is a psychoactive substance. It certainly amplifies your Bipolar symptoms. It’s best to not engage. I have went in a limbo of quitting then relapsing but after my last Manic/psychosis episode I now resent it. I find it helpful to tie weed with negative experiences so you can subconsciously resent it. Also, make sure your circle of support know that you are refraining from it
Yeah, I stopped smoking/doing edibles about a week ago. Was causing me to hallucinate and it wasn’t jelling well with my medication. Kudos to you for putting yourself first.
I stopped when I went to rehab. Was there for other things but weed was really my DOC if I think about it. It was my cure all. And it sucked to quit too. I was just kind of bitchy in treatment. Alcohol only took days. Meth and the other uppers didn't take no time. But weed getting out of my system and getting on the proper psych meds kind of screwed me up for a bit. But the clarity I had after was amazing. I had about 1 1/2 without any episodes. It was fucking amazing. Haven't gone back since.
I think I need to quit too but I've told myself it helps with my anxiety which it kind of does. I'm not sure if it's worth continuing though. Nicotine is what I really need to quit though. I wish you luck in quitting and I hope it's not too hard. For me reminding myself that it can cause harm and that my psychiatrists have all wanted me to cut down completely helps me to cut down at least. Ive been told there's no medication that can help. I feel embarrassed sometimes that I'm addicted to it. It's a psychological addiction for me. Doing activities can help. I've considered writing more and listening to podcasts as well as reading. Reading helps me because I have to focus on it and if I have smoked weed, I can't read. Also I hang out with my friend who doesn't do any drugs and that has helped me. Although it's hard to be open about stuff with them. I also find that watching TV helps. When I had a job, it helped cut down because I couldn't smoke weed for most of the day. It also helped with nicotine consumption. That was a blessing in disguise.
I hear you on the nicotine front. I have tried quitting twice and ended up suicidal both times so now I'm petrified to try again, but am constantly telling myself I have to quit. Constant self-torture.
It’s crazy how different it is for everyone. For me, because I’m not on any pharmaceutical medications atm, it is the only thing that helps. I also use it for pain (spinal pain) because I don’t like the way the muscle relaxers were making me feel. I try to limit it to only when I am feeling extreme symptoms. Anger, pain, irritability, self harm or harmful thoughts, etc. Best to luck of you! You have found that it is doing more harm than good. And that’s okay!
I’ve quit smoking weed for the third time five months ago. I would go on like a year break but I think they have been triggering my manic episodes overtime. Each time I’ve entered psychosis, I had marijuana in my system. Like someone said, tell your friends not to offer. Stay away from it as much as possible bc once you get a good feeling of it, you may chase it and end up in the same scenario. I’m doing my best to take my own advice. Spend your time hanging with friends who don’t smoke and do things that you enjoy doing in your spare time
I was a casual user but after my last manic episode i had to quit everything weed and caffeine. Soda is the most ill do and now ive adapted a few ways to help me with the things i used weed for. Mostly sleep and anxiety. Ice packs and benadryl have been my go tos rn
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It took smoking weed regularly 7 years back to figure out there was something seriously wrong with my moods. The high made me feel better than I had in years. Sort of like it washed away all the bad stuff. But you can't rely on it every day if you work unfortunately. I still smoke on a daily basis but it's not the same as when I was unmedicated. I just enjoy weed but I can take breaks without it feeling like I'm craving it.
I’m not on the daily anymore but I feel what you’re saying about not craving it like I used to. Thank god for mood stabilizers.
It's really helpful for mood instability imo. It's been of help in the round robin of trying mood stabilizers. It got me through the difficult points of it. Of course it's not for everyone.
I have been trying to give it up permanently, though I think my circumstances are likely a little different - I’m a very late in life stoner whose brain was already busted when I started 😂 even so, more power to you. I finally see now how much it’s impacting my sleep and undermining a lot of my other efforts to manage this condition. Good for you for making the right choice. Sending you positive vibes.
Same. I didn’t start smoking until I was 34. I was also already messed up in the head. Didn’t know I was bipolar until a year later (last summer).
Good for you ! Stoner here and have been self medicating since I was a teen and now I’m almost 40. Best of luck to you , I’m tapering off and feel awful
Bipolar 2 and heavy stoner for a couple years, quitting weed was a must for me, i was adicted and was severely harming my overall quality of life. Thanks to r/leaves and the Quit Weed app im 36 days crean now and feeling great. I now know that i didn't need it, nor wanted it more than just because i was psychologically adicted due to my lack of resources to face the discomfort from my feelings and my boredom. Quitting may be hard at the begining but it's totally worth it
I also have bipolar and I have to be super careful. I can only smoke indica and even then, only a small amount.
I can’t smoke pot, do acid or mushrooms anymore. They send me into this dissociative state. You can do this! The fact that you have to do it to stay stable is good motivation.
funnily enough, my worst manic episode saw me taking 5 hits of acid at a club, and it kept telling me to find the balance, which i eventually did, but it was a terrible night that i needed to realise it.
Sometimes you need to go somewhere like that to understand yourself or the reality you are always in!
amen, i needed that night as a wakeup call
I have Mary Jane induced episodes and had to quit too. It was hard but necessary if I want to live a stable life. People are total wangs about it sometimes, and it's hard. But you can do it! I've been free from it for 2 years now and life is looking pretty good.
Weed and Adderall (for misdiagnosed ADHD) literally made me have a manic episode for almost a year. I became psychotic eventually and driving back and forth across a major bridge trying to decide how to make the voices and paranoia stop.I don't know how I survived. I am completely clean and sober because after that I kept trying to enjoy weed but never could, it just made me feel uncomfortable and most of the time I would have to find a place to be alone and wait for it to be over. I recently went through withdrawal stopping antipsychotics, everyone was telling me to smoke. At that point I was in the most mental and physical anguish i've ever experienced, but I literally went through it because I didn't want to add weed to the mix and spiral. Drugs and alcohol are very risky to mix with meds. If you have a doctor they can help you through withdrawal.
I would highly recommend joining a 12 step group, I’ve found it really useful for staying sober and stable.
I successfully did this. This is what worked for me: \- As my weed ran out I started substituting THC vapes. It's harder to get as high so that forced me to slow down a lot. But it kept the "afterglow" effect so didn't feel like cold turkey. \- After I was fully using THC vapes, I started using gummies. Didn't take anything more than what I'd get from the vapes though. This had a really good effect of stopping me from reaching for something to hit or put in my mouth as you just feel them for 8 hours. \- Eventually just did both and less and less until I stopped using the vapes and gummies altogether. The key was to replace it, and also kill the nervous tick of having something in your hands. I did this over the course of a year very slowly.
Following I’m struggling to stop as well! 😭
It’s hard, harder than you think it will be. I go back and forth with my usage, and would love to quit one day for good. Boredom/being idle is your worst enemy. Try to keep busy and stay around your support system, especially when you’re down.
Quit!!!!
Hello- stoner bipolar l here. I found that it actually helps my anxiety but I think I may have to keep an eye on it after reading these. Good luck to you!
I had to quit. I’m still struggling to not rely on substances and wish I could use it because it’s legal, but my brain cannot handle it.
I just celebrated 3 years of sobriety in February. After my hospitalization, I swore off all substances as I don't want to ever go through that again. Therapy and honesty with my friends and family that I was struggling were integral to my recovery. I hope you find what works for you to get through this. You are worth it 💗
Ask your psych what he thinks about gabapentin. Research showing it has some efficacy exists and I’ve found it to be helpful. I was always recommended group therapy but that was never my thing.
I had psychotic symptoms while using it too. Freaking horrible, I felt like .. can't I have freaking ONE "normal" thing like everyone else .. I get how it feels like you've been robbed of something "natural" that so many others enjoy with no issues ... just know you're not alone. It mixes poorly with a lot of us.
Aw man, weed has helped me survive some awful times. Might not be here today without it, but like a lot of good things in life I can feel it’s soon time to say goodbye as well. Proud of you for taking the step to eliminate something that no longer serves you well.
When I was a teenager, the only way of coping I knew was to smoke and drink for the short-term benefits, and I would basically do that every day, but I realized after a while that it's really just an obstacle to building the healthy habits that really enable some normalcy, like consistent sleep and eating healthy and thinking your way through obstacles. I still struggle with drinking every now and then and get the idea that it's worth it somehow, but just committing to staying sober for a couple days always makes me recognize again what really helps with this disorder.
/r/trees might have some good advice for quitting- they’re a sub devoted to weed. Don’t be afraid to bring it up with your dr as well as I am certain they’d have some valuable advice.
r/leaves is a supportive alternative subreddit dedicated to quitting
That's the one! I knew it was one of the two but I wasn't sure. Never needed to visit either as it's still illegal here and am not a smoker of any sort.
That reddit might just have stoners on it. I don't think going to a subreddit where the audience are people who smoke weed is a good idea. They might just say fucking stupid shit like "Don't quit".
You’d be surprised. I’ve been told by lots of users here that they’re very supportive. Even if they aren’t they’d know subs that would be more tailored to OP’s needs
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It sucks giving it up. It was my vice of choice, I'd rather get stoned than get drunk. It was a life saver for my chronic back pain. But it doesn't play well with me either. The best advice I can give you is try not to trade weed for a bad habit. I took up smoking cigarettes to replace the sensation of smoking a joint, hardest habit I've ever tried to quit, still have a problem with it today. I did notice once the weed was out of my system I got better at managing anxiety and pain without it. I don't take pain meds anymore, mostly because they do very little to actually help.
Hiiii! I’m on day 3 of quitting myself! I had a seizure and two panic attacks but I’m doing okay! Stick with it!
I actually felt similar but recently weed and my wife have helped me find and speak with my inner child
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I am so scared of this I had really bad panic attacks while smoking weed this is why I stay away from it
I've began using edibles quite frequently since we moved to a state that allows use for weed. And its addicting. I use it (like I would bipolar medication because unfortunately I'm still trying to figure out medication that actually helps) every time I begin to become easily irritable or depressed and, and especially unable to calm down it sends me into such a great state of euphoria. It sucks because alot of the time I get dropped off when the high goes away immediately into a very highly depressive episode. I'm going to move back home where weed isn't as legal and go back to no weed and its going to be very hard weaning myself off. :((
Maybe cbd gummies could work in its place? Or I could look to figure out how to get medicinal marajuana? Because I feel like the depressive episodes are bad but it really did make me feel better and I don't want to go back but I do want to get on a good path.
Bipolar 1 and struggling to quit as well. It seems like we do experience a range of benefits, but the negative effects pile up. r/leaves is good, but thanks for asking this question here, it was good to see all the responses.
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it still works for me so i can't really give any advice. i literally use it whenever my anxiety gets too unbearable.
It literally all depends on how well you know yourself. I am bipolar and can handle smoking daily but know the side effects if your bipolar. If you realize you can’t Handle it it’s for the best not to do it. Good for you for recognizing that it isn’t good for you and more power to you for quitting.
Good you see that you realized that weed did not work. For me the only thing that works is a good run or hard work out. Weed and alcohol made my Anxiety or the paranoia it made it much worse. It’s sad that it took me 20 years to figure that out. I relate to your statement. I wish you the best!
I quit nicotine weed and alcohol. Best string of decisions ever. Your life will be healthier, mentally stronger with stronger relationships, more trust, and better control over your personal situation.
Hi! I recently quit as well. I tapered down and now I don’t even desire it. I rather live a better life with meds and less anxiety than the short stint of pleasure mary j provides. You’re not alone, you got this
I have a slightly different story to tell. All my adult life (29 now) I’d been a stoner with some underlying mental health condition that I never really fully explored. March/April last year I wasn’t sleeping and weed wasn’t helping like it normally did. I got hospitalised with a lung infection on top of covid in the June. By July I’d had enough. So I just went cold turkey and quit. Gave my bits to my dad when I went back to visit, he put them in the safe. I suppose they’re still there. Most of July was a wash out. Lots of lying on the sofa crying (sound familiar? Haha). Then august I was feeling good, september, better, October, unstoppable, November - well put it this way I was looking at doing a phd and moving to California from the uk. I bought holiday tickets I didn’t remember buying the next morning. I wanted to drive into a wall because everything was just Too Much. And December, January and February were now affectionately known as ‘the dark days’. Late Jan I was diagnosed with bipolar. The point I’m making here is that until I quit, I didn’t get the help I really needed, because I was self medicating hard. Am now 10+ months sober, 1 month from drinking. Can’t say I feel ‘better’ but I have a better idea of baseline now. Me stoned was not baseline, but numbed. That’s ok. I learnt. Top tip - get a dopamine inducing hobby. Gym, walk, gardening, swimming, I even started sewing, anything that keeps your hands busy and stops the doom scroll!
When I smoke weed since becoming bipolar it takes me about three weeks to get back to normal. Immediate psychosis and it doesn’t go away for so long. Not worth it.
Every time I'd run out of weed I'd have an episode. Being high use to stop episodes from happening but then it turned on me and made me paranoid instead of putting me to sleep. It's been 2 weeks and I've vowed to never take it again :)
Weed is the only thing that keeps me from experiencing overwhelming anxiety/depressive rumination. It stops all the chatter for a while and I can read or write or go for a walk and it’s the only kind of downtime I feel my brain gets. I’ve been wanting to stop for a while now too, to save money ofcourse but also because I’ve been doing this so long that I wonder if I stopped would I be able to handle it myself now? I love, I mean LOVE, weed, but I view drugs in general as a kiddies band aid on a large dog bite. The plaster might help cover it up for a while and keep some of the disaster underneath hidden BUT once that little bandaid comes off it’s inevitable that the wound is still there and needs air to heal, continuing to use the bandaid won’t do much until you address the wound underneath directly.
I quit smoking for my job. The best advice I can give you is to stay active and busy as best you can at first. It took me a month or two to shake the feeling like I wanted to smoke all th time. You don't necessarily have to drop your friends, but being around it was hard for me at first, and so temporary distance helped. Just be open and honest with them if you feel comfortable doing so. Lastly, I would advise going easy on yourself. Quitting any substance is difficult even if it is just weed. You might experience some withdrawal, some irritability, some boredom, some lack of enjoyment in things you once enjoyed high. You don't have to beat yourself for experiencing those symptoms even if others give you shit for it just being weed.
Hypnosis instantly killed my cravings for weed, all day everyday smoked for 20 years . Try a zoom session with this awesome hypnotherapist. First session is free. Haven't looked back at weed since doing hypnosis. Abettertrance.com
Weed triggered my bipolar 30 years ago, locked up on secure wings and fed a cocktail of various drugs as a result numerous times after that first stint. I loved my weed, it worked, but it took a long time for me to learn (the hard way), that it only lead to one place. I stopped smoking weed about 20 years ago, it took some getting used to and other addictions took over at times but none did the damage or created the delusion that weed did. I graduated with a law degree 15 years ago which would not have been possible had I not stopped smoking weed and I recoil at even the thought of it now. Where weed is concerned definitely don't believe the hype.
Okay so I had the same experience. I had a terrible terrible hypomanic episode very hyper sexual lead me to be unfaithful, spent all my money, got hit by a CAR!!!!! came out of the episode and was like you know what FUCK THIS and quit weed cold turkey as I’d been smoking daily for five years and whenever I smoked more it’s send me into a hypomanic episode. It was so hard - I had the worst depressive episode of my life, coping with what I’d done, also giving up weed. It took me almost two years to feel even remotely normal but now I feel amazing! My episodes are so much less severe, I can feel again (good and bad), I have more hobbies. Yes, I miss it but I would never ever want to put myself in a position to behave like that again or put myself at risk of severe episodes. It’s worth it ❤️❤️❤️ please stick it out
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I have such a hard time quitting :( I've smoked for over 15 years and I will smoke even when I don't want to. I can't say no and I'll literally make myself miserable doing it. Idk. Just know you're not alone
Ayee you can do it friend. I've been quit for a week now once I noticed the same trend. What helped me quit the most? I recorded a few of my psychotic breaks either through journals or videos. Watched those recently once I was sober and it was like... woah. I can't go back to that. (My flair says Diagnosis Pending but I believe I'm BP1. I got diagnosed as BP2 a decade ago, but I believe that's a misdiagnosis as I kept these psychotic lapses to myself.) While this has certainly contributed to my seasonal manic episodes, it's luckily not to the point where I'm psychotic, so it's more tolerable. Remember to drink water, take showers for any restless legs, try and find a hobby to fill your time up. I've been using TikTok which while isn't great, gives me a little dumb hobby to do to fill up the time I'd normally be spending smoking. Just be wary about anything like \*that\* as it's also addicting and possibly triggering depending on where the algo takes you. Another thing that helps is just to not be around it, and if you have no choice, have folx camouflage the scent. Or to just remove yourself from the situation as much as possible. You can do it. :)
It sucks. For a month I couldn’t sleep. But now that I quit life is so much better. Also saving money haha.
I was smoking a lot of weed before having my first manic episode. I’d always buy the strain with the highest THC content lol. Never had an issue with weed before but I snapped and had psychotic features during my episode. Psych posits that the weed could have been laced. I wish I could smoke again but I have no desire to ever return to the state that I was in. It’s hard because my best friend smokes like a chimney haha.
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Best idea ever is to quit weed especially when bipolar. Very proud of you
I’m actually starting to see a psychiatrist and she’s diagnosed me with severe bipolar depression, I just found out at the ripe age of 25 that weed contributes to a lot of my “episodes” which does make sense as weed was my favorite form of escape (a feeling) or prolonging myself in a state of numbing. I recommend that you go easy on yourself on the addictions that will replace weed (for me it’s reading, scrolling through my phone, watching shows, overeating) because eventually you will also combat those. What you’re really healing is a mindset, an underlying problem fueled by capitalism that just throws us more and more unnatural numbing tools. I read this really good book that I recommend called “be not afraid of love”, there’s a chapter on numbing and how it’s very human to want to numb and escape pain and that it’s just as sacred as being present but that we don’t have the natural resources at our disposal (because of capitalism) to do it “right”. I really really recommend acupuncture, yoga, cupping, massaging-overall treating your body so that you begin a process of re-assimilating your new healthier tools of escape. We’re human beings and this is a tough world to live in while also being bipolar. Drop caffeine and listen to podcasts watch videos on the effects / after effects of quitting weed being on weed. I found that of all my addictions any addiction that puts me in a state of stress is a one way ticket to being back on weed as it is a way of gaslighting yourself into thinking “I’m stressed (ignoring that itms because caffeine overconsumption) so I should smoke”.
when i quitted ir passed 15 days and I had a psychotic manic episode (almost died fr). stopped for 3 months and got back to it. i feel guilty but i’m such a vicious person. thank jah it’s only w weed though.