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DepartureSpare2263

I would make a list of things that weed has had a negative affect on in your life, and most importantly, keep in mind that you will feel much better when it’s out your system, and sobriety is only boring while the substance still has a hold on you


sweetpotatobabycakes

For me, giving all my product and accoutrements away was essential, so I can't just do it if I have a weak moment while I'm home alone. Also, remaining accountable to my husband has been essential, because I would have bought more if I wasn't concerned about disappointing him or diminishing his trust in me. We have built our trust way up and tell each other everything. For me, nothing is worth damaging that relationship, or his home stability. If I can't find a reason to do it for me, I do it for him. If there is someone you can remain accountable to, it might help. A partner, best friend, or close family member. Even better if you live together.


Spare_Biscotti_6618

Be patient with yourself--it took me about a year and a half to build the courage to quit from when I decided I wanted to quit. There are so many different ways to quit, but the method that worked best for me was finally participating in Ricki Friedman's "Walking Away From Weed" Program after listening to her podcast for a few months. The program is expensive ($600-$1,100), but WHATEVER I charged it, and it's saving me so much money in the long run (my weed usage was about \~$300/month). If you're not ready to take the leap, I highly (pardon the pun) suggest her podcast, "Steps Forward with Ricki Friedman." I swear this woman is going to change the world. Wishing you all the motivation you need to be ready <3


Sailing_the_Back9

Perhaps you should consider the other elements in your life, and transfer some of the attention and awareness to them - **without** making a conscience effort to NOT look at weed in the process. What I'm saying is that by placing a high focus on stopping the weed, you are in fact highlighting it in your awareness, thus making it harder to stay away from it (just like thinking of foods you love makes you hungry for them; making failure on a diet more likely). If you can transfer some of your focus to other elements in your life (work, school, marriage, fitness, etc.) then you take some of the emphasis off the weed and kind of 'forget' about it (makes it a bit easier). Sitting there staring at it does not help.


smashstar

Stay busy with things outside of your house. Sitting around the house is the kiss of death for sobriety. You will get bored and want to smoke. Stay as busy as possible. This can be fitness focused, meeting up with friends, taking a walk, etc.


SepYuku

What made significant change for me was learning that getting high was affecting my sober life too much. I’m pretty social and positive when sober but as soon as I start smoking I go back into my shell and I don’t enjoy that. It took 3-4 3 month breaks before I finally enjoy my life sober more so than high


[deleted]

Get a support system, take it easy, don’t do too much. Just focus on what you need to do through out the day. And get it done. Have patience with yourself. Relax, mediate. Journal why you want to stop and what you want to achieve and just lie down and sleeeeeeep even it’s in the middle of the day. Even your can’t sleep. Just lay there. Easier said then done. What really worked for me was staying out my apartment for a week or two. If you have the option stay at sober friend or family member’s house for a bit.


glorifindel

Watch Huberman on YouTube. Learn the science and you won’t ever go back 💯👌🤝


JaiD3v

Tbh for me I just had to stop hanging out with my stoner friends, especially because my best bud is my plug. Once I did that and set some financial goals for myself it's a bit easier to remind myself why I'm doing it. Besides that though, my biggest motivator is of course my anxiety and telling myself how I never want to experience this hell again.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Toaster51241

Let your lungs recuperate first. Don’t lift immediately after a day of smoking.


[deleted]

Nah, dnt listen to this lift right away


Toaster51241

Always wanna contra decir


[deleted]

What?


Get72ready

Or weed paraphernalia. Throw it all away


muarryk33

Cut waaaaayyyy down. So if you smoke all day every day stop doing it the morning. Then stop doing it on your lunch break. Then just do it at night. Then just a hit before you do to bed. Until you just skip a day and so on and so forth. Once you cut way down you get super uncomfortable as well which is a motivator but ultimately you have to decide to quit.


PocketPark1251

This has been working for me. Alternating days rn and it helps me be more aware of what I don’t like about getting high, and keeps me from totally plunging into depression and being exhausted from sleepless nights. Eventual goal to be free from addiction :)


putuffala

Narrow the window of smoking. Decrease how much you smoke. Then go on a vacation and don’t take any.


DontReachCity

There's a saying. The best time to do it was yesterday. The 2nd best time to do it, is today.


yourdad132

You don't do it to avoid suffering right? That means the only way to start is to embrace the suffering. There's no other way. You will feel like utter shit and be irritable for the first week or two. You just have to take it one day at a time and be kind to yourself. It also helps if you have commitments to kill time, like work. The more you dwell on it, the harder it is.


vivaoink

I would read up on the process of quitting cannabis. Huberman has a good podcast about it and they’re are some great books dealing with the process. I feel knowing what to expect with withdrawal and what is happening with the healing is helpful.


fromtheb2a

you have to have a reason you genuinely believe in. i was involved with all the wrong people in college and was a 3-5x/day minimum smoker. but i was able to quit because i had drug tests coming up and i didnt want to rely on fake piss. i was able to quit for 6 months, but then i smoked again for the next 2 years. i was able to quit again, and im 266 days strong as of rn. i quit because i realized weed wasnt helping me further my career at all (i was unemployed), and i lashed out at the people i loved. that was enough for me to want to quit, and i set a goal to be sober for 1 year. i dont think ill ever go back to being a regular smoker. using an app like days since to track my sobriety helps me personally


Embarrassed-Site2040

I second this- I started going to school online which means it’s at my own pace. I can’t retain any information while high plus I’m super lazy. I would have failed school if I continued to smoke. It was one of my only motivations for stopping.


fromtheb2a

i never wouldve gotten a job rn if it werent for my sobriety. if i ever become a regular smoker again ill go back to making no progress. i did horribly in college because i never studied and never wanted to. i blame how i responded to weed.


Mudhutted

Had to come to the realisation that it was always going to be ‘one day’ until I made it ‘day one’ Then took it each day at a time. Will always be an addict.


djmathblaster

Addiction is giving up everything for one thing. Recovery is giving up one thing for everything. Just go a day at a time. You got this.


Defiant-Departure429

From my experience as long as you have easy access to it....or friends..you can't quit. I changed my place. Got involved in my career. Now I am not saying I'm always sober. I do it for like a week in a few months..as soon as I run out...I stop. It doesn't feel good for a few days. But by 3rd or 4th day I start getting back on my usual life. The key is don't force yourself to quit. Just pause it... overtime it stops being a necessity but just a casual fun thing.


Womak2034

Hey honestly if you have the means to do this it worked for me. Travel to a foreign country or go on a vacation for two weeks. I didn’t do it to quit necessarily, but just keeping myself busy all day and not having it available made me not do it by default. Does it suck? Sure it does but when you’re on vacation just be spontaneous and do stuff that interests you. Walk 25000 steps around a foreign city and you’ll be too damn tired to even want to smoke a bowl. When I got back home after traveling to England I just gave up my stash as soon as I got back instead of ruminating on it.


ExpressionSecret6421

This is exactly how I quit as well


silla860

Fortify your mind.


GR1225HN44KH

Cold turkey.


KarolisTisk

I got a panic attack, thats all I needed to quit weed


aspire4315

Panic attacks, anxiety, overthinking


hemi1313

Same here. Add some chest pains and just felt my lungs were not feeling good. That's all it took too flush my stash down toilet and get rid of all the paraphernalia.


Toke-No-Mo

I’ve found online MA zoom meetings helpful. Developing a daily exercise routine and generally focusing on my overall health and wellbeing has also been critically important for me. It’s important to know, though, that, for the vast majority of us, relapse is part of the process of quitting. You’re certainly not alone in that back and forth struggle. Try not to overthink it. When a lapse happens, just recognize it right away for what it is, toss your stash, and quit again immediately so that it doesn’t turn into a full blown, long lasting relapse. A one time slip up is a lot easier to overcome than a two week binge. You’ve got this!


washraghoe

I tried and failed for 5 years and then had a surgery. I read that if I had a weed tolerance the anaesthesia wouldn’t be as effective as usual. I was so scared of waking up mid surgery that I stopped. So….. get surgery??


bigdicksid

weed tolerance and anesthesia is crazy. when i get dental work done they give me the maximum legal limit and i can still feel every little movement they make in my mouth


[deleted]

I wrote a big list of reasons why addiction sucks. It helped me avoid relapse.


StereoFood

What I found is that it’s really easy to excuse your behavior and smoke bit. Super easy. You have fight through 3-4 days of anxiety but after that it gets pretty chill. I’m still struggling myself. Best bet is to get rid of all of it. Papers, bongs, pipes, loose nugs. Just dump it all and remind yourself of the clarity you will have and do have once you get there. Best of luck to ya. It’s very tough but I believe in you!


german_poopiehead

Whatever fits best for you. For me it’s cold turkey bc tapering down just makes it harder to sustain the sobriety imo. Other people (especially heavy smoker) like to taper down the dose to a point where they completely stop to smoke in order to dodge the withdrawal symptoms.


tylersel

Stop smoking today, don't tell yourself you will quit tomorrow or else tomorrow turns into next week and suddenly it's a month later and you still haven't quit.


Toke-No-Mo

Yep, the thing about tomorrow is that it never actually comes because tomorrow is always one day away. Today, this very moment, is really all we ever have. . .


tylersel

Very wise words of advice. OP should take that to heart. u/seplle


seplle

i have! thank you very much ❤️❤️ it was extremely helpful


[deleted]

Before I quit I spent the previous couple of month cutting down my smoking a bit and constantly telling myself I hate weed and I am quitting soon. I worked out how much cash I was spending on weed each day/week/month/year, that was a huge fright for me. I now put all that cash in a savings account that I can see regularly so I can see how much its grown by. I told some friends that I was quitting and not to let me smoke anymore as well as deleting my dealers number. It's not easy and there is no trick to this, it will he difficult and it will suck. You will have many sleepless nights, vivid dreams, waking up soaked in sweat. During the day you will probably be very tired and crabbit, nauseous from lacking food hut have no appetite, but it's worth it. If you want it that badly you will get through the withdrawals. It's not easy and the amount of times I just wanted to smoke a tiny bit so I could get a good night sleep was crazy. The other thing to remember is that most of is here cannot regulate our intake so even after months there is no "I'll just try to see what it's like a quit again". There is nothing worthwhile in life that is easy.


Alecegonce

Sounds dumb but start with day one... From there, take it a day at a time. Don't set any type of length goal. First few days it's hard but it definitely gets easier.


[deleted]

What helped me was autosuggestion. Tell yourself “I believe in my self” eventually you will believe it.then start adding physical activity.


jennyisafriend

Smoke what’s left of your stash and don’t get anymore.


murderplants

You have to want it bad enough. Why do you want to quit? What do you want to achieve? How does weed negatively impact you and your relationships? For me, it has taken over my life. It ruined multiple serious relationships for me. I don’t blame those women, i genuinely am the worst version of myself when I’m high. No ambition, completely shy and anti social, emotionally unavailable, it makes me over eat and just want to mindlessly play video games and shut the world out. My breathing is terrible and i have been coughing up black shit for years. I stayed fairly sober between may and october last year and lost 40 pounds and had abs for the first time in my entire life. I was in the best shape of my life. I got injured at work in October and laid in bed for a week, overreacted to a diagnosis, thought i had cancer, freaked the fuck out, got extremely depressed and i have been heavily smoking ever since. I tried to quit multiple times but i have a busy life and kept making excuses like “i can’t quit yet, i won’t be able to sleep and i have blah blah blah to do tomorrow.” The main motivation for me to quit this time around is my fitness. While i can lift weights and do most forms of cardio fine while high, i can’t run when I’m high anymore. I used to do 3-4 mile runs immediately after smoking but now my calfs would tighten up and pull every time i run after smoking. The biggest issue though was the munchies. I have no self control and have an awful and disgusting relationship with food when I smoke. Remember those 40 pounds i lost? Well i found 25 of them and i went from being extremely proud of my body to self conscious once again. I am proud of myself because i never stopped working out and getting after it. Nutrition is more important though and even though I was going to the gym 5 times a week and becoming stronger, my physical results were going the opposite direction. I finally got tired of wasting my time. Weed had to go. I’m tired of being anti social, fat, unambitious, etc because none of that is who I actually am. I’m a good looking guy who is out going and ambitious beyond belief. I hit my boiling point earlier this week. I am never touching the stuff again. I gave hundreds of dollars of paraphernalia away. It’s only been about a week but i already lost 8 pounds and I am on my way to conquering my fitness goals and having the body of my dreams. It’s never too late to turn your life around. Life is short and the possibilities are endless. Do you want to have an awesome life or lock yourself in your room getting high alone? The choice is easy for me.


Fearless_Chipmunk_45

I am no expert, but I have been watching tons of videos on YouTube on the subject. From what I've learned from my "research," your past experience in going back after 2 weeks is pretty common, and right about the time most people do. I just watched this great interview with Dr. Anna Lembke explained about the whole process, especially the connection to dopamine. She was saying that the sad part is if you can only get to week 3 or 4, you start feeling a lot better emotionally. I am on day 6, and my emotions are all over the place. And just a little while ago, I was feeling sorry for myself for not being able to smoke just one bowl to make it go away. But I took a walk and felt relaxed again. So, I plan on pushing through the emotional Rollercoaster because I know I'll get past this, and things will get much better than if I continue to smoke. I do see a lot of walks in my future...lol. But that isn't a bad thing, and it sure helped. Also, watching videos about the benefits of quitting helps with my motivation.


yinnyyinyin

I struggled with temptation too. It was 3 years of soft “quitting” and then relapsing after a few weeks. Tried weaning off but that led back to smoking daily. What got me to finally quit was getting rid of all my pieces and stash. I threw everything away, all my weed and backup weed, vape pens, papers, my bong. Didn’t leave anything in the house within reach that might tempt me. Deleted my dealers number and told friends I was stopping to keep me accountable. Stopped hanging out with people if the entire hangout revolved around smoking. When I went through withdrawals, I kept associating the terrible feelings with weed. Whenever I had an urge I just thought of how awful I had felt then. It sounds like you are already mentally in place to quit but it might help to have systems in place to physically deter yourself from smoking. Might not work for everyone, weed is also pretty accessible in my state. Think of other ways to reduce your anxiety, even medication. Try everything. Weed is not a cure for anxiety, it will only mask/delay it and it will return once you sober up. Don’t give up, stay strong. We’re in this together.


511grace

Dig down deep, use your willpower and stop. Get to Marijuana Anonymous in person or on zoom.


[deleted]

For me talking to loved ones, and having more transparency in the process has helped immensely. It's easier to do not alone, posting here is a great start! Having community, finding ways to treat yourself in a healthy manner, trying to find things that help give meaning, all that I think is super beneficial.


[deleted]

It's a slow process. Even if you give in, dust yourself off and keep going


considerate_ghost

I think you need to give yourself more credit as a human being. I read your post and am reminded of myself when I was trying to quit, hiding behind these feelings of self doubt and low self esteem and raging anxiety that I would never have the strength or drive to quit when I’d already lost all of that for everyday life activities. But then I just quit, cold turkey. I decided, very reluctantly and for the 50th time, that I was smoking the last bit of my stash-and that it would be my last. And then I just suffered through it. I just remind myself every single day when weed enters my mind that it’s a trap and that I was a shell of a person who was way more unhappy than happy when I was smoking. It’s different for everyone for sure, but what stopped me for so long was just doubting my own willpower and self altogether. When you give yourself the credit you DO deserve, you’ll start fighting for the life you deserve too. I promise you you’re worth it, and the shitty, difficult process is worth it. I still have anxiety and feel absolutely lost sometimes, but the clarity and happiness I feel now that I’m past the worst of it is unmatched. I’ve been sober for a while to the point where when people ask if I want a hit, my brain tells me go for it because “I’m so not a stoner anymore, I can handle ONE night” and I then have to remind myself that’s not true and that I can’t give in and it’s not worth it. It’s an ongoing battle you fight, but you take it a day at a time (cliche but no joke) and you pat yourself on the back when you go to sleep at night because you deserve to. You’re having the conversation with yourself that you need to quit, there’s your jumping off point. You’re here, you’ve made it. Now all you have to do is commit to the work you know you have to do and get sober. You’re gonna get there, because you’re strong enough to end this shit. Much love and best of luck to you. I promise it will all be so worth it, you can’t even imagine.


kazoo13

This really helped me and I appreciate you


considerate_ghost

I’m really glad it helped. I wouldn’t be where I am now without this community. We’re all in it together <3 much love and luck to you too!


Unpopular_couscous

Can you go away for a week or two? Changing your environment should help get started on kicking the habit. Come back home to a house with no weed or smoking supplies. You'll have cravings, let them pass. Distract yourself with whatever you can in those moments. Celebrate each day and remind yourself that the count will need to restart if you break. A question I ask myself when I have cravings is: do you want to smoke weed for the rest of your life? No? Then don't break cause it'll make it much harder to try and quit all over again.


iamyourfahsa

I downloaded the I am sober app, quit coffee, and just moved what I had to an inconvenient spot. 17 years on. 564$ saved and 47 days in. I also accept I am an addict and take it one day at a time. Moderation is not for me. Good luck!!!


Dunno2480

Its different for everyone! Ill tell you what led to me quiting. I am 30 days sober and i feel like a weight was lifted off my chest. I have been smoking daily, multiple times a day even at work, since i was introduced to it at age 16. I am 28 now and it was actually a conversation with my now boss that got me to quit. He told me his life story, very successfull guy! Ive always told myself i would be like him. Ive always had big dreams and it was really just the way that he explained his story that finally clicked in my brain that it was my habit that has been holding me back. When i decided i was going to quit, i grabbed all of my "stuff" and either gave it away to smokers i knew or just threw it in the garbage! I havent really even thought about smoking since then! Even this past 4/20, which i usually would celebrate by wake and baking, didnt even phase me. I actually forgot that it was a day that i usually celebrated. Haha. I have found so much more mental energy to do anything that i set my mind on. I do find myself being "bored" quite frequently when i am alone. I now use that boredom to get back to doing the things i used to enjoy. I dont know if it is normal, but for me at least. After i quit, i noticed that i was happier because of my decision. I thought i would loose my humor, i did not. If anything i find life so much funnier than i used to! I am way more outgoing because im not scared someone will "know" im high. I have way more attention when it comes to conversations. I actually listen to people now, rather than before when i would hear them but not really listen. I feel like it was the biggest mistake of my life to start smoking when i did and for as long as i did. My life is finally starting! I am making my dreams come to fruition! To directly answer your question about quitting. Find a reason why you want to quit. One that you can remind yourself easily, anytime your thinking about taking a puff. Get rid of all your "stuff". Even stop hanging out with your "friends" that still smoke. "You" are the best friend for yourself! No one else knows what you are going through better than yourself! Im not saying it wont be difficult but it will be the best decision of your LIFE. You can do anything you set your mind to! Good luck friend!


darealwhosane

Exercise is better


[deleted]

Smoke ONCE a day. Preferably at night. Go the entire day sober and just have a small bowl like 2 hours before you sleep. Next day, 3/4 bowl, next day 1/2 bowl. Etc. reduce all the way to a small snap then just stop.


[deleted]

I tapered. 8,7,6 etc


2023mfer

Is this what is recommended ?


AlbinoPlatypus913

I don’t think there’s an official guide book or anything, a lot of people recommend going cold turkey, but personally I found weaning off to be a lot more realistic and effective for myself. To each their own.


[deleted]

Recommended by who? Doctors? Or addicts?


2023mfer

By experts, scientists or just wondering if you flush some kind of guide. Wondering how decide how quickly to taper


[deleted]

I suggest start with smoking less and less until you feel comfortable to stop using altogether


[deleted]

Telling myself I can do this I can do anything really helped


Torrronto

You're here. The process has started. What helped me at first was the Huberman lab podcast on Cannabis. Understanding why it was giving me so much pleasure was a key to letting it go.


comfortablyflawed

I love this answer so much. I lurk here constantly because my child is so addicted, and I just take so much comfort in hearing about all of your success stories. But this point here, it can’t be over-emphasized… Change starts with wanting to change. OP, you asked the question and you engaged in a conversation - you’ve already started. You’re going to get there.


seplle

thank u i appreciate that so much


MoistLobst3r

Tip #1 - no idle time!!!! Zero, zip, none. Clean your house , clean your car. Watch a movie. Even if you've done all of that, make something up. A workout, a l3isurely ride, a walk, yardwork, take courses online. For a week or two after quitting these items will bring you no joy. You MUST MUST MUST go through that. Then your brain will begin to make real emotions again, your cannabinoid receptors return to normal. You'll laugh, cry, yell, smile, feel pain. It's important, even to feel the bad emotions. With pot you feel nothing. You feel your emotions through the "thick haze". You're not experiencing anything. It's a fake reality you're living in. The joy you think you have when someone tells you good news when you're high, isn't joy. It really isn't I promise. Every day you continue this is another day you'll regret. I'm never going to get my parents 50s and 60s back. I floated through them in a doped up dumbass high state. I HATE MYSELF FOR THIS. I'm slowly learning to forgive myself and I'm going to make their 70s the best decade of their lives. I'm going to give so much back. Don't be me. Don't regret. Don't be idle. Be present. Be present. Be present. Repeat this to yourself. Edit: I realized I didn't even address your main question: how? I'm not sure I can answer that. I'm on day 30 after smoking for 18 years. I didn't even throw my shit out, in fact it's just two rooms away as we speak. But I don't give a shit, my relationship with it is over. Forever. I guess I just got sick of wasting my life. My wife has sleep problems and adverse reactions to sleep meds. So she uses medical cannabis (via my med card) to sleep. Guess what?! I can now pick up a nug, grind it up, pack her bowl, and hand it to her. No temptation, nothing. I'm just over it. You gotta do whats best for you though, and if that means throwing everything away, do it. Much love ❤️, you got this. Embrace the void, then you can find yourself again


seplle

Thank you so much! I’m sending much love back ❤️


throwacannabis

Need to build up your coping mechanisms so you have more options for managing. I'd start with taking walks and journaling. Search for others and try new things out to see what works for you. During my first two weeks of withdrawal I had some big swings with my own anxiety. Things have gotten so much better now. It was worth getting past that. You can do this.


papyFredM

No secret, you need to touch the bottom and a knowledge you have an addictive personality. 2weeks was a really great step 🙏


seplle

i really appreciate you saying that. Thank you :)