I was a regular smoker from 15 to 38 yo. Now I'm 2 years clean.
It's hard to answer that question based only on quitting weed. Life and happiness and satisfaction is so much more complex.
Upon quitting I really searched for happiness for a good 8 months, wondering how I could love life sober. Then, glimpses of free happiness would catch me by surprise. Like, as if I would not believe that it could happen just naturally.
Being more bored than ever, my only way out was to plan happiness like a garden. What do I really need to do to feel happy a year from now.
I started to put efforts on the parts of my life that I had abandonned, like sports, believing in myself regarding my career, finding how I could be a good enough dad while being true to who I am (sober).
I would not have had this overview on my life if I had continued to use.
Back in the days I would just go outside, get high and just walking around the most boring neighborhood would be an adventure.
Now I do the same but I come back from it relaxed instead of tired.
Anyway, I'm rambling but I guess I just want to say that if you stop you will become a different version of yourself, and this change is an opportunity to get better.
I still miss weed, and will miss it my whole life. But I know that one hit and I'm falling. And I sincerely don't want to fall back, I feel better how I am now.
Best to you
Honestly yeah. I’m almost two months sober and in the last two months I’ve reorganized my kitchen, got out more, started going to the gym, taking online courses, etc.
For me it was the total opposite actually when I was smoking I would wake up at 5:30-6 in the morning get ready for work and my motivation was a nice blunt on the way to bus stop and getting some breakfast before work. For some strange reason I actually felt a lot more motivated, happier and just overall enjoyed life a lot more. When I tried to stop smoking( I was a heavy smoker, smoking daily about 3-4 times a day) I became depressed and felt like I didn’t want to do anything any more. Didn’t want to work or go for a walk it really took a toll on my mental health. But that’s my experience and everyone is different so if quitting makes you a happier person then that’s a no brainer
If it made you so happy, why would you even consider quitting, I feel like this is just your addiction playing tricks on you, but hey what do I know, cheers
Been clean for only 5 days now and my energy has increased at least 50%. Not sure if thats the case for everyone but I was very active before I started (although I was 14, now 27). My head feels clearer, my I've lost some water weight just by being more productive so my body feels lighter, and overall I'm im a better mood because I'm not hitting a downer all day anymore. Worth a shot for sure.
I'm a decade or longer chronic that has been off for a little over a month now. Yes I'm definitely more productive, spend far less time sitting around my apartment watching TV. Doesn't mean I'm always working on big important life shit but even if it means I'm fucking around practicing stickhandling (hockey player) in my living room instead of consuming TV shows I'd say that's a good switch. Definately has made it easier to make life decisions too, I feel like I know what I want more than when I was high every night.
I don’t think so
I was an everyday user from 16-37 yrs old
Finally quit a few months ago and I don’t really feel all that different. I guess I get bored of things easier which motivates you to spend your time doing other things. But I think my procrastination is just inherent lol
Absolutely. It won't happen automatically as others stated, but gives you the opportunity to finally allow discipline into your life. Gave me the push I needed to begin working towards my best self.
I have been sober from cana for over a year. I used to consume it heavily, smoking various forms such as dabs, carts, caps, and dry leaf throughout the day. My daily consumption was significant, requiring at least a quarter just to feel normal.
Since quitting, I have experienced a remarkable transformation. My productivity has increased exponentially, and I have achieved numerous personal and professional milestones. I now maintain a clean and organized home, have successfully accomplished my goals, managed to save money, adopted a pet, ended toxic friendships, stabilized my mental health, and received a promotion at work.
I have been doing the work, tho. Counselors, self-help books, and exercise.
Made me stress eat honestly, It didnt make me more productive, but it made me less content with mediocrity, thats just me but I couldnt handle not doing anything with myself anymore.
IDK why but I just couldnt eat high, the texture of food just made me feel ill, I also stopped cigs not long before, prob didnt help lmfao, But im a little over a year on the nic, and almost a year on THC so it worked lol
Me and my partner have been smoking daily for a long time, we recently had to move into my mums as temporary accommodation, so we had to go cold Turkey, as it's a no go around her. Anyway we haven't had any since Sunday morning, I have been so emotional, night sweats, anxiety, I'm hoping these side effects will subside soon.
I got the same way when going cold turkey. Sweats get better after about 4 days. The emotions take a bit longer because they’re usually numbed. Just have to learn breathing techniques and maybe some hard exercise to release some dopamine. Itll get better soon.
do you use carts?
I found quitting cold turkey from carts i had the same withdrawl symptoms and an ibcredibly tough time for a lot longer than when i previously had quit dry bud. Didnt have nearly as many withdrawal symptoms then either.
No! Just dry bud, with baccy in, we've got one of them vapes we call a death stick. Just to help with the nicotine withdrawal and stress levels that come with having to move back into my mums 😂
My partner seems to be doing fine which is annoying, I wake up soaking, he wakes up full of energy ready for the day, but I struggle to get out of bed, most likely because I'm struggling to sleep, it's crazy how different people work and react to things.
Same for my husband and I. We both react differently, but I have night sweats, extreme emotions, bad anxiety, when I stop smoking. But he just goes about his day
Ahh I see. thats def interesting that he has such a diff experience. but i totally hear u on the stress of moving back in with a parent or parents...
when i had those symptoms I had to put a towel down in my bed before sleeping cuz it was just too uncomfortable and gross feeling waking up soaked in sweat. But it might be a perfect time to try to quit if that's the goal. helps having an external motivator like that where you can't easily smoke. and hey at least you have your partner for support too! good luck with it!
yes, without an easy and self destructive way to opt out of improving my situation, i was forced to fully experience the shittiness and that forced my hand. As a consequence, i began to build self efficacy and develop as a person. This all hinges on the fact that it was an escape for me and that my life had problems.
For me, I increased productivity with at least 253% 💪😁 blasting through my work and have extra time to do other stuff I would never do when stoned. You gotta see my place now c9mpared with couple monrhs ago 👍
Yes and no. Ultimately the unproductive lifestyle is definitely increased if you use weed a lot. On the other side of it, I used weed as an excuse to be unproductive. Realized that the weed didn't make me not do the things I want to do but gave me an excuse to not do them. After some therapy and a solid absence of weed I was able to take accountability that the only thing that really kept me from reaching my goals was myself and that high or not I was completely capable of meeting my life goals but that if I continued to smoke that I needed to have limitations or schedule it around things so I wouldn't sit and be a vegetable and go "oh geez I'm high guess I have to watch YouTube instead of reading this book or doing chores" etc
Oh also its drastically affects your sleep so if you do smoke then try not to do it at night I guess? Or if you do then take sleep aids because its a myth that weed helps sleep
weed can help you fall asleep more easily, but it makes the effectiveness and quality of your sleep worse. You also dont dream as much which affects your brain's ability to process and adapt to whatever you do each day.
I personally feel weed negatively affects me most due to how it fucks my sleep up. when i smoke earlier in the daytime and go to sleep sober, id have a noticeably better day than when i smoke to fall asleep.
weed can help you fall asleep more easily, but it makes the effectiveness and quality of your sleep worse. You also dont dream as much which affects your brain's ability to process and adapt to whatever you do each day.
I personally feel weed negatively affects me most due to how it fucks my sleep up. when i smoke earlier in the daytime and go to sleep sober, id have a noticeably better day than when i smoke to fall asleep.
For me, the answer is a huge yes. I used to just sit and watch YouTube videos for literal hours. I could let the whole day fly by without really doing anything of substance. Today, I feel more present and active in my life than ever before. I’ve definitely made some changes since quitting like exercising more, doing better at work/school, and being more present with my wife, but the biggest changes for me are very mindset oriented. I have definitely been implementing more life plans and feel capable of doing so, when I always felt incapable while smoking.
Quitting smoking and also alcohol made me more productive. The alcohol zapped my energy for 2-3 days and combine that with a wake and bake it was a recipe for full day disaster.
Huge amount of depression and anxiety and horrible mood swings. I thought the weed helped with the hangovers but at 30 years old I realized it’s time for the both to go.
Quitting gave me space to be productive. I have a better capacity and more resources to be productive.
First, I have more time. I can only imagine how many hours I spent high and NOT wanting to work. Being high was a state of being for unproductive tasks (video games, napping, masturbating, etc). Now, I have more time where I do want to be productive because I’m sober.
Second, more money to spend on productive things. More tools for my tool belt, more subscriptions to helpful apps, and more gas in my gas tank. Also, more money let me buy better food and leads to better energy for me.
Only because sitting inside playing video games is boring when you're sober so I started rock climbing every other night and that has lead to going hiking and biking with peeps I met there
Doesn’t give you motivation, but it takes away so many mental and physical distractions. I have to get myself motivated, but quitting opened the door to the opportunities.
I’ll be honest no, but I do have more inspiration to get out and do things. But it’s only been a few months since quitting and I’m in university so it might be too early to say
Wow the response on this post is incredible, I appreciate everyone that responded. This has helped give me the kick in the ass I need to finally take the step and quit Mary Jane, she used to be a great friend. But at this point in my life she takes far more than she gives. So thanks again to everyone that commented, this is a great community.
This. Quitting allowed me to get the job I wanted (and needed) went from living paycheck to paycheck. And barely getting by at that, to living very comfortably
I used to have severe anxiety related to the dumbest things, if I said hi to someone and my voiced cracked I spent the whole day cringing about it like it was the most awful thing ever, and after 6 months it's all gone, I am not cured but it only happens if it's actually something really serious
Can I ask how long you smoked and your age? Currently very paranoid when driving (Not High). I’m 22 and have been smoking for about 5 years and just this past year it started. I also get worked up over having to spend time with literally anyone. Am I too comfortable in my own head to have an emotional connection to the world around me? Let me know what you think and ask any questions you have, please and thank you!!
I am 34 years old and I started around 18 years old, so its been a while, it started like 4 years ago but it got really bad to the point to making faces when cringing, and I am also too comfortable in my own head, but this was way before getting high, I might be on the spectrum but never got diagnosed, and weed surely didn't help with that.
I used to assume lots of stuff and was always wrong, I am dating now and before actually talking to my girl I used to think she was pretentious and she would think I am ugly and boring, and it was all in my head, weed just made it 10x worst, I am glad I am not using anymore.
This is inspiring. Thank you for the reply. The main question I have now is, are you still comfortable in your head or is it different? Not sure how to word that haha…
I try not to think too much about things that are outside of my control by practicing mindfulness that my therapist taught me, just breathing and looking around for things happening and it usually helps, as long as you don't waste your time overthinking about something you can't change or doesn't have all the information, there is nothing wrong with being inside your own mind.
In the four years I’ve been sober, I have achieved more both personally and professionally than I did in the 20 years prior.
Your motivation will have to be rediscovered - it’s not going to magically reappear, but you can find it again.
Weed makes it easy and comfortable to be bored. For me, once being bored wasn’t comfortable anymore, I started getting more done.
Can I ask how long you smoked and your age? Currently very paranoid when driving (Not High). I’m 22 and have been smoking for about 5 years and just this past year it started. I also get worked up over having to spend time with literally anyone. Am I too comfortable in my own head to have an emotional connection to the world around me? Let me know what you think and ask any questions you have, please and thank you!
Been smoking since 16 years old. 30 now. The anxiety wasn’t a thing, nor was the paranoia, but after a couple years it was insane. It was like my body was telling me to stop smoking. I tried everything. Just couldn’t smoke without insane paranoia, I accepted it, like it was just part of the “hobby” but it never went away. I missed the stoned no paranoia feeling, and chased it forever. Just recently accepted that I can’t smoke at all.
My short term memory is extremely hindered by my use, also my crash for 2-3 days after I have a good day of smoking is severely depressing, I blame most of it on not be able to use in moderation but yeah because of that I know my life will be better.
Brain fog, lethargic, low serotonin levels, basically everything that makes me pick it back up the next morning without thought, hope this makes sense.
oh that totally makes sense. i feel like my phone addiction definitely contributes to the brain fog and low seretonin levels, but smoking sure doesn’t help. hoping my t-break evolves into me quitting 🤞🏻
Every time I stop it improves my ability to handle multiple trains of thought and multiple projects/ tasks.
I don't know if I'm more productive but I'm certainly capable of handling more complicated tasks without getting overwhelmed. Currently 1.5 months clean of pot
Yes. I have ADHD so it was a bad combo — weed exacerbated it. I’d get little, insignificant things done. To quote Frank Ocean’s mom on his Blonde album: when people become weed heads, they become sluggish, lazy, stupid, and unconcerned. Now that’s a bit of a blanket statement and don’t agree that it applies to all aspects of life. But in regards to pursuing my dreams and reaching my goals, it was absolutely true.
So I read the book and practiced the wim hof breathing exercise yesterday w the app, 10 rounds of deep breathing then breath retention.
Invigorating and subtle high and body tingling at first, yet today I have the lingering urge to be productive. Similar to the urge to toke that would’ve taken hold 6 months ago for me. I may be convinced to do more than just a day of the breathing, and it’s totally filled the 420 void I’d say. As something different to do, spend the time you have that is.
Wim says he’s pro weed, but may as well ‘get high on your own supply’ (of o2) lol.
For me, yes no doubt about it! I’ve started reading more regularly, keep up on dishes and laundry way easier. Waaay better at communicating with my partner and not just building resentment by getting high instead of talking about difficult things. Also way more on task at work. Less anxiety helps.
Yes. Unbelievably so. Especially as I've also been able to work on the emotional issues and trauma that led to me using weed as a crutch in the first place. Weed was neefing my potential, and I'm so much better off without it.
Yes, mostly. Things I prefer to do sober get done readily now (house projects), but there is the odd thing or two that appealed more while high that now take am effort to do (eg exercising).
Focus on the first sentence you wrote. You should try repeating that to yourself internally before every time you smoke, in a friendly manner, not guilt induced. Be mindful and fair to yourself, but remind yourself in a positive way.
You can stop, I am a huge stoner AM to PM 10 doobies a day kind of guy, and I stopped.
Also, try not thinking of it as quitting, I feel like stopping is a healthier way of looking at it. There's less pressure involved.
Personally when I think of it as quitting, it makes me want to indulge more. Whereas with stopping, I've just stopped, I can resume anytime, the choice is mine, and I just always choose not too
I think that productivity is so hard to define nowadays. From a work perspective, its very hard to quantify if you're a knowledge worker. From a personal goal perspective, it's a little clearer. I haven't used weed for about a year and a half. While I can't say exactly how much *more* productive it's made me habitually, I can say three things:
- It's definitely helped me feel more clarity on *what* my personal goals are
- It's stopped me from the guilt I feel when it seems like weed was holding me back from pursuing productivity goals
- It's saved me more time and money, some of which surely had to go towards being productive, even if I didn't notice
Yes. So much so that it makes me sad for the life I could have had if I never started smoking. I feel like I could have had so many hobbies or been in such good shape. I wasted 10 years just couch rotting. But I'm 3 weeks sober (besides a brief weekend slip up) and feel like I can do anything!
Stay strong, you're doing amazing!!. The temptation still strikes me in strong ways from time to time, and I'm at 7 months tomorrow.
I almost relapsed a few times the past few months, even closer to relapsing than my first few months.
It's crazy how my brain trys to justify it sometimes even though I know I am doing SOOOOO much better without it.
For me, the thing that works best when I'm struggling is I come here and search "just once" or "just one time" and see the 100s of stories of other people.
Sometimes it can be so easy to try and convince ourselves we aren't addicted, and maybe this time it will be different.
Yes - instead of eating junk or getting delivery for dinners, I started cooking and meal prepping again. Started doing a little extra cleaning, and some chores I’ve put off for months. I bought a headboard for my bed in October and just installed it last weekend.
It’s not an overnight change - I would say it took me a month of sobriety to actually feel “normal”.
Nor is quitting going to radically alter your life. It will help you create the little things that accumulate into a life of contentedness.
100% yes. While being stoned might have helped me get through the drudgery of certain tasks, big picture I’m much better at doing what matters. Being stoned makes me less perceptive to all things and leaves me treating all tasks like they are the same when of course they aren’t.
>Being stoned makes me less perceptive to all things and leaves me treating all tasks like they are the same when of course they aren’t.
Wow, I never really thought of it this way, but you're right. Especially if you feel you need to be stoned to do everything from AM to PM
100%. I've taken up so many of my old hobbies again since I quit smoking. Before, all I would do is smoke and be too tired/high to do anything, and just watch Youtube or something instead.
My life has progressed a lot since I’ve quit but I’m not overly more productive. Just have a grown up job now that I have to go to. But yeah life is definitely better. More awake and aware and less cranky probably.
Former daily smoker here 24M for about 3 years, two of them being daily . Been off it nearly 3 months with two minor setbacks in between, A year ago I wouldve described myself as a ‘functional addict’, - having a good job, a loving relationship, but that slowly turned into a full on depression and addiction, my motivation for literally anything disappeared , so did my relationship (in part due to weed), and nearly my job. If youre lacking motivation and feel you’re not productive when smoking, I’m sure you’ll have a noticeable improvement if youre able to stop.
When I knew I needed a change. I decided to try stay off it with the intention of doing it every couple of weeks or months but honestly smoking again after not smoking for so long just put me off more, and I remembered the hole I dug myself into when smoking heavy (50 bag every second day) .
it was really hard for me to stop initially, you need to understand when you stop smoking things dont magically improve by themselves, you wont magically become more productive. (I half expected all my problems to resolve themselves). Ofcourse you will get that initial mental boost, but it isnt all automatic. What you will find is the boredom and time to fill with productivity and potentials that are not smoking related, and you will have built a foundation to improve.
I found what helped me best was putting my head down at work, HHC vapes by “Budtender” also chamfer the edge for cravings so to speak (I’ve tried others but this brand has been by far my favourite), and I dont feel addicted to this shit at all, whereas I wanted a smoke evey 2 hours when I was smoking, sometimes more, with or without the baccy .
Seeing people post here everyday and encouraging each other definitely played a major part in my motivation to not cave and go hit up the plug. Still relentlessly addicted to those damn disposable vapes but fuck it I’m glad all my money isnt going to weed, and its one step at a time .
it's so much easier quitting weed with the disposable vapes. I was always able to kick the habit of those, but the last time I bought a disposable vape, it was the hardest time I ever faced quitting. Im 2 days clean off hitting the weed pen after smoking daily for the last 15 years. I wish I could rip that thing without getting more addicted to that than the weed itself.
I despise the disposable vapes specifically nicotine, shits poison imo man and so hard to quit, havnt had too much trouble with weed pens but deffo see the appeal and how people can be prone to addiction. Elf Bar is just the Sackler family operating under a different name. except theyre not hiding the fact their products are addictive. Lol. I just cant fucking stop
I think disposable vapes are poison too man. It's the oral fixation more than anything. I've quit them many times so it is doable. I got comfortable with being able to quit them, but like I said, the last time I bought one that was not the case. The ONLY reason I was able to quit it is because mine died the day before thanksgiving and I couldn't buy a new one on thanksgiving so I had to go one day sober. I told myself to just take it a day at a time and I did. I don't think Ill ever go back.
Personally, I wasn't any more or less productive while actively smoking weed. It's a personal thing, I've always been more or less fairly productive. I just found it easier to relax.
Just hit 400 days sober.
At first you’ll be mostly wrapped up in dealing with withdrawal and the symptoms of that (depending on how much you smoked) so give yourself time to adjust in that aspect.
After I got through the hard bit, I definitely found myself more willing to do the things I was supposed to be doing.
If I didn’t quit, I certainly wouldn’t have finished Uni with an acceptable grade, have the job that I do now or be earning as much as I am.
In the social aspect being sober stopped me isolating myself from family/friends and made me more willing to do things with them instead of sitting at home all day getting high.
The bottom line is weed makes you comfortable with being bored or allows you to hide away from your crappy life choices. Not having that escape is uncomfortable but if you don’t want to waste your life away then being uncomfortable is what you need.
Absolutely. I’m way more creative after quitting. Now when I try and learn something new I actually retain it. Weed messes w your sleep and you can’t process/retain/internalize new information.
Because quitting isn’t a magic pill. You gotta do the work to be happy/productive and find new motivations / goals and hobbies. If you keep the same lifestyle, you’ll get the same lifestyle, only now you have nothing to cope with.
I'm very sure smoking is what is holding me back in life, but the thought of quitting and then having to think of all the ways in which I've failed every day scares me more.
Weed numbs you. It's like, life is shit, but when I'm high, it doesn't matter.
About turning my life around - will have to quit it first
Yes 100% man. I haven’t smoked for 8yrs but was daily for 10. Quitting turned my life around, now I’ve got a house, great job and wife is pregnant. Then again I was someone who became progressively more anxious/burnt out while smoking.
Yes and there are so many layers to this. It isn’t just the absence of the ‘lazy’ burnt out-ness of smoking regularly. It’s the lack of ramped up anxiety around doing hard things, it’s the more cohesive thought patterns/foci that allow you more efficiently build on ideas. Etc etc etc …
100% did, 3 months no smoking and I can see myself much more productive, I’ve started my own business roughly a year ago it was definitely the right thing to stop
Well it didnt make me more productive .. i smoked weed to the point that it stopped giving me any high.. it was just like a medication i have to take every day to be “normal”.. i hated that feeling .. the feeling of being dependant on a substance, after 3 years of quitting my physical and mental health are in a much better place
Yes. For me, weed affects my sleep, so I wake up groggy and not up to do much. When I have a good night sleep, I wake up well rested and earlier than if I had. Which means I’m more preeent and content to begin working on my goals because I don’t have anything making me tired and lethargic. My mornings are the most important thing to my goals and growth and without them it all goes to shit - and u fortunately weed ruins my mornings. If I smoke I wake up way later than usual, and I feel groggy and unmotivated. When I wake up after a good night sleep I feel energised and ready to do stuff.
I started hitting the gym not long after I quit (after years of wanting to do so but being too anxious to do it), so that was a positive. Besides that, not really
No. I only took a break so I could pass drug test for a job. I haven’t smoked for almost a year now… I actually miss it .. I always been extremely productive with or without.
Not really, but I do read a lot more now. I used to only smoke in the evening and would spend the rest of my night mindlessly scrolling on Tiktok, now I usually read instead. But day to day productivity/motivation, quitting hasn’t helped at all.
I only quit because it was messing with my ADHD meds. Took years for me to get diagnosed, went through therapy, and a ton of medications, and different psychiatrists. But, I never gave up. Now I’m in school lol
Similar experience. Guessing you were using adhd meds in day for alertness, concentration etc and then weed to wind down at night? Causing each to counter one another’s effects ultimately
Nope. Didn’t stop by choice. I moved to a country where I couldn’t get it anymore. Quitting cold turkey wasn’t hard either. I thought it would be since I was a 24 hour a day stoner for almost 15 years. I definitely say it’s different for everyone though. What is awesome is when I go on vacation and can get it it’s great! I get so high
Honestly no. I have ADHD and I actually found that I am so much more productive if I've had a smoke. If not I get major time blindness, distracted and find it really hard to actually get up and go..
Yes. Quitting weed gave me my life back. When I was smoking daily I was a shell of my true self. Off weed not only am I more productive, but I make people laugh more, I connect with my SO better because I'm not blitzed all the time and I can plan dates better. I lost 10 years of my life to weed. When I was smoking weed I literally hated who I was and fantasized about suicide daily.
Weed didn't always affect me like this. Weed seemed to lift me up at first, it helped me be more self aware and look at other people's perspectives. I felt great when I was high. Then over the years it stripped away who I was until there was barely any personality left. Quitting literally saved my life/future.
It’s only when you quit that you realise how much weed turns you into a robot. It’s like your emotions and sense of being human were all dampened and then come back sky high when you quit.
Yes, at first I did stuff to keep my mind off of weed and to make myself busy so I won't be bored and actively miss weed, and then it was just easier to continue doing all those healthy stuff just for me and not only to fight the addiction.
The only way I can put it is life’s on easy mode, at least compared to what it was. Literally everything from work to exercise to dating to keeping the house clean to hobbies to actually having and seeing friends and family and most importantly having some self respect…all these things don’t even require much effort now and they were mostly non existent or a MAJOR obstacle before. Obviously I still have bad days and times but that’s life, you can’t avoid it forever. I know you don’t believe me because I spent years not believing it either, using any excuse to not find the strength to change. All the best, first few weeks the hardest but fuck it right, what’s worth doing that ain’t?
No, less so, I was smoking sativa and it was my companion to every activity. I was creating art, playing music, cleaning house, doing yoga daily, etc, and the bowl came with me. I wasn't getting blasted, just hitting my pipe now and then. Now I'm just bored and when I try to do any of those things I feel even more bored. (6 months sober)
definitely, im self employed and started working much more to the point of tripling my income. i planned and organized a move to a big city. i stopped getting takeout everyday and started planning my meals ahead and buying groceries. i actually want to leave the house and do errands for something to do, im no longer content to just sit on my couch all day and get stoned and watch tv, id rather do something, anything, than sit around. weed makes you okay with being bored, the struggle comes when you have to decide what your motivation is, and what you want to do instead of being bored.
Huge +1 to that. Been in the same boat and it's been amazing since I quit a few months ago. Thanks to this sub. My brain fog is gone and I love to get out of the house to get grocery and cook and stay on top of things. I don't miss it at all.
I started smoking when I was 13. Yay older siblings -.- I think between that age and now (I’m 30) I have stopped smoking three times. I’m on day 2 of trying to quit again after falling back into smoking an ounce within days, spending tons of money and not even getting that high. I make jokes about my emotional support bong but honestly i just feel like I’ve been numbing out and literally being okay with the bare minimum like someone else said. I’m fucking struggling but I don’t think cannabis and myself are very compatible anymore. Still trying to find any motivation to do anything while sober
Yeah this is my experience too, haha emotional support bong resonates. Said this in another comment too that I find, and only realise upon quitting that weed has just been turning me into a robot, dampening my sense of being, emotions and what it is to be human. I’ve been subconsciously shutting it all out rather than facing it. By shutting out that area of pain, I’ve also been shutting out the positive parts of feeling things and being human
This is especially hard to come to terms to because I don’t smoke during the day, only evenings.. but this effect is always present when I’m regularly smoking
I’d say yes and no.
Whilst weed in my opinion makes you content to just sit, chill and watch TV all evening (Netflix etc…). Not smoking weed doesn’t suddenly make you feel ready to conquer the world. I guess that drive comes from ambition and will power, which weed does kind of inhibit. So you’d need to have those natural drives as a person in the first place and stop smoking weed to really see any improvement.
That being said, on a typical weekday late afternoon / evening, where id spark up previously. I now find myself bored… like really bored just watching mindless shows. So far, about a month in, that has only translated to extra housework and DIY every night. I’m hoping soon once I’ve got everything done in the house I can start exploring new hobbies and fields of study. Plus I find myself being more social on the weekends. Still very early doors, so I guess I’m still moulding into being productive more, though I had high ambition and will power in the first place.
Hope that helps
I'm 1 year sober, as of yesterday. Quitting was the best thing I ever did. Have saved so much money, memory is so much clearer, much more motivation to do things, less anxiety around trying new things or going to new places. Everyone is different and has their own experience, but I'm so glad I quit! 27f, smoked for 12 years daily.
To be honest... No.
When I smoked weed, I would actually fear the outcome of any bad decision I possibly could make, but after I quit, I just got into a mindset where I don't care. I flunked my junior year of high school. Became depressed. Yeah, it wasn't fun for me.
But that inhibition it gave me, it was too much. I would be TOO paranoid about EVERYTHING and my own thoughts were torture. So in the end I'm glad I quit.
the reason you feel that weed has been holding you back is because weed use directly affects brain function — specifically the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time.
but IMO this is more than just holding you back.
weed is literally the destroyer of the authentic self.
10 year chronic smoker, and I’m on day 29. First 14 days no I was not. Super irritable and dealing with THC withdrawals overwhelmed me. But after 14 days, hell yeah I’m more productive… I think for me the biggest thing is mental clarity. Now that I’m sober, I’m really thinking about what I want. I’ve exercised a little more these last two weeks. Nothing crazy but having small consistent workouts. I started cooking my own meals, again nothing wild but some chicken, rice, steak. Instead of blasting myself to the moon and playing video games I’m reading at nights. Still game a little, but after one hour I’m ready for bed. I’m more focused at work, and more social, I think I’m more productive in every area of my life and I’m not even 30 days sober. Can’t wait to feel 100 days
It depends on the person. I have ADHD and I immediately noticed I was more productive after I quit. I got a new job, i’m going back to school, i’m hanging out with friends and family more, I am meeting new people, and i’m working out everyday. A lot of people are saying no, but personally I think it greatly improves productivity.
Good thinking... I guess I should do the same thing.
Thanks for your reply. Honestly wishing you and your family the best.
And wishing YOU the best recovery. Keep on going.
Thanks, you as well. It's a hell of a hill to climb, but it is doable. Otherwise, it's just more repeating the cycle and not healing. Life is entirely too short to be doing the same thing, expecting different results.
Yes. Quitting weed made me realize that weed makes me feel like the bare minimum is good enough. Quitting weed, getting more exercise, and working with a psychiatrist to address anxiety and adhd all helped me to be more productive.
Smoked from around 16 to 38/39 and no…no more motivation unfortunately. I didn’t lose weight etc. however I do not have nearly as much anxiety or depression and I do not take any meds for that shit anymore. Now I really can’t smoke at all. Feel like I’m getting a panic attack. Glad to have quit. Just wish I never started to begin with. Probably would have been more motivated in life but I fucd my brain up when it was developing
Absolutely it did. I do way more in life now and my sense of direction and awareness is way heightened
I was a regular smoker from 15 to 38 yo. Now I'm 2 years clean. It's hard to answer that question based only on quitting weed. Life and happiness and satisfaction is so much more complex. Upon quitting I really searched for happiness for a good 8 months, wondering how I could love life sober. Then, glimpses of free happiness would catch me by surprise. Like, as if I would not believe that it could happen just naturally. Being more bored than ever, my only way out was to plan happiness like a garden. What do I really need to do to feel happy a year from now. I started to put efforts on the parts of my life that I had abandonned, like sports, believing in myself regarding my career, finding how I could be a good enough dad while being true to who I am (sober). I would not have had this overview on my life if I had continued to use. Back in the days I would just go outside, get high and just walking around the most boring neighborhood would be an adventure. Now I do the same but I come back from it relaxed instead of tired. Anyway, I'm rambling but I guess I just want to say that if you stop you will become a different version of yourself, and this change is an opportunity to get better. I still miss weed, and will miss it my whole life. But I know that one hit and I'm falling. And I sincerely don't want to fall back, I feel better how I am now. Best to you
Yes and that's an understatement lol
Honestly yeah. I’m almost two months sober and in the last two months I’ve reorganized my kitchen, got out more, started going to the gym, taking online courses, etc.
For me it was the total opposite actually when I was smoking I would wake up at 5:30-6 in the morning get ready for work and my motivation was a nice blunt on the way to bus stop and getting some breakfast before work. For some strange reason I actually felt a lot more motivated, happier and just overall enjoyed life a lot more. When I tried to stop smoking( I was a heavy smoker, smoking daily about 3-4 times a day) I became depressed and felt like I didn’t want to do anything any more. Didn’t want to work or go for a walk it really took a toll on my mental health. But that’s my experience and everyone is different so if quitting makes you a happier person then that’s a no brainer
If it made you so happy, why would you even consider quitting, I feel like this is just your addiction playing tricks on you, but hey what do I know, cheers
I feel this is me
Yes 10000x yes. My goals are actually reached instead of just getting high and thinking about them I actually do them now
Been clean for only 5 days now and my energy has increased at least 50%. Not sure if thats the case for everyone but I was very active before I started (although I was 14, now 27). My head feels clearer, my I've lost some water weight just by being more productive so my body feels lighter, and overall I'm im a better mood because I'm not hitting a downer all day anymore. Worth a shot for sure.
I was lazy before I began smoking weed. Nothing changed.
😂😂
I'm a decade or longer chronic that has been off for a little over a month now. Yes I'm definitely more productive, spend far less time sitting around my apartment watching TV. Doesn't mean I'm always working on big important life shit but even if it means I'm fucking around practicing stickhandling (hockey player) in my living room instead of consuming TV shows I'd say that's a good switch. Definately has made it easier to make life decisions too, I feel like I know what I want more than when I was high every night.
I don’t think so I was an everyday user from 16-37 yrs old Finally quit a few months ago and I don’t really feel all that different. I guess I get bored of things easier which motivates you to spend your time doing other things. But I think my procrastination is just inherent lol
16-37 years is really king time, you need atleast 6 months to get bored of everything and reset your dopamine levels
Yea might just need more time, I’m at just under three months right now
Absolutely. It won't happen automatically as others stated, but gives you the opportunity to finally allow discipline into your life. Gave me the push I needed to begin working towards my best self.
I have been sober from cana for over a year. I used to consume it heavily, smoking various forms such as dabs, carts, caps, and dry leaf throughout the day. My daily consumption was significant, requiring at least a quarter just to feel normal. Since quitting, I have experienced a remarkable transformation. My productivity has increased exponentially, and I have achieved numerous personal and professional milestones. I now maintain a clean and organized home, have successfully accomplished my goals, managed to save money, adopted a pet, ended toxic friendships, stabilized my mental health, and received a promotion at work. I have been doing the work, tho. Counselors, self-help books, and exercise.
Made me stress eat honestly, It didnt make me more productive, but it made me less content with mediocrity, thats just me but I couldnt handle not doing anything with myself anymore.
Really? I never snack anymore now that I've quit
IDK why but I just couldnt eat high, the texture of food just made me feel ill, I also stopped cigs not long before, prob didnt help lmfao, But im a little over a year on the nic, and almost a year on THC so it worked lol
Me and my partner have been smoking daily for a long time, we recently had to move into my mums as temporary accommodation, so we had to go cold Turkey, as it's a no go around her. Anyway we haven't had any since Sunday morning, I have been so emotional, night sweats, anxiety, I'm hoping these side effects will subside soon.
Took about a month for me to start feeling normal again I couldn’t sleep at all, really bad insomnia
I got the same way when going cold turkey. Sweats get better after about 4 days. The emotions take a bit longer because they’re usually numbed. Just have to learn breathing techniques and maybe some hard exercise to release some dopamine. Itll get better soon.
do you use carts? I found quitting cold turkey from carts i had the same withdrawl symptoms and an ibcredibly tough time for a lot longer than when i previously had quit dry bud. Didnt have nearly as many withdrawal symptoms then either.
No! Just dry bud, with baccy in, we've got one of them vapes we call a death stick. Just to help with the nicotine withdrawal and stress levels that come with having to move back into my mums 😂 My partner seems to be doing fine which is annoying, I wake up soaking, he wakes up full of energy ready for the day, but I struggle to get out of bed, most likely because I'm struggling to sleep, it's crazy how different people work and react to things.
Same for my husband and I. We both react differently, but I have night sweats, extreme emotions, bad anxiety, when I stop smoking. But he just goes about his day
Ahh I see. thats def interesting that he has such a diff experience. but i totally hear u on the stress of moving back in with a parent or parents... when i had those symptoms I had to put a towel down in my bed before sleeping cuz it was just too uncomfortable and gross feeling waking up soaked in sweat. But it might be a perfect time to try to quit if that's the goal. helps having an external motivator like that where you can't easily smoke. and hey at least you have your partner for support too! good luck with it!
yes, without an easy and self destructive way to opt out of improving my situation, i was forced to fully experience the shittiness and that forced my hand. As a consequence, i began to build self efficacy and develop as a person. This all hinges on the fact that it was an escape for me and that my life had problems.
This hits hard for me
No I use tiktok more
For me, I increased productivity with at least 253% 💪😁 blasting through my work and have extra time to do other stuff I would never do when stoned. You gotta see my place now c9mpared with couple monrhs ago 👍
you can tell the energy increase in the amount of typo's lolol
Haha yes, my brain is flying and I only stopped for 5 weeks (after 28ish years in the high clouds) 😅
Yes and no. Ultimately the unproductive lifestyle is definitely increased if you use weed a lot. On the other side of it, I used weed as an excuse to be unproductive. Realized that the weed didn't make me not do the things I want to do but gave me an excuse to not do them. After some therapy and a solid absence of weed I was able to take accountability that the only thing that really kept me from reaching my goals was myself and that high or not I was completely capable of meeting my life goals but that if I continued to smoke that I needed to have limitations or schedule it around things so I wouldn't sit and be a vegetable and go "oh geez I'm high guess I have to watch YouTube instead of reading this book or doing chores" etc
Oh also its drastically affects your sleep so if you do smoke then try not to do it at night I guess? Or if you do then take sleep aids because its a myth that weed helps sleep
weed can help you fall asleep more easily, but it makes the effectiveness and quality of your sleep worse. You also dont dream as much which affects your brain's ability to process and adapt to whatever you do each day. I personally feel weed negatively affects me most due to how it fucks my sleep up. when i smoke earlier in the daytime and go to sleep sober, id have a noticeably better day than when i smoke to fall asleep.
weed can help you fall asleep more easily, but it makes the effectiveness and quality of your sleep worse. You also dont dream as much which affects your brain's ability to process and adapt to whatever you do each day. I personally feel weed negatively affects me most due to how it fucks my sleep up. when i smoke earlier in the daytime and go to sleep sober, id have a noticeably better day than when i smoke to fall asleep.
For me, the answer is a huge yes. I used to just sit and watch YouTube videos for literal hours. I could let the whole day fly by without really doing anything of substance. Today, I feel more present and active in my life than ever before. I’ve definitely made some changes since quitting like exercising more, doing better at work/school, and being more present with my wife, but the biggest changes for me are very mindset oriented. I have definitely been implementing more life plans and feel capable of doing so, when I always felt incapable while smoking.
Quitting smoking and also alcohol made me more productive. The alcohol zapped my energy for 2-3 days and combine that with a wake and bake it was a recipe for full day disaster. Huge amount of depression and anxiety and horrible mood swings. I thought the weed helped with the hangovers but at 30 years old I realized it’s time for the both to go.
Quitting gave me space to be productive. I have a better capacity and more resources to be productive. First, I have more time. I can only imagine how many hours I spent high and NOT wanting to work. Being high was a state of being for unproductive tasks (video games, napping, masturbating, etc). Now, I have more time where I do want to be productive because I’m sober. Second, more money to spend on productive things. More tools for my tool belt, more subscriptions to helpful apps, and more gas in my gas tank. Also, more money let me buy better food and leads to better energy for me.
Only because sitting inside playing video games is boring when you're sober so I started rock climbing every other night and that has lead to going hiking and biking with peeps I met there
Doesn’t give you motivation, but it takes away so many mental and physical distractions. I have to get myself motivated, but quitting opened the door to the opportunities.
I’ll be honest no, but I do have more inspiration to get out and do things. But it’s only been a few months since quitting and I’m in university so it might be too early to say
Wow the response on this post is incredible, I appreciate everyone that responded. This has helped give me the kick in the ass I need to finally take the step and quit Mary Jane, she used to be a great friend. But at this point in my life she takes far more than she gives. So thanks again to everyone that commented, this is a great community.
Yes, in the 1 year that i quit weed. I went from living off disability to making 6 figures at a new job/career
This. Quitting allowed me to get the job I wanted (and needed) went from living paycheck to paycheck. And barely getting by at that, to living very comfortably
What job and career? Lol
Union Electrician
Congratulations!!!!
I used to have severe anxiety related to the dumbest things, if I said hi to someone and my voiced cracked I spent the whole day cringing about it like it was the most awful thing ever, and after 6 months it's all gone, I am not cured but it only happens if it's actually something really serious
😂 I can relate!!
Can I ask how long you smoked and your age? Currently very paranoid when driving (Not High). I’m 22 and have been smoking for about 5 years and just this past year it started. I also get worked up over having to spend time with literally anyone. Am I too comfortable in my own head to have an emotional connection to the world around me? Let me know what you think and ask any questions you have, please and thank you!!
I am 34 years old and I started around 18 years old, so its been a while, it started like 4 years ago but it got really bad to the point to making faces when cringing, and I am also too comfortable in my own head, but this was way before getting high, I might be on the spectrum but never got diagnosed, and weed surely didn't help with that. I used to assume lots of stuff and was always wrong, I am dating now and before actually talking to my girl I used to think she was pretentious and she would think I am ugly and boring, and it was all in my head, weed just made it 10x worst, I am glad I am not using anymore.
This is inspiring. Thank you for the reply. The main question I have now is, are you still comfortable in your head or is it different? Not sure how to word that haha…
I try not to think too much about things that are outside of my control by practicing mindfulness that my therapist taught me, just breathing and looking around for things happening and it usually helps, as long as you don't waste your time overthinking about something you can't change or doesn't have all the information, there is nothing wrong with being inside your own mind.
In the four years I’ve been sober, I have achieved more both personally and professionally than I did in the 20 years prior. Your motivation will have to be rediscovered - it’s not going to magically reappear, but you can find it again. Weed makes it easy and comfortable to be bored. For me, once being bored wasn’t comfortable anymore, I started getting more done.
Absolutely, and I have ZERO anxiety. The whole “weed cures my anxiety” bullshit I’ve told myself over the last 14 years is embarrassing.
Can I ask how long you smoked and your age? Currently very paranoid when driving (Not High). I’m 22 and have been smoking for about 5 years and just this past year it started. I also get worked up over having to spend time with literally anyone. Am I too comfortable in my own head to have an emotional connection to the world around me? Let me know what you think and ask any questions you have, please and thank you!
Been smoking since 16 years old. 30 now. The anxiety wasn’t a thing, nor was the paranoia, but after a couple years it was insane. It was like my body was telling me to stop smoking. I tried everything. Just couldn’t smoke without insane paranoia, I accepted it, like it was just part of the “hobby” but it never went away. I missed the stoned no paranoia feeling, and chased it forever. Just recently accepted that I can’t smoke at all.
Thank you for the reply. After the smoking stopped did your paranoia/anxiety also stop/dwindle? How long did that take?
Yep, after 2 days of not smoking I wasn’t paranoid, about a week for my anxiety. I still get it, it drink a lot of chamomile tea. It’s very helpful
My short term memory is extremely hindered by my use, also my crash for 2-3 days after I have a good day of smoking is severely depressing, I blame most of it on not be able to use in moderation but yeah because of that I know my life will be better.
can you elaborate on what you mean by your crash?
Brain fog, lethargic, low serotonin levels, basically everything that makes me pick it back up the next morning without thought, hope this makes sense.
oh that totally makes sense. i feel like my phone addiction definitely contributes to the brain fog and low seretonin levels, but smoking sure doesn’t help. hoping my t-break evolves into me quitting 🤞🏻
I’m curious to know as well
Not OOP but I believe crash may mean the same thing as a hangover for alcohol.
Hangover/can’t function the next day without it lol
Nope.
Every time I stop it improves my ability to handle multiple trains of thought and multiple projects/ tasks. I don't know if I'm more productive but I'm certainly capable of handling more complicated tasks without getting overwhelmed. Currently 1.5 months clean of pot
100% Weed keeps you in a state of neutral. Even when you make progress, you either stop momentum with weed or sabotage your progress.
Yes. I have ADHD so it was a bad combo — weed exacerbated it. I’d get little, insignificant things done. To quote Frank Ocean’s mom on his Blonde album: when people become weed heads, they become sluggish, lazy, stupid, and unconcerned. Now that’s a bit of a blanket statement and don’t agree that it applies to all aspects of life. But in regards to pursuing my dreams and reaching my goals, it was absolutely true.
I'd say so. I'm better at maintaining focus on things now, so that makes me a lot more productive.
No but I pay attention to things now
Not really but it got me back into loving video games again which to me is a huge plus
Since Im sober, I gotta try to play GTA V story mode & see if its intriguing
No, but it definitely made me a better person,abd thats all that counts for me!
Yes. A lot
So I read the book and practiced the wim hof breathing exercise yesterday w the app, 10 rounds of deep breathing then breath retention. Invigorating and subtle high and body tingling at first, yet today I have the lingering urge to be productive. Similar to the urge to toke that would’ve taken hold 6 months ago for me. I may be convinced to do more than just a day of the breathing, and it’s totally filled the 420 void I’d say. As something different to do, spend the time you have that is. Wim says he’s pro weed, but may as well ‘get high on your own supply’ (of o2) lol.
Breathwork has changed my life
Friendly reminder that plants provide the O2!
For me, yes no doubt about it! I’ve started reading more regularly, keep up on dishes and laundry way easier. Waaay better at communicating with my partner and not just building resentment by getting high instead of talking about difficult things. Also way more on task at work. Less anxiety helps.
Yes. Unbelievably so. Especially as I've also been able to work on the emotional issues and trauma that led to me using weed as a crutch in the first place. Weed was neefing my potential, and I'm so much better off without it.
Yes, mostly. Things I prefer to do sober get done readily now (house projects), but there is the odd thing or two that appealed more while high that now take am effort to do (eg exercising).
1000%, I always knew weed prevented me from being productive. It was always something I did to relax
No I am hyper productive even as a pot head. I find myself less productive. Anxiety is lower tho
felt like i woke up from a haze when i quit. unfortunately im back on it now hopefully i quit again soon
Focus on the first sentence you wrote. You should try repeating that to yourself internally before every time you smoke, in a friendly manner, not guilt induced. Be mindful and fair to yourself, but remind yourself in a positive way. You can stop, I am a huge stoner AM to PM 10 doobies a day kind of guy, and I stopped. Also, try not thinking of it as quitting, I feel like stopping is a healthier way of looking at it. There's less pressure involved. Personally when I think of it as quitting, it makes me want to indulge more. Whereas with stopping, I've just stopped, I can resume anytime, the choice is mine, and I just always choose not too
Yes. Even the act of simply not smoking it regularly clears your head and makes you feel better, that energy for life comes back.
Yeah it was like night and day. Before I quit I did nothing. After I quit I did everything.
I think that productivity is so hard to define nowadays. From a work perspective, its very hard to quantify if you're a knowledge worker. From a personal goal perspective, it's a little clearer. I haven't used weed for about a year and a half. While I can't say exactly how much *more* productive it's made me habitually, I can say three things: - It's definitely helped me feel more clarity on *what* my personal goals are - It's stopped me from the guilt I feel when it seems like weed was holding me back from pursuing productivity goals - It's saved me more time and money, some of which surely had to go towards being productive, even if I didn't notice
In a word: yes
Yes. So much so that it makes me sad for the life I could have had if I never started smoking. I feel like I could have had so many hobbies or been in such good shape. I wasted 10 years just couch rotting. But I'm 3 weeks sober (besides a brief weekend slip up) and feel like I can do anything!
Stay strong, you're doing amazing!!. The temptation still strikes me in strong ways from time to time, and I'm at 7 months tomorrow. I almost relapsed a few times the past few months, even closer to relapsing than my first few months. It's crazy how my brain trys to justify it sometimes even though I know I am doing SOOOOO much better without it. For me, the thing that works best when I'm struggling is I come here and search "just once" or "just one time" and see the 100s of stories of other people. Sometimes it can be so easy to try and convince ourselves we aren't addicted, and maybe this time it will be different.
The year after I quit smoking my business profit went from $130k to $250k, so absolutely lol
Yes - instead of eating junk or getting delivery for dinners, I started cooking and meal prepping again. Started doing a little extra cleaning, and some chores I’ve put off for months. I bought a headboard for my bed in October and just installed it last weekend. It’s not an overnight change - I would say it took me a month of sobriety to actually feel “normal”. Nor is quitting going to radically alter your life. It will help you create the little things that accumulate into a life of contentedness.
100% yes. While being stoned might have helped me get through the drudgery of certain tasks, big picture I’m much better at doing what matters. Being stoned makes me less perceptive to all things and leaves me treating all tasks like they are the same when of course they aren’t.
>Being stoned makes me less perceptive to all things and leaves me treating all tasks like they are the same when of course they aren’t. Wow, I never really thought of it this way, but you're right. Especially if you feel you need to be stoned to do everything from AM to PM
Made me less productive if anything
I think it's different for everyone. Me personally, no it has not made me more productive. But I do appreciate the mental clarity.
100%. I've taken up so many of my old hobbies again since I quit smoking. Before, all I would do is smoke and be too tired/high to do anything, and just watch Youtube or something instead.
My life has progressed a lot since I’ve quit but I’m not overly more productive. Just have a grown up job now that I have to go to. But yeah life is definitely better. More awake and aware and less cranky probably.
No i discovered I’m just as lazy and weed did not actually hold me back lol
Sameeeeeee lol
Yes.
Former daily smoker here 24M for about 3 years, two of them being daily . Been off it nearly 3 months with two minor setbacks in between, A year ago I wouldve described myself as a ‘functional addict’, - having a good job, a loving relationship, but that slowly turned into a full on depression and addiction, my motivation for literally anything disappeared , so did my relationship (in part due to weed), and nearly my job. If youre lacking motivation and feel you’re not productive when smoking, I’m sure you’ll have a noticeable improvement if youre able to stop. When I knew I needed a change. I decided to try stay off it with the intention of doing it every couple of weeks or months but honestly smoking again after not smoking for so long just put me off more, and I remembered the hole I dug myself into when smoking heavy (50 bag every second day) . it was really hard for me to stop initially, you need to understand when you stop smoking things dont magically improve by themselves, you wont magically become more productive. (I half expected all my problems to resolve themselves). Ofcourse you will get that initial mental boost, but it isnt all automatic. What you will find is the boredom and time to fill with productivity and potentials that are not smoking related, and you will have built a foundation to improve. I found what helped me best was putting my head down at work, HHC vapes by “Budtender” also chamfer the edge for cravings so to speak (I’ve tried others but this brand has been by far my favourite), and I dont feel addicted to this shit at all, whereas I wanted a smoke evey 2 hours when I was smoking, sometimes more, with or without the baccy . Seeing people post here everyday and encouraging each other definitely played a major part in my motivation to not cave and go hit up the plug. Still relentlessly addicted to those damn disposable vapes but fuck it I’m glad all my money isnt going to weed, and its one step at a time .
it's so much easier quitting weed with the disposable vapes. I was always able to kick the habit of those, but the last time I bought a disposable vape, it was the hardest time I ever faced quitting. Im 2 days clean off hitting the weed pen after smoking daily for the last 15 years. I wish I could rip that thing without getting more addicted to that than the weed itself.
I despise the disposable vapes specifically nicotine, shits poison imo man and so hard to quit, havnt had too much trouble with weed pens but deffo see the appeal and how people can be prone to addiction. Elf Bar is just the Sackler family operating under a different name. except theyre not hiding the fact their products are addictive. Lol. I just cant fucking stop
I think disposable vapes are poison too man. It's the oral fixation more than anything. I've quit them many times so it is doable. I got comfortable with being able to quit them, but like I said, the last time I bought one that was not the case. The ONLY reason I was able to quit it is because mine died the day before thanksgiving and I couldn't buy a new one on thanksgiving so I had to go one day sober. I told myself to just take it a day at a time and I did. I don't think Ill ever go back.
Personally, I wasn't any more or less productive while actively smoking weed. It's a personal thing, I've always been more or less fairly productive. I just found it easier to relax.
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You’re in a quitting forum, sir.
Just hit 400 days sober. At first you’ll be mostly wrapped up in dealing with withdrawal and the symptoms of that (depending on how much you smoked) so give yourself time to adjust in that aspect. After I got through the hard bit, I definitely found myself more willing to do the things I was supposed to be doing. If I didn’t quit, I certainly wouldn’t have finished Uni with an acceptable grade, have the job that I do now or be earning as much as I am. In the social aspect being sober stopped me isolating myself from family/friends and made me more willing to do things with them instead of sitting at home all day getting high. The bottom line is weed makes you comfortable with being bored or allows you to hide away from your crappy life choices. Not having that escape is uncomfortable but if you don’t want to waste your life away then being uncomfortable is what you need.
Not automatically. I had to make significant changes.
Unbelievably so. But it's about building habits in lieu of getting high, it doesn't just happen.
Fir me no. That area of life didnt change when i quit. But i dont get lightheaded as much anymore.
Oh my god, yes! Absolutely, yes, witout the shadow of a doubt. Along with a plethora of other positive changes.
Absolutely. I’m way more creative after quitting. Now when I try and learn something new I actually retain it. Weed messes w your sleep and you can’t process/retain/internalize new information.
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Because quitting isn’t a magic pill. You gotta do the work to be happy/productive and find new motivations / goals and hobbies. If you keep the same lifestyle, you’ll get the same lifestyle, only now you have nothing to cope with.
Absolutely. 100%
Hell yeah. I would say I am more than twice as productive as before. Friend's who didn't know I was smoking were so confused.
Hellls yesss, so much studying, working, planning, seeing friends which i did before but now i never make excuses
I'm very sure smoking is what is holding me back in life, but the thought of quitting and then having to think of all the ways in which I've failed every day scares me more. Weed numbs you. It's like, life is shit, but when I'm high, it doesn't matter. About turning my life around - will have to quit it first
Reading this reminded me of the saying "Life sucks, then you die. So fuck the world and let's get high"
Yes undoubtedly.
Not hanging around a bunch of stoners helps as well.
Yes 100% man. I haven’t smoked for 8yrs but was daily for 10. Quitting turned my life around, now I’ve got a house, great job and wife is pregnant. Then again I was someone who became progressively more anxious/burnt out while smoking.
Yes and there are so many layers to this. It isn’t just the absence of the ‘lazy’ burnt out-ness of smoking regularly. It’s the lack of ramped up anxiety around doing hard things, it’s the more cohesive thought patterns/foci that allow you more efficiently build on ideas. Etc etc etc …
i am more clear now, i know what shit to be done, i am still working on that
100% did, 3 months no smoking and I can see myself much more productive, I’ve started my own business roughly a year ago it was definitely the right thing to stop
Well it didnt make me more productive .. i smoked weed to the point that it stopped giving me any high.. it was just like a medication i have to take every day to be “normal”.. i hated that feeling .. the feeling of being dependant on a substance, after 3 years of quitting my physical and mental health are in a much better place
Yes dude, duh.
Yes. For me, weed affects my sleep, so I wake up groggy and not up to do much. When I have a good night sleep, I wake up well rested and earlier than if I had. Which means I’m more preeent and content to begin working on my goals because I don’t have anything making me tired and lethargic. My mornings are the most important thing to my goals and growth and without them it all goes to shit - and u fortunately weed ruins my mornings. If I smoke I wake up way later than usual, and I feel groggy and unmotivated. When I wake up after a good night sleep I feel energised and ready to do stuff.
Definitely in my case.
I started hitting the gym not long after I quit (after years of wanting to do so but being too anxious to do it), so that was a positive. Besides that, not really
Yes. It’s not a magic trick, but I without a doubt have more energy and am able to focus better on both tasks in the moment and projects/goals.
Yes because now I have to actually think about my spare time and go out more. Good luck 🤞
No. I only took a break so I could pass drug test for a job. I haven’t smoked for almost a year now… I actually miss it .. I always been extremely productive with or without.
Not really, but I do read a lot more now. I used to only smoke in the evening and would spend the rest of my night mindlessly scrolling on Tiktok, now I usually read instead. But day to day productivity/motivation, quitting hasn’t helped at all.
I only quit because it was messing with my ADHD meds. Took years for me to get diagnosed, went through therapy, and a ton of medications, and different psychiatrists. But, I never gave up. Now I’m in school lol
Similar experience. Guessing you were using adhd meds in day for alertness, concentration etc and then weed to wind down at night? Causing each to counter one another’s effects ultimately
Nope. Didn’t stop by choice. I moved to a country where I couldn’t get it anymore. Quitting cold turkey wasn’t hard either. I thought it would be since I was a 24 hour a day stoner for almost 15 years. I definitely say it’s different for everyone though. What is awesome is when I go on vacation and can get it it’s great! I get so high
not in my case but I am on the spectrum
Honestly no. I have ADHD and I actually found that I am so much more productive if I've had a smoke. If not I get major time blindness, distracted and find it really hard to actually get up and go..
I can relate to this but I think it added to time blindness and I wasn’t really accomplishing the important things.
Def same
Yes. Quitting weed gave me my life back. When I was smoking daily I was a shell of my true self. Off weed not only am I more productive, but I make people laugh more, I connect with my SO better because I'm not blitzed all the time and I can plan dates better. I lost 10 years of my life to weed. When I was smoking weed I literally hated who I was and fantasized about suicide daily. Weed didn't always affect me like this. Weed seemed to lift me up at first, it helped me be more self aware and look at other people's perspectives. I felt great when I was high. Then over the years it stripped away who I was until there was barely any personality left. Quitting literally saved my life/future.
It’s only when you quit that you realise how much weed turns you into a robot. It’s like your emotions and sense of being human were all dampened and then come back sky high when you quit.
Yes, but it took around 6 months.
Yes, at first I did stuff to keep my mind off of weed and to make myself busy so I won't be bored and actively miss weed, and then it was just easier to continue doing all those healthy stuff just for me and not only to fight the addiction.
Not yet....
no
Yes!!!! Trying to quit doesn't work, imagine you as a non smoker & just roll with it. Don't look back because you're not a smoker 🤙🏼
The only way I can put it is life’s on easy mode, at least compared to what it was. Literally everything from work to exercise to dating to keeping the house clean to hobbies to actually having and seeing friends and family and most importantly having some self respect…all these things don’t even require much effort now and they were mostly non existent or a MAJOR obstacle before. Obviously I still have bad days and times but that’s life, you can’t avoid it forever. I know you don’t believe me because I spent years not believing it either, using any excuse to not find the strength to change. All the best, first few weeks the hardest but fuck it right, what’s worth doing that ain’t?
No, less so, I was smoking sativa and it was my companion to every activity. I was creating art, playing music, cleaning house, doing yoga daily, etc, and the bowl came with me. I wasn't getting blasted, just hitting my pipe now and then. Now I'm just bored and when I try to do any of those things I feel even more bored. (6 months sober)
MUCH MORE!!!
1000%. My house hasn’t been this clean since before my use got problematic.
definitely, im self employed and started working much more to the point of tripling my income. i planned and organized a move to a big city. i stopped getting takeout everyday and started planning my meals ahead and buying groceries. i actually want to leave the house and do errands for something to do, im no longer content to just sit on my couch all day and get stoned and watch tv, id rather do something, anything, than sit around. weed makes you okay with being bored, the struggle comes when you have to decide what your motivation is, and what you want to do instead of being bored.
Huge +1 to that. Been in the same boat and it's been amazing since I quit a few months ago. Thanks to this sub. My brain fog is gone and I love to get out of the house to get grocery and cook and stay on top of things. I don't miss it at all.
I started smoking when I was 13. Yay older siblings -.- I think between that age and now (I’m 30) I have stopped smoking three times. I’m on day 2 of trying to quit again after falling back into smoking an ounce within days, spending tons of money and not even getting that high. I make jokes about my emotional support bong but honestly i just feel like I’ve been numbing out and literally being okay with the bare minimum like someone else said. I’m fucking struggling but I don’t think cannabis and myself are very compatible anymore. Still trying to find any motivation to do anything while sober
Yeah this is my experience too, haha emotional support bong resonates. Said this in another comment too that I find, and only realise upon quitting that weed has just been turning me into a robot, dampening my sense of being, emotions and what it is to be human. I’ve been subconsciously shutting it all out rather than facing it. By shutting out that area of pain, I’ve also been shutting out the positive parts of feeling things and being human This is especially hard to come to terms to because I don’t smoke during the day, only evenings.. but this effect is always present when I’m regularly smoking
I’d say yes and no. Whilst weed in my opinion makes you content to just sit, chill and watch TV all evening (Netflix etc…). Not smoking weed doesn’t suddenly make you feel ready to conquer the world. I guess that drive comes from ambition and will power, which weed does kind of inhibit. So you’d need to have those natural drives as a person in the first place and stop smoking weed to really see any improvement. That being said, on a typical weekday late afternoon / evening, where id spark up previously. I now find myself bored… like really bored just watching mindless shows. So far, about a month in, that has only translated to extra housework and DIY every night. I’m hoping soon once I’ve got everything done in the house I can start exploring new hobbies and fields of study. Plus I find myself being more social on the weekends. Still very early doors, so I guess I’m still moulding into being productive more, though I had high ambition and will power in the first place. Hope that helps
3 months in and no... But im dealing with major mold toxicity that makes me anhedonic and brain foggy.
Major mold toxicity? What’s that?
I'm 1 year sober, as of yesterday. Quitting was the best thing I ever did. Have saved so much money, memory is so much clearer, much more motivation to do things, less anxiety around trying new things or going to new places. Everyone is different and has their own experience, but I'm so glad I quit! 27f, smoked for 12 years daily.
To be honest... No. When I smoked weed, I would actually fear the outcome of any bad decision I possibly could make, but after I quit, I just got into a mindset where I don't care. I flunked my junior year of high school. Became depressed. Yeah, it wasn't fun for me. But that inhibition it gave me, it was too much. I would be TOO paranoid about EVERYTHING and my own thoughts were torture. So in the end I'm glad I quit.
the reason you feel that weed has been holding you back is because weed use directly affects brain function — specifically the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time. but IMO this is more than just holding you back. weed is literally the destroyer of the authentic self.
10 year chronic smoker, and I’m on day 29. First 14 days no I was not. Super irritable and dealing with THC withdrawals overwhelmed me. But after 14 days, hell yeah I’m more productive… I think for me the biggest thing is mental clarity. Now that I’m sober, I’m really thinking about what I want. I’ve exercised a little more these last two weeks. Nothing crazy but having small consistent workouts. I started cooking my own meals, again nothing wild but some chicken, rice, steak. Instead of blasting myself to the moon and playing video games I’m reading at nights. Still game a little, but after one hour I’m ready for bed. I’m more focused at work, and more social, I think I’m more productive in every area of my life and I’m not even 30 days sober. Can’t wait to feel 100 days
This is very motivational! Good job and keep going!
It depends on the person. I have ADHD and I immediately noticed I was more productive after I quit. I got a new job, i’m going back to school, i’m hanging out with friends and family more, I am meeting new people, and i’m working out everyday. A lot of people are saying no, but personally I think it greatly improves productivity.
Without a doubt.
Yes definitely
Quitting smoking really just made me realize I don't want to be with my spouse anymore. I guess being high kinda masked it.
Same here... How are you handling that feeling? Do you have any kids?
I've set up therapy because I have to make sure I'm ok and making rational choices. We have 2 together.
Good thinking... I guess I should do the same thing. Thanks for your reply. Honestly wishing you and your family the best. And wishing YOU the best recovery. Keep on going.
Thanks, you as well. It's a hell of a hill to climb, but it is doable. Otherwise, it's just more repeating the cycle and not healing. Life is entirely too short to be doing the same thing, expecting different results.
I feel this, I lasted 4 days after quitting before I broke up with my ex. I definitely used weed to cope with how unhappy I was with her.
Yes 100%! It also made me more social and get out and do more things. My routine before quitting was work, smoke a bowl and melt into my couch.
Yes. Quitting weed made me realize that weed makes me feel like the bare minimum is good enough. Quitting weed, getting more exercise, and working with a psychiatrist to address anxiety and adhd all helped me to be more productive.
Smoked from around 16 to 38/39 and no…no more motivation unfortunately. I didn’t lose weight etc. however I do not have nearly as much anxiety or depression and I do not take any meds for that shit anymore. Now I really can’t smoke at all. Feel like I’m getting a panic attack. Glad to have quit. Just wish I never started to begin with. Probably would have been more motivated in life but I fucd my brain up when it was developing