Just Over 15 months off Weed and alcohol

[cleanofgreen]

Just thought I'd write an update now that it's January and there is a lot of people starting their quit journey. Boy its busy in here and great to see.

I quit in September 2016 after 24 years of smoking weed, the first 18 years only smoking a few evenings and the weekends, but the last 6 years smoking medical grade potent bud every day of the week.

In the first year of smoking I became obsessed with weed and it's culture, and over the years it literally took over every aspect of my life. I thought that I would be smoking happily for the rest of my life and saw nothing wrong with that. It was only after I'd lost almost everything that I realised that my greatest passion in life was also my worst handicap. It still boggles me to this day how I couldn't see the link between my weed consumption and the spiralling downward path my life was taking. I guess that's what addiction does to you, you can't see how negatively it's affecting you and when others point it out you attack them claiming you don't have a problem and give them all the medical reasons why it's so good for society even though you don't have a medical reason for smoking.

Since I'd been smoking for so long, it took 9 months for me to feel normal again and those 9 months were the worst of my life, anxiety, depression, crying spells, depersonalisation, some suicidal thoughts and just basically thinking I'd screwed up my brain and life for good.

The good news is that I hadn't, in fact I'd say that my brain and life is better now than it ever was. I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life, I eat a healthy diet, read good books, have better social interactions, spend more time with my wife and kids, better personal relationships, better sex life, look people in the eye when talking to them, total confidence in myself and have a kind of don't give a f--- attitude where I don't care what others think of me. I can understand new concepts much quicker than before and have begun to understand concepts which boggled me for years. Compared to 15 months ago I'm like a before and after Bradley Cooper in the film Limitless only the opposite, I gave up taking the drug.

My tips to help others is, to realize that giving up weed is only the first step. It takes 21 days to break an old habit because this is how long it takes your brain to form new neural pathways. It also takes 21 days to form a new habit and it's easier to break an old one by replacing it with a new one. So pick a new healthy hobby to replace all the time you spent smoking. You have to do something with all the time you were wasting on being stoned, or else you will start over thinking things and looking back at the way things could have been, could have, should have, would have, and we all know where this train of thought leads to. Don't look at it like all the wasted years spent stoned, life tends to give you exactly what you need to evolve into the person you need to become, the withdrawal process although very hard will turn you into a mental ninja once you come out the other side, and then you can finally meet the true you and your true personality will shine through.

When you break a bad habit you do tend to form new healthier ones by default and life starts to reward you little by little, you won't see it straight away, not today, nor tomorrow ,but over time you'll have a big break through and look back and marvel at how much your life has changed for the better.

Good Luck and stay strong

[Irishweedfreeguy]

Very well put and can relate to a lot of that!!

Really enjoyed reading it and will come back to it for inspiration because that's what you are dude!
Very inspiring so thank you and we'll done on getting so far

[SoulFull]

Since I'd been smoking for so long, it took 9 months for me to feel normal again and those 9 months were the worst of my life, anxiety, depression, crying spells, depersonalisation, some suicidal thoughts and just basically thinking I'd screwed up my brain and life for good.

The good news is that I hadn't, in fact I'd say that my brain and life is better now than it ever was. I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life, I eat a healthy diet, read good books, have better social interactions, spend more time with my wife and kids, better personal relationships, better sex life, look people in the eye when talking to them, total confidence in myself and have a kind of don't give a f--- attitude where I don't care what others think of me. I can understand new concepts much quicker than before and have begun to understand concepts which boggled me for years. Compared to 15 months ago I'm like a before and after Bradley Cooper in the film Limitless only the opposite, I gave up taking the drug.

Love this cleanofgreen. I can relate to what you've said so much and can't wait to become "Limitless" myself. After 3 months clean I'm feeling much has improved for me as well. A huge difference! Starting to get motivated and to feel excited for things now. I can also better control the anxiety and depression that used to shut me down. I can't wait to get where you are! All the best clean!

[cleanofgreen]

@irishweedfreeguy
Read your quit thread and can relate to your words of wisdom

It's exciting because I've never known myself as an adult if you get me, I really want to discover myself and be the best I can be,!

Just take it day by day and you will meet the true you very soon. I'm after discovering so much about myself in the last 15 months, it's like you said I never new myself as an adult while stoned for 24 years, but now I do and it's like I've got a second chance at life and I'm loving it.

@Soulfull
Congratz on the 3 months, your on the home straight now, whats left of the anxiety and depression will drop away little by little until you wake one day and realize that you haven't had any for months and what a feeling that is. Make the right choices each and every day, you wont see the results straight away, but by the time you do all the hard work will already have been done.

[Soberchic]

Congrats clean of green...i have 16 months so glad to see your still on your journey!! I feel the same way with everything you said ..keep up the good work

[Jonok1]

Really enjoyed your post, encouraging to read. I’m reading through posts looking for the inspiration to walk away from the green. I have stopped once in the last 12 years. Strangely I have managed to stay off tobacco for three years, but weed I can’t seem too bstay away from.
I smoke a few blunts a day, Deep down I know it’s having a bad effect on me, if a haven’t had any I get very hard to be arround. Few weeks ago I had a visit from the Police after a row with a neighbour! Hope I can fond the strength to stop, defiantly helps reading posts like yours so thankyou.

[cleanofgreen]

@soberchic
great to hear from you and see your still quit after 16 months. It's nice to hear from people who quit the same time as me and helped each other out at a really tough time in our lives. Hope your enjoying the awesome life you deserve.

@Jonok1
The best thing to do is keep reading the posts from the long term quitters, just use the search function on the forum to find posts with the words "6 months" or "9 months" etc. and then read their whole thread from the start. A lot of the stories will have so much in common with you and us all, that it's scary. I welled up on a few occasions reading some of the stories, as they described my own life so well and made me take a good look at myself.

You have to really want to stop, and for me my whole life had to fall to pieces before I really wanted to. Sounds like your in a similar place so why not just try to cut down from 3 to 1 joint a day in the evening before bed and take it from there. For me it was all or nothing, I tried the weening off thing for years but would be back at it daily within no time. Some do say it's easier to ween off it so you might give it a go and succeed. You will have to take the plunge and quit at some stage and it might as well be now. Just know it will be rough for a while and you need to be kind to yourself at this time.Good luck and stay strong.

[Jonok1]

Thankyou for you reply, I managed my first day without smoking weed yesterday... took the mountain bike out in the woods in the evening. It already feels like my head is clearer.
I really want to get off cannabis. Your message really helped, like you I think I am an all or nothing kind of character. Here’s to day two....

[cleanofgreen]

Great to see you took the plunge. Just remember to take it one day at a time.
Glad I could be of some help and wish you well in your new and better life.

Stay Strong

[Jonok1]

Five days off it. Feeling pleased and notice that the angsiety I was suffering in the mornings has eased in fact I’m feeling much happier already when I wake up which is nice. I’m still reading the posts on here and getting lots of encouragement from doing so. Thanks for the support.

[cleanofgreen]

Keep up the good work Jonok1. It's easier to break a bad habit by forming a new one and since exercise is one of the top recommended things to do while trying to break any addiction, if your not already doing it you might as well give it a go. From reading the forums its probably the top recommended thing by most posters to get some relief from the withdrawal symptoms. Its the number one thing that got me through the worst of it.

Good luck and stay strong.

[Wave]

Keep up the good work Jonok1. It's easier to break a bad habit by forming a new one and since exercise is one of the top recommended things to do while trying to break any addiction, if your not already doing it you might as well give it a go. From reading the forums its probably the top recommended thing by most posters to get some relief from the withdrawal symptoms. Its the number one thing that got me through the worst of it.

Good luck and stay strong.

This, running has helped me no end to replace the feeling of being stoned. Plus way healthier and now I think much nice feeling too!

[cleanofgreen]

Couldn't agree more. Exercise is a must for me now, I try to get it in at least 5 times a week but more if I can. I feel if I do any less I end up doing less and less each week and before I know it I haven't done any for the week, if you know what I mean. Also if I don't exercise for a few days in a row I tend to start getting more negative and only when I start up again do I start to snap out of it.

Good Luck and stay strong

[Astro413]

Hey clean, just wanted to say I’m very grateful for your threads as they helped me tremendously in the very early days. While albeit I’m still going through it, I am at a place where it is not nearly as bad and I know I have the mental strength and willpower to see this through the rest of the way thanks to you and some others. Currently just over 7 months here and I’d say I’m getting an even split of “good” and “bad” days, but as mentioned earlier the bad isn’t nearly as bad, now they consist of minor anxiety and feeling lethargic with low/depressed moods leading me to frequent these boards for a couple days. I know you still frequent this site periodically giving inspiration so I thought I’d as of you to give us one last update as you are around 2 years if I’ve been reading your post dates correctly. Of course I ask of this only if you’re willing and have time, 2yearsquit came back one last time and thought you may want to add on.

[cleanofgreen]

Hi Astro,
Congrats on the 7 months, that's a great chunk of time. Very busy at present so will update in a couple of days.

Good luck and stay strong.