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cannabis withdrawl

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vision conquest

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
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Hello bluelighters, I am sorry if this topic has been discussed before, probably has, however I am totally blind and use a screen reader to navigate the net.

The point of me revealing this is just to explain that my screen reader sometimes doesn't pick up every bit of information and I can miss things sometimes.

Anyway this is my question, I am in the process of attempting to stop smoking herb and I am finding it very difficult.

I am suffering from extreme dysphoria, insomnia, lethargy and depression to the point I am spending many hours in the day just crying and wondering if I want to go on.

I am on the methadone program, have been for over 20 years, I don't think that has anything to do with it, rather I am just explaining that I know about withdrawl and what I am experiencing is real withdrawl.

I have been smoking herb for over 34 years so I have a lot of experience with it, I have been forced to stop a few times over the years, due to time in prison and I have never suffered like this when coming off the green.

This time I have been smoking daily for about 6 months, the amount was pretty conservative but it has been every day since late last year.

The strength of the stuff I have been smoking this time is definitely stronger than ever before, medicinal and or top shelf strain, maybe that is a factor.

Anyway I am asking if anybody has any tips, perhaps supplements, either otc/natural or meds that might help.

I am attempting to taper, having a smoke one day then trying to go a day without, then smoking a day and then going two days without and so on.

Over the last week I have managed to only smoke on 3 days and I definitely smoked less on those days than I normally would have so it appears my taper is going ok.

What are peoples opinion on this, worth it or should I just try and get it over and done with cold turkey?

I know with most substances tapering is generally the way to go if it can be done.

If you had told me 6 months ago that I would be struggling like this to come off mary jane I would have laughed at you, however this is no laughing matter, I have a wife who is very supportive but I am making her life very difficult and I am becoming desperate.

Any help in any way would be appreciated greatly.

Thanks

VQ
 
vision conquest said:
I am suffering from extreme dysphoria, insomnia, lethargy and depression to the point I am spending many hours in the day just crying and wondering if I want to go on.

I am on the methadone program, have been for over 20 years, I don't think that has anything to do with it, rather I am just explaining that I know about withdrawl and what I am experiencing is real withdrawl.
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It might have something to do with it, although really what I mean is there might be some extraneous factors contributing to your symptoms.

For me and my 15 years of daily cannabis use, withdrawal could be unpleasant, but the worst of the symptoms like the dysphoria were mostly psychological in nature and not a physical dependence (that's not to say they were fake or not hard to deal with). Psychological addiction can be very powerful, however, and manifest powerful psychosomatic symptoms. The times I psychologically prepared myself and was motivated to quit cannabis withdrawals seemed minimal or almost no existent. The other times I ran out or was forced to quit it was similarly as unpleasant as quitting any other addictive drug. Weed is so powerfully potent now as well, it's not the same drug as 20 years ago.

If it is truly extreme as you say, there could be something else going on. How is your health in general? There is absolutely no shame in seeking therapy or even rehab for this problem.

Anyways, I would suggest tapering as well. You definitely aren't alone in this or the only person to have great difficultly quitting the herb.
 
the best tip i can give you is firstly to just adhere to smoking it only later in the day / evening

Even if its only 4pm then 6pm and so on until you strictly only use later at night time. once you have cracked that part it makes it a lot easier because a. you are living life without being stoned/high b. you will decrease overall body tolerance to cannabis because you are giving yourself a smaller window in which you can use it

Eventually i found i was able to then stop at any given time for a period of time which ranged from weeks, to months to even a few years.
Now i still use cannabis but i use it very sparingly in the evenings and can stop if i go to the dentist for example i always stop 2 days before i go and it doesnt cause me much issues.
 
Darksidesam said:
the best tip i can give you is firstly to just adhere to smoking it only later in the day / evening

Even if its only 4pm then 6pm and so on until you strictly only use later at night time. once you have cracked that part it makes it a lot easier because a. you are living life without being stoned/high b. you will decrease overall body tolerance to cannabis because you are giving yourself a smaller window in which you can use it

Eventually i found i was able to then stop at any given time for a period of time which ranged from weeks, to months to even a few years.
Now i still use cannabis but i use it very sparingly in the evenings and can stop if i go to the dentist for example i always stop 2 days before i go and it doesnt cause me much issues.
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Yeh mate that is pretty much the plan I've come up with.

If I can get to where I'm comfortable getting through the day before having a smoke then it shouldn't be too hard to start skipping days and then progress from there.
 
Snafu in the Void said:
It might have something to do with it, although really what I mean is there might be some extraneous factors contributing to your symptoms.

For me and my 15 years of daily cannabis use, withdrawal could be unpleasant, but the worst of the symptoms like the dysphoria were mostly psychological in nature and not a physical dependence (that's not to say they were fake or not hard to deal with). Psychological addiction can be very powerful, however, and manifest powerful psychosomatic symptoms. The times I psychologically prepared myself and was motivated to quit cannabis withdrawals seemed minimal or almost no existent. The other times I ran out or was forced to quit it was similarly as unpleasant as quitting any other addictive drug. Weed is so powerfully potent now as well, it's not the same drug as 20 years ago.

If it is truly extreme as you say, there could be something else going on. How is your health in general? There is absolutely no shame in seeking therapy or even rehab for this problem.

Anyways, I would suggest tapering as well. You definitely aren't alone in this or the only person to have great difficultly quitting the herb.
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Yes well I am going to attempt a taper.

I thought about and talked about it with someone today and if I'm being honest I am probably not as ready to do this as I thought.

Also since we're being hones I have actually been using more benzos than usual over the last 6 weeks or so, I am a bit concerned I am right on the edge of a benzo habit.

Might be a bit of a problem.

bugger......
thanks for your replies.
vq
 
tapering never worked for me - you're probably just prolonging the whole thing by tapering - you don't really need to taper with weed - nothing bad is gonna happen if you suddenly stop


cold turkey is the way to go for weed if you ask me


just stop and stay stopped for 30 days and then smoke occasionally if you can handle that

that's my advice and what i do when i stop
 
@vision conquest - your situation as a screen reader user changes the landscape a lot. THC can still be good for you. change it up a bit rather than lose your contact with this little helper.

If you have lung congestion or pain from smoking then move on to the water soluble tinctures (eg. look for this product: Emprise Hypernova Advanced Nano), which you can start on earlier in the day (say with coffee), and if you do not have lung or throat issues from smoking, the evening is best for smoking - and every other evening can make it special for you again.
 
Mr. Krinkle said:
tapering never worked for me - you're probably just prolonging the whole thing by tapering - you don't really need to taper with weed - nothing bad is gonna happen if you suddenly stop


cold turkey is the way to go for weed if you ask me


just stop and stay stopped for 30 days and then smoke occasionally if you can handle that

that's my advice and what i do when i stop
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Except as I mentioned I am getting pretty messed up when I try to stop, everybody is unique, I am not the only person I know that gets very depressed when stopping weed ct and then others like yourself have virtually no issues.

I think @Snafu in the Void hit the nail on the head, I think it makes a difference if you are ready to stop as opposed to stopping before you're ready.
Also there is a chance I am experiencing mild benzo withdrawl at the same time, not to mention I have some anxiety issues and ptsd concerning the accident that took my sight which clearly complicates things a bit.

Not trying to big note myself but I have been a smoker since 1988 so I am not a newbie to this game.

Also I have experienced withdrawl from heroin, crystal and benzos so I know what wd is about.

The conclusion I am leaning towards is that the symptoms are mainly psychological, likely due to trying to stop before being really ready and my anxiety/ptsd combined with the fact that I've probably been over doing the benzos over the last couple months is only adding to the symptoms.

My current plan is to only smoke once a day, at night while completely stopping all benzos.

Then once I can easily get through the day without a smoke it should be pretty easy to start skipping days, then make the final jump.

I seem to be one of the lucky ones that get every symptom possible when going ct off any substance, you are very lucky to be able to stop and cop zero wd, virtually everyone at least experience some sleep problems when stopping weed ct after being on it for more than a month or so.
 
well - i do have withdrawals - but they're easier to deal with and over much quicker if i just go cold turkey rather than taper

we've probably been smoking just as long - i might have a couple years on ya - but i didn't think you were a newbie


and you do have to be ready for it to go smoother - but that's everything right?


furthermore

i have a theory - but its a good one


ya know when you're smoking shitty weed that's not really getting you high, and it's kinda depressing? that's what tapering probably does....it just isn't enough

or too low of a dose of acid - that's just annoying right?


now you wouldn't taper a crack habit would you? :pipe:


no you just gotta stop


so i see it almost the same way
 
I agree tapering weed like a benzo or opioids sounds pretty shitty compared to cold turkey, at least when you get to low amounts.

I would just start smoking less frequently, like only once at night instead of all day, then quit when ready. That's what I'd do.
 
OK, I've done some thinking and reading your posts and I am ready to fess up.

Tapering the smoko is just my way of prolonging it.....I don't want to stop....bloody love it, just had a few tokes on some chronic and had this epipheny....is that how you spell it.

So fact is I have to stop smoking for reasons I don't want to go into but I have to stop.

So I am just going to smoke once a day until my stash is finished and then stop.

I do need to lay off the benzos though, so tonight I took 100mg of quetiapine which has relaxed me nicely.
 
Im not able to smoke atm and i feel mostly like i Just cant enjoy watching tv without a joint and i feel all kinds of stress, tension, anxiety,... Depression is not yet more prominent than Any other effects...
 
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