Weed withdrawal is very real and it's not fun

[Noproblems65]

A little bit about me--I started smoking daily roughly 8 months ago, and before that, I was a fairly infrequent smoker. When I first began daily use, I quickly saw all these unparalleled advantages that it was providing me. I felt more relaxed, my anxiety-lessened considerably, and it often spurred up deep memories from years and years ago that I had seemingly forgotten. To be brief, I thought it was nothing short of life-changing and saw myself using cannabis conceivably for the rest of my life. I was, however, a misinformed idiot. All of those wondrous benefits were nothing more than a short-lived tease.

As time went on, the deep memories faded. I smoked increasingly more often and my tolerance grew rapidly; as a result, my high consisted of little more than mild relaxation and induced sleepiness. My anxiety now often increased when I smoked, and I had adapted an addict-like attitude towards weed, spending any and all excess money on it without any thought. My head was perpetually cloudy, and it took all day and some vigorous exercise just to feel normal and levelheaded again from smoking the night before. For the last several months of use, I knew that smoking was completely pointless and brought nothing to my life, yet I continued to waste money on it. Whoever tells you marijuana isn't addictive is nothing short of a liar, and I have found that most people who say that are those held down by their addiction and still in denial. Sure, it's not comparable to a lot of substances, but the addictive aspects are surely still there.

I've finally quit cold turkey and have been off for about a week, and it has been hell thus far. I've suffered from perpetual depression (I read a story in the newspaper of a woman who left her dog locked in a car and it made me cry), and OCD-like impulsive thoughts. I originally thought the latter may be unrelated, but I've found similar stories online and remember the same distinct OCD-like thoughts when I was forced to go 3 days without smoking a few months back. Every little thing has agitated me beyond belief, and I've felt an anger that I've never felt before--I even broke a keyboard when my computer froze and I continually snap at every question someone asks me. I also have absolutely no energy or drive and find accomplishing anything extraordinarily difficult. I'm praying that this all will pass soon. Some of it has begin to wane thankfully--the agitation and anger is nearly gone, and the OCD-like thoughts have thankfully lessened.

Following my experience thus far, I just don't understand how someone can advocate daily use of any psychoactive substance. I believe that the modern attitude towards marijuana as "harmless" played a role in me becoming a daily user. I never would have drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes every single day or used any substance known to cause serious harm. But because I could find a study showing marijuana probably doesn't cause lung cancer or this and that, I lied to myself and saw it as simply harmless and as a wonderfully relaxing way to end the day. I was stupid, and I warn everyone not to fall for such nonsense. You can't use a psychoactive substance for hours everyday and expect to be perfectly fine--you just can't.

Don't get me wrong--I don't hate cannabis at all; I think that infrequent and appropriate use can bring innumerable benefits to the user--just like those I experienced in the beginning. I now see it just like my experiences with LSD, DMT, etc.--these are not regularly used, but when I do take them, I discover amazing things about myself and the world that contribute to my life in a very positive way. I would never use those on a daily basis, and I will no longer use marijuana that way either.

I've been a bluelight reader for a long time and I've very thankful such a forum exists to share my experiences and get feedback. Thanks!

 

[shaddi]

You may have had OCD/thoughts before you smoked, is this true? Weed has been considered a helper for OCD (and I notice i am way less ocd on weed, way more without). it's also used for anxiety and depression, but of course it can worsen it too. you know there are multiple types of strains right? some make you feel very energetic and alive and that can cause anxiety. some opposite. i can def feel the difference. i seem to prefer the upper kind

i go months of smoking more than once a day (anywhere from 4 to 14 hits or so daily) and then months without, without any problems in between. usually the first day or 2 sucks when i take my break, and it becomes hard to sleep or enjoy anything, but since you are a heavy smoker, then yes, the first few days are going to suck, but then you'll be back to normal like nothing happened. don't increase the problem by blaming the weed. it's already aside. you can always quit gradually, i dont know how much you smoked daily.

it's like quitting coffee, honestly, quitting coffee can be worse. you'll feel so depressed and tired and not wanting to do anything, and probably more agitated. quitting weed is WAY easier than quitting any other drug. (i dont really take anything else tho, but you can't compare it to something heavy)

"I've suffered from perpetual depression (I read a story in the newspaper of a woman who left her dog locked in a car and it made me cry)"
What does this mean? You know I cry many times a day, but I wouldn't consider that depression. Life is a test, and prayer is the only way to calmness. If you bottle up your emotions, it WILL destroy you. don't take crying as a bad thing, it is normal to do, guy or girl. There are sad things in the news all the time, and watching that stuff will make anyone sad and depressed. you need to get out of the 'i'm high or not high' and actually make changes in your life. i wouldnt worry so much about how high you are or if you are high. maybe u only need 1 hit here and there like you said, and you don't need to make it a bad thing (like u said as well)

When I go on my break of weed, i tend to drink more coffee, just to get over the initial depression, and plus my low tolerance to it makes it feel like a strong drug. and then, maybe weeks/months later i'll switch back to weed, and then the low tolerance will again be a nice surprise, etc but yes weed can make life seem easier, but you need to keep praying regardless of what drug you are on (I'm Muslim btw), and stay strong.

Also you're doing a good thing by staying away from alcohol and cigs, as those are the silent killers that are much much worse than weed (and coffee). And not to mention exercise is a great thing. the endorphin high you get from exercise is essential (again, regardless of high or not) and is a better high than weed. I usually enjoy getting a bike-endorphin high before i smoke anyways, to make sure the high stays anxiety-free and smooth =)

 

[MrNarc]

Caffeine withdrawal is worse I bet.

 

[bit_pattern]

I get cold sweats, insomnia, appetite problems, nausea, nightmares - yes, MJ withdrawals are very real.

 

[shaddi]

Caffeine withdrawal is worse I bet.

Generally, yes. without weed i feel 'bored'. without caffeine, i feel, 'dead' (but i hardly sleep, im sure im sleep deprived)

I get cold sweats, insomnia, appetite problems, nausea, nightmares - yes, MJ withdrawals are very real.

Do you usually have those things? Weed also is known to relieve those symptoms in general, as in, if you had all of those to begin with the exception of nightmares, taking your first hit of your life should help with all of that (actually no clue about cold sweats.).

I will say nightmares is more of what's in your heart and soul, i'm heavy into dreams i have hundreds of pages of dreams written down, mainly all good ones. i'll have nightmares when i feel i've 'done something wrong'. when you stop smoking you get more REM sleep i've heard, so you may just normally would've had them anyways (sorry). Pray for good dreams and everything else to turn your way always.

 

[ryanthc06]

i've been a heavy smoker for 8 years daily.

i just quit for a week with zero issues.

 

[ImagineBetter]

Ryan welcome to Bluelight don't be a prick with that being said everybody's body is different and each individual will be effected in different ways.

At OP I have been having some withdrawal symptoms as well, I cannot sleep well at all, having some mild nightmares, sweating way more than normal, slightly upset stomach, and a general tightening of my muscles.

 

[adder]

I've found cannabis along with dissociatives to resemble the peace of opioids for me the most, but I chose to use cannabis, because it interfered less with my every day life. In fact a lot of people that I was meeting at that time also smoked cannabis, so it was a background thing that nobody paid much attention. I definitely noticed that there were people who needed weed more and those who didn't need it at all, but just liked it.

With that being said, when I ran out of weed many times, I was getting extremely nervous, it simply helped me chill my nerves. Some minor physical symptoms were present, but I wouldn't call it a terrible withdrawal in my experience. Perhaps it's only because I've been through worse with opioids, but I can fully understand how debilitating cannabis withdrawal may feel for many people who never used "hard drugs". However, I think that it's much more psychological than physical, so it's going to be hard if you made any part of your life dependent on it. Well, your mind is physical, so psychological is indeed physical as well 8), so I'd say the withdrawal is rather more central with some minor peripheral effects. But then again the mental part of withdrawal is almost always the worst.

 

[bit_pattern]

Do you usually have those things?

No. That's how I know they're withdrawal symptoms - they happen when I'm withdrawing from pot.

 

[bit_pattern]

Thanks for cleaning this thread up thujone

 

[lcrlover]

You will find that it's possible to become "hooked" on anything you receive or take often, including emotional abuse from posting on this forum, by other posters.
I have learned countless times that "less is more" and I'm currently more worried about my over indulging in drinking coke over the few pinches of weed that I may smoke every day. I could tell you to try St. John's Wort for your depression, but it too has side effects of it's own. If You truly wish to be drug free the best bet I have found is to begin a regular exercise program, at least 20 minutes per day 3 days a week. After 6-8 weeks your endorphins will become active and you will be feeling much more peaceful with the world.

Always be Yourself,
Unless You suck, Then
pretend to be someone else.

Mitchell Wieland

 

[bit_pattern]

I could tell you to try St. John's Wort for your depression, but it too has side effects of it's own.

It's outside the remit of the thread but St John's Wort is not a proven treatment for depression - that would be bad advice to give to someone.

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm

 

[Jibult]

Weed withdrawals....

Yep. They exist.


People can debate it until they're blue in the face, doesn't negate what a relatively small portion of cannabis abusers know to be true. They may not be life-threatening or debilitating, but withdrawals from cannabis are a god damn pain in the ass and I'd rather smoke than sweat bullets all day, toss and turn in bed all night and generally be the most irritable fucker you've ever met in your life.


(Before it's said: yeah, opiates are worse to WD from. Xanax, too. Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine-- I mean, the list could go on for fucking paragraphs here-- but that doesn't matter to me. When I say " weed withdrawals," I'm not thinking of the severity of them... simply the fact that they exist.)

 

[Jibult]

Why are people calling this man a wuss for worrying about quitting?

Because it's easiest to view life through our own experiences, and a majority of people don't go through it. They hear about other people struggling with something they've done casually and can't help but feel some kind of latent superiority about the whole deal.

 

[toughskin]

Weed withdrawals are very real and extreme weed use has been noted to cause panic attacks. The quick reduction of THC in your body as your liver and kidneys expel it causes a psychological withdrawal which can be similar to physical symptoms of a physical withdrawal.

Not to get physical and psychological addictions confused allow me to explain:

- A physical withdrawal from an addiction causes severe bodily function impairment causing a vast array of physical symptoms. (Not OCD, Anxiety, Depression, etc).

- A mental or psychological withdrawal from marijuana addiction can and does create a plethora of psychological maladies. These could be many forms of psychotic effects as your body adjusts to the lack of an ingredient that it was use to having (THC) and in my experience heightened anxiety and depression have occurred. Although these conditions were probably milder in my case as I take a SSRI (Prozac) and a Benzo (Xanax) which are prescribed substances. Perhaps an SSRI could help as I am sure that it curbed my psychological issues from the cessation of marijuana for brief periods of time (~1yr break was taken by myself for reasons I will not discuss).

Source: Personal Experience and Numerous Discussions with various health-care providers over ~10+ years.

 

[shaddi]

Weed withdrawals are very real and extreme weed use has been noted to cause panic attacks. The quick reduction of THC in your body as your liver and kidneys expel it causes a psychological withdrawal which can be similar to physical symptoms of a physical withdrawal.

Not to get physical and psychological addictions confused allow me to explain:

- A physical withdrawal from an addiction causes severe bodily function impairment causing a vast array of physical symptoms. (Not OCD, Anxiety, Depression, etc).

- A mental or psychological withdrawal from marijuana addiction can and does create a plethora of psychological maladies. These could be many forms of psychotic effects as your body adjusts to the lack of an ingredient that it was use to having (THC) and in my experience heightened anxiety and depression have occurred. Although these conditions were probably milder in my case as I take a SSRI (Prozac) and a Benzo (Xanax) which are prescribed substances. Perhaps an SSRI could help as I am sure that it curbed my psychological issues from the cessation of marijuana for brief periods of time (~1yr break was taken by myself for reasons I will not discuss).

Source: Personal Experience and Numerous Discussions with various health-care providers over ~10+ years.

I'd say that weed is much safer and more effective than an ssri. i say because the plant is natural, grown, God-given. I have used ssri and other meds for over a year daily. i was up to 60mg of prozac, as well as welbutren, risperidone, and took diazapem for anxiety.

Not to mention you can DIE from taking anti-anxiety meds, you should look that up as well and it's very real. those pills are no game to play with, taking the natural and safe alternatives is always better. and that doesnt HAVE to be weed, it can be meditation, prayer, sleep...

i would never go back to them. i've found weed much more effective, safer, and a better feeling. you cannot just stop taking an ssri all of a sudden, or any anxiety med, when on a steady dose over a long period of time without MUCH WORSE side effects. you can DIE from coming off of anxiety meds all of a suddon without weening yourself off (My friend trying to come off of a pill for months/year).


also i wonder if the plant has been curing all of this depression/anxiety/sleep issues all along, and when you arent on it, those problems were just kind of stored away, ready to come back and hit you when you stop smoking, so it's as if you had to deal with them either way, as in you would've had them without the plant to begin with. i'd suggest just 'taking it easy'


And sorry i'm not a doctor but ive been thru all of the psycho-therapy BS

 

[Jibult]

Not to get physical and psychological addictions confused allow me to explain:

There are terms available to more easily distinguish between the two: addiction and dependence.

Addiction is psychological, as in, you can't get your addiction off your mind. It hogs up your entire attention span until there's only room for bare necessities and basic needs to coexist with your desire to get/use your drug of choice. Addictions don't result in withdrawals, but they can lead into a dependency which totally will.

A dependency is physical in nature, as in, you get withdrawals when you don't get your fix (whatever it may be) because there are physical, chemical, observable changes going on in your body as a result.




I don't know why this isn't more common knowledge. I guess I've just been court-ordered to one too many substance abuse classes....


[EDIT: The issue with weed, I've noticed? It's hard to differentiate between true withdrawal symptoms as a result of not smoking weed, and symptoms of anxiety due to not smoking weed. I ride the fence on that one.... I know anxiety can cause all sorts of weird physical symptoms to manifest in a person otherwise healthy, though, that's for damn sure-- and cold-turkey-quitting any habit regarding substance abuse is bound to cause an increase in stress and anxiety, regardless whether a person's addicted or dependent on that chemical.... I just don't know whether anxiety can be considered a withdrawal symptom, you know? A physical one, at least....]

 

[toughskin]

I'd say that weed is much safer and more effective than an ssri. i say because the plant is natural, grown, God-given. I have used ssri and other meds for over a year daily. i was up to 60mg of prozac, as well as welbutren, risperidone, and took diazapem for anxiety.

Not to mention you can DIE from taking anti-anxiety meds, you should look that up as well and it's very real. those pills are no game to play with, taking the natural and safe alternatives is always better. and that doesnt HAVE to be weed, it can be meditation, prayer, sleep...

i would never go back to them. i've found weed much more effective, safer, and a better feeling. you cannot just stop taking an ssri all of a sudden, or any anxiety med, when on a steady dose over a long period of time without MUCH WORSE side effects. you can DIE from coming off of anxiety meds all of a suddon without weening yourself off (My friend trying to come off of a pill for months/year).


also i wonder if the plant has been curing all of this depression/anxiety/sleep issues all along, and when you arent on it, those problems were just kind of stored away, ready to come back and hit you when you stop smoking, so it's as if you had to deal with them either way, as in you would've had them without the plant to begin with. i'd suggest just 'taking it easy'


And sorry i'm not a doctor but ive been thru all of the psycho-therapy BS

It seems as though you are in the same boat as me. (regarding the SSRIs and Benzos being prescribed and having to change from one SSRI to another, etc, etc.. vicious cycle and expensive )After I quit smoking for a year I tapered off of the Benzos appropriately and continued smoking and am much better off for it.

I was attempting to shed light on the OP's desire to stop smoking and problems which have arisen from this.

Wonderful theory as well!

also i wonder if the plant has been curing all of this depression/anxiety/sleep issues all along, and when you arent on it, those problems were just kind of stored away, ready to come back and hit you when you stop smoking, so it's as if you had to deal with them either way, as in you would've had them without the plant to begin with. i'd suggest just 'taking it easy'

 

[adder]

Because it's easiest to view life through our own experiences, and a majority of people don't go through it. They hear about other people struggling with something they've done casually and can't help but feel some kind of latent superiority about the whole deal.

A majority of people seem to have stopped growing up at some point. Perhaps failing in life in some way again and again teaches how to be humble and not only judge everything in relation to oneself, but also oneself in relation to everything. But then again I've seen a lot of people deep in the misery of addiction and all it did to them was making them even more vain.

Not to get physical and psychological addictions confused allow me to explain:

- A physical withdrawal from an addiction causes severe bodily function impairment causing a vast array of physical symptoms. (Not OCD, Anxiety, Depression, etc).

- A mental or psychological withdrawal from marijuana addiction can and does create a plethora of psychological maladies. These could be many forms of psychotic effects as your body adjusts to the lack of an ingredient that it was use to having (THC) and in my experience heightened anxiety and depression have occurred. Although these conditions were probably milder in my case as I take a SSRI (Prozac) and a Benzo (Xanax) which are prescribed substances. Perhaps an SSRI could help as I am sure that it curbed my psychological issues from the cessation of marijuana for brief periods of time (~1yr break was taken by myself for reasons I will not discuss).

That's still only for classification purposes, psychological and physical withdrawals will blend. Scientifically human mind and awareness are just an illusion caused by the number of connections between neurons in the brain. We're only particles just as anything in the entire universe, so anything psychological couldn't be any more physical than it is (let's keep religion and faith out of this, please). I'm sorry for making a philosophy of such a simple matter.

 

[Cream Gravy?]

Currently 3 days sober, I can say it has been hell doing so after 3 years without taking a break of more than a week... Mind you, I've never had opiate/benzo WD's. I'll argue that my alcohol and caffiene WD's are actually much, MUCH easier to handle than pot WD's. I haven't slept for shit in three nights. I too have had nightmares, cold/hot flashes for no reason, etc. I've never been more bored in my life than the times I have quit pot. I even had a nightmare last night that I had broken down and smoked with my roommate, and I was so upset with myself lol. Luckily, I hadn't actually. Tryin to make it till the end of my summer school in three weeks, lets hope I don't break down and buy some ganja!