As soon as I sobered up and got off the junk I quickly realized that all my so-called friends were nothing more than acquaintances that happened to share a single common interest - getting high. These relationships were built on a foundation of a synthetic feeling and thus when that feeling wore off (ergo, I got sober) the foundation crumbled along with the relationship that was built on top of it. Of course this is very metaphorical but I think it's a decent way to illustrate it.
This is relevant to the so-called friends thing and if the people you are using with are really friends (and then talk about some other stuff, experience, etc):
I thought I'd poke my head in this section even though I'm using something that some of you might even laugh at me for, none the less, sober is sober. I've really been trying to slow down my cannabis consumption. I was smoking every single day for almost a year with about a month break crammed in there somewhere. My friend (real friend, maybe?) who I frequently smoked with moved to Jersey (I live in Ontario) to work. Me, him and his girlfriend would smoke all the time. Once he left, his girlfriend still wants to hang out because she doesn't have many friends but in all honesty, I don't know what I'd do with her. All we ever did was smoke, I'd say 90-95% of our relationship, I was high. She asks me to chill often, but I don't want to smoke, I have no other common interests so since my buddy is gone I have no reason to hang out with her. I'm worried when my buddy comes back from Jersey it will be the same way, we were pretty good child hood friends, didn't talk for a long time but now I'm 19, he's 20 and again, all we did now a days was smoke together but we don't have a ton in common. I'm unsure if our rekindled friendship was actually real or just synthetic, like you said. Even though the substance I am using is pretty much as soft as it gets, I share your feeling %100
Since he left I stopped buying pot altogether but have smoked a couple times with another friend, funny thing is with this other friend, we started our relationship with pot but are completely cool with hanging sober which is a nice treat. Might seem silly talking about cannabis but I needed to slow down, and a mind altering substance is a mind altering substance period. I was pouring way too much money into it. I've made a good effort to connect with other friends who don't smoke at all or only do so once every few months, this has helped me with cutting back drastically and I have regained normal appetite and sleep functions. Anyone who says cannabis has no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever either never smoked for a very extended period of time or never tried to quit, the appetite and sleep issues are real. I didn't really think anything of it until it I was witnessing it first hand. I didn't want to eat, I was barely hungry, my stomach would eventually get upset but still, very little hunger, sleep was drastically effected as well. Almost reminded me of my school days where ADHD meds were shoved down my throat, but not as painful. Mental addictions can be fairly powerful things as well especially if you work them into a routine. I would smoke every night before bed, without it, I simply couldn't fall asleep until 3-4am and I work at 8am, that missing hole in my routine made it feel like I was missing something important, and you get so damn used to falling asleep high, being sober you barely feel like you have the desire. After about a week most of this stupid shit went away and my appetite on week 2 is pretty much back to normal. I just felt like sharing this second bit because most of the "friends" who are open to talking about pot aren't going to want to hear about me slowing down drastically.
/babble
For those of you using harder drugs, stay strong, IT IS worth being sober. Once you are sober for long enough you realize all the little and big real things you missed out on.
This is a wonderful thread I've found. There is always someone there to respond to you. I've noticed a post doesn't go un-responded..even if people are busy someone makes it a point to respond and give support.
It's a lovely place. I'm glad you choose to bring us into your world. As one we can allow our mind to wander/feeling alone and become weak but as many we are strong and can defeat our minds addictive thoughts. I think reaching out for support or even giving it helps even in the most minuscule amount at helping us stay/get clean.
