Smoking weed in recovery.

[Zapgunn]

So I’ve kicked a lot of stuff over the past year… first heroin, then meth, then a couple months ago kratom. My life has gotten a lot better as a result. I tried complete abstinence for a little while. I just experienced a lot of anhedonia, lack of motivation, and terrible insomnia. Recently I started smoking weed. I’m living in WA now so its completely legal, and I have access to all sorts of good stuff. I still go to AA mtgs, I just keep the whole weed thing on the DL, lol.

Right when I started smoking it took my anhedonia away almost instantly. I started started sleeping much better and feeling better about life in general. for the first week i smoked sparingly, and it was good. Now I’m smoking all day everyday. Often times I smoke too much and get a little paranoid. Although weed really helps my depression, it actually makes my social anxiety much worst, so when I’m super stoned I avoid interactions with people. I’m trying to smoke less, but its not really working. I don’t feel like what I’m doing now is going to work long term. Anytime anything makes me feel good I just abuse the fuck out of it until it stops working.

I would love to hear from some people who smoke weed after recovering from drug addiction. Can you moderate it? If so how? Please don’t just say "will power" bc I’ve never had that with mind altering substances.

 

[mrsnowygrainius]

Me personaly, NO i would NOT be able to "just smoke weed" in recovery... I also do not know of anyone that is clean (by clean I mean has YEARS plus of sobriety) and smokes pot.

Smoking pot will weaken the desire to resist the bad stuff and that is why the pot often leads people back to their DOC.

 

[szuko000]

I for one love weed and have been smoking it for 12 years now. This means it was there when i got off heroin and on methadone as it was absent in my life during the years of struggling with heroin. When i went into the methadone clinic they told me it was not a problem. 6 months into it when my counselor asked if i planned on stopping weed smoking I literally said "fuck that, i love my life right now for the first time in a very long time and i am not changing it for you or anyone else" and she thought that was the best thing in the world and was like "wow, thats fine just keep doing you, szuko" Like i wasnt mad but seriously i quit IV heroin, smoking crack and even cigs and the nerve of this place asking me to stop doing the one thing that has never done me wrong... other then 2 misdemeanors when i was young (8 years ago now).

But my point is even with all of the good hobbies i have now, with all the outside learning i do, with my full time job and desire to get a better one, i still smoke weed at night every night once a night usually no more then that. Its not that i couldnt function without it i have quit it for years when i was on probation, when i didnt have access in college but i love weed. Weed and psychedelics, always loved them but as a heroin addicted crack smoker i couldnt bare the introspective hell they put me into then.

I love my life and it is made better by weed. I love who i am and would never make those mistakes again i have grown up more in this year then ever before and it was along side weed, not because of it or that it helped me, but it was there to assist me in the beginning in over abundance now its there as a minor reward for a hard days effort.

Just so you know what i was into about 500 a week on heroin, all my job could afford me, then once i switched to methadone there was no dope but it was replaced by an ounce a week (over abundance) and is now down to 0.5g-1g a day smoked at about 9pm at night with my former girlfriend as a means to hang out with someone and clear my head at night. Before it got down here and it did gradually too it was literally all day ever day, i dont like that but i was coming off heroin all day everyday and at first it was replacement therapy now i am happy with my level of usage.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I smoke weed and take methadone. Am I sober? Yes. If I was addicted to cannabis it wouldn't be good to take it. I was/am addicted to opioids.

 

[cj]

I smoke weed have a script for benzos and take methadone. Am I sober? No. Is my life better than when I was shooting heroin? Yes and that's what matters to me. You got to find your own path OP.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I feel like I'm not "clean" but I am "sober"

 

[thelung]

I smoke weed have a script for benzos and take methadone. Am I sober? No. Is my life better than when I was shooting heroin? Yes and that's what matters to me. You got to find your own path OP.

I second this because I also smoke weed and take methadone and had a rx for benzos for a long time...I don't consider myself clean and sober but I am way better off than I was. For some people, opiate replacement therapy is the only thing that works, and nobody should be looked down upon for that.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

It can be nice to cut back or take a break though.

 

[nmwfl]

If your where it's legal and properly tested I reckon the best thing would be looking into specific strains. With an even thc and cbd content for example. To much of a top heavy thc strain with little cbd can be detrimental.
Personally I wouldnt advocate smoking bud at all, that's just me, but I live where it's illegal and all you can get is the head blower. Which is why it's screwing up so many people. I suppose that's a good thing about decriminalising it over there. The testing.

 

[Fug]

I used to have a physical dependancy to benzos and opiates. I'd also use various stimulants on a daily basis, real polydrug abuse.

I'm currently at 2+ years without a habit and I still smoke a joint or two in the evening. I don't smoke all day everyday as I'd probably never leave the house - but yeah don't listen to people who say you have to be completely abstinent from everything. I can still drink socially and never had a problem with alcohol, just like I can still take psychedelics once in a blue moon and not go running to heroin.

Assuming your life has changed sufficiently that you value yourself higher than any self-destruction/sabotage, you'll be ok.

 

[poloblue]

Bro if it helps u stay clean, fuck what ppl say. I smoked everyday all day from 15- currently (24) . I've been able to stay away from heroin for it will be 4 yrs now this spring...I fuckin loved dope bro lol I take my subs & I smoke everyday. If I don't have good shit to smoke, I'm thinking about doing other drugs even calling for them sometimes.When I have good smoke , it's all gravy. I greatly credit cannabis for helping me remain sober, I don't think I would be here w/o it man. Honest truth. I don't go to AA/NA simply for the fact I'm not tryin to b made to feel like shit for something that keeps me alive / helps provide me a better life / mind. Everyone has something right? We are addicts? Well I don't drink coffee like my parents or grandparents & I don't drink alcohol like they do either. I smoke weed/oil & unfortunately too many ciggys lol but it keeps me sane & away from shit that's gonna kill me n cause unnecessary pain on my fam.

 

[Zapgunn]

…..

 

[Rio Fantastic]

Weed and psychedelics, always loved them but as a heroin addicted crack smoker i couldnt bare the introspective hell they put me into then.

I love my life and it is made better by weed. I love who i am and would never make those mistakes again i have grown up more in this year then ever before and it was along side weed, not because of it or that it helped me, but it was there to assist me in the beginning in over abundance now its there as a minor reward for a hard days effort.

This is EXTREMELY encouraging! I used to ADORE weed, but having been a heroin addict the past three years or so (7 days clean today), its took me to such a dark dark place that I thought I'd ruined it for myself forever. Now, I'm not saying I'm going to jump back to smoking weed so early in recovering from heroin, but just knowing that that door isn't closed FOREVER like I thought it was is so so encouraging! Thank you!

 

[Prescottdave]

I know a number of ex alcoholics and drug addicts who now only smoke weed or even eat it while not ingesting other substances including any mood stabilizers or opiate replacement medications. These individuals have been sober for decades. The only major concern for some would be over consumption and the damage done by inhaling smoke.

 

[poloblue]

This is EXTREMELY encouraging! I used to ADORE weed, but having been a heroin addict the past three years or so (7 days clean today), its took me to such a dark dark place that I thought I'd ruined it for myself forever. Now, I'm not saying I'm going to jump back to smoking weed so early in recovering from heroin, but just knowing that that door isn't closed FOREVER like I thought it was is so so encouraging! Thank you!

I loved weed & still do and I ended up doing dope so some ppl would say it was a "gateway" but I smoked for years b4 dope , during dope, and now after dope...n smoking doesn't bring me back to dope....4 yrs this spring now w/o dope & tokin thc everyday, it's when I don't smoke my mind wanders to other drugs. Greatly credit thc helpin me remain sober & still have something I like in my life lol

 

[cj]

This is EXTREMELY encouraging! I used to ADORE weed, but having been a heroin addict the past three years or so (7 days clean today), its took me to such a dark dark place that I thought I'd ruined it for myself forever. Now, I'm not saying I'm going to jump back to smoking weed so early in recovering from heroin, but just knowing that that door isn't closed FOREVER like I thought it was is so so encouraging! Thank you!

I went back to smoking weed when I got off heroin as well.

 

[neversickanymore]

I believe substances and time frames in our lives are so relevant.

I am recovered. I take cannabis and psychedelics regularly. I enjoy a very high standard of living and these substances enhance my life as opposed to making it a misery.

 

[szuko000]

The best thing for me the thing i truly enjoy is candy flipping at a show. I have been doing that basically once a month since my younger brother got out of prison, hes the only person who will go to grateful dead shows etc and keep pace with me. But the nice thing is we never did that when we were using, sure i did it before i got into heroin and crack but it feels great to rediscover live music with the "good additives" in my life rather then shooting up all day.

I dont know when ill calm down but for now this year is going to be a very good year. I am planning to travel for festival season, although my brother cant leave state he got permission to see big gigantic with me in NYC 3/11 so thats the next big thing i will be going all out for! Yay for once i love my life when i am not high and just slightly more when i am tripping, just because i radiate happiness

And no psychedelic or ecstasy (all tested of course )come downs do not make me crave dope in the slightest, if anything i am over joyed with the experience and sit there going "i will never do heroin again" and it just re-instills why all of this is so important to me.

 

[poloblue]

The best thing for me the thing i truly enjoy is candy flipping at a show. I have been doing that basically once a month since my younger brother got out of prison, hes the only person who will go to grateful dead shows etc and keep pace with me. But the nice thing is we never did that when we were using, sure i did it before i got into heroin and crack but it feels great to rediscover live music with the "good additives" in my life rather then shooting up all day.

I dont know when ill calm down but for now this year is going to be a very good year. I am planning to travel for festival season, although my brother cant leave state he got permission to see big gigantic with me in NYC 3/11 so thats the next big thing i will be going all out for! Yay for once i love my life when i am not high and just slightly more when i am tripping, just because i radiate happiness

And no psychedelic or ecstasy (all tested of course )come downs do not make me crave dope in the slightest, if anything i am over joyed with the experience and sit there going "i will never do heroin again" and it just re-instills why all of this is so important to me.

Bruhhh. I envy you. I've been trying to get back to where u are right now for years. Any advice? Loved nothin more than candy flippin. Always went to fests,phish,further, TDB shows only places I felt I was "home". Bad trip 1 halloween. Honestly thought I wasn't gonna wake up if I went to sleep. Sucked lol. Haven't tripped since. Life got exponentially worse after that. Like I had THE life b4 that & now after its THE life I never wanted lol. After bad trip I Relegated to only doin pills then dope n didn't do anything else once found dope. 4 yrs later n I still won't trip but I think that last trip I had fucked myself like I'm stuck w/ the negative mindset that trip induced , if that makes any sense lol

 

[szuko000]

^its just a large part of who i am and it always has been that way. I often joke that acid and ecstasy dont effect me like they do the normal population. I really dont think i am capable of having a bad trip as interacting with my parents in such a manner that they cant tell does not get increasingly difficult on higher doses i just need to get past the come up and i get extreme clarity and logic so i am able to talk of current events and even do math as long as i have a pen and paper (cant store shit in my head like when im sober)

But it is those facts that even on 5 hits of l and 200mg of molly i can act normal that makes it a great going out experience. I understand being stuck in a negative past experience as i too had an overly intense experience shooting up molly right after my former g/f and i stopped doing dope i literally thought i was going to die. I got over that by doing 100mg of molly when i was out and realizing that felt like nothing. I would never suggest doing drugs that will recreate a negative experience but in life to get over a psychological barrier like that if you start small and realize low doses are nothing you can advance to larger ones.

Please note that this just works for me. I always said candy flipping at least multiplies my personality by itself so i become more me then i ever am and it makes things start going my way for a while. Since doing this i got a call back from 2 jobs, so much so i said fuck it till after fest season i am clean i want to enjoy my summer, i am starting to succeed at my hobbies reaffirming the idea i was made for what i am doing, and i feel like this will all take me to a great place. Candy flipping seemingly resets my universe and causes good things to happen like its a perfect storm that never happens and when it does it makes my life great. But again that is just me and it still seems to happen at 28 lol

I know its hard for people to accept when someone says something like this but i can honestly say i know i will never go back to heroin and crack i just forgot how much i love being me and how unique of an experience i truly am.