[MEGA] Cannabis Addiction & Withdrawal

[legalizeopiatedfun]

Marijuana is not addictive in the sense that addictive drugs are.
You can be habituated to marijuana, just the same as television or snowboarding.
I thought I was "dependant" on weed back before I got into truly addictive drugs. It took a 10 month long opiate habit and a 3 month snorted methylphenidate habit to show me what addiction really was. I've smoked weed everyday as much as I like for years, and can go the whole day without craving a joint. I only really "need" it at night, and I feel that that is more an "addiction" to sleeping comfortably(insomnia). After chipping around with opiates(by the way, I never used hard drugs less than at least 3 days apart) I started getting intense anxiety depression and tremors in the hours leading up to scoring. As soon as I would score, I would feel an immense overpowering relief, almost euphoric, which would allow me to carry on my day in a great mood.
Bottom line, I did opiates twice a week for 10 months, haven't touched them in almost a month due to massive cravings and must say, i'm still addicted.
I snort methylphenidate once a week on average, and can say I am already starting to feel minor cravings when I think of it.
I drink coffee when I wake up, and feel irritable if I don't have it.
I smoke a pack a day, and will lose my shit if I don't have cigarettes.
I drink alcohol 6 nights a week, and get cravings constantly.
I smoke weed all day everyday, 2 grams a day. Even with this fact, I can honestly say that weed is the one substance I see as beneficial to me.
For example, if meth was a benign substance that did not cause addiction, I would say FUCK WEED. The high is not some overly euphoric exaggerated experience which begs you to redose. The reason I find it difficult to stop smoking weed is because it's not addictive, not because it's addictive. I can smoke it everyday and not suffer any negative effects. If I snort MPH for a whole night then I will be compelled to get wasted on whiskey and spend the next day hating myself and trying to remember what I did. Marijuana is a gift to recreational drug users imo. It's a satisfactory high that you can rely on to not mess you up.

 

[BlueBull]

It seems to me if I look around at people that are really really addicted to weed (and I am one of them mind you. I smoke about 1-2g a day, have been doing so for about 8 years now and have been trying to quit for a while too) it's always the ones that use weed as a form of self-medication. The people that just want to get high and don't use it primarily to alter their personality in a way never get addicted it seems to me while the ones using it to change some aspect of their personality are usually the ones that can't quit the stuff. For me it calms my thoughts down, which are usually a nerve-wrecking stream of random images, sounds and feelings, to a more arranged, focused and slower stream. Also for me it enables me to focus better (there is proof of that, it's not just in my head) and even makes me more active in general (I start to move around, talk a lot, am just generally more energetic. I never get lazy from smoking).

 

[psychonautical420]

Cannabis is not addictive. Mentally, as others have said, anything can be "addictive". But, seriously... weed is harmless. I smoked all day everyday for about a year and it was one of the best decisions that I've ever made. It helped me to conquer my depression and social anxiety long term, as in even when I'm sober.

Basically, I smoke weed as much as possible, and it's great. I have no problems with it. The only reason I quit after that year was legal bullshit, and I got back into it as soon as that was over with. The only reason that I'm not high all the time now is that I'm having trouble finding a job.

When I smoked all the time it never effected my life negatively. I went to work high and my managers loved me. Went to school high and focused fine. I did quit giving a shit about school later, but that's unrelated. Regardless, I'm a high school graduate.

I love marijuana

Also, I don't need weed at all. I'm fine without it, I just prefer to be high. -~

 

[Oxyuranus]

Amen dude^

 

[Stevenski]

For those saying they go to work stoned every day I am curious as to what type of job you do?

 

[BlueBull]

For those saying they go to work stoned every day I am curious as to what type of job you do?

There are those of us that can concentrate better when stoned I talked about this with a lot of friends (I am the only one in my group who has this effect with cannabis, though I know others that experience this too) and they all can't imagine how that is and so they all say it's probably in my head. But I am sure it is not, and so is was my psych (had to do a psych eval a while back and I asked him how it could be that ganja has this effect on me). I for one have a job where I have to be concentrated and think for long periods of time (I'm in IT so it's quite technical) and I find that if I am stoned I can concentrate a LOT better. This doesn't mean that I can smoke 5 joints one after the other and still concentrate of course. I mean that if I'm just normally stoned I can concentrate better and longer. So much so that if I'm working on something I sometimes literally forget to breathe and am left gasping for air at times. I suspect (and so did the psych) it has something to do with me having a lot of problems with concentration. I am constantly thinking about multiple things at the same time and that's not so good for my concentration. I can normally only concentrate on something for about 5-10 minutes and then I get distracted, not so if I have smoked some ganja...

 

[Foreigner]

After taking a break from weed for a couple of months I'm back on the gravy train again. For me it's not so much about addiction as it is about habit. Most of my friends smoke weed so it's very easy for us to light one up and just chit chat, or go for a walk. But now I'm starting to feel like crap in the mornings because my neurons are tired so I need to cut back.

I have definitely had discontinuation symptoms in the past, the worst of which are intense night sweats and extremely vivid dreams. The main motivator for me needing to take long breaks is that I think regular cannabis use does not permit me to get the full range of sleep. Like alcohol, it surely disrupts certain sleep stages, which is quite annoying!

 

[Le'Mix]

Cannabis is not addictive. Mentally, as others have said, anything can be "addictive". But, seriously... weed is harmless. I smoked all day everyday for about a year and it was one of the best decisions that I've ever made. It helped me to conquer my depression and social anxiety long term, as in even when I'm sober.

Basically, I smoke weed as much as possible, and it's great. I have no problems with it. The only reason I quit after that year was legal bullshit, and I got back into it as soon as that was over with. The only reason that I'm not high all the time now is that I'm having trouble finding a job.

When I smoked all the time it never effected my life negatively. I went to work high and my managers loved me. Went to school high and focused fine. I did quit giving a shit about school later, but that's unrelated. Regardless, I'm a high school graduate.

I love marijuana

Also, I don't need weed at all. I'm fine without it, I just prefer to be high. -~

I always on purpose take a break though. Like say in 3 months I won't smoke any for one of them. And i grow the stuff, not in large amounts but it's enough for me to have it 95% of the time(vaping about 1.25g a day). Plus it's great when you do smoke again after a break as of course your tolerance has dropped.

I love that 1st vape after a break.

Weed really is the perfect 'drug'.

 

[weekend addiction]

For those saying they go to work stoned every day I am curious as to what type of job you do?

I cook good food and wash dishes at a nice bar. I just don't get too stoned and don't smoke more at work.

 

[Stevenski]

Thanks for the replies guys . I am curious as I could not go to the office high at all. Plenty of people at work know I like a puff but I think it has to do with what job you do & how much interaction you have with other people as to if you can work successfully stoned. At least 1/2 my day is conference calls & meetings & the other is putting together tenders. I can work from home when I like & it would be easy to have a smoke but the consequences if I made a mistake such as miscalculating a formula could lose me my job.

It is a slippery slope Foreigner when you are habituated to weed. Not physically addictive like opiates but it is easy to work it into your life & ridiculously habit forming. I have nearly completed my 2nd cigarette free day (after being a pack+ a day man for nearly 20 years) & the fact that I have spun my weed since I was 13 adds to how "addictive" cannabis is.

Last night I tried smoking a couple of green bowls & I got high but not really stoned. I added some tobacco (about 75/25) smoking a few more bowls & ended up getting where I wanted. I have been using nicotine lozenges so I am not craving nicotine but the hit was more pronounced than the green one even though I smoked comparatively less weed & has always been this way?

 

[BlueBull]

Thanks for the replies guys . I am curious as I could not go to the office high at all. Plenty of people at work know I like a puff but I think it has to do with what job you do & how much interaction you have with other people as to if you can work successfully stoned. At least 1/2 my day is conference calls & meetings & the other is putting together tenders. I can work from home when I like & it would be easy to have a smoke but the consequences if I made a mistake such as miscalculating a formula could lose me my job.

It is a slippery slope Foreigner when you are habituated to weed. Not physically addictive like opiates but it is easy to work it into your life & ridiculously habit forming. I have nearly completed my 2nd cigarette free day (after being a pack+ a day man for nearly 20 years) & the fact that I have spun my weed since I was 13 adds to how "addictive" cannabis is.

Last night I tried smoking a couple of green bowls & I got high but not really stoned. I added some tobacco (about 75/25) smoking a few more bowls & ended up getting where I wanted. I have been using nicotine lozenges so I am not craving nicotine but the hit was more pronounced than the green one even though I smoked comparatively less weed & has always been this way?

I live in a country where it is the habit to smoke regular joints (with a roach and tobacco in them). Bongs and pipes are used but they are used on occasion, not constantly. The point in this being that tobacco together with cannabis is known to produce a more stoned than high feeling, which is why almost everyone I know smokes joints. I for one do not notice the difference because, as I explained earlier on, I always get high and not stoned (I know I used the term stoned in my explanation. This is not correct, I meant high, it's because I use the 2 terms interchangeably for the same effect, because I only get one single effect from smoking weed->high, never stoned) and I can concentrate better when high. This is in part of course due to my addiction to weed, which made it so I feel more normal when high than I do when sober. But even from the very beginning I smoke, I could concentrate better when high...

 

[psychonautical420]

I always on purpose take a break though. Like say in 3 months I won't smoke any for one of them. And i grow the stuff, not in large amounts but it's enough for me to have it 95% of the time(vaping about 1.25g a day). Plus it's great when you do smoke again after a break as of course your tolerance has dropped.

I love that 1st vape after a break.

Weed really is the perfect 'drug'.

Tolerance breaks are definitely a good thing

I've been having to go like maybe 1 week high and three weeks sober, and that first smoke is always the best. As soon as I can afford, I'll be smoking more, but I'll probably take 1 week to 1 month breaks as needed. Maybe even longer sometimes

Weed is pretty perfect. Reverse tolerance or at least no tolerance effect would make it better though lol
But I shouldn't complain, I love Mary Jane.

 

[tryptofan]

Dear Cannabis Discussion.

I rarely find the motivation to contribute with my own subjective experience, but the sincerity of this thread has moved me to the point of getting involved.

I have been addicted to cannabis for around 10 years, being a daily user for most of this time. Now, after a period of more than a year's abstinence from the drug, I am able to see the effects of my use from a sober perspective. While using, I was convinced that as long as I could smoke, everything was alright, nothing was lacking and life was satisfying. Cannabis has that way of seducing you with its comforting bliss and lack of acute adverse affects. For many of us, the drug becomes an all-encompassing way of life, thoroughly implemented in our identity and world view, complete with self-justifying socio-political views and an almost religious reassurance. Few heroin junkies and methheads can sustain an illusion of well being in the way a cannabis addict does.

As pointed out by others in this thread, on one level, this lack of acute adverse effects is a blessing for cannabis users. On another level, it's a curse. Being dulled into a sense of security, it becomes too easy for the cannabis addict to justify and sustain a potentially destructive habit. From my own experience I have gathered that the adverse effects of cannabis consumption slowly accumulate over time. The long term consequences of sustained use are often not apparent to the user until a great deal of time has passed. This process takes years for most people, even decades for some.

Keep in mind that the cannabis cannabinoids have really long half-lives and being lipophilic tend to accumulate in fatty tissue. It can take many weeks for a single dose to be cleared from the body. This makes it really difficult for a sustained user to return to baseline in order to reevaluate the effects of such use from a neutral point of view.

Last year, I went through a series of more or less unfortunate events that led me reevaluate the direction my life was taking, including my relationship with cannabis and other recreational drugs. I have managed to abstain from use for more than a year now, eating healthy and staying physically active in the process. Day by day, I am approaching baseline. The fog surrounding my mindspace is still present, but slowly clearing up. I'm coming in for landing so to speak. More than ever, I am now able to see what I am left with after all these years of toking. Here is a short list:

- Rebound Depression and Anxiety
- Physical tension
- Diminished libido
- Emotional bluntness
- Lack of empathy
- Sense of emotional immaturity
- Lack of motivation
- Cognitive decline

While using, I was largely ignorant of the seriousness of these adverse effects. My close friends and family consistently voiced their concerns about how my use was affecting me, but I was stubbornly convinced they were coloured by prejudice from state propaganda and didn't understand what a healing herb cannabis can be.

I sense a collective ignorance regarding this subject among a large part of the cannabis community, and want to thank OP and BL for providing discussion around this matter. Awareness of adverse effects is crucial to harm reduction and will strengthen the legalisation movement.

 

[FluoTox]

Thank you for your contribution tryptofan and gratulation for 1 Year of the weed wagon!:D

How much were you smoking daily? It seems extreme to me, to still have brainfog after 1 year of abstinence.

Right now, I am in the process of quitting cannabis myselfand hope to get a clearer picture of what's coming ahead for me, that's is the reason why I ask.

 

[tryptofan]

Thanks FluoTox

I would easily go through several grams a day when my tolerance was properly jacked. I was stoned all day every day.

Yes, I realise it sounds harsh, but it feels like the fog still hasn't cleared completely. I find myself constantly drifting off and spacing out. From what I've heard from others, physicians claim it can take a few years to clear up from the kind of use I have been going through. I wish I had more scientific evidence on this though. Maybe someone more knowledgeable can fill me in.

Best of luck to you in the process you are going though.

 

[BlueBull]

@Tryptofan

That's almost exactly how I view my situation and view weed in general. Nicely worded man! Thanks for your contribution and congratulations on losing that crutch...
A quote from myself from another thread

Keep in mind that that is not an indication it will happen like that for everyone. I for one am a weed-addict. I tried A LOT of different illegal substances (the ones you can try out without risking your entire life, if you are careful, so the ones not physically addictive) and I have to say for me weed is the one most difficult to stay away from. I never had any addiction problems besides weed and I tried a lot of substances. To give you a picture: MDMA, MDA, LSD, DXM, DMT, 2-CB, 2-CI, psilocybin, salvia, datura, peyote, LSA, nitrous, truffles, coideïne, tramadol (these last two are physically addictive but I only used them a few times to know what they felt like) and I'm sure there's a few that don't come to mind right now, but the only problem I had/have is weed. It's because weed gives you no feedback like other (hard)drugs do when abused. You won't feel bad if you use it all day every day, you won't get a comedown, you won't get withdrawal and you won't get psychological problems. Those are things that only surface after years and years of abusing the substance. Like a lot of people said before me weed is pretty harmless when used in moderation but in my experience (and I am far from the only one) in the long run it will for some people turn to an addiction that is VERY hard to get rid of and after years will influence a lot of aspects of your life. I can't tell you all the areas of my life that it has an influence on in some way because it would just be too long of a list. But I can tell you that if you are aware of these influences it feels like they bundle up together in one big ball of lead that you drag behind you so to speak. You do evolve, you do apply yourself (though just enough to move forward) you do make something of your life but you notice everyone around you is moving much faster in the same direction. And that's something that brings a bit of shame to the table if you know it is partly because of the addiction...

To put things into perspective a bit: I too am almost done with my college education, I too have a girlfriend and a lot of friends, I too am very active in sports and am very sociable. But the addiction is there. If I can't smoke I will start to lash out at everyone in my immediate surroundings, I will develop headaches, I will only think of how to obtain my next high (which is like going to the store in the country I live in) and I will generally become a weed-fiend . Depression follows the first 5 days without smoking and after that almost all influence of the substance is gone, but the psychological addiction is still there. I managed to quit for about 8 months recently but I had one little slip-up and am now smoking every day again

Though there are a lot of worse things in this world, I for one am grateful it is just weed I am addicted to and not something else, it is holding me back A LOT but it is not destroying my life, my love or my family. I am sooooo glad I always had the smarts to say "no" to things that could potentially destroy my life (never did speed, coke, meth, crack or any other very addictive substance and I never will, the risk is far too great for me because I have a personality prone to addiction) but that is because I educate myself completely before I consider trying something new so I always know what the risks are beforehand.

 

[Foreigner]

From what I've heard from others, physicians claim it can take a few years to clear up from the kind of use I have been going through. I wish I had more scientific evidence on this though. Maybe someone more knowledgeable can fill me in.

I would like to see some evidence from those physicians that a) proves that "brain fog" years later is unequivocably caused by prior cannabis use, and that has ruled out diet, exercise, other drugs and other lifestyle factors as part of the cause; b) that CB receptors take that long to recover from cannabis use, even in heavy users.

 

[regfairfield]

I thought u were being sarcastic....most people hate addiction because of the withdrawal...weeds worst is like 2 nights lack of sleep.

 

[dopemegently]

It's just not addictive though, some people are just predisposed to having dependency issues to benign things,(and malign things as well, of course) and if they don't have their fix they experience psychosomatic withdrawal symptoms, which is like the placebo effect's dark twin; if you honestly believe you'll feel terrible by stopping, your mind will manifest some "withdrawal symptoms".

I'm not saying it's all in your head or anything: psychosomatic symptoms can feel very much real. I'm also not trying to suggest smoking weed constantly and heavily is healthy or not an addiction. People can be addicted to gambling, shopping, or just about anything, and experience very negative impacts on their lives.

I completely agree there is such a thing as an "addictive personality". I'm really uncomfortable with people saying that a gentle and beneficial herb such as weed is a highly addictive drug; there is no evidence for this.

 

[BlueBull]

It's just not addictive though, some people are just predisposed to having dependency issues to benign things,(and malign things as well, of course) and if they don't have their fix they experience psychosomatic withdrawal symptoms, which is like the placebo effect's dark twin; if you honestly believe you'll feel terrible by stopping, your mind will manifest some "withdrawal symptoms".

I'm not saying it's all in your head or anything: psychosomatic symptoms can feel very much real. I'm also not trying to suggest smoking weed constantly and heavily is healthy or not an addiction. People can be addicted to gambling, shopping, or just about anything, and experience very negative impacts on their lives.

I completely agree there is such a thing as an "addictive personality". I'm really uncomfortable with people saying that a gentle and beneficial herb such as weed is a highly addictive drug; there is no evidence for this.

You are in my opinion correct for the most part. Physically there should be no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever and if there are they are normally indeed psychosomatic. Only exception I can think of is the trouble getting to sleep and the lack of appetite the first few days but I don't know if those are even withdrawal symptoms or just the fact that you normally do these activities while high. However do not underestimate the psychological withdrawals which are very real. When your mind is used to being high constantly this becomes it's reality. What that means is that if you quit after years and years of abuse, feeling sober will feel abnormal. It will feel as though your mind has been ripped from it's equilibrium, which is being high, and this sudden change will result in some psychological symptoms that can be very noticeable. I know you do not want to be around me the first few days after I quit. And though I am very much aware of this fact and try to suppress it, I will still lash out without any reason and without thinking. It's something that has greater power than me. A theory of mine is that this is somehow because the abstinence produces some chemical imbalance while your brain returns to baseline. I say this because these bouts of anger without a reason feel so unnatural to me, almost like the influence of a drug. That's the only way I can describe it, like something is in your body causing you to act different and not being able to stop or help it. Right after I always think "what the fuck was that? Why did I react like that?" but during my mind just goes blank, I can't think or take a step back anymore. But this is nothing compared to real addiction. And the upside is that they only last about a day or 5. After that the only thing you notice is cravings for a few months and than you should be in the clear. Oh and I agree with the fact that we shouldn't use the word "addiction" here. To me it is an addiction but that's just how it feels to me, objectively spoken it is not an addiction but a habit, be it (for some people) a habit very hard to get rid of.

*edit* Oh and indeed the only reason something like this should happen is because of a personality prone to addiction. When I talk to people about this habit I always say the only reason this happened to me is because of my personality, that the substance itself has almost nothing to do with it. It's only fair indeed that you do not label a plant with so much benefits and potential as addicting when it's the person smoking it that's forming the habit.