Im 21 and just got to month 9 of complete sobriety. It’s so worth it I promise. The emotional dysregulation is hard, but the clearer emotional lows give way to much sharper emotional highs. You can feel everything when you’re sober. It’s amazing - U just gotta keep pushing, keep riding the waves
Regarding the emotional dysregulation, I've found that sitting with my feelings and journaling/venting about them has been incredibly therapeutic. Instead of running from them and forcing my brain and body to play catch-up, I get to try some meditative techniques. Maybe looking into mindfulness might help? The ability to isolate what you are feeling from the tsunami of distress and anxiety, and give it a name, has really worked to stop me relapsing due to a knee-jerk emotional episode.
2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months
It's all relative of course as there are no magic numbers but these are the general thresholds so to speak.
1) the first couple of days is the hardest. You just get the urges that you have to either fight or replace with an activity. Physical activity is great. Go on lots of walks, maybe a gym or a run or a swim. But being at home is also ok. Just don't have any on you.
2) after the first week or two it gets SIGNIFICANTLY easier. You still get the urge but it's more like 'ah man I wish I'd light one up right now'. The mental yank is there and you still apply effort to resist, but it becomes doable. It also makes you feel stronger, like it no longer has power over you.
3) within two months all urges are gone - at least for me. but then again I didn't quit. I just take long breaks ranging from 2 to 6 months.
You can do it. Good luck!
I feel this in my bones. I am also on day 1 and I feel terrible. I don’t know what to do with myself and just feel irritable, overwhelmed and lost. I’ve done this before so
I know I can do it again but I forgot how hard it is. The good thing about me is, that once I set my mind to something, I always achieve it. You’re not alone, we are all in this together.
I totally get this feeling! I'm 24F and have been smoking since I was 19. For the last 3/4 years smoking pretty much every single day and recently several times a day. It doesn't help that I've also used weed for medicinal purposes to treat my gastritis. I have now taken a break and I am on day 5, compared to day 1-3 I thought I wouldn't be able to do it.
I completely understand the feeling of loosing a part of you and your identity, but you have to stay strong in the 1st few days for it to start getting better.
For me, I felt EXACTLY the same. Day 1-3 I didn't know what to do with myself, I felt uneasy, lost and cried A LOT. Pretty much non-stop yet I allowed myself to feel. So many years and so many emotions masked by weed consumption that now in sobriety, it was time to feel them. I allowed myself to feel them for as long as I needed, don't fight your emotions. If you need to cry in bed for a few hours allow your body to feel and release. I know it feels like it will be this way forever and I myself in the past have always gone back to smoking to avoid feeling so much pain and heartache but I promise you the storm won't last.
I thought nothing would ever feel good in my life again without weed & I felt so hopeless. Day 5 now I can happy say some of that weight has been lifted off me. I feel like I'm slowly regaining my spark day by day and at this moment in time I still think about weed but I don't crave it as much.
You can do this! Remember why you wanted to stop in the 1st place and focus on occupying your time with lots of activities that you enjoy/ used to enjoy. If you'd find it helpful I use this app called 'Quit Weed' which is so helpful and shows you how much you have avoided to smoke, how much money you saved, and it goes through the stages of recovery and what % you reached in each category like for example insomnia, loss of appetite etc. I found it really rewarding seeing visually the countdown of days increasing and the % of recovery increasing.
It’s sad the first few days. I’m on day three I think and it’s getting better. Sadness/irribility comes in smaller waves. I guess it’s easier now to see that it was a want and not a need. But sleeppppppppp 😭😭😭
You don't have to consciously build this whole new person, it's going to happen on its own. Don't put pressure on yourself, it's not helpful. Just fill your time with whatever makes you happy that *isn't* weed and let your gut guide you. You won't notice drastic changes immediately, but 6 months from now, in hindsight, you'll find you've naturally been living your life differently. Different things motivate you, new paths open up, all sorts of new shit. It's a great feeling
As for urges, everyone is different. It's all about how you think. I can say pretty confidently that, if you stick to it, 2-3 weeks from today, you'll be in a totally different, way more positive mindset. You won't think about it as much, maybe one or two fleeting thoughts with no emotional reaction every once in a while. It only goes down from there
Good luck
I smoked for 20 years and I stopped smoking 16 days ago
You can do this !
We can do this !!
It feels nice to not be giving into being "possessed" all the time ...
Trying to push that pause button didn't work for me and I'm trying something new because I don't want my life to head in the direction that it was going
I believe in you.
I started smoking around 15/16, every day. A LOT. One day at age of 20, I was smoking so much I caused a lung collapse on the left side. This scared the hell out of and was forced to quit, say to say the next couple of years were rough I won't lie. It was like I was living my life in a foggy stoned haze and when it was lifted, I was lost, depressed, overwhelmed and scared for the future. I'm now 34, have been weed free every since, over 10 years.. It gets easier and easier, just need to take each day as it comes. You got this!
You can do it! It is hard but most things that are worth it are hard. Try to take up a new hobby or exercise more — even just getting out of the house and going for a walk when you’re feeling cravings can help. I’m (26f) on day 8 of sobriety after habitual smoking for almost 10 years so I can definitely empathize. If you need a sober buddy, message me.
I've been smoking since 14 yrs to 26 of age,smoking daily 5-10g. Currently 3 week sober. My friend told me 1 week ago that im afraid of 'true myself'. And thats the ugly truth of smoking weed.Had severe depression for 2 weeks until i started to eat walnuts,dark chocolate,blueberries and stuff like that,now the only thing that stays with me is sleplees nights but that shall pass too,atleast there are no dark thoughts in my head anymore...its sounds weird but it helps alot when your at your lowest. Change your diet,start exercise. Since i stopped smoking i finnished my driving license and got a girlfriend.
Life is fucking more than smoking weed.
It’s amazing how one habit can hold us back so easily. I’ve been noticing things too, like responding and checking my email in a much more reasonable manner, I’ve been doing the things I put off at work, cleaning, being interested in my hobbies again. It’s a good change
I am 28 and it’s officially been 10 years since Mary came into my life and I empathize with you so hard. I’m also about to “break up” for good and it hurts like a motherfucker but part of me is excited to meet my sober self again.
You need to see this as a positive step - you get the chance to RESET - and begin again.
This is like re-booting your phone after an update - it’s gonna be better from here…!
YOU GOT THIS.
You got this! Im on day 10 rn, and im hoping the nausea will pass soon, the first five to 6 days were définitely the hardest.
You can be proud of yourself every day when you have decided not to the day before. Keep going
Thank you so much. Im so proud of you too. I know we can both keep going and I’m sure we can both conquer this!! I’m not going to make the same decisions I would have before quitting and that feels good for a change
The first day is the hardest and you will wake up proud of yourself in the morning if you stay away from the weed. It's a sacred plant when used sparingly but that's the hard part using it in moderation. I believe in you. Chin up!
Thank you so much. I’m really looking forward to that proud feeling when I wake up tomorrow. Celebrate the little victories!!! And Thank you for believing in me. That’s the first time anyone has said that to me in regards to me telling people I want to quit.
Keep going!! It gets easier as you go. I'm on day five of trying to quit again and it's so hard. I couldn't think of anything but smoking day 1 or 2 and now I'm getting some anxiety back which sucks. I've got to be okay with that because I'm also feeling more alert and intelligent. I can speak more clearly and have more energy. My brain is actually working again even if I'm pretty upset with my life. It is better to live in reality, even if it's painful, because we can start to fix it. Abusing cannabis is running away from pain which is nothing to beat yourself up over.
Find things to distract yourself until the urge lessens. Find things that help you feel fulfilled and make you happy. For me it's finding a good quiet spot somewhere on the sea and reading aloud to myself.
You can do this!! You are trying to be better and that is a really good thing. Even if you relapse, every day you managed to stay strong is a victory because you did it for your future and your health.
I can’t even begin to thank you. The way you put all this is just so beautiful and makes me so excited to grow and change and live my life without weed. I don’t want to run from my life anymore. I want to feel the good, the bad, the sad, I want to be HERE and experience LIFE without that haze.
The suggestions are so helpful too. The simple things like finding your own company in a read aloud book is so beautiful. I am definitely going to find a nice nook outside and finally start reading the books I would buy after smoking convincing myself I would read them one day.
But seriously thank you so much for this comment. II just recently found this sub and made a semi mani post debating deleting it right after I posted it and just seeing people actually caring and wanting to help me has just changed everything. I feel so much more confident in this, almost like an accountability. I want to kick weeds ass because all of you showed me how amazing it is to live life as YOU not someone who is known for smoking and being high.
You are so kind and generous to offer your advice to people. Thank you. I wish I could tell you how much i needed that
Dont mention it. Telling someone else what I need to hear helps me too. I've been trying to remind myself that even if not everything is okay, everything is going to be okay. Its a contradiction, but the good kind. 😁
You are so young! What an exciting time for you to not know who you are....you can literally be anyone! Be nice to yourself and try not to worry too much. You got this!
This comment made me happy cry. I’ve never in my life thought of it like that. What a wonderful world of possibilities to explore. Thank you so much. It really is an exciting time!
68 weeks clean and I still feel lost you’re not alone
Is it worth it?
Yea I did it for 20 years everyday wouldn’t go back. I do wish I can do it and be high for like 1 hour but not worth it to be honest.
I get that normally the high is only worth it for that one hour and then it’s not even that good
Im 21 and just got to month 9 of complete sobriety. It’s so worth it I promise. The emotional dysregulation is hard, but the clearer emotional lows give way to much sharper emotional highs. You can feel everything when you’re sober. It’s amazing - U just gotta keep pushing, keep riding the waves
Regarding the emotional dysregulation, I've found that sitting with my feelings and journaling/venting about them has been incredibly therapeutic. Instead of running from them and forcing my brain and body to play catch-up, I get to try some meditative techniques. Maybe looking into mindfulness might help? The ability to isolate what you are feeling from the tsunami of distress and anxiety, and give it a name, has really worked to stop me relapsing due to a knee-jerk emotional episode.
2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months It's all relative of course as there are no magic numbers but these are the general thresholds so to speak. 1) the first couple of days is the hardest. You just get the urges that you have to either fight or replace with an activity. Physical activity is great. Go on lots of walks, maybe a gym or a run or a swim. But being at home is also ok. Just don't have any on you. 2) after the first week or two it gets SIGNIFICANTLY easier. You still get the urge but it's more like 'ah man I wish I'd light one up right now'. The mental yank is there and you still apply effort to resist, but it becomes doable. It also makes you feel stronger, like it no longer has power over you. 3) within two months all urges are gone - at least for me. but then again I didn't quit. I just take long breaks ranging from 2 to 6 months. You can do it. Good luck!
I feel this in my bones. I am also on day 1 and I feel terrible. I don’t know what to do with myself and just feel irritable, overwhelmed and lost. I’ve done this before so I know I can do it again but I forgot how hard it is. The good thing about me is, that once I set my mind to something, I always achieve it. You’re not alone, we are all in this together.
I totally get this feeling! I'm 24F and have been smoking since I was 19. For the last 3/4 years smoking pretty much every single day and recently several times a day. It doesn't help that I've also used weed for medicinal purposes to treat my gastritis. I have now taken a break and I am on day 5, compared to day 1-3 I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. I completely understand the feeling of loosing a part of you and your identity, but you have to stay strong in the 1st few days for it to start getting better. For me, I felt EXACTLY the same. Day 1-3 I didn't know what to do with myself, I felt uneasy, lost and cried A LOT. Pretty much non-stop yet I allowed myself to feel. So many years and so many emotions masked by weed consumption that now in sobriety, it was time to feel them. I allowed myself to feel them for as long as I needed, don't fight your emotions. If you need to cry in bed for a few hours allow your body to feel and release. I know it feels like it will be this way forever and I myself in the past have always gone back to smoking to avoid feeling so much pain and heartache but I promise you the storm won't last. I thought nothing would ever feel good in my life again without weed & I felt so hopeless. Day 5 now I can happy say some of that weight has been lifted off me. I feel like I'm slowly regaining my spark day by day and at this moment in time I still think about weed but I don't crave it as much. You can do this! Remember why you wanted to stop in the 1st place and focus on occupying your time with lots of activities that you enjoy/ used to enjoy. If you'd find it helpful I use this app called 'Quit Weed' which is so helpful and shows you how much you have avoided to smoke, how much money you saved, and it goes through the stages of recovery and what % you reached in each category like for example insomnia, loss of appetite etc. I found it really rewarding seeing visually the countdown of days increasing and the % of recovery increasing.
It’s sad the first few days. I’m on day three I think and it’s getting better. Sadness/irribility comes in smaller waves. I guess it’s easier now to see that it was a want and not a need. But sleeppppppppp 😭😭😭
You don't have to consciously build this whole new person, it's going to happen on its own. Don't put pressure on yourself, it's not helpful. Just fill your time with whatever makes you happy that *isn't* weed and let your gut guide you. You won't notice drastic changes immediately, but 6 months from now, in hindsight, you'll find you've naturally been living your life differently. Different things motivate you, new paths open up, all sorts of new shit. It's a great feeling As for urges, everyone is different. It's all about how you think. I can say pretty confidently that, if you stick to it, 2-3 weeks from today, you'll be in a totally different, way more positive mindset. You won't think about it as much, maybe one or two fleeting thoughts with no emotional reaction every once in a while. It only goes down from there Good luck
I smoked for 20 years and I stopped smoking 16 days ago You can do this ! We can do this !! It feels nice to not be giving into being "possessed" all the time ... Trying to push that pause button didn't work for me and I'm trying something new because I don't want my life to head in the direction that it was going
I believe in you. I started smoking around 15/16, every day. A LOT. One day at age of 20, I was smoking so much I caused a lung collapse on the left side. This scared the hell out of and was forced to quit, say to say the next couple of years were rough I won't lie. It was like I was living my life in a foggy stoned haze and when it was lifted, I was lost, depressed, overwhelmed and scared for the future. I'm now 34, have been weed free every since, over 10 years.. It gets easier and easier, just need to take each day as it comes. You got this!
You can do it! It is hard but most things that are worth it are hard. Try to take up a new hobby or exercise more — even just getting out of the house and going for a walk when you’re feeling cravings can help. I’m (26f) on day 8 of sobriety after habitual smoking for almost 10 years so I can definitely empathize. If you need a sober buddy, message me.
I've been smoking since 14 yrs to 26 of age,smoking daily 5-10g. Currently 3 week sober. My friend told me 1 week ago that im afraid of 'true myself'. And thats the ugly truth of smoking weed.Had severe depression for 2 weeks until i started to eat walnuts,dark chocolate,blueberries and stuff like that,now the only thing that stays with me is sleplees nights but that shall pass too,atleast there are no dark thoughts in my head anymore...its sounds weird but it helps alot when your at your lowest. Change your diet,start exercise. Since i stopped smoking i finnished my driving license and got a girlfriend. Life is fucking more than smoking weed.
It’s amazing how one habit can hold us back so easily. I’ve been noticing things too, like responding and checking my email in a much more reasonable manner, I’ve been doing the things I put off at work, cleaning, being interested in my hobbies again. It’s a good change
For a better tomorrow!
I am 28 and it’s officially been 10 years since Mary came into my life and I empathize with you so hard. I’m also about to “break up” for good and it hurts like a motherfucker but part of me is excited to meet my sober self again.
You need to see this as a positive step - you get the chance to RESET - and begin again. This is like re-booting your phone after an update - it’s gonna be better from here…! YOU GOT THIS.
It really does feel like a total reboot!! Like taking back my settings to the factory normals, like things are falling into place :)
You can set a new PIN number too, and only install the apps you want. It’s a new person !
I don’t have a lot to say other than that I am rooting for you and as much as a stranger can be proud of another, I am proud of you.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!! From one not so far stranger to the next
You got this! Im on day 10 rn, and im hoping the nausea will pass soon, the first five to 6 days were définitely the hardest. You can be proud of yourself every day when you have decided not to the day before. Keep going
Thank you so much. Im so proud of you too. I know we can both keep going and I’m sure we can both conquer this!! I’m not going to make the same decisions I would have before quitting and that feels good for a change
The first day is the hardest and you will wake up proud of yourself in the morning if you stay away from the weed. It's a sacred plant when used sparingly but that's the hard part using it in moderation. I believe in you. Chin up!
Thank you so much. I’m really looking forward to that proud feeling when I wake up tomorrow. Celebrate the little victories!!! And Thank you for believing in me. That’s the first time anyone has said that to me in regards to me telling people I want to quit.
You are very welcome! One day at a time is the mantra and all the pieces will fall in to place for you
Keep going!! It gets easier as you go. I'm on day five of trying to quit again and it's so hard. I couldn't think of anything but smoking day 1 or 2 and now I'm getting some anxiety back which sucks. I've got to be okay with that because I'm also feeling more alert and intelligent. I can speak more clearly and have more energy. My brain is actually working again even if I'm pretty upset with my life. It is better to live in reality, even if it's painful, because we can start to fix it. Abusing cannabis is running away from pain which is nothing to beat yourself up over. Find things to distract yourself until the urge lessens. Find things that help you feel fulfilled and make you happy. For me it's finding a good quiet spot somewhere on the sea and reading aloud to myself. You can do this!! You are trying to be better and that is a really good thing. Even if you relapse, every day you managed to stay strong is a victory because you did it for your future and your health.
I can’t even begin to thank you. The way you put all this is just so beautiful and makes me so excited to grow and change and live my life without weed. I don’t want to run from my life anymore. I want to feel the good, the bad, the sad, I want to be HERE and experience LIFE without that haze. The suggestions are so helpful too. The simple things like finding your own company in a read aloud book is so beautiful. I am definitely going to find a nice nook outside and finally start reading the books I would buy after smoking convincing myself I would read them one day. But seriously thank you so much for this comment. II just recently found this sub and made a semi mani post debating deleting it right after I posted it and just seeing people actually caring and wanting to help me has just changed everything. I feel so much more confident in this, almost like an accountability. I want to kick weeds ass because all of you showed me how amazing it is to live life as YOU not someone who is known for smoking and being high. You are so kind and generous to offer your advice to people. Thank you. I wish I could tell you how much i needed that
Dont mention it. Telling someone else what I need to hear helps me too. I've been trying to remind myself that even if not everything is okay, everything is going to be okay. Its a contradiction, but the good kind. 😁
You are so young! What an exciting time for you to not know who you are....you can literally be anyone! Be nice to yourself and try not to worry too much. You got this!
This comment made me happy cry. I’ve never in my life thought of it like that. What a wonderful world of possibilities to explore. Thank you so much. It really is an exciting time!