Marijuana Addiction & Recovery Support Group
This community is dedicated to those looking to overcome their addiction to marijuana, a drug produced from parts of the cannabis plant. Join the group to find support among people who are also looking to cease their habit of smoking marijuana, share your experience, and get advice. It's not easy to kick the habit, but together we can.
Today is 120 days without marijuana. It's a small amount of time but a big deal to me. I've been smoking chronically for 20 years. A lot of my friends still do and my spouse does daily. I feel like I've lost out on a ton of opportunities, dreams and relationships. I had NO motivation while high but I am happy that the fog has lifted for me. I'm going to go back to school and pursue a degree. I'm feeling optimistic.
I do struggle with the urge to smoke especially because I smell it daily (spouse smokes in the house even though I ask him not to). I sometimes miss how relaxed I would feel. I try to remember what I don't like about it. It's hard for sure and now it's legal in my state! Ironic huh? I will preserver though because I want to accomplish my goals. For myself and so my kids can be proud.
Has anyone else been sober this long with cravings? Does anyone have insomnia?
I do struggle with the urge to smoke especially because I smell it daily (spouse smokes in the house even though I ask him not to). I sometimes miss how relaxed I would feel. I try to remember what I don't like about it. It's hard for sure and now it's legal in my state! Ironic huh? I will preserver though because I want to accomplish my goals. For myself and so my kids can be proud.
Has anyone else been sober this long with cravings? Does anyone have insomnia?
I'm on day 8, so my reasons for quitting are quite fresh (and I can't intelligibly answer your question about cravings on day 120). Though I don't really want to smoke, in this moment at least, I absolutely miss the comfort factor weed gives us.
If it's not asking to much, what did you experience in your previous 119 days?
BUT I know me. The words marijuana and moderate would never be used in a description.
Best case scenario, I smoke and it's 'awesome', then go right back to where I started, into that cycle where I get nothing of substance done, and all the discomfort (especially that first MISERABLE week or so) would have been for nothing.
OH, as for the insomnia factor, I've found a good diet and a STRICT bedtime help. I wake up during the night, but keep my eyes closed and talk myself back down: Breath deep slowly, release all tension from my muscles, and think "Deeper". As in 'deeper into sleep'. I find by using my inner monologue to repeat that word, it keeps my mind from wondering. Also I play gentle ocean sounds , which is relaxing to me. When I feel sleep creeping in I feel like I'm catching a wave or something (not that I know a thing about surfing, lol).
I know this is pretty specific to me, but I recommend something like it.
Congrats again re everything you wrote - minus the part about the craving and insomnia.
During past attempts at sobriety, my spouse has continued to smoke, and after a coupe of few months - after some tough weeks, I always caved in to the craving. Currently she isn't smoking but drinks regularly. Drinking isn't my main thing but I also know from past experience, if I do drink it just plants and waters some pretty strong seeds of craving in me for my preferred escape-method of choice. Many times I've actually still been alcohol buzzed and been like, "this sucks, where's the weeeeed!?" And smoked. So I have to abstain from everything if I want to live a life free of the weed cloud crutch of laziness, and emotional despondency.
Yes, I still feel cravings. I hear people say it gets better after the first month or so, but for me the cravings get stronger as time goes on. I tend to quit with a passionate fury, like I push it away after getting frustrated with the negative effects in my life. So for the first days - though I many experience feverish detox symptoms and insomnia - I don't crave the relapse as much. In fact, they negative physical feelings actually add to my disdain for the weed. (However, I'll add that at times when I just ran out of weed or money to get weed, or friends to bum it from, and could't smoke for even a day or two, I'd be FUCKING miserable). The danger of quitting while just pushing it away angrily, for me, is that after a couple or few months I forget all the bad parts about it and I go back to jonesing for the instant gear shift. I get nostalgic about just chilling out, or I get nostalgic to "bond" with friends whom smoke. Or I use the justification that I could use it to motivate me to tackle some undesirable task. Or I get delusional despite 25 years of smoking constantly and think, "I can now go back to part time smoking, now that I've gained this control." Right away I'm back to where I was. Or I sometimes make actual progress in my career or finances or relationships and I'm feeling good about it and then crave to reward myself with weed. Or similar to what I wrote up top, I'll instead substitute that reward with a lesser from of intoxicant (alcohol) which doesn't cut it and sooner or later I just go back to smoking anyway.
So yeah, cravings are extant. They still exist. Sometimes I think they exist as remnants of the initial detox. Mostly though, I think that once we've discovered weed as a mood changing tool, those cravings will always be there whenever life presents situations to which we can react with craving or aversion. In other words, like someone else said in this forum, "Once you become a pickle you can't go back to being a cucumber." However, I believe (and I've seen through other examples) that we can gradually train ourselves to deal with life in other ways that don't lead us to resort to weed as an easy way out or as a cheesy reward. So instead of craving weed, people might return to a present moment awareness of the wonder of being alive and the cradle of acceptance or the skill of doing the best we can without trying to control everything including our states of being.
As per insomnia. Yeah. Even people who don't or never did smoke weed will get it if we have over active brains. I like SoberSimon's recommendation. What I do is try to curtain caffeine early in the day (but it'll happen even to non caffeine drinkers). And then if I have insomnia I try to just relax my mind by bringing my awareness to either the sensation of my respiration on my upper lip (over and over and over and over), or to the sensations of my body (over and over and over again). Both without judgement. It takes practice, but it works. For me.
I liked the advice that the others gave. Having caffeine first thing in the morning sounds like a great idea. Maybe even trying to be super aware of when you are having the hugest cravings or triggers. That could tell you a lot about your surroundings. Reward yourself when you have had a really great day and have not smoked in the times when you have wanted to the most!
It is hard, but you have already quit! We all applaud you for this great accomplishment. AND YOURE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL! You are seriously an inspiration! Well done, keep up the great work! If you ever wanna chat please message me, Id be more than happy to help or give any advice :]