Quitting for the first time in a decade

Try as hard as possible not to think about smoking and fill your time with loads of activities. Keep yourself busy and after the first two or three days you'll be okay.

 

Wow, so when you were 12 you were smoking a lot of weed?
 
Anyway, quitting is going to be hard. Not because you're addicted, but after a decade of chronic smoking you're definitely mentally dependent on it. I know some of my fellow potheads will kill me for saying this, but it's true that you're going to have withdrawal symptoms - irritable, unhappy.
 
But some people are able to quit cigarettes, heroin, cocaine. If you really want to quit smoking weed, it shouldn't be too hard after a week.

 

exercise daily

 

If you have the time i'd suggest gradually (well, maybe drastically) start smoking less. Limit your self to perhaps two joints a week, then one the next week, then none or something like that.
 
I had to stop smoking (going on 6mo. now) and while I could of stopped all together I did take a few hits at a party once during the first month. I found that just getting a slight high once removed all of my cravings for weeks after and I was fine.
 
Oh, also try and distract your self with other tasks.

 

If you quit cold turkey your heart will collapse. 

#science. 

 

I wouldn't go cold turkey. For me, it helps a great deal to just decrease the smoking bit by bit rather than all at once because I'll get incredibly overwhelmed and think FUCK this and cave in after a few days. If you used to smoke multiple times a day, try to cut it down to just once a day. The most "important" sesh for me happens to be at night cause I'll smoke to go to sleep, so if that's the one time I'll allow myself to smoke per day. After about a week, I'll reduce it to once a night, every other day. After a week of that, once a week. Keep in mind, between all this extra time I have of being sober, I fill up my schedule with tons of activities, which someone has already suggested on here. Exercise is a HUGE one. Set some realistic goals for yourself; steer away from the "I WILL WORK OUT EVERY DAY FOR 2.5 HOURS MINIMUM AND GET JACKED, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO" mentality because chances are, you'll either overtrain or drop the routine after like 2 weeks. Start off by going at least once every other day. As you get more time on your hands, increase the amount, but obviously only til a certain limit. The limit for me is once a day for 1.5 hours, though every now and then I'll allow myself to skip a day or two. I can't stress how significant routine is though. Habit, habit, habit. The first couple weeks are the hardest but you gotta try your best to stick to a specific schedule the way you probably had a "pot sesh" schedule. Obviously it's much easier to develop a toking habit than, say, exercising, but that's part of the challenge and everyone needs a little challenge here and there. You'll also begin to feel great about yourself! You'll feel your head clearing up, maybe you'll even start eating healthier (I tend to eat like shit when I smoke), all sorts of good stuff. It's important not to go into extremes so always be watching out for this, seriously. It's my biggest downfall. Lastly, if you have toking friends, sadly, you might wanna try avoiding them (when they're smoking). It's a big time tease for me to see these asshats smoking while I'm sitting there being like "SO I'M STARTING TO EAT BROCCOLI BRAHS" haha. So make a point to dip out when you think they're gonna bring out the ganja. You can even tell them what's up and maybe they'll just opt out of toking in front of you in general, though I wouldn't necessarily expect this from my friends.
Treat yourself every few weeks, dude. Use the money you'd be using for weed and put it towards something you've been wanting, idk. Maybe a TV, laptop, anything like that. Or save up for a while and get something even bigger. Trick yourself into thinking you want to be constantly sober, even if you really don't fucking want to. I wish you good luck, man. Remember it'll get easier and I'm sure you'll be able to bond with mary jane again in the future anyway. 
Peace.

 

Damn, dude, well you got some support from GC. Definitely load up on water and start hitting the gym. Will you be toking again eventually, after the job search?

 

I'm gonna be in the same boat as you soon... finishing college and looking for my first full-time job as a career. Anyway, think of it like this, this is the time where it is worth it the most to quit since you worked so hard through school to get where you are now. That should be your motivation. Exercise as much as you can and drink lots of water.

 

Waiting 2 months isn't that bad. I mean you had so many great times in the past 10 years I am sure. The ganja will still be there in 2 months.

 

I'm 48. Toked my first joint when I was about 14 I suppose. Smoke steady all through high school and my young adult life. When my employer started testing when I was around 25 I just quit. Didn't even think twice about it. I simply lost interest. Focused on my career and raising a family.
At around 38 I got a new job where a drug test would never happen(I'm self employed) and I thought, hmm. Lets get stoned! Been stoned(again) ever since.

Point of the story?
I think this little process of life happens to many. Just lose interest and get on with your life. It's simple.

 

A little help from "Granny Storm Crow's List"!  (see the bottom of my sig to get your free copy)
 
Strategies for quitting among non-treatment-seeking marijuana smokers.     (abst – 2005)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15804875
 
Tips for Cutting Back          (news – 2009)
http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/visions/cannabis-vol6/tips-for-cutting-back
 
For pot users, visual and audible cues set off cravings        (news – 2009)
http://arstechnica.com/science/2009/07/abstinent-marijuana-users-still-have-cravings/
 
Aerobic Exercise Training Reduces Cannabis Craving and Use in Non-Treatment Seeking Cannabis-Dependent Adults         (full – 2011)   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3050879/?tool=pmcentrez
 
Cure for the Munchies? Exercise Cuts Marijuana Cravings       (news – 2011) http://healthland.time.com/2011/03/09/cure-for-the-munchies-exercise-cuts-marijuana-cravings/
 
Exercise can reduce cannabis use in persons who don't want to stop        (news – 2011)
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20110304/Exercise-can-reduce-cannabis-use-in-persons-who-dont-want-to-stop.aspx
 
A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial of N-Acetylcysteine in Cannabis-Dependent Adolescents.        (full – 2012)        http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=1184217&resultClick=1
 
Supplement Helps Teens Kick Pot Habit        (news – 2012) 
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/Addictions/33286?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g522321d0r&userid=522321&email=tconnolly@wtis1110.com&mu_id=
 
Reducing cannabinoid abuse and preventing relapse by enhancing endogenous brain levels of kynurenic acid.      (abst – 2013)        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24121737
 
Poor Sleep Quality Makes It Harder To Quit Marijuana - Here's Why    (news – 2013)
http://www.leafscience.com/2013/09/27/poor-sleep-quality-makes-harder-quit-marijuana-why/
 
 
Exercise is key! When you exercise, your body not only makes more of the endocannabinoid, anandamide, your body's very own version of THC, but your fat releases stored THC! The extra anandamide and the released THC ease any withdrawal symptoms.
 
 
'Runner's High' may have played role in evolutionary history of humans      (news – 2012)
http://in.news.yahoo.com/runners-high-may-played-role-evolutionary-history-humans-105030765.html
 
Exercise-induced endocannabinoid signaling is modulated by intensity.        (abst – 2012)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22990628
 
Exercise increases plasma THC concentrations in regular cannabis users.      (abst – 2013)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24018317
 
One Toke, Many Hits: Exercise Could Trigger Additional High for Marijuana Users
(news – 2013)
http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/17/one-toke-many-hits-exercise-could-trigger-additional-high-for-marijuana-users/
 
Hope that helps!
 
 
Granny

 

Ahhh man, you graduated from KU, mcdonalds doesn't drug test!


I jest, I jest. Sent from Mizzou country, miss playing ya'll in sporting matches. Good luck.

 

there's 2 ways to go about this, you could A- Replace smoking with different (healthy) activites, or B- replace smoking weed with drinking alcohol. but obviously you cant drink all day. and becoming an alcoholic is also a risk, but this way will stop the "craving" of getting high. maybe enjoy a few beers after a long day at work instead of a few joints

 

Jay - My hubby found smoking "skullcap" was soothing.   http://www.botanicalstudies.net/herbalism/smoking_herbs_calming.php
 
 
Granny