It’s been 1 year, 5 months and 6 days since I quit drinking. I am very proud of that. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD for childhood trauma, and was prescribed Marijuana. I am starting back into school this fall semester, and if there is one thing I know for a fact is that if I put all my focus on something positive like college, well I tend to excel in college. I am just scared of the nightmares, cold sweats, increased anxiety, insomnia, hyperactive moments, smart ass counter interactions with people, binge eating, the emotional roller coaster that I can be, and shutting myself from the people I need. I just need to make it past the hardest first month as I’ve done before. I’ve restarted my sober time for usage of marijuana. I want to pass college and be able to cope with my PTSD while in college. Last time I drank wine and continued to smoke cigarettes, I feel like I am trading one habit for another. I nearly died from a perforated ulcer for me stop drinking, this was before I became a marijuana card holder. Any suggestions of how to make my journey easier to cope?
I started smoking marijuana when I was 13-14 years. I was in so much pain from physical emotional and sexual abuse that I endured in my life up until that point that I would smoke shortly after waking up and would stay high all day everyday for 22-23 years I’m 36 years old and I’m feeling sobriety for the first time and today I’m two weeks sober. One thing that marijuana never helped with was the trauma and pain that I endured, it just numbed it a bit. In fact I believe it made the pain worse cause I never took the time to deal with it. For a week prior to me quitting I began slowly weaning myself off of the drug before I complete cut it out all together. I would wait 2 hours to smoke then the next day 3 hours then four etc, until I felt comfortable to stop altogether. All the withdrawal symptoms you described have happened to be but I know that if I hadn’t taken the time to do that my symptoms would be much greater. It’s not easy, and I’m still dealing with urges to smoke but everyday it gets a little easier and I just tell myself that if I smoke I will still be in this situation just numb to it, but if I manage to hold out I will be moving my life forward instead of being stuck in my past. Getting High makes life harder not easier. Stay busy, don’t get bored. Eat healthy, stay away from junk and most importantly exercise, it doesn’t matter how, u could go for a walk, do sit-ups or even yoga but get active. surround yourself with people that are positive. You can do this and you can do it well just believe that u can. I have only know my adult life as a pot head and trust me you don’t want that, but if I can do this then so can you!
I totally agree I’m all or nothing type of person my self .
It’s cold Turkey or I got hard.
Wish yall the best of luck
Proud of everyone
I don’t know any good way to cope the physical aspects of quitting, except staying busy maybe. I used to watch movies, tv series or play videogames. Anything that might occupy your brain.
In my case there were no binge eating, on the contrary I had to force myself to eat. The despair was hard. Anxiety was high. But it won’t last, you know that. Be patient with yourself. Like @Startinglife said, stay busy. Even at nights. It can’t be worse than being in bed all sweaty, counting hours and waiting for an hypothetical sleep to come.
Stay strong, it’s worth it!
Thanks everyone! Well with my adhd staying busy is no problem. Good thing I work nights and when I have enough energy I’ll burn in it at the gym. I watch shows too but lately it’s hard to stay focus on a show because I space out so much. I just listen to music on my head phones.
Well said dear!! That was an eye opener for me. 7/23/22, (Saturday), I reach my 2 year anniversary on my sobriety from alcohol. It has been quite the journey. I myself have noticed I’ve been using Mother Nature more frequently than I have been and question whether I’m trading one nasty habit for another. It’s a struggle I don’t have an answer for yet.