Weed is now a problem

Your Story
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Hello dear sober time users, I’m a 29 years old french IT guy and living in Marseille. I got this app because I want to quit smoking weed.

I fell in love with weed about 9 years ago, and I’ve become a chronic smoker since. I’ve used several other drugs like mdma, cocaine, speed, alcohol, but I was able to stop or restrict my usage for those. I completely stopped mdma, speed and cocaine, and I allow myself to drink a beer from time to time.

I should comment on those drugs if any user can relate. I discovered mdma and cocaine when introduced to the rave scene, I took mdma every week-end at the beginning, and slowly dropped my consumption over a 3 year period. At the end it made me feel chemically unbalanced and depressed, I couldn’t feel happy when good things came to me (which is a scary thing to consider). So I stopped. I continued using cocaine and speed in small amounts, but it was never a regular thing, and even though I never took the conscious decision to stop, it happens I don’t use anymore.

Since I stopped those drugs, cannabis was the one and only substance I allowed myself to take, without any restriction.

Of all the substances, weed is now the one I have a problem with. Weed is the one I have to have at home. From the time I get back from work to the time I go to bed, I have to smoke joints (around 5 to 6). On the week-end I smoke non-stop. Every week I buy 100€ of the strongest weed and I’d rather smoke alone at home than doing anything else.

I never pick up the phone when I’m high, I just want the world to forget about me. My isolation has never been stronger, which depresses me, and makes me wanna smoke even more.

Thursday, I emptied my last bag of weed, and promised myself not to buy again.

My fears :
Most of my friends are weed smokers
Finding weed in Marseille is the easiest thing ever
I’v coupled my weed consumption with activities such as video games and music production, and I’m afraid I won’t enjoy them as much after quitting weed.

My motivations :
I can’t remember what a clear mind really is
Money savings
Don’t want to end up alone

My plan :
Get my shit in order
Socialize
Run (Getting hooked on Endorphins would be perfect)
Meditation

I wish my testimony is readable and useful for some people. Take care.

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Have you ever tried NA or AA meetings?

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I can relate to your story. While you might love weed (I thought I did too) weed does not love you. Good for you for deciding to put it behind you. I took just wanted to hide away. I still want to hide away some days, but going in public is not as daunting as it once was. Ive found for myself in multiple attempts at quitting, that drinking alcohol just made me want to smoke more. With this go round I choose full sobriety, and that has given me more comfort than weed ever did. I have a future now. Some days my addicted brain tries to tell me that’s a downer, so I just have to remind myself that I am making the right choice. My approaching 30th birthday has really motivated me to get my shit together. One thing that has stuck in my memory from an AA meeting was an older man (60s, 70s IDK) regetting having wasted so much of his life abusing drugs and alcohol. I already wasted my 20s. I don’t want to waste the rest of my life.

Best of luck to you! And congratulations on letting drugs go!

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No, never tried. I’ll consider it if I see I can’t do it alone. Thank you.

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I’m waking up on my 3rd day and reading pragmatic responses like yours really helps. I’ll try to replace my little rituals by non harmfull ones. Have a great day (or evening) and tanks again.

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Thank you for your support, I didn’t drink since either, I know what you mean, this can lead to the « fuck it» kind of attitude. Glad to have your testimony.

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Thanks for the advice. Today I’m gonna go out and buy some materials to cocoon my flat. Yesterday i cleaned it, washed the dishes. And I have some IT projects to lead on my own.

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I worked for the music industry as a roadie for aome.of tge world largest rock bands. I used class A drugs for over 25 years cocaine bei g the main one but also.lots of pretty much everything else. I gave up everything else 11years ago including tobacco but weed was a constant for the last 35 years. Never stopped smoked juat like you all day every day. .
Then 228 days ago i discovered powerlifting and dropped weed over night. Threw away all my pipes and grinders cutvties with freinds who i knew wouldnt understand and changed my life forever. Ive never looked back. My health both physical and mental has improved. Ive stopped being so impulsive and my decision making has become much more balanced. The money ive saved is incredible. After tge first 3 weeks i didnt miss it at all. I focused on lifting and being proud of my self for tge positivity ive bought into my life.
You can do this. Refocus. Start to notice the benifits of not beibg chained to such a crutch. Be free.

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Haha I just laughed out loud at your Oreo comment :joy::joy::joy:

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Such great advice- this group is so helpful. Isolation, I have noticed, is a very common thing among people with substance abuse. I was in a rehab-type group of addicts and alcoholics and absolutely everyone mentioned isolation as a result of their addiction. Who wants that???

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AA isn’t just for alcohol, I was a drug addict also, smoked pot every single day. As it describes in the big book, alcohol was just a symptom of our problem, we had to get down to the causes and conditions. Just like drugs, it was just a symptom. Alcohol and drugs was never my problem, I was my problem. Once I worked on me and cleaned house, all those emotions I covered up with drugs and alcohol, I don’t have to do that anymore. It says no human willpower can relieve us of our alcoholism. May I ask how long you have tried to do it on your own?

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Noted. I can tell you I compensated on food today.

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This is the first time I really act to quit. But I contemplated the idea for a year.

To be complete with my story, I have to say I had a LSD trip for the first time in my life, about a year ago. This experience made me see my flaws and dirty habits, in a way I never saw before. I guess it took me a year to process it and act it out. I believe I wouldn’t be at this stage of relfexion if I haven’t had this experience.

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This is what has been taught to me and I found it relieving and like the world lifted off my shoulders. The 12 steps reveals why we make the decisions we do and act out the way we do. It shows you patterns in your life and instead of covering up guilt, shame and remorse with drugs, it teaches you to deal with life on life’s terms. There are reasons why we act of the way we do and that’s the causes and conditions about us I’m relating to. I wish you the best of luck and will be praying you find your way brother. God Bless

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Do you notice certain times of the year are busier? I’m guessing this place may be busy like the gym in January?

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I don’t know if I should take your comments for me but it seems I’m a new member with a resolution in head. What difference does it make what time of the year it is ? I also never promised to stick around, the fact that people took the time to share their experience is already a huge help. I hate elitism and exlusion, it irritates me. Still on track today though.

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@KJ02 can a person go to AA or NA for marijuana? I haven’t had a desire to drink or use other things like Molly but marijuana seems so different. It has been 3 months and 16 days according to the counter and I still feel like I can’t function. I have no desire to go out, go on social media and working out seems painful since I’m sore for days. my body constantly aches (I’m currently underemployed in the fitness industry since I lost my full time job in 2014). all I have is my coffee and vaping since I haven’t smoked cigs since February. I have the scene from the movie Half Baked in my mind.

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I agree @dolin and I can relate to your struggle. i wish you all the best. I don’t go on this forum often since I really don’t do much consistently much to my chagrin. I guess it is all part of the process.

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i work in the fitness industry. that comment made me laugh. im guilty of not going on the forum much. the holidays are a difficult time of year.

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I concur that Mr. mewilhoward doesn’t see himself as elite. He has just been here a long time and even in the short time I have been visiting I have noticed waves of new people contributing … interesting people… and then they fall off for one reason or another… I remember hearing comments where I reacted a little to similar statements because everyone is here to hopefully learn more or Better themselves somehow… I was curious how many times a year there tends to be a sharp increase in people and new years was my guess. not a bad thing.

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