Quitting weed for a while

[biohacker]

Thanks for the tip @Reliable ShotZ , but it doesn't help me, i've tried everything...the only thing that works is time for me...and lots of it. But I like your post, I try to live as close to nature as possible, and get out in the sun as much as I can, at least in the early morning to re-sync my circadian pattern.

 

[Hyphy]

I think it's important to take time off every so often to understand whether you feel/are certain ways because of the mj or because it's the way you are. For example, I would sometimes get flem attacks and just assumed it was because I was vaping too much. Taking time off made me realize that I had severe seasonal allergies and it wasn't the flowers. Other realizations come into play too, such as motivation levels, feeling tired, happiness, etc, and whether it's because of using or just being. The only way to know sometimes is to eliminate the variables, mj included, and is important for self-development imo.

 

[Jeppy]

The bodies call for homeostasis.

 

[biohacker]

@OP how are you doing? I've been having amazing success with 2mg of Melatonin.... I even remembered dreaming last night! This is refreshing considering I haven't remembered my dreams (or even dreamt at all for that matter) for quite a while. I wish quitting this drug was as easy as stopping drinking.... I had my last beer maybe 2-3 months ago, same with coffee.... but vaping, damn I just can't seem to be able to survive without it. My wife on the other hand, is completely able to, although sleep problems (which never existed before I introduced her to vaping) continue to haunt her.

I swear I basically need to re-learn how to "live" sober. Not sure if I like it! lol

 

[snamuh]

@OP how are you doing? I've been having amazing success with 2mg of Melatonin.... I even remembered dreaming last night! This is refreshing considering I haven't remembered my dreams (or even dreamt at all for that matter) for quite a while. I wish quitting this drug was as easy as stopping drinking.... I had my last beer maybe 2-3 months ago, same with coffee.... but vaping, damn I just can't seem to be able to survive without it. My wife on the other hand, is completely able to, although sleep problems (which never existed before I introduced her to vaping) continue to haunt her.

I swear I basically need to re-learn how to "live" sober. Not sure if I like it! lol

I feel you on relearning... I haven't been doing well with not indulging, but I have been doing better in other aspects of my life.

I feel so out of touch sometimes... but the good thing is understanding the aspects of having to relearn and readjust to a healthier lifestyle.

I was reading my psychology book chapter on the other night and the chapter was about sleep and there was another part about drugs.

One thing the sleep section mentioned was REM rebound. When a person uses sleeping pills (real ones) and drugs regularly to get to sleep if they stop using them then their sleep cycles can be effected by REM Rebound. This is when REM is increased after drug use is stopped. I did such a shitty job explaining that. haha

Also the chapter said that marijuana dependence is the 3rd most common form of drug dependence in USA CA and AU. (alcohol and nicotine being 1 and 2)

psychology 4th edition.............

 

[biohacker]

Yeah know all about REM rebound, and minored in Psych (SO should have majored in it), and it's my feeling that my REM sleep has been dampened for quite a while. I feel better today than in a long time, and I made sure I went to bed quite sober, and I think the melatonin is definitely helping. I did this last weekend as well, and couldn't believe the mental clarity and focus. I can literally feel the fog lift! It's weird, because i'd typically already "need" to vape by now (9:30am) but have decided that i'm done with it for as long as I can tolerate and cope. It's the hot sweaty sleepless nights that are the worst, but i'm hoping to be able to get through it quick this time, simply because I am presently not working. I can't remember what I did a few years back, but I distinctly remember being able to get through all the worst of the withdrawal, within a week. I think I was pounding back alot of water, because I remember being shocked when I passed a piss test after 5 days, which would typically take me close to two months. I think I diluted the urine sample with so much drinking water! lol

The re-learning is a trip.... but eventually feels normal. It's nice not to "crave" vaping though... it just becomes so habitual, and I would find a reason to "medicate" for just about anything, because well, it's just so awesome!

 

[CuckFumbustion]

So glad I found this thread. TBed before so now I know the drill. This time is quite different since I lost weight from quitting gluten entirely for a year. It is like having a different body in that sense. I'm into week 3 TB-ing and have some intense dreams. The kind where you wake up. Fall back to sleep and chapter two of the same dream begins again.
Quite vivid. Perhaps one of the greater aspects. Going back to my other compulsions and sort out some of the more tangled thoughts I've had. My thoughts are a little foggy in mid week of my T-break.

TB-ed before and treat it as a trip for the first three days. The second morning, I wake up and always has that 'new' dawn sensation.
I do mentaly prepare myself and buffer for the reality to set in. Try to remember that I am not physically addicted but highly compulsive with it. Kava Kava helps take the edge of the stress of modern life. Do try to treat it as a proper cleanse within the first week. Sometimes will drink water with a lemon juice to get the electrolytes going.

I also remember anecdotes about Bob Denver and Tommy Chong. As much as Tommy is known for MJ consumption, he does not consider himself addicted. When he was offered MJ in prison over the bong arrest. He flatly refused it and say he is not addicted. They were trying to entrap him anyway, and thought they could exploit any cravings they thought he had for that.
I don't really mix with my co-workers and am the straight edge at work. Just strong coffee there. There perceptions of MJ and alcohol are different than mine and they combust. Thanks to Tommy's resilience story, I don't cave in and combust with the co-workers. Their attitudes toward me would change for the worse, if I was an at work 'stoner'. Plus I need to be the sharp one looking out for everybody there. Which I feel good in doing anyway. Also, I also don't drink or smoke cigarettes which is their other outlets. Dislike the mindset most drinkers tend to have that comes with consuming alcohol. So glad I kicked that to the curb 20 years ago. But it can make me intolerant of the group-think that goes on with alcohol culture. MJ has become alternative medicine for me over the years and don't see it as a 'party' drug. It has a bad rep. And I'm trying to un-tarnish that in my own small way.

The other anecdote is Gilligan's Bob Denver which I've posted before.

I have been around some people who rage a little when they are without their green. So I 'd tell them the Bob Denver story to calm them down. :
Bob Denver of Gilligan's Island used to do conventions and would ask around if anybody had any boo to smoke and he wasn't picky either. Most conventioneers were naturally unprepared and/or couldn't help him. So his reply was a shrug and "it would have been nice." then he'd continue with the convention unaffected.
This small anecdote has helped those "jonesing" for something that can be rethought of in a more casual manner than 'need'. That seems to be enough to relieve that tension.
Unless say you have a genuine medical condition.

 

[biohacker]

Thanks bro, that definitely gives me some perspective. My biggest concern is sleep, but I don't think there are many here who have stopped all cannabis for several months or longer, that could help. But there are other forums for it fortunately. I was in PM with a member here who had to abstain for THREE YEARS! He just started to get back to vaping (quit due to employment) and is raving about how well he's sleeping now and that he slept like shit for 3 years. Part of me feels that the damage is done and is not reversible.

 

[Vaked420]

Well as a report back, I've been vaping more on weekends and less on weekdays since I work on weekdays and it's been going pretty good. While I have been vaping more than I want to again, I feel in control of my habit rather than the other way around. I find the best way to keep my usage in check is to try and keep my tolerance at a point that I'm happy with. That way I'm always getting stoned off of smaller amounts and it's easier to cut back on smoking when my motivation is that by not smoking, I'm gonna get more high and be happier with it when I do. But I do have a big hurdle ahead of me. School starts next week and I won't be working this year so the amount of time I will have available to vape is going to go up drastically, though my gut feeling is that I'm going to be just fine. I no longer feel like I have to get high to enjoy things or to feel better. Weed is a supplement to my life and a drug, that whIle super fun, can seriously affect my motivation to do the things I have to get done and with that mentality I think I will be more like Chong with the bong (haha) as talked about above. I used to run home every couple hours from the lab to get stoned cause it made lab more fun and more bearable, but I won't be letting myself do that this year so instead I can come home when I have everything done and with peace at mind I can get stupid stupid high with my overall lower tolerance. I will come back to report back how that actually turna out lol

 

[CarolKing]

When I use waxes and BHO too much my tolerance goes through the roof. I save the shatter and such for evening right before bed and I don't do it every night, maybe 2 or 3 times a week if that. Just flowers serve most of my needs.

I take a Tbreak every so often for 72 hours. It's difficult because I use cannabis for pain control. I can't take anti inflammatories and I have arthritis. Thanks for sharing all your info.

 

[Vaked420]

Thanks bro, that definitely gives me some perspective. My biggest concern is sleep, but I don't think there are many here who have stopped all cannabis for several months or longer, that could help. But there are other forums for it fortunately. I was in PM with a member here who had to abstain for THREE YEARS! He just started to get back to vaping (quit due to employment) and is raving about how well he's sleeping now and that he slept like shit for 3 years. Part of me feels that the damage is done and is not reversible.

Although I haven't vaped as long or as heavily as most here, I believe that most likely it wasn't that he slept like shit for 3 years but more so that we get used to being able to pass out easily and think that's the norm and forget what it was like before we smoked. Thinking back hard on before I ever smoked I distinctly remember taking 20 or 30 minutes to fall asleep on the average night and it wouldn't be uncommon to take 1 or 2 hours to fall asleep which would be unheard of these days where I usually pass out in a minute or two, and I try not to smoke for at least an hour or two before bed.

 

[biohacker]

Lotsa great points....thanks for the contributions. @Vaked420 you are bang on bro, medicating allows me to "pass out" within minutes if not seconds! I could deal with taking an hour or so, but the problem is the frequent awakenings every hour or so, and then most of the time it's like sleeping but being awake at the same time, if that even makes sense? Then ofcoarse there are the chills, sweats, severe shakes, nausea, etc.

Thanks for the motivation.... I just went through this 2 months ago, but caved at day 12. .1g felt like 1.0g.

 

[spoutti]

Hey guys, about the sleep. The blue light, lots of it from from led screens, can hinder your sleep. I recently took a long thc break. Including a week in cuba (totally sober). The time needed to get to sleep was quicker than here at home.

Watching tv shows (2 meters away from 40" led screen) vs surfing the web seems to induces a faster sleep; but watching tv is more hypnothising to me.

 

[CuckFumbustion]

@spoutti, I have been reading articles about the blue light emissions from monitors before, (while bombarding my self with blue light at the same time ).
Also conversely, how using monitor light can help those in Alaska deal with 23 hours of darkness during the winter months and Seasonal Affective disorder.
Both sides of the coin. Good stuff to research and consider. Thanks for bringing it up here.

 

[Hyphy]

I use a free program called f.lux that reduces the blue light output on my monitor at night. It's pretty slick in that it transitions to lower blue light at sunset and resets to regular light at sunrise. You guys should check it out. It makes a noticable difference at night in relaxing my eyes vs bright light that strains my eyes.

 

[biohacker]

All great points, I haven't looked at the blue light spectrum after sunset for nearly 2 years now. In my house as soon as the sun sets, all blue spectrum lights go off, and red bulbs are used instead. For computer and phone f.lux is awesome (if you have iphone you need the jailbreak, so worth it just for flux!). Other than that, definitely blue blocking glasses. I'm a freak, but I even replaced the bulbs in my fridge with red ones! Nothing like a BLAST of bright blue light in the dark when you need to grab a glass of water or whatever. I also have my diet tuned to a tee, and could probably teach courses in sleep hygiene and sleep science.

The blue light spectrum is said to be the new smoking (or sitting lol)...we have light pollution everywhere, and whether you know it or not, this isn't conjecture. We are designed to have proper light and dark cycles, and sleep occurs when our cortisol hormone is low, and melatonin high (triggered by darkness). Any blue spectrum light that enters the eye into the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the centre of your brain (master circadian clock) destroys this melatonin production. Sleep is so crucial for health, and in fact IMO although close, is even more important than diet.

So last night if I was lucky I received an hour of sleep in micro doses. It sucked huge! I didn't have my "typical" withdrawal with alot of cold chills/sweats in the evening, but I did soak 3 shirts in the night. I've been implementing cold showers (numerous health benefits) and I think it may be helping somewhat with my nervous system.

I have ZERO cravings and no withdrawal symptoms other than pure insomnia. It's literally like my own endogenous has been completely down regulated and I have no melatonin to make me sleepy. I tried 2mg of OTC melatonin because I was thinking it was helping prolong my sleep when I was vaped, so perhaps it would help me initiate sleep. No luck, so I took 2mg more.....same deal. I think I probably fell asleep around 4am for a bit and then up again. Dropped 5lbs of water over night!

I don't feel great, but could definitely feel worse, i'll give it a few more nights, and if they are like this then i'll have to vape a tiny bit, just so I don't go psychotic like my last time. I just can't wait to get some serious time away from weed so I can once and for all determine how much it is negatively affecting my sleep. Or perhaps my sleep will suck so bad that I will be forced to vape to at least get some sleep. I really feel like my REM cycle has been dampened, and i'm looking forward to it's rebound....not!

Guess it's time to book a trip to Cuba.....wait a minute, that was the first and last vacation I took nearly 9 years ago. I was awake the entire time and felt like shit all day long! My wife and I have had to leave hotel rooms in the middle of the night because of this and now we basically can't go anywhere. Who wants to shell out $$$$ on a vacation only to not be able to sleep and regret it all?

This went longer than I wanted to...sorry about that, but thanks so much for listening! Hopefully some of this info helps others.

 

[CuckFumbustion]

Not too long at all @biohacker and a real eye opener. Was that supposed to be a pun?
I DL-ed Flux and actually plan on using my monitors light feature. Which I never bothered with before your post. Light pollution is already a huge thing with me without even entering into the blue spectrum/biological impact that is part of this discussion.
Because I own a TN panel, all my lights at home are below my eye-line when I am sitting down. Glare is a huge thing with me and the matte finish on my display reflects that more than other types. Adjusting the frequency and refresh rate if needed and use True type fonts is essential since I wear eyeglasses. Before MS decided blue was the default color in Windows, I already tweaked it to that shade which made text more readable to reduce eye strain. Does eye strain factor into the light pollution you are mentioning?
Yes it is a blue background but it seemed to help me. But I believe you are touching upon the fuller spectrum that is being emitted from the panel. And what f.lux is trying dealing with.
Set my Win 7 desktop to windows classic and the default blue (yea blue again, I Know) background and tweak the fonts. Saves a little on system resources too. Side benefit.
I don't need to have some cute wallpaper that personalizes my desktop. It is all about having more 'real estate' when having all my windows open and things like wallpaper and visual toys takes that feature away. IMO. Ooops, now I went on longer than I wanted.
Sure there is ways to use these features in your desktop that correlate with the light spectrum problem that you are trying to deal with or at least eye strain. Thanks for the insight.

Another thing about TBing this time out is that I already wasn't combusting for 6 months. Always TBed for a short period when I got a new job and bought a new pair of shoes and insoles for the occasion. Helps with my new job mindset.

 

[biohacker]

Honestly i'm not sure about eye strain. Apparently it's only the blue spectrum that has negative consequences to health. Interestingly enough, the dim blue light from the stars or moon is said to not even affect us which is puzzling to me since they push "completely blacked out room" for optimal sleep. Then again, I guess you could say that is true about temperature as well, since apparently it's best to sleep in a cool environment (SO true for me personally).... so what about those hot equatorial regions of the world? It appears to me, that we eventually adapt to our environments, but since mankind creates his own environment, we are nothing but humans living in a human zoo.

It's been an interesting day...feel crappy but great at the same time? I'm also implementing several biohacks that i've never tried before during a withdrawal. Just about to take my 2nd cold shower of the day! I've been doing cold thermogenesis for a while now, so i'm quite adapted, but nothing like Wim Hof!

 

[Vaked420]

Honestly i'm not sure about eye strain. Apparently it's only the blue spectrum that has negative consequences to health. Interestingly enough, the dim blue light from the stars or moon is said to not even affect us which is puzzling to me since they push "completely blacked out room" for optimal sleep. Then again, I guess you could say that is true about temperature as well, since apparently it's best to sleep in a cool environment (SO true for me personally).... so what about those hot equatorial regions of the world? It appears to me, that we eventually adapt to our environments, but since mankind creates his own environment, we are nothing but humans living in a human zoo.

It's been an interesting day...feel crappy but great at the same time? I'm also implementing several biohacks that i've never tried before during a withdrawal. Just about to take my 2nd cold shower of the day! I've been doing cold thermogenesis for a while now, so i'm quite adapted, but nothing like Wim Hof!

I believe we do adapt to our environment really well which is why, in a country with so much freedom to do whatever you want, we see so many people that essentially hate their day to day life and don't know what to do about it because they're, and this is my favorite term, sheeple. They just follow the heard and eventually mimic what everyone around them thinks and don't understand why they think that. That side tracked fast lol.

Anyways just came to say that I had been vaping daily and sometimes more than daily for a few weeks and seemed to just have an excuse to get high everyday so Monday I got nice and toasty and dabbed with my neighbor who was leaving for a week and then said I wasn't gonna smoke again till I was clear headed again. Well Tuesday was kindve rough I guess. I was just a little more easily ticked off and wasn't very social but nothing extreme, and didn't have too many cravings. Wednesday I felt a lot better and more clear and while I did want to vape Wednesday night it was fairly easy not to. By Thursday I felt extremely clear and just a whole lot better and ended up vaping a ton of kief through my MFLB last night and just got mindbendingly stoned with a friend who's also been cutting back. My tolerance was lowered again, I felt clear and this morning I didn't feel the normal heaviness I do when I've been vaping regularly. I just felt lingering effects and it was honestly great. I think taking one nice 2 week break to reset my tolerance originally and then after that taking these mini 2-3 day tbreaks is the perfect way for me to keep my tolerance down and to keep myself grounded cause getting stoned day after day and letting it become ingrained into my daily routine is when I really get into trouble

 

[biohacker]

hey man, sounds like you got it figured out! Those little breaks can work wonders. My t-break ended the other day due to a major stressor, and after a dozen cold turkey attempts i'm going to taper down gradually. Seems to be working so far!

 

[Dopeydiver]

I am a weekend only vaper, but have not had any problems with loss of dreams. They are quite vivid and I usually remember them in the morning. It may be that I simply do not vape enough for it to be a problem, or maybe it is because I use a CPAP and have a Pavlovian response that results in going to sleep quickly.

I am in complete agreement that it is a good idea to take a break from time to time. Frankly, I like taking a break from time to time even being a weekend user.

 

[biohacker]

You have an extremely responsible relationship with the drug, and if you keep it up it sounds like it's a relationship that you can maintain. I wish I had your wisdom back in the day! On the flip side, instead of quitting for a while (that lasted 3 days), I have actually had to increase my consumption (due to extreme stress as well as figuring out my sleeping problems) and as a result have been sleeping SO much better. Obviously my brain and body freak out if I don't get what they are used to. I feel that extremely gradual tapering is the only way for me to reduce. It's easy to not think that way during the day for me, nah i'm good, I can just vape .5g today. Not so, the repercussions occur at night for me. Thanks for the wisdom and motivation @Dopeydiver !

 

[phattpiggie]

I keep coming back to this thread and I am struggling with how to word things without causing offense.
So here goes,
Disclaimer
Please do not take any offense at what I have written I mean none and feel that as individuals, and not all the same individual, we all react differently to different situations.
12 years ago I was a heavy smoker. I never felt the need to smoke tobacco and always smoked neat singles on occasion with a generous smear of BHO just for good measure. I could smoke as much as I wanted it was 'on tap'. So I did 28g+ per week. BHO also on tap.
I would not smoke before or during work hours if it involved the safety of others. This would be most days as I work in the electrical industry and it doesn't look good if you fry a customer.
I did however undertake many different jobs some of which didn't need the same level of concentration. I smoked all day when these jobs appeared as did the crew I worked with.
Not long after this I had to stop smoking. My life took turn a turn onto 'Shit Street' and smoking made me feel very uncomfortable and I knew I had to stop. I was old enough and wise enough to know that the weed was making my head race and to stop this I had to quit. This combined with an imminent drug test made me understand that I had no choice but to stop.
I stopped cold turkey 28+g's a day to zero. I don't get the withdrawal some people go thru. I just stopped outright and although I craved it every now and again I didn't need it. After all cannabis has no 'physical dependence'. I put the cravings down to habit. Like a morning coffee or an after work beer. Neither of which I do now. Never done coffee or tea and stopped alcohol a year ago next month thru choice.
When I stopped I ate, slept and conducted my day to day life in the same but different manner. The difference being I didn't smoke or for that matter feel the need to. I had access to it but knew the only way to get to the other side of 'the street' was abstinence.
I was asked several times by smokers and non-smokers if my memory and concentration levels had improved and they hadn't even after years off I was the same. No improvement. I do feel concentration and memory are something which some people need to practice, especially memory.
I understand that for people who use weed for medical issues your situation is a totally different one and my opinions can cannot be applied to your situation.
So now I have to 'cut to the chase'. I mean this in the nicest way possible and this is my opinion and not meant to hurt anyone's feelings. I am sorry but I am more than a little direct on this subject.
To all the people who struggle with quitting my only advice is to get your shit together the only problem I can see is you.
Stop outright weaning can just lead to a lower level of dependence and prolong the quitting process.
If you can't sleep or are off your food you need to stop concentrating on this. The more you think about it the more stressed you become and the less likely it will happen.
Occupy your day to the max. Go and enjoy the outdoors. As a friend used to say 'feel the breeze'.
The problem is all in your mind and once you have addressed that you should be able to move on with your life. The fresher the air the better.
Yes you will have to retrain yourself but that's all it is. It's not like you are an alcoholic or junkie.
The mind is a very, very powerful thing and if you need to quit either thru choice or it's being forced upon you then you will be able to do it I have no doubt once you allow yourself to re-take control you will look back and wonder why you struggled.
I now vape about 3/3.5g's a week and still practice the same ideals. I don't get hammered when I am working. Unless it's mundane or creative.
I again have it on tap but I chose my consumption level. If I do to much I can get those uncomfortable feeling so I just back off a bit. I don't think that feeling will ever fully leave. So I deal with it rather than it deal with me.
All the best to you and I hope you get where you want to be. Once again in the nicest way get your shit together and you will see just how easy it is and you will wonder why you made a fuss out of nothing.
As an after thought have any of the people who are experiencing difficulties stopping tried CBD oil? Who knows it may work for some it seems to help with a lot of things.

 

[uhranium]

I use a free program called f.lux that reduces the blue light output on my monitor at night. It's pretty slick in that it transitions to lower blue light at sunset and resets to regular light at sunrise. You guys should check it out. It makes a noticable difference at night in relaxing my eyes vs bright light that strains my eyes.

This 100%.

just try out f.ux in the evening, get acustomed to the orange light and then turn off f.lux for some seconds, back to the blue light you're used to: Your eyes will fucking hurt. Shows how good f.lux is
This blue horror, you and millions of other computer users have to go through just because you didn't know such a program existed.

 

[biohacker]

Once again in the nicest way get your shit together and you will see just how easy it is and you will wonder why you made a fuss out of nothing.

You're lucky not to have medicinal needs, but I can assure you that you couldn't be more wrong even for recreational users. Please feel free to PM me for the resources.. you have no idea the struggle that some people experience. Obviously you've never experienced or heard of Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome? This isn't just made up or anything...it's actually a recognized disorder and it's not "all in the head". You're lucky not to get any withdrawal symptoms and have a strategy that works for you... others aren't so lucky, this is a drug afterall, just like caffeine can causes dependency and horrible withdrawal symptoms, cannabis can too.

Cold turkey discontinuation of 2.5g/day for me is basically a suicide mission, and yes i've tried all your techniques, and many, many more.