The Official CannaBreak Thread

[Zipford]

@GoldenBud said “1.4gr per day (10gr per week) of top or almost top shelf weed.”
That is a significantly large amount of consumption. Clearly you were using it to escape some real world problems even though you said you didn’t use it medicinally. I understand why your body/mind is still missing it. There is no doubt that some people can become “addicted” with more classic and longer lasting negative affects from discontinuing use. But it’s a small % of users. Regular daily users who keep consumption at more moderate levels can be “dependent”. I’ve discontinued daily use once or twice a year over the past 8 years and frankly I suffer more when I stop my daily mug of caffeinated coffee. Some difficulty sleeping and having vivid dreams for a week or so is my experience. D/Cing caffeine causes me fatigue, splitting 72hr headache. It’s listed as a drug that causes dependence even though it is available cheaply all around the world. Cannabis Use Disorder is the proper term for Cannabis abuse, not addiction. For probably 90-95% of daily users it’s a dependent substance that is fairly easy to stop using if necessary. I typically vape 0.05-0.1g per day during 2sessions in the evening. I also vape hemp CBD bud a few times a week. I started taking a gummie at night 5mgTHC/5mgCBD. I’ve been dealing with GI issues requiring surgery in Jan, a shoulder replacement revision in April, and a newly detected metastasize of my prostate cancer to 3 lymph nodes, so, yes, I need a sleep aid. I do not consider my moderate dosing to be addictive by any stretch of the imagination. Obviously you needed to get off a high dosage use pattern. Total abstinence is revealing physical manifestations of various kinds. You can’t lay it all at the feet of cannabis. But I’m glad you are doing what you need to do to get healthy.

I just took a brief 2.5 week break with no ill effects, and my use is similar to archangelz001's. The only thing I noticed is I was either having or recalling my dreams during the break.

As noted above, I think people should be cautious in extrapolating their experience to others, particularly in light of differing amounts of use. Three quarters of an ounce every week is very high consumption compared to most users, and that is closer to a year's worth of cannabis to me. So not surprising that stopping that level of use would have far more significant effects.

 

[GoldenBud]

I just took a brief 2.5 week break with no ill effects, and my use is similar to archangelz001's. The only thing I noticed is I was either having or recalling my dreams during the break.

As noted above, I think people should be cautious in extrapolating their experience to others, particularly in light of differing amounts of use. Three quarters of an ounce every week is very high consumption compared to most users, and that is closer to a year's worth of cannabis to me. So not surprising that stopping that level of use would have far more significant effects.

Archangel is the one used 1gr per week right? I just don't remember for sure.. It's super micro dose and I am glad you didn't have any side effect. I vaporized around 1.5gr per day

 

[EverythingsHazy]

I'm at ~325 days give or take 1-2 days.

I feel much better than I did for the first several weeks, however, not better at all than I did before day 1.

I still want to do some more reviewing of the research on Cannabis' effects on the brain, mental health, the cardiovascular system, the endocrine system, and the reproductive system, before deciding whether or not end the streak, but if I were to base my decision solely on how I feel, I would definitely opt for at least 1-2x daily use.

I don't attribute any improvements in my life to being Cannabis-free, but rather to self-development work I have been doing among other modified health practices.

My sleep also doesn't seem to be improved, at all. I wake up multiple times throughout the night, sweat constantly, and don't feel any more well-rested in the morning. I do fall asleep much more easily and generally more comfortably, than I did on days 1-30 or 1-60 even, but not better than prior to day 1. My dreams don't seem to be much more vivid, if they are more vivid at all, and they don't seem to be as pleasant, either. Sleep overall is less enjoyable, and I don't get the impression that I was getting much more REM sleep, despite what the literature seems to indicate should be the case, upon my initial review of some of it.

Hopefully, over the next several years, we will have a more comprehensive and statistically powerful database of research to guide our decisions.

 

[GoldenBud]

I'm at ~325 days give or take 1-2 days.

I feel much better than I did for the first several weeks, however, not better at all than I did before day 1.

I still want to do some more reviewing of the research on Cannabis' effects on the brain, mental health, the cardiovascular system, the endocrine system, and the reproductive system, before deciding whether or not end the streak, but if I were to base my decision solely on how I feel, I would definitely opt for at least 1-2x daily use.

I don't attribute any improvements in my life to being Cannabis-free, but rather to self-development work I have been doing among other modified health practices.

My sleep also doesn't seem to be improved, at all. I wake up multiple times throughout the night, sweat constantly, and don't feel any more well-rested in the morning. I do fall asleep much more easily and generally more comfortably, than I did on days 1-30 or 1-60 even, but not better than prior to day 1. My dreams don't seem to be much more vivid, if they are more vivid at all, and they don't seem to be as pleasant, either. Sleep overall is less enjoyable, and I don't get the impression that I was getting much more REM sleep, despite what the literature seems to indicate should be the case, upon my initial review of some of it.

Hopefully, over the next several years, we will have a more comprehensive and statistically powerful database of research to guide our decisions.

I am logged from my smartphone so I won't quote each paragraph but will number it:

1. About cannabis effects on the brain... I researched it for hours by hours, couldn't find anything else except that the THC mimics Anandamide and more Dopamine is staying the Synapses for longer time... That's why THC is/can be addictive... And that's why the long term side effects occur... Our brain used to have higher concentration of THC in the Synapses... Cannabis activists like to talk about the "endocannobinoid system" etc but it's just an Anandamide replacer...

2. Your sleep is also affected from Dopamine.... And also the libido...

3. I count 200 days in this weekend and it's getting better than how it used to be day 50 or 100 or 150...

4. Dopamine is super import neurotransmitter and if you take me back 5 years ago I would never vaporize every day...

 

[bhasma]

Addiction can be entirely physiological and dependence can be entirely psychological, but in both cases there may be a mixture of physiological and psychological effects. Addiction has primary physiological causes, and if you take enough opiates (for example) you will become addicted. Dependency can have secondary physiological causes (not directly causing addiction but influencing other processes that do) sometimes leading to an apparent addiction. For someone suffering, however, primary and secondary physiological causes are of little concern and their discomfort is real. THC can cause dependency, although other drugs can kill you and there is no known limit to THC dosage. When researchers tried to determine the median lethal dose of THC they injected their whole supply into a dog, which was rendered unconcious for a while but woke up without impairment.

Someone with more medical knowledge may correct me, but this is my understanding.

In the past I have stopped smoking Cannabis for more than a month and (apart from improved respiration) noticed no improvement to my life. Since I started vaping there are no respiratory problems, so I don't see any reason to give up.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

Addiction can be entirely physiological and dependence can be entirely psychological, but in both cases there may be a mixture of physiological and psychological effects. Addiction has primary physiological causes, and if you take enough opiates (for example) you will become addicted. Dependency can have secondary physiological causes (not directly causing addiction but influencing other processes that do) sometimes leading to an apparent addiction. For someone suffering, however, primary and secondary physiological causes are of little concern and their discomfort is real. THC can cause dependency, although other drugs can kill you and there is no known limit to THC dosage. When researchers tried to determine the median lethal dose of THC they injected their whole supply into a dog, which was rendered unconcious for a while but woke up without impairment.

Someone with more medical knowledge may correct me, but this is my understanding.

"Someone with more medical knowledge may correct me, but this is my understanding."

To which claim(s) are you referring, here?

In the past I have stopped smoking Cannabis for more than a month and (apart from improved respiration) noticed no improvement to my life. Since I started vaping there are no respiratory problems, so I don't see any reason to give up.

Whether you want to use Cannabis or not, is your own personal choice. I have no preference on that matter.

That said, I wouldn't say that not noticing any improvements/problems is necessarily an accurate way to measure all aspects of physical health. For something like mood effects it may be reasonably effective, but for something else, such as incremental brain and/or heart damage, perception might not even come into play, until it has reached a certain level (e.g. after a stroke or heart attack), if ever (e.g. never noticing that one's cognitive abilities are weaker than they could otherwise be).

Note: I'm not claiming that Cannabis causes any of these things. I'm just discussing principles.

 

[bhasma]

"Someone with more medical knowledge may correct me, but this is my understanding."

To which claim(s) are you referring, here?

Whether you want to use Cannabis or not, is your own personal choice. I have no preference on that matter.

That said, I wouldn't say that not noticing any improvements/problems is necessarily an accurate way to measure all aspects of physical health. For something like mood effects it may be reasonably effective, but for something else, such as incremental brain and/or heart damage, perception might not even come into play, until it has reached a certain level (e.g. after a stroke or heart attack), if ever (e.g. never noticing that one's cognitive abilities are weaker than they could otherwise be).

Note: I'm not claiming that Cannabis causes any of these things. I'm just discussing principles.

The first part of my post was factual, and the second part was personal opinion. I haven't noticed any improvement to my life when not using Cannabis, but not smoking it has led to great improvements. I am well aware that years of smoking have left me at risk of various problems. And mental acuity is hard to judge, although I haven't noticed any deficiency. Only short-term memory has occasional glitches, but I'm getting old. And my wording was chosen specifically to accord with the survey above: "I've taken a CannaBreak (>7days) and didn't notice improvement in my life."

And regarding short-term memory, I think (for me) the problem is usually because the stream of consciousness flows swiftly with THC, and some thoughts are submerged as new ideas break over them. But the thoughts are not lost, usually resurfacing at a later time.

 

[GoldenBud]

Addiction can be entirely physiological and dependence can be entirely psychological,

Back in 2004-2018 many people were addicted to games like World of Warcraft or LOL or Hearthstone. the point is, these addictions are not like weed addiction. because THC sits instead of the Anandamide, it is prone to be more "direct addiction" . it's giving your brain a reward few times a day, "hey dear brain! take some Dopamine, don't create Anandamide today, you're free!" and addiction to WoW/LOL/gaming is in-direct addiction. so THC addiction can be physical. also maybe gaming. but i hope you understood.

i think gaming addiction also releases Dopamine, but less "direct" way than THC. maybe there are "gaming PAWS" too.

Addiction has primary physiological causes, and if you take enough opiates (for example) you will become addicted.

THC is like an Opiate-LITE. like Cola vs Cola zero. THC releases Dopamine in the brain, but not in the same concentration/amount H/Meth do. much less. hence less addiction. in my case of my cannabreak, i suffered so much i had to take Ibuprofen every few hours. but i made it. i am so glad i did. **THC can kill you if you take enormous amounts, something like 2000mg edible or more, much more... but that's insane

THC can cause dependency, although other drugs can kill you and there is no known limit to THC dosage. When researchers tried to determine the median lethal dose of THC they injected their whole supply into a dog, which was rendered unconcious for a while but woke up without impairment.

Absolutely and thank god for THC. it can't kill you and probably can't send you to rehab if you got something that helps you go through this, in "House-Rehab". probably you won't need a special place to Rehab and you will cry less than H/Meth rehab. it's gonna be much less painful. god bless THC vs H/Meth.

In the past I have stopped smoking Cannabis for more than a month and (apart from improved respiration) noticed no improvement to my life. Since I started vaping there are no respiratory problems, so I don't see any reason to give up.

for making a conclusion if THC was good or not for you, try 6 months break or more.

And regarding short-term memory, I think (for me) the problem is usually because the stream of consciousness flows swiftly with THC, and some thoughts are submerged as new ideas break over them. But the thoughts are not lost, usually resurfacing at a later time.

our Dopamine system is a mystery for sure...

 

[bhasma]

Ibuprofen can cause dependency, and Ibuprofen can kill you.

 

[GoldenBud]

Ibuprofen can cause dependency, and Ibuprofen can kill you.

I used Ibuprofen to cope my side effects of tearing off THC. I stopped using it everyday when my side effects were getting much better..
Ibuprofen absolutely can kill you, need to take it very low dosages, with food and water. I took minimal dosage per day and stopped taking it daily after my situation got better. I suffered so much from stopping THC usage and Ibuprofen helped, temporary

 

[bhasma]

Lured in by an interesting survey, my use of the survey's own words has been questioned, and every point made has been misunderstood.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

The first part of my post was factual, and the second part was personal opinion. I haven't noticed any improvement to my life when not using Cannabis, but not smoking it has lead to great improvements. I am well aware that years of smoking have left me at risk of various problems. And mental acuity is hard to judge, although I haven't noticed any deficiency. Only short-term memory has occasional glitches, but I'm getting old. And my wording was chosen specifically to accord with the survey above: "I've taken a CannaBreak (>7days) and didn't notice improvement in my life."

And regarding short-term memory, I think (for me) the problem is usually because the stream of consciousness flows swiftly with THC, and some thoughts are submerged as new ideas break over them. But the thoughts are not lost, usually resurfacing at a later time.

Ah, ok. I was curious if you were differentiating between physical danger from withdrawals and distress/discomfort, because other than medically dangerous effects, I'm not sure how beneficial it is to try to separate "physiological" vs "psychological" addiction/dependency, given the fact that they have physical components when broken down to a neurological/chemical level (largely dopamine based effects).

Lured in by an interesting survey, my use of the survey's own words has been questioned, and every point made has been misunderstood.

Lmaooo

 

[GoldenBud]

Ah, ok. I was curious if you were differentiating between physical danger from withdrawals and distress/discomfort, because other than medically dangerous effects, I'm not sure how beneficial it is to try to separate "physiological" vs "psychological" addiction/dependency, given the fact that they have physical components when broken down to a neurological/chemical level (largely dopamine based effects).

Some people in this forum are very lucky.. they give free doses of Dopamine to their brains every day (0.3gr weed or more) and can quit whenever they want... lucky people, they should appriciate it... i suffered so much...still suffering a bit every few days..in the evenings mainly.. but it seems some people's brains can just fill the Dopamine doses without THC and "forgive" the person for reducing the "free-Dopamine".... Dopamine system is such a mystery

 

[bhasma]

Ah, ok. I was curious if you were differentiating between physical danger from withdrawals and distress/discomfort, because other than medically dangerous effects, I'm not sure how beneficial it is to try to separate "physiological" vs "psychological" addiction/dependency, given the fact that they have physical components when broken down to a neurological/chemical level (largely dopamine based effects).

The term "addiction" is thrown around loosely, so I thought it was important to consider it's definition, and an important point is that an addictive drug will cause an addiction while a drug that can cause dependency may cause an apparent addiction. THC can cause dependency, so only some users are affected.

I use up to two grams per day and I know that withdrawal will give me a few uncomfortable days, but no other medication is required. The vivid dreaming or REM rebound continues for longer and may be related to dopamine levels, but for me that is a minor problem.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

and an important point is that an addictive drug will cause an addiction while a drug that can cause dependency may cause an apparent addiction. THC can cause dependency, so only some users are affected.

This isn't necessarily true. Some people can smoke a cigarette or do cocaine one time, and one time only. It's risky, and not advisable, but it's doable. Anything that causes dopamine to spike can cause an addiction, even if it isn't a chemical itself (e.g. pornography or gambling). The magnitude and duration of the spike and crash, among other things, affect how likely one is to become addicted, and how intense the addiction is likely to be.

There are a lot of factors involved in addiction, including the ones mentioned in the previous paragraph, one's overall mental health, one's personality type, availability and ease of access to the drug/behavior, etc.. THC seems to be more easy to quit consuming than many other well known drugs like heroin, meth, cocaine, etc., but it's more of a sliding scale than a binary.

I use up to two grams per day and I know that withdrawal will give me a few uncomfortable days, but no other medication is required. The vivid dreaming or REM rebound continues for longer and may be related to dopamine levels, but for me that is a minor problem.

That's good. Glad you didn't suffer too much. Does Cannabis stop your dreams, or just reduce/change them? I've noticed that it makes my dreams more pleasant, but I haven't noticed it stopping them, so I'm curious if it affects my REM sleep significantly.

 

[bhasma]

I did say that "addiction has primary physiological causes, and if you take enough opiates (for example) you will become addicted". And anything that causes dopamine to spike can cause a dependency. And THC causes deeper sleep, so you are less likely to become aware in (or just after) REM sleep and to remember your dreams.

I think most users (not all) will agree that after a few weeks the symptoms of addiction are gone, but the dependency may linger. Taking a break after heavy usage can certainly be difficult, but I find that just a tiny amount can satisfy all physical cravings, and any continued desire is psychological.

In the past I have become addicted to a drug which I didn't realise was addictive, and I shook off all the symptoms, attributing them to other causes (such as allergy) and soldiering on. But once I knew that addiction was possible and what it felt like, all subsequent withdrawals were much more (psychologically) difficult. And since the symptoms of Ibuprofen dependency are identical with those claimed for "Weed PAWS" I think it might be wise to avoid Ibuprofen as a solution for it's own potential problems. Alternative views have been discussed ad nauseum, so their repetition is not required.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

I did say that "addiction has primary physiological causes, and if you take enough opiates (for example) you will become addicted". And anything that causes dopamine to spike can cause a dependency. And THC causes deeper sleep, so you are less likely to become aware in (or just after) REM sleep and to remember your dreams.

I think most users (not all) will agree that after a few weeks the symptoms of addiction are gone, but the dependency may linger. Taking a break after heavy usage can certainly be difficult, but I find that just a tiny amount can satisfy all physical cravings, and any continued desire is psychological.

In the past I have become addicted to a drug which I didn't realise was addictive, and I shook off all the symptoms, attributing them to other causes (such as allergy) and soldiering on. But once I knew that addiction was possible and what it felt like, all subsequent withdrawals were much more (psychologically) difficult. And since the symptoms of Ibuprofen dependency are identical with those claimed for "Weed PAWS" I think it might be wise to avoid Ibuprofen as a solution for it's own potential problems. Alternative views have been discussed ad nauseum, so their repetition is not required.

I may be misunderstanding you, but I think you may have dependence and addiction mixed up.

Addiction is a matter of neurologically/psychologically driven behavior.

Dependence, on the other hand, is a matter of one's body needing something.

That's why gambling is generally considered an addiction, rather than a dependence, and it's caused largely by the dopaminergic effects of the behavior.

Regarding ibuprofen, I've never taken it for withdrawal symptom relief, or for any Cannabis related religion.

Generally, for dopamine related addictions, avoiding a replacement source of dopamine spikes is more effective than switching drugs/behaviors, if one doesn't want to end up with a different addiction*. Unfortunately, as many people here are probably aware, the first few days to several weeks (usually around 30 days should be sufficient, but it varies) can suck pretty badly, but after that, things tend to improve.

*If one is addicted/dependent on a drug with potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms, seeking a doctor's guidance is advised.

 

[bhasma]

I may be misunderstanding you, but I think you may have dependence and addiction mixed up.

Addiction is a matter of neurologically/psychologically driven behavior.

Dependence, on the other hand, is a matter of one's body needing something.

That's why gambling is generally considered an addiction, rather than a dependence, and it's caused largely by the dopaminergic effects of the behavior.

If addiction is "neurologically/psychologically driven" and dependence is "one's body needing something", then the distinction is really not clear. And gambling "addiction" and opiate addiction are fundamentally different things. Gambling is not a physical addiction in the same way as opiates and other addictive drugs, being more of a compulsion or dependency. And if it is true that the only thing THC does is to flood the dopamine system (just like gambling, video games, exercise, etc.) then why is THC any different?

 

[GoldenBud]

I don't understand what's the problem of using ibuprofen for 40 days, including a break of 2 days after day 9. I used THC for 1700 days, in a row.

You can't get addicted to ibuprofen from 40 days. It helped me so much with the withdrawals of avoiding THC. I felt sick for one week, with headaches and anxiety (anxiety was gone by day 5) and then was having just headaches up to day 40 (everyday I had severe headaches, few times a day) and then I was having headaches around every 2 days but I stopped taking ibuprofen - was drinking Chamolile tea and it helped.

Since day 40, I took ibuprofen every 2-3 days to deal with the headaches and today it's day 200 without THC and the PAWS are minimal. No more headaches.

I don't know how I could stop using THC without ibuprofen. It helped a lot.
Important to mention: Never take ibuprofen without food and water. it can cause problems to the stomach if taken on empty stomach.

@bhasma "
And if it is true that the only thing THC does is to flood the dopamine system (just like gambling, video games, exercise, etc.) then why is THC any different?

"

the difference that gambling, video games, exercise, raise the dopamine levels much less than THC
THC actually replaces the ligand of CB1 receptors, Anandamide, and makes sure the Dopamine levels will be higher in the Synapses for longer periods. when some people stop using THC, their brain is getting mad because he misses the THC which sits instead of the Anandamide and saving him the mission of creating the ligand Anandamide. you get your brain used to some lipid, then taking it away.

 

[bhasma]

You can't get addicted to Ibuprofen, but it can cause dependency, and overdose can be fatal. The common side effects of Ibuprofen include headache, restless sleep and sweating. So anyone using Ibuprofen to withdraw from Cannabis should seriously consider that Ibuprofen rather than Cannabis could be causing or exacerbating their symptoms.

And according to addiction psychiatrist Dr Timmen Cermak, who has seriously studied the subject: "THC is not naturally found in the body and does not accurately mimic anandamide or other endocannabinoids".

 

[GoldenBud]

And according to addiction psychiatrist Dr Timmen Cermak, who has seriously studied the subject: "THC is not naturally found in the body and does not accurately mimic anandamide or other endocannabinoids".

How does marijuana produce its effects? | National Institute on Drug Abuse

The neural communication network that uses these cannabinoid neurotransmitters, known as the endocannabinoid system, plays a critical role in the nervous system's normal functioning, so interfering with it can have profound effects.

nida.nih.gov

"
THC’s chemical structure is similar to the brain chemical anandamide. Similarity in structure allows the body to recognize THC and to alter normal brain communication.

"

The Endogenous Cannabinoid Anandamide and Its Synthetic Analog R(+)-Methanandamide Are Intravenously Self-Administered by Squirrel Monkeys

Anandamide, an endogenous ligand for brain cannabinoid CB[1] receptors, produces many behavioral effects similar to those of Δ[9] -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Reinforcing effects of THC have been ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"
Although reinforcing effects of THC have been clearly demonstrated in experimental animals (Tanda et al., 2000; Justinova et al., 2003), there is only indirect evidence that endogenous cannabinoids such as anandamide participate in brain reward processes (van der Stelt and Di Marzo, 2003). For example, we found recently that anandamide and its longer-lasting, metabolically stable synthetic analog methanandamide increase extracellular dopamine levels in the shell of the nucleus accumbens, a marker of reinforcing effects for most drugs abused by humans (M. Solinas, Z. Justinova, S. R. Goldberg, and G. Tanda, unpublished observations). Here we directly investigated the reinforcing effects of anandamide and methanandamide using a primate model of human drug abuse previously used successfully with THC (Tanda et al., 2000; Justinova et al., 2003) and other abused drugs (Goldberg, 1973).
"

 

[Curious Gorilla]

Our brain used to have higher concentration of THC in the Synapses... Cannabis activists like to talk about the "endocannobinoid system" etc but it's just an Anandamide replacer...

Hello GoldenBud.
Cannabis and its compounds are much more than 'just an anandimide replacer', Look at COX and LOX inhibition for a start.

but for something else, such as incremental brain and/or heart damage, perception might not even come into play, until it has reached a certain level (e.g. after a stroke or heart attack), if ever (e.g. never noticing that one's cognitive abilities are weaker than they could otherwise be).

This cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase( LOX) inhibition,along with other actions, is I believe, reponsible for the Nueroprotective and Cardioprotective properties that Cannabis is now proven to have by Science as well as My own experience. The inflammatory actions of this inhibition are part of this.
Since stopping joints and only Vaping i now have no morning hacking up or daily persistant cough,or have to blow the mucus out my nose evry night before sleeping.
I suffered a Massive Myocardial Infarction just over 11 years ago, and after a recent MRI of my heart, my heart health has improved over that period, despite 2 more minor heart attacks the 2 years folloiwing(when i was using less cannabis than i had since starting using it) when stopping an anti platelet drug, that is actualy dangerous for me to stop, as i could have more heart attacks.
The definition of Dependancy. I know what i am talking about.
When I stop for too long I get chest pains. And I still intend to stop them completely.
I did stop using Cannabis for 3 months, but aside from that i have not used less than 5 grams a week, generaly more than that in the last 5 years.

Absolutely and thank god for THC. it can't kill you and probably can't send you to rehab if you got something that helps you go through this, in "House-Rehab". probably you won't need a special place to Rehab and you will cry less than H/Meth rehab. it's gonna be much less painful. god bless THC vs H/Meth.

You need to stop comparing THC to Meth. Research Ibubrofen ,the recommended time you take it for, It will say no longer than 3 days on the packet, the harm long term damage can do, the side effects it can cause.
Compared to the Harms Ibuprofen can cause, it is obvious you are still convinced by your own addiction to ibuprofen,, and your desire to take Cannabis to come off the Ibuprofen, but I feel You believe You struggled with quitting Cannabis and are desperate NOT to demonise Ibuprofen as it gives you relief in a similar way.
However there are studies out there that make it obvious that Ibuprofen is far more harmful and higher risk than Cannabis with Long or Short term use.

THC is like an Opiate-LITE. like Cola vs Cola zero. THC releases Dopamine in the brain, but not in the same concentration/amount H/Meth do. much less. hence less addiction. in my case of my cannabreak, i suffered so much i had to take Ibuprofen every few hours.

GoldenBud,
Comparing Alchohol to Opiates would be a more accurate comparison. Except Alchohol is actualy more unhealthy LongTerm.

You are insulting and making lite of the experience of ANYONE who has ever had to stop taking Opiates or any other harder drug by comparing it to THC because You dont want to use it anymore. You are inferring everyone who uses Cannabis is Addicted to THC, because You felt You had to stop taking Cannabis. Good For You.
However. Ibuprofen IS Bad For You.

I used Ibuprofen to cope my side effects of tearing off THC. I stopped using it everyday when my side effects were getting much better..

There is no shame in being addicted to something or/and struggling to stop. There are many reasons people use different drugs, many that the pharmacuitical industry foist off on the unsuspecting public, lyning about results in studies and tests, that are increadibly armfull and handed out like sweeties.
Even if someone chooses to take Cannabis recreationaly, that is a far more safe option than Ibuprofen, which is far worse for general and long term health at an equivelent dose to Opiates in every way i can think of apart from less severe withdrawals.
This is a fact .Do Your research.

Some people in this forum are very lucky.. they give free doses of Dopamine to their brains every day (0.3gr weed or more) and can quit whenever they want... lucky people, they should appriciate it...

Everybody in this forum is lucky. We can Increase Our dopamine levels by Deep Breathing.
Are You suggesting We should We stop breathing to decrease the dangers of our unhealthy dopamine addictions?
You could have quit Cannabis whenever you wanted. It may have been a little uncomfortable for a while, Physically and Emotionaly,
but if You struggled with that comming off Ibuprofen will be worse.
And do not ever become addicted to Opiates, unless You are curious what withdrawal symptoms can really be like.

This isn't necessarily true. Some people can smoke a cigarette or do cocaine one time, and one time only. It's risky, and not advisable, but it's doable.

There is little risk in becoming addicted to anything taking it Once. Or occassionaly. And if Addiction,rather than dependance, is truly 'only' Physcological, then does it only effect some people? Dependance is always PART of Addiction, not seperate from it. Physical or Phsycological Addiction.
Addiction is NOT always part of Dependance. It would seem.

I don't understand what's the problem of using ibuprofen for 40 days, including a break of 2 days after day 9.

If you couldnt stop Ibuprofen for longer than 2 days before you had to take it again, what does that tell You?

You can't get addicted to ibuprofen from 40 days.

You can if You dont realise its addictive. And dont want to believe it.
Cannabis will be out of Your system in 30 days as far as any 'withdrawals'.
Desire to use various things may never go away, which is why we seek to replace it. It is not unusual for people to replace one addiction with another.

GoldenBud, I have no reason to mislead or lie to You, nor does Bhama or anyone else.
It is not the case Cannabis does absolutley NO harm, but if it does far more good than harm, is it not a good thing?(in correct amounts for the individual)
Oxyygen can be poisonous, should we stop breathing?
There are many unknowns around drugs and herbs, but the harms of Ibuprofen are well known but a little hidden because there Pharmacuitical Industry makes SOOOO much money off them. Its much like with alchohol.
Its why they hate Cannabis and one reason it was'nt legalised years ago. Purely based on the losses of over the counter painkiller sales, this is , i think, true.
Please listen to Bhama, he is knowledgeable and has experience, and has done his research.

You have in the past asked about research, and where i got it. In part from the internet, however my partner of over 20 years was an Drug Worker and Addiction Counsellor for over a decade. She still works with some of that client group now.

Hope You are doing Good. Try deep breathing and yoga, it may initialy be better than heavy cardio exercise, which can also be addictive. Although a much healthier addiction than Ibuprofen. Do exercise aimed at Cuts rather than Bulk if You are into weights.
Never liked em myself. Spent too much time carrying washing machines,roofing tiles and other heavy things to ever think lifting weights could be fun. But i do enjoy exercise when im able.

 

[GoldenBud]

Cannabis and its compounds are much more than 'just an anandimide replacer', Look at COX and LOX inhibition for a start.

do you have a research/paper to add please? I am not looking for something theoritically, something practical. the real truth of THC. so far dug the internet for many hours and found that THC just mimics Anandamide and makes the Dopamine stays longer time in the Synapses. nothing else. found some weed supporters that say X Y Z but it's not covered by any research or so.

I suffered a Massive Myocardial Infarction just over 11 years ago, and after a recent MRI of my heart, my heart health has improved over that period, despite 2 more minor heart attacks the 2 years folloiwing(when i was using less cannabis than i had since starting using it) when stopping an anti platelet drug, that is actualy dangerous for me to stop, as i could have more heart attacks.

I send you hugs from 4000km away buddy. if you got medical issues, use THC everyday. if you don't, I can't suggest using it every day as been said few times in the last month.

You need to stop comparing THC to Meth. Research Ibubrofen ,the recommended time you take it for, It will say no longer than 3 days on the packet, the harm long term damage can do, the side effects it can cause.

THC is a "Lite" version of H/Meth. H/Meth releases much more Dopamine in the Synapses. I am not saying THC is like H/Meth, it's the absolutely "Lite" version. much less Dopamine, but more Dopamine than Exercising/Gaming.

However there are studies out there that make it obvious that Ibuprofen is far more harmful and higher risk than Cannabis with Long or Short term use.

Ibuprofen is not something I take anymore daily, I took it last time 1 week ago when I had headache, I am definitely not addicted to Ibuprofen.
I used Ibuprofen to cope the THC withdrawals.

There is no shame in being addicted to something or/and struggling to stop. There are many reasons people use different drugs, many that the pharmacuitical industry foist off on the unsuspecting public, lyning about results in studies and tests, that are increadibly armfull and handed out like sweeties.

There's no shame to be addicted to THC at all. if you can afford it, and you have no mucus/phlegms, there's no reason stopping it. **also if it doesn't make you angry when you don't have it or so. 0.3gr per day is fine. even 0.5gr. as long as it doesn't bring you disadvantages.
Medical users should prefer THC over chronic pain every day.

There is little risk in becoming addicted to anything taking it Once. Or occassionaly. And if Addiction,rather than dependance, is truly 'only' Physcological, then does it only effect some people? Dependance is always PART of Addiction, not seperate from it. Physical or Phsycological Addiction.

I was addicted to THC. no ibuprofen. I vaporized THC 1700 days and Ibuprofen only 40 days buddy.

If you couldnt stop Ibuprofen for longer than 2 days before you had to take it again, what does that tell You?

I can stop, I had headaches, PAWS from weed..

It is not the case Cannabis does absolutley NO harm, but if it does far more good than harm, is it not a good thing?(in correct amounts for the individual)
Oxyygen can be poisonous, should we stop breathing?
There are many unknowns around drugs and herbs, but the harms of Ibuprofen are well known but a little hidden because there Pharmacuitical Industry makes SOOOO much money off them. Its much like with alchohol.

you can't live without Air (contains ~20% O2) you will die within minutes without O2 20% in the air or so

You have in the past asked about research, and where i got it. In part from the internet, however my partner of over 20 years was an Drug Worker and Addiction Counsellor for over a decade. She still works with some of that client group now.

And I didn't know THC is addictive for many years (can be addictive, not for all people) so maybe you don't know too bro


"Cannabis will be out of Your system in 30 days as far as any 'withdrawals'."

it's not true unfortunately... wish it was like that.... suffered a lot also after day 30 and even after day 80...

 

[bhasma]

THC’s chemical structure is similar to the brain chemical anandamide. Similarity in structure allows the body to recognize THC and to alter normal brain communication. Although reinforcing effects of THC have been clearly demonstrated in experimental animals (Tanda et al., 2000; Justinova et al., 2003), there is only indirect evidence that endogenous cannabinoids such as anandamide participate in brain reward processes (van der Stelt and Di Marzo, 2003).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2562767/#REF14

The structure of THC is similar to anandamine, but it's action is more complex than a simple replacement. Interesting articles. So THC, acting through cannabinoid receptors, subsequently activates the brain’s reward system, causing higher levels of dopamine. Anandamide and THC serve as an effective reinforcer of drug-taking behavior when self-administered intravenously. And it is likely that medications that promote the actions of endogenously released cannabinoids could also activate brain reward processes and have the potential for abuse. And so, I still consider that THC is not an exact mimic of anandamide, although it can similarly lead to a dependency.

 

[GoldenBud]

The structure of THC is similar to anandamine, but it's action is more complex than a simple replacement.

That's what I understood too, THC is like a "stronger Anandamide", it makes the Dopamine molecules stay longer in the Synapses...

Interesting articles. So THC, acting through cannabinoid receptors, subsequently activates the brain’s reward system, causing higher levels of dopamine.

Yeah....

And it is likely that medications that promote the actions of endogenously released cannabinoids could also activate brain reward processes and have the potential for abuse. And so, I still consider that THC is not an exact mimic of anandamide, although it can similarly lead to a dependency.

Yeah, THC is a medicine. that's why I don't think healthy people (who don't have daily chronic pain or so) should consume it daily every day... it can lead to more disadvantages other than advantages.