Wanting a straight edge lifestyle simultaneously lead me to quitting weed, nicotine, and caffeine. The background mental noise and anxiety has gone down drastically.
Kudos, and I wish you the best of luck! This may sound silly, but I dedicated myself to a straight edge lifestyle during my birthday, I was 29, and just turned 30 on Apr 6th. So it’s been a full year now. My 2 biggest tools I’ve found useful on this journey is stress management, like mindful breathing, sitting with my emotions and loving them, instead of running away. Eating a whole food plant based diet, along with exercise, and the biggest one for me is, working on my perspective - not saying I try to be happy happy happy all the time, but I’ve learned to be content. I accept my life for what it’s been and has become, and I do my best to be careful comparing myself to others. Thich Nhat Hanh has been tremendously helpful.
When I cut weed out, I also thought to myself “it doesn’t really feel like I cut weed out of my life if I am replacing it with another substance.” So I also haven’t had a drink in 3 months. Went 1.5 months without weed but broke after a hard week. Still alcohol free but trying to do a sober April and take it from there.
Stay strong, you got this. 💪🏼
that's awesome work and thanks for the encouragement as well. i totally understand the feeling - i know over a month of weed sobriety is a big achievement but reaching for another substance when a craving comes up isn't really teaching my brain that we can do hard things without substances. keep going and we got this
Absolutely, that’s basically exactly how I felt as well. The over a month of weed sobriety is also a big step. Also don’t forget to be kind to yourself, I know I had some feelings of self defeat after going back to weed for a bit, but it’s no good to constantly beat yourself up for tripping up. Like you said, we got this. Stay strong and keep going.
Yes, exactly the same as you. I’m bi polar 1 and almost ended my life in a severe depressive episode so I’m just cutting anything out that isn’t my prescribed medications.
I didn't find weed and alcohol parictularly hard to quit, but nicotine is a whole other beast. I'm sure I could do it if I was able to check out from life for a month or two but the irratibility and inability to focus would jeopardize my job.
I'm a teetotaler. I don't drink smoke or use any substances. It's rare I even drink caffeine. Don't regret it 1 bit. I enjoy life for what it is good and bad and love the little things. I like sitting in the rocks near the river and doing absolutely fucking nothing.
Caffeine was affecting me much more than weed, and many of the horrible depressed withdrawals I had were exacerbated by it: either having any or having none, both were terrible. It took 6 weeks for me bounce back from caffeine, weed took a month at most.
Yeah me. I have been a heavy marijuana user for 10 years and am on day 40 of no weed and very little booze. I sleep amazing, sex drive is through the roof, and I feel great. I also have been working on the stuff that makes me want to use and am fixing myself. Somedays are great, somedays are not, but I never regret NOT using drugs or alcohol the next day. I am gonna be 43 in a 3 weeks and it just feels like it's time.
The hardest part for me is feeling all the emotions instead of numbing myself. The mental clarity is worth it but it's not been easy when dealing with super strong emotions. But feeling the good emotions and awesomeness of sober sex is my new high.
ADHD empath here, on day 3 of my weed sobriety (after 26 years of once or twice a day puffing). First thing I've noticed is I can cry at the drop of a hat, get goosebumps from music in an instant and I -feel- everything. The pain of humanity's hurt, just as much as the beauty of life. I've come to appreciate that I am blessed to be able to experience the highs and the lows because otherwise I'm truly not living.
Just remember that empathy and compassion are two different things and need to be practiced, like meditation. Grant yourself the ability to disconnect from or keep at arms length the things you see or experience that evoke the empath parts and instead simply express compassion. It will make that part of the emotional clarity much easier to digest.
Yes :) haven’t felt better! I’ve cut nicotine and sugar from my diet, as well as deleting instagram and TikTok to kick my social media addictions.
I feel so clear, free, and healthy.
Wishing you a happy and successful continuation of your sobriety journey! Cheers fam
Yuuuup.
After I quit weed a few years ago I also quit smoking and severely reduced my drinking. (Now its like 2-4 times a YEAR)
The last thing I have to kick is carb foods, which is harder than all those others combined.
For the first month everytime I wanted a j I had a cigarette instead, then I gave those up aswell. I also gave up caffeine and I still only minimally drink it. 9 months in, only a handful of _planned_ slip ups.
Yes I stopped drinking for about 3 months prior to quitting weed (7 weeks ago) and it helped a lot and felt great. Went out for my bday last weekend, had 5 beers,had a great night but the next day/couple days felt worse than I can ever remember, no sleep for a couple days, super high anxiety, clenching my jaw very hard… staying off it as well moving forward. Gotta keep my head in a good place. Thought it would be okay but it really feels much better to keep it at zero.
I did the ultimate sobriety stack. No alcohol, weed, porn/sex, caffeine, or sugar.
The first week I punched a hole in my wall, flipped my kitchen table, kicked my car door, screamed at my nephew because he was laughing while watching a video, cut my hand when I punched the groceries in my fridge.
After about 6 days I was back to normal and now I feel great.
It's been almost a month, and I only planned for 30 days, but I'll probably do 60 or 90 just for the challenge.
I feel that with the anger haha that was an unexpected thing for me. I punched a wall and almost went through the other side and had a few screaming breakdowns 😵💫 once I got past the rage I’ve felt a little better each day!
lol yep. My favorite is the bud tenders, “this strain really helps with anxiety” funny enough they give me a sativa and I’m having a full blown panic attack.
I quit caffeine at the same time (3 months ago) because it wasn’t helping at all but I also have to remember to not put too much pressure on myself and to ENJOY life.
Perfectionism is a dangerous road for me and I like to do other things that aren’t super healthy but I’ll address them when they need to be addressed: I love smoking cigars, playing video games, eating desserts, etc and none of those things seem to jeopardize any of my key relationships, including with myself. I do a ton of exercise, including yoga and weights, eat mostly healthy, do meditation, therapy, journaling and stuff like that so I think I have a decent balance…at least right now
totally makes sense - i feel like the quest for perfectionism can absolutely fuel addiction. i'm substituting green tea, movies and music for weed/my external dopamine fix but those all have arguable health benefits and have no adverse affect on my ability to connect with my loved ones. relationships are everything and if you can maintain healthy ones with others and yourself, you're doing great in my opinion
Yep. I started with alcohol and cigarettes, sober from those for 2 years. I'm now sober from weed for 5 months (longest in 17 years). After getting sober, I'm starting to chip away at my longer standing addictions, gaming and soda. I'm not quite ready to give up the soda, but I'm two days without World of Warcraft now. I've been an addict trying to distract myself from my feelings and life since I was a small child so there are a lot of layers to peel. I'm hoping some day I can be happy just being me and not needing a ton of distractions. Practicing yoga a few times a week was the big turning point for me which helped me quit alcohol etc, it's hard but I get to feel good in my body at the end of each class. Progress is slow but there.
Out of all my addictions, I will always consider myself a recovering wow-addict. I haven't played in 10 years... but in moments of weakness I'll find myself wanting to redownload. Good luck!
yoga and long walks in nature have been a veritable lifesaver for me. was a big gaming and soda addict as a kid too when i didn't have any other escapes. congratulations on your achievements so far, i can't wait to be where you're at.
Yep. Sober from weed for 1.5 years. Quit smoking cigarettes and vaping in November 2023 and right now I'm soberish from alcohol (I've cut it down to the very occasional glass of wine when I'm with social circles at the bar, which has been 3 glasses total this year). I've chosen mocktails or alcohol-reduced wine where I can/when it's available.
It wasn't great at first I won't lie. Having to sit with yourself and your traumas after numbing them for years, fuck you feel crazy at first. It hits you in sobriety and you will spiral. But eventually you rebuild a tolerance to being uncomfortable and feeling your feelings. And then you build the tools to relegate in sobriety. It's like going to the gym. Exercise sucks at first, but eventually it feels good and you start enjoying it. Eventually you feel capable.
congratulations on all your hard work man. i'm right there with you, struggled with intrusive thoughts at the height of my weed addiction and never wanna go back to that but also intimidated by the thought of a life with no vices. but it's gonna be worth it for both us, also hoping to be clear-minded in July 💪
For me weed and alcohol were two sides of the same coin, that coin being a lifestyle where I felt that every day had to be embellished with some sort of buzz. When I pulled away from one I would just double down on the other, so i had to walk away from all of it
yeah i feel the same.. i’m about 2 ish weeks in no longer really craving weed much and if i do it’s kinda a fleeting feeling but now i’m about to tackle nicotine and tbh i’m kinda done drinking too i don’t really gain much from being drunk in the grand scheme of things and i always feel really depressed and anxious the next day… i just realized how much time i’m wasting being dependent on things
Went thru a health scare two months back and decided to stay sober off everything for the better of my life and mindset. Since then my cognitive skills, decision making skills, and overall health has been in the best condition in my life. Constantly working in the yard, drinking and eating healthier products has made me feel so much happier and better than when I would smoke a joint or two with other substances than temporarily removed the feelings. Having a strong faith based also helped along a strong support system has made me realized that there's still genuine good people out there. Continue the sobriety life it's worth a lifetime then cutting life short.
thanks for the wise words. i'm giving up weed because the people in my life are so important to me i don't want to dissociate from them any longer. i wasted some really important life moments being too high to be present for them. congratulations on the life you've made for yourself, you deserve it
Same here I missed out on some important events and moments with my nephew and niece that I don't ever want to again. Plus expecting my first little one means more to me than getting high or drunk because those moments are a lifetime and can't get those back plus the people who were there during those times aren't there now when I'm doing the right thing which made me realize that I just need my family and significant other for friendship and companionship continue on your recovery journey and thank you for the encouragement & support 🙏🏽
I gave up alcohol during the pandemic but am realizing after 25 years as a daily smoker, weed isn’t helping me either. I’m so glad I found this place, just joined.
i'm not really a reddit person but this sub is great. it really helps to hear other's success stories and struggles with quitting, because i live in a state where it's legal and all i hear about weed around me is how beneficial it is. i believe weed helped me in the beginning of my use but i've outgrown it, and now i understand that i'm struggling so hard to let it go because weed has unnaturally high THC content today that has turned my already-fried dopamine system into refried beans. best of luck to you friend
I appreciate that, I need the help, this is day 1 for me. I’m trying to not smoke during the day anymore as my coping skills have gone out the window. Eventually, I want to cut it out altogether, but baby steps, one day at a time. Yesterday I went to about 4:30 in the afternoon, today I’m still standing strong.
I went the other way around. I gave up nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine 2 years ago. Then gave up added sugar and fast food, all while thinking weed was still my best friend. After deciding to cut back a few months ago to give my lungs a break during the day, I quickly realized how much better life could be without it. I still get the urge to smoke when my wife and kids aren’t home and I’m bored and playing guitar or video games. But even that usually ends up me taking one small hit bc of the craving and then realizing it’s not as special. I also get intrusive thoughts if I smoke too much so it’s a no brainier it needs to go. I think I’m just nervous bc it’s the last of my vices that are ingested and I’m not looking forward to withdrawal considering the withdrawals from cutting back alone sucked. Definitely plan to be fully clear minded by July. Congrats on your decision and best of luck
congratulations on all your hard work man. i'm right there with you, struggled with intrusive thoughts at the height of my weed addiction and never wanna go back to that but also intimidated by the thought of a life with no vices. but it's gonna be worth it for both us, also hoping to be clear-minded in July 💪
I know dude. It’s crazy when you think about how many things we’re addicted to that we ingest. Most people have some sort of guilty pleasure, be it food, sugar, drugs, etc. And when you go to cut them all out, it’s scary. But then if you really think about it, we tend to move to addictive behaviors like exercise, sex, gambling, etc. life’s just a whole bunch of vices. And I feel like I’ve figured out that to feel ok with a vice, it has to be something where I have an output of energy like service work, exercise, hobbies. Instead of vices where I consume.
that's a cool outlook. before weed i was a huge work addict - had 7 jobs/freelance gigs at all times, sacrificed health and relationships and would crash like i was going into withdrawal if i ever had a day off. when the pandemic started i was totally unemployed and coincidentally discovered weed at that time. though neither addiction was healthy, when i look back weed absolutely made me feel like a more selfish and emotionally immature person - at least when i was working i was prioritizing helping others and putting something constructive out into the world every day.
I gave up THC about 7 months ago, which was the strongest vice in my life for 20 years, then gave up alcohol 4 months ago after noticing an uptick in my consumption, worried that it might become a replacement for weed. About 6-8 weeks ago I decided to ween myself off a prescription anti-depressant that I've taken on-and-off for the past couple of years, mostly out of curiosity about what life would feel like without any external chemical buffers.
I also quit sugar for Lent and have mostly kept that up, but caffeine is still a daily presence in my life. However, I drink mostly decaf and limit my intake of caffeine to <90mg per day and stop by 12pm. I went without caffeine for a full year in 2021, and I feel I could do it again if I felt it was having any kind of negative impact.
After quitting the anti-depressant I noticed that I feel my feelings a lot stronger, good and bad, which I really prefer so far. The only down sides I've noticed are that sleep is more difficult and some of my over-eating / nervous eating habits have started to resurface a bit, so I'm having to dig deep to find some extra resilience for that battle.
On very stressful days or sleepless night I find myself wishing I had some kind of intoxicant to take the edge off, but I've come to appreciate the clarity of thought and sense of connectedness to my own life that sobriety has given me. It sounds a little cheesy to say, but I feel more like I'm in charge of my life instead of just watching it play out in front of me.
Yes, I want to quit nicotine soon. That’s not gonna be fun at alllll, but everytime I’m hitting my vape I just feel uhg. I don’t want to be reliant on anything anymore.
I noticed for me personally whether it’s weed or nicotine - vaping is 10 times more addictive because it’s so convenient. I’m glad that I was able to kick that habit and just buy flower.
Take the nicotine out your vape and buy some nicotine gum for when you start getting irritable from withdrawal. Found that really helpful myself, been vaping way less than when the nicotine was in the vape
i always smoked because i hated drinking, love not smoking now and 180 days right now and i still hate drinking lmao maybe even more now than before. was never big on caffeine either, maybe had < 20 caffeinated drinks in my life and i was in the military lol
Yep. Cut out caffeine beginning of the year, weed a few weeks ago and really only drink on select occasions early in the day so it doesn’t affect my sleep. Feel really good right now
I won't drink fullstop because alcoholism runs in my family, it harms my sleep even from 1 beer and I hate the feeling and taste of breathing alcohol out etc. Never touched any drugs outside of weed.
I'm actually incredibly enjoying being "straight edge". Not going to ditch caffeine and sugar anytime soon though.
I understand you so much, last 2 month i quit alcool and this month i quit thc to.. next step for me is caféine. I want to be clear of all. I want my brain free
Yes ! But for me I identify as an addict so I cannot moderate any mood altering, mind changing substance, so no alcohol, etc. even porn, being on my phone, etc….whatever takes me out of reality and changes uncomfortable feelings
thanks for your reply, i'm finally accepting that i have an addict brain as well. i didn't have access to substances in my younger years so i thought this wasn't an issue for me, but i had a health-destroying work addiction that i traded for a weed addiction when it became legal in my area
I'm trying to stop pre-workout and I've been pretty successful. That shit can't be good 3 times per week long term lol. I could be wrong but just how I feel on it, it really feels like a chemical cocktail.
The best pre-workout for me though, was a few bong hits. It would allow me to do pumps without thinking much about it. Now when I'm benching or squatting I can only think of how bored I am. But I have only just recently quit smoking and am still in the lethargy phase.
sobriety from everything is my end goal. i achieved that for decent amount of time before i started weed again and it felt amazing to be liberated from my vices
i wasnt sober from everything persay but i was drinking occassionally, no weed, and no nicotine for like 8 months. not technically sober as i was still drinking but i dont have a problem with drinking the same way i have a problem with weed and nicotine
Yes. I would completely sober from everything. Best decision I've ever made.
Wanting a straight edge lifestyle simultaneously lead me to quitting weed, nicotine, and caffeine. The background mental noise and anxiety has gone down drastically.
What a warrior!
Sometimes I think we have to be our own warriors. I never realized how much I would gain, by giving a few things up.
Imma go straight edge too, my friend. It’s the only way. Caffeine may be my last holdout.
Kudos, and I wish you the best of luck! This may sound silly, but I dedicated myself to a straight edge lifestyle during my birthday, I was 29, and just turned 30 on Apr 6th. So it’s been a full year now. My 2 biggest tools I’ve found useful on this journey is stress management, like mindful breathing, sitting with my emotions and loving them, instead of running away. Eating a whole food plant based diet, along with exercise, and the biggest one for me is, working on my perspective - not saying I try to be happy happy happy all the time, but I’ve learned to be content. I accept my life for what it’s been and has become, and I do my best to be careful comparing myself to others. Thich Nhat Hanh has been tremendously helpful.
Zen Buddhism is indeed incredibly helpful. If one is so inclined (and I am). Thanks for all the helpful tips! I really appreciate that.
When I cut weed out, I also thought to myself “it doesn’t really feel like I cut weed out of my life if I am replacing it with another substance.” So I also haven’t had a drink in 3 months. Went 1.5 months without weed but broke after a hard week. Still alcohol free but trying to do a sober April and take it from there. Stay strong, you got this. 💪🏼
Good mindset i did the wrong part replacing it and yea that doesn’t work
Yeah. I gotta detox from nicotine after I’ve recovered enough from this. I started vaping it during my relapse. 😖
that's awesome work and thanks for the encouragement as well. i totally understand the feeling - i know over a month of weed sobriety is a big achievement but reaching for another substance when a craving comes up isn't really teaching my brain that we can do hard things without substances. keep going and we got this
Absolutely, that’s basically exactly how I felt as well. The over a month of weed sobriety is also a big step. Also don’t forget to be kind to yourself, I know I had some feelings of self defeat after going back to weed for a bit, but it’s no good to constantly beat yourself up for tripping up. Like you said, we got this. Stay strong and keep going.
Yes, exactly the same as you. I’m bi polar 1 and almost ended my life in a severe depressive episode so I’m just cutting anything out that isn’t my prescribed medications.
its been one month and going strong
I cut our weed 8 weeks ago. After 11 years. I just started 75 hard so I cut alcohol, processed foods, but I’m still battling with nicotine.
I didn't find weed and alcohol parictularly hard to quit, but nicotine is a whole other beast. I'm sure I could do it if I was able to check out from life for a month or two but the irratibility and inability to focus would jeopardize my job.
Clean and sober from weed, alcohol, nicotine, refined sugars, and processed foods. But I still fuck with caffeine in my morning coffee.
I'm a teetotaler. I don't drink smoke or use any substances. It's rare I even drink caffeine. Don't regret it 1 bit. I enjoy life for what it is good and bad and love the little things. I like sitting in the rocks near the river and doing absolutely fucking nothing.
Sad part for me is doing relaxing things like sitting by the river just makes me want to get stoned so I can enjoy it and relax more
Caffeine was affecting me much more than weed, and many of the horrible depressed withdrawals I had were exacerbated by it: either having any or having none, both were terrible. It took 6 weeks for me bounce back from caffeine, weed took a month at most.
Yeah me. I have been a heavy marijuana user for 10 years and am on day 40 of no weed and very little booze. I sleep amazing, sex drive is through the roof, and I feel great. I also have been working on the stuff that makes me want to use and am fixing myself. Somedays are great, somedays are not, but I never regret NOT using drugs or alcohol the next day. I am gonna be 43 in a 3 weeks and it just feels like it's time. The hardest part for me is feeling all the emotions instead of numbing myself. The mental clarity is worth it but it's not been easy when dealing with super strong emotions. But feeling the good emotions and awesomeness of sober sex is my new high.
ADHD empath here, on day 3 of my weed sobriety (after 26 years of once or twice a day puffing). First thing I've noticed is I can cry at the drop of a hat, get goosebumps from music in an instant and I -feel- everything. The pain of humanity's hurt, just as much as the beauty of life. I've come to appreciate that I am blessed to be able to experience the highs and the lows because otherwise I'm truly not living. Just remember that empathy and compassion are two different things and need to be practiced, like meditation. Grant yourself the ability to disconnect from or keep at arms length the things you see or experience that evoke the empath parts and instead simply express compassion. It will make that part of the emotional clarity much easier to digest.
Great advice. Thank you.
My pleasure. Have a wonderful day!
Hell yeah proud of you!
Thank you!
Yes :) haven’t felt better! I’ve cut nicotine and sugar from my diet, as well as deleting instagram and TikTok to kick my social media addictions. I feel so clear, free, and healthy. Wishing you a happy and successful continuation of your sobriety journey! Cheers fam
When did you start feeling better
Yuuuup. After I quit weed a few years ago I also quit smoking and severely reduced my drinking. (Now its like 2-4 times a YEAR) The last thing I have to kick is carb foods, which is harder than all those others combined.
Good work! But I wouldn’t totally kick carbs. You do need some
For the first month everytime I wanted a j I had a cigarette instead, then I gave those up aswell. I also gave up caffeine and I still only minimally drink it. 9 months in, only a handful of _planned_ slip ups.
Yes I stopped drinking for about 3 months prior to quitting weed (7 weeks ago) and it helped a lot and felt great. Went out for my bday last weekend, had 5 beers,had a great night but the next day/couple days felt worse than I can ever remember, no sleep for a couple days, super high anxiety, clenching my jaw very hard… staying off it as well moving forward. Gotta keep my head in a good place. Thought it would be okay but it really feels much better to keep it at zero.
I did the ultimate sobriety stack. No alcohol, weed, porn/sex, caffeine, or sugar. The first week I punched a hole in my wall, flipped my kitchen table, kicked my car door, screamed at my nephew because he was laughing while watching a video, cut my hand when I punched the groceries in my fridge. After about 6 days I was back to normal and now I feel great. It's been almost a month, and I only planned for 30 days, but I'll probably do 60 or 90 just for the challenge.
I feel that with the anger haha that was an unexpected thing for me. I punched a wall and almost went through the other side and had a few screaming breakdowns 😵💫 once I got past the rage I’ve felt a little better each day!
Cigarettes?
I never smoked cigarettes, so technically I didn't do that for 30 days either.
Right ookayy. Congratulations bro. Keep it up!!
Yes. Sober 68 days from everything. I feel great. Oh and that shit never helped my anxiety. It made it worse
Weird how it becomes a coping strategy for anxiety but ironically makes it worse
lol yep. My favorite is the bud tenders, “this strain really helps with anxiety” funny enough they give me a sativa and I’m having a full blown panic attack.
I quit caffeine at the same time (3 months ago) because it wasn’t helping at all but I also have to remember to not put too much pressure on myself and to ENJOY life. Perfectionism is a dangerous road for me and I like to do other things that aren’t super healthy but I’ll address them when they need to be addressed: I love smoking cigars, playing video games, eating desserts, etc and none of those things seem to jeopardize any of my key relationships, including with myself. I do a ton of exercise, including yoga and weights, eat mostly healthy, do meditation, therapy, journaling and stuff like that so I think I have a decent balance…at least right now
totally makes sense - i feel like the quest for perfectionism can absolutely fuel addiction. i'm substituting green tea, movies and music for weed/my external dopamine fix but those all have arguable health benefits and have no adverse affect on my ability to connect with my loved ones. relationships are everything and if you can maintain healthy ones with others and yourself, you're doing great in my opinion
Yep. I started with alcohol and cigarettes, sober from those for 2 years. I'm now sober from weed for 5 months (longest in 17 years). After getting sober, I'm starting to chip away at my longer standing addictions, gaming and soda. I'm not quite ready to give up the soda, but I'm two days without World of Warcraft now. I've been an addict trying to distract myself from my feelings and life since I was a small child so there are a lot of layers to peel. I'm hoping some day I can be happy just being me and not needing a ton of distractions. Practicing yoga a few times a week was the big turning point for me which helped me quit alcohol etc, it's hard but I get to feel good in my body at the end of each class. Progress is slow but there.
Out of all my addictions, I will always consider myself a recovering wow-addict. I haven't played in 10 years... but in moments of weakness I'll find myself wanting to redownload. Good luck!
Appreciate your comment, thank you
yoga and long walks in nature have been a veritable lifesaver for me. was a big gaming and soda addict as a kid too when i didn't have any other escapes. congratulations on your achievements so far, i can't wait to be where you're at.
Yupppeera
Yep. Sober from weed for 1.5 years. Quit smoking cigarettes and vaping in November 2023 and right now I'm soberish from alcohol (I've cut it down to the very occasional glass of wine when I'm with social circles at the bar, which has been 3 glasses total this year). I've chosen mocktails or alcohol-reduced wine where I can/when it's available.
congrats on the the hard work - how's your mental clarity and mood regulation these days?
It wasn't great at first I won't lie. Having to sit with yourself and your traumas after numbing them for years, fuck you feel crazy at first. It hits you in sobriety and you will spiral. But eventually you rebuild a tolerance to being uncomfortable and feeling your feelings. And then you build the tools to relegate in sobriety. It's like going to the gym. Exercise sucks at first, but eventually it feels good and you start enjoying it. Eventually you feel capable.
very well said, thanks for your insight
When I drink after quitting weed the hangover always makes me get weed -_-
congratulations on all your hard work man. i'm right there with you, struggled with intrusive thoughts at the height of my weed addiction and never wanna go back to that but also intimidated by the thought of a life with no vices. but it's gonna be worth it for both us, also hoping to be clear-minded in July 💪
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For me weed and alcohol were two sides of the same coin, that coin being a lifestyle where I felt that every day had to be embellished with some sort of buzz. When I pulled away from one I would just double down on the other, so i had to walk away from all of it
yeah i feel the same.. i’m about 2 ish weeks in no longer really craving weed much and if i do it’s kinda a fleeting feeling but now i’m about to tackle nicotine and tbh i’m kinda done drinking too i don’t really gain much from being drunk in the grand scheme of things and i always feel really depressed and anxious the next day… i just realized how much time i’m wasting being dependent on things
Went thru a health scare two months back and decided to stay sober off everything for the better of my life and mindset. Since then my cognitive skills, decision making skills, and overall health has been in the best condition in my life. Constantly working in the yard, drinking and eating healthier products has made me feel so much happier and better than when I would smoke a joint or two with other substances than temporarily removed the feelings. Having a strong faith based also helped along a strong support system has made me realized that there's still genuine good people out there. Continue the sobriety life it's worth a lifetime then cutting life short.
thanks for the wise words. i'm giving up weed because the people in my life are so important to me i don't want to dissociate from them any longer. i wasted some really important life moments being too high to be present for them. congratulations on the life you've made for yourself, you deserve it
Same here I missed out on some important events and moments with my nephew and niece that I don't ever want to again. Plus expecting my first little one means more to me than getting high or drunk because those moments are a lifetime and can't get those back plus the people who were there during those times aren't there now when I'm doing the right thing which made me realize that I just need my family and significant other for friendship and companionship continue on your recovery journey and thank you for the encouragement & support 🙏🏽
thank you for inspiring me and congrats on the new addition to your tribe 🖤
I gave up alcohol during the pandemic but am realizing after 25 years as a daily smoker, weed isn’t helping me either. I’m so glad I found this place, just joined.
i'm not really a reddit person but this sub is great. it really helps to hear other's success stories and struggles with quitting, because i live in a state where it's legal and all i hear about weed around me is how beneficial it is. i believe weed helped me in the beginning of my use but i've outgrown it, and now i understand that i'm struggling so hard to let it go because weed has unnaturally high THC content today that has turned my already-fried dopamine system into refried beans. best of luck to you friend
I appreciate that, I need the help, this is day 1 for me. I’m trying to not smoke during the day anymore as my coping skills have gone out the window. Eventually, I want to cut it out altogether, but baby steps, one day at a time. Yesterday I went to about 4:30 in the afternoon, today I’m still standing strong.
great work and keep going 💪
I went the other way around. I gave up nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine 2 years ago. Then gave up added sugar and fast food, all while thinking weed was still my best friend. After deciding to cut back a few months ago to give my lungs a break during the day, I quickly realized how much better life could be without it. I still get the urge to smoke when my wife and kids aren’t home and I’m bored and playing guitar or video games. But even that usually ends up me taking one small hit bc of the craving and then realizing it’s not as special. I also get intrusive thoughts if I smoke too much so it’s a no brainier it needs to go. I think I’m just nervous bc it’s the last of my vices that are ingested and I’m not looking forward to withdrawal considering the withdrawals from cutting back alone sucked. Definitely plan to be fully clear minded by July. Congrats on your decision and best of luck
congratulations on all your hard work man. i'm right there with you, struggled with intrusive thoughts at the height of my weed addiction and never wanna go back to that but also intimidated by the thought of a life with no vices. but it's gonna be worth it for both us, also hoping to be clear-minded in July 💪
I know dude. It’s crazy when you think about how many things we’re addicted to that we ingest. Most people have some sort of guilty pleasure, be it food, sugar, drugs, etc. And when you go to cut them all out, it’s scary. But then if you really think about it, we tend to move to addictive behaviors like exercise, sex, gambling, etc. life’s just a whole bunch of vices. And I feel like I’ve figured out that to feel ok with a vice, it has to be something where I have an output of energy like service work, exercise, hobbies. Instead of vices where I consume.
that's a cool outlook. before weed i was a huge work addict - had 7 jobs/freelance gigs at all times, sacrificed health and relationships and would crash like i was going into withdrawal if i ever had a day off. when the pandemic started i was totally unemployed and coincidentally discovered weed at that time. though neither addiction was healthy, when i look back weed absolutely made me feel like a more selfish and emotionally immature person - at least when i was working i was prioritizing helping others and putting something constructive out into the world every day.
I gave up THC about 7 months ago, which was the strongest vice in my life for 20 years, then gave up alcohol 4 months ago after noticing an uptick in my consumption, worried that it might become a replacement for weed. About 6-8 weeks ago I decided to ween myself off a prescription anti-depressant that I've taken on-and-off for the past couple of years, mostly out of curiosity about what life would feel like without any external chemical buffers. I also quit sugar for Lent and have mostly kept that up, but caffeine is still a daily presence in my life. However, I drink mostly decaf and limit my intake of caffeine to <90mg per day and stop by 12pm. I went without caffeine for a full year in 2021, and I feel I could do it again if I felt it was having any kind of negative impact. After quitting the anti-depressant I noticed that I feel my feelings a lot stronger, good and bad, which I really prefer so far. The only down sides I've noticed are that sleep is more difficult and some of my over-eating / nervous eating habits have started to resurface a bit, so I'm having to dig deep to find some extra resilience for that battle. On very stressful days or sleepless night I find myself wishing I had some kind of intoxicant to take the edge off, but I've come to appreciate the clarity of thought and sense of connectedness to my own life that sobriety has given me. It sounds a little cheesy to say, but I feel more like I'm in charge of my life instead of just watching it play out in front of me.
Yes, I want to quit nicotine soon. That’s not gonna be fun at alllll, but everytime I’m hitting my vape I just feel uhg. I don’t want to be reliant on anything anymore.
I noticed for me personally whether it’s weed or nicotine - vaping is 10 times more addictive because it’s so convenient. I’m glad that I was able to kick that habit and just buy flower.
Take the nicotine out your vape and buy some nicotine gum for when you start getting irritable from withdrawal. Found that really helpful myself, been vaping way less than when the nicotine was in the vape
I quit drinking first and really leaned into smoking. 2 years no booze, 60 days no mj or caffeine.
i always smoked because i hated drinking, love not smoking now and 180 days right now and i still hate drinking lmao maybe even more now than before. was never big on caffeine either, maybe had < 20 caffeinated drinks in my life and i was in the military lol
Yep. Cut out caffeine beginning of the year, weed a few weeks ago and really only drink on select occasions early in the day so it doesn’t affect my sleep. Feel really good right now
even having 2 beers just ruins my sleep now. that's usually the max I have on a weekend anyway but I'm not going to drink again for a while.
man i had insomnia last night for the first time since my early weed quitting days and it was definitely related to the alcohol, ugh
Yep! I haven't had a drink in a few months and even started tapering out caffiene, It feels good to not feel jittery
nah i’m using alcohol a few times a week for i have something to look forward too. i hate being drunk tho, just a lil buzz.
Absolutely. Alcohol is shit. Haven’t had a drink in over 21 months. Day 101 THC free. Loving my sober (from everything) life.
I won't drink fullstop because alcoholism runs in my family, it harms my sleep even from 1 beer and I hate the feeling and taste of breathing alcohol out etc. Never touched any drugs outside of weed. I'm actually incredibly enjoying being "straight edge". Not going to ditch caffeine and sugar anytime soon though.
I understand you so much, last 2 month i quit alcool and this month i quit thc to.. next step for me is caféine. I want to be clear of all. I want my brain free
we can do it! our brains deserve our love in their natural state 😂
Yes ! But for me I identify as an addict so I cannot moderate any mood altering, mind changing substance, so no alcohol, etc. even porn, being on my phone, etc….whatever takes me out of reality and changes uncomfortable feelings
thanks for your reply, i'm finally accepting that i have an addict brain as well. i didn't have access to substances in my younger years so i thought this wasn't an issue for me, but i had a health-destroying work addiction that i traded for a weed addiction when it became legal in my area
When you get into fitness, nothing is better than complete sobriety. It feels nasty to have any chemicals in you. Other than pre workout ;)
I'm trying to stop pre-workout and I've been pretty successful. That shit can't be good 3 times per week long term lol. I could be wrong but just how I feel on it, it really feels like a chemical cocktail. The best pre-workout for me though, was a few bong hits. It would allow me to do pumps without thinking much about it. Now when I'm benching or squatting I can only think of how bored I am. But I have only just recently quit smoking and am still in the lethargy phase.
I had to stop the caffeinated pre pre. I use non-stim now and I feel amazing…. Blood pressure was getting high.
dude, running and long walks have been saving my sanity this last week. perhaps this is why alcohol feels so gross to me now
sobriety from everything is my end goal. i achieved that for decent amount of time before i started weed again and it felt amazing to be liberated from my vices
could i ask how long you were everything-sober for?
i wasnt sober from everything persay but i was drinking occassionally, no weed, and no nicotine for like 8 months. not technically sober as i was still drinking but i dont have a problem with drinking the same way i have a problem with weed and nicotine
i understand, i've never had alcohol cravings and when i do they're actually weed cravings in disguise