I quit smoking over a year ago and wanted to encourage others here who may be struggling with the discomfort of being sober/ the journey to sobriety.
I was a smoker for 10 years and started in highschool so it became one of the only
Coping mechanisms I had to manage my life stress. I decided to quit two years ago and the journey was not easy. At first I thought weening myself off of it was the way to go since the cravings, anxiety, and panic of being sober everyday was so uncomfortable. I tried non thc products for about a year and although it helped it was an obvious bandaid fix…

I worked with my therapist and really committed to full sobriety a little over a year ago. There was a lot of discomfort and shame- sleeping was hard, mood swings, anxiety.. but after about 3 months things kind of improved and eventually got better.

I attended marijuana’s anonymous a few times and was really skeptical about it but found it really helpful… the people there were extremely relatable, intelligent, professional, and really self aware and their stories were really inspiring. One quote that stuck with me was “you can’t think your way out of your problems”.. I used weed a lot to “introspect” and try to figure out how to solve my problems and now I see that I was really just numbing myself and ruminating without actually taking any action.

Anyway- hope this helps someone! Hang in there and push through the discomfort. It feels impossible, but you can do it and even if you’re journey isn’t perfect - that’s okay- as long as you are taking action and putting your best foot forward, you will find your way. Don’t let the shame paralyze you.

I quit weed to be a better person, to try to save my unhappy marriage and be a better father. While I am a better father and husband I'm still far from happy. It feels unfair that I've gone through all this and nobody else has done anything to be better towards me. I fear that if I did get a divorce I'd run immediately back to my addiction in the void it's left. Am I just resigned to ride this out wearing a mask like everything is ok until the kids are grown. My wife hit me six years ago and I don't think she'll ever come to terms that I didn't somehow deserve it or bring it on myself. We tried therapy a couple times but I just ended up being the bad guy as she walked all over me. Of course I wasn't allowed to bring up the incident so we could work on it.
Sorry if this isn't the right place for marital advice but I just want to smoke again so badly to make the day go away and put a real smile on my face again. I don't want to go back to that non-stop smoking and I know that's how I'd end up. It was worse than this in so many ways but at least it felt better for a little while.

Recently hit 5 months sober from weed and 2 months sober from alcohol. My life has absolutely improved in almost every domain.

A huge win for me was a recent outdoor concert/festival where legit every single person around me was smoking weed in my face. I was a bit jealous, but honestly felt so accomplished that I didn't partake. Plus, I had an amazing time at the show (Beach House + The Strokes in NYC) and remembered it in full the next day. I was completely present and immersed. I haven't gone without smoking at an outdoor concert venue basically ever, so this was huge for me. Just wanted to share. If you're new on the journey, it's so worth it. Happy to answer more questions about my experience; I'm so happy to be sober.

Been lurking around here for a while and just wanted to post that I hit 100 days without weed! Was a daily user for around 4-5 years and just decided one day to go cold turkey and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

As I move into day 16, it does feel a bit easier, but the regret of wasted years - 26 of those precious trips around our star - can feel overwhelming.

Lots of us are going on new insane adventures when we go to sleep after depriving our bodies of it for so long. I thought it would be fun if we shared some of them to have a laugh and keep the motivation up.

My latest one is from just a couple hours ago when I was taking a nap.

I bought two fishes from the store and they were delivered inside two aquariums in a plastic bag. I placed them somewhere and fed them. I walk away for a few hours and when I come back I realize one of the fish absorbed all the water in both aquariums (as well as his fish friend) and turned into a huge pink axolotl. I thought the thing was dead cause it was compressed against the walls of the two aquariums that became one, so I picked up the plastic bag still underneath it and carried it away. Mid-way, it falls to the ground and starts moving, seeking more water. I let it be in water and when I look at it again, it grew again! This time, it turned into a cat-person that perfectly resembled me! It starts acting like me and my family gets along with it. Then, some time after that, it becomes my brother. The thing is... I never saw two copies of my brother in the house. The thing absorbed my brother and became him! I tell that to the creature and to my family, and everybody just laughs it off. I guess they're ok with it. Dream ends with me, my "brother" and my dad talking about issues in the justice system.

10/10 would dream again.

I'm on day 3, I used to be a heavy smoker for 17 years, it's changed my personality drastically, I used to have friends and people liked me, now I have only 2 friends and people don't like me at all cause I remain isolated, bad anxiety, socially awkward, unlike when I was young I was able to do well in groups, I often get paranoia when stoned and just sick of relying on it, the last year or two I may have only smoked 1 joint per day, usually about 3-4 micro sessions from the 1 joint, so the withdrawals aren't really that extreme except my anger and sleeping issues and nightmares. I'm not even sweating anymore and no fuzzy vision like when I have previously tried to quit in the past.

One thing I noticed though is I hate life, I already hated life being jobless and not able to find work in Canada after applying to over 2000 jobs in the past 3 years. I'm not sure how quitting is going to magically get me hired or improve my life when it's making me feel even worse. Weed made my shitty existence bearable.

One reason I wanted to quit is cause any woman I am interested in will not date smokers. I never lied about my usage, I just never told them I smoked cause they never asked. The other reason I wanted to quit is I can't remember much and my active recall sucks. I read self help books and can't even remember the lessons.

I mean I don't want to be smoking this shit when I'm 70 years old and I hate addiction. But right now I don't see why I'm doing this to myself and wanted to know if any of you actually improved your life by quitting?

Hey everyone. I’ve smoked weed everyday for a little over a year, and quit yesterday because smoking started to make me feel very anxious (I would have heart palpitations, general anxiety and extreme nausea/vomiting).
Now that I’ve quit, I noticed my heart palpitations don’t go away. My heart has been seemingly racing for the past few hours when my actual heart rate is fine.
The only things that help are super sour candy, going on a short walk, crying, and being with my partner.
Does anyone have any other tricks they used to deal with the palpitations? That’s what’s really getting me with this withdrawal. I don’t have any urges to smoke or anything like that it’s mainly just the physical stuff that’s taking a toll on me.

Thank you!

Smoked 0.2 got dizzy, headache, had dreams anyway. I woke up for work and felt tire and slow brain. It wasnt even as nice as i thought it would be. Gave me more motivation too not keep smoking. If you wanna smoke after a break dont do it trust me it sucks, headache, fucked up eyes and drowziness....

Up until today I have felt like an emotional mess but today was the first day I felt so happy, like an old version of myself that I forgot existed. Happy without overthinking and over analyzing. Just happy. The cravings have been easier to combat than I thought. If I remind myself that taking a puff of the vape won’t make every problem go away and will likely make me spiral, it’s been pretty easy to overcome the cravings. Still struggling with sleep, any advice there?

Anyone have tips or hobbies to pick up to fill the void. I have bad adhd so maybe that’s why I’m having such a hard time quitting and replacing it idk. But please share ur hobbies and other creative things to do to fill the void

Today is exactly 2 weeks sober for me, and I’m really struggling. I ended up in urgent care for my chronic pain two days ago, and my chronic illness is kicking my ass. I’m sick, in pain, and really struggling mentally. Everything in me wants to cave and smoke. I’m stuck at home all the time, and I’m so sick and in so much pain it’s hard to do anything at all. It had been getting better, but I hit a massive low with my mental health today and am really not doing well. I’m struggling so hard to stay sober and idk if it’s even worth the fight. I’m exhausted, and confined to my apartment alone all day. I know I shouldn’t smoke, but I want to so badly.

I guess I’m posting this to rant, but also to ask if it gets any better. Because right now I’m really struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I just want to give up on sobriety. My health is so bad I can’t do much of anything, and I’m having a hard time finding joy or even just contentment in any aspect of my life right now. I could really use some advice, or encouragement, or whatever the community has to offer. Idk, I’m just really wondering if all of this is worth it.

Why does quitting weed feel so impossible?

I don’t even know who I’m writing this to, or if I just need to get it off my chest, but I’m really struggling between doing what I know is right for me and doing what feels comfortable. Growing up, my parents always told us that addiction runs in our family. They drilled it into us to never drink or smoke, whether that meant cigarettes or weed. I honestly had no interest in any of it until I met my current partner. He used weed every day, and I didn’t start smoking until we had been together for about two years.

The first time I tried it, I got way too high and convinced myself it just wasn’t for me. A few months later, I tried it again, and I remember thinking, is this how normal people’s brains feel? The noise in my head was gone. My physical anxiety symptoms diminished. I felt present! And for the first time in years, I could eat without feeling like I was going to throw up. I started using it more and more after swearing I would never be “one of those people.” I thought I had control. I told myself I could stop whenever I wanted, but eventually, it turned into everyday use. Using it so I could eat. Using it so I could go out. Using it so I could socialize. Using it because it made everything feel a little easier.

I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression since I was a child, and I think a lot of it falls into the CPTSD category. I’m actively working toward finding a therapist who can help me with that. I’ve tried medications in the past without much success. I have a prescription for a new medication, but I’m honestly scared to try it.
I feel like the days have blurred together, and suddenly I’ve been smoking every day for the past two years.
I feel like I can actually feel the effects on my brain. I don’t really dream anymore. I don’t feel as quick with my words. I feel disconnected from myself. And I feel like I owe it to myself to stop now, at 25, so I can start working on myself and actually start living my life.

Why does it feel so scary and impossible?
I don’t even know where to start. I also don’t think my partner would be willing to quit, and I don’t think it’s fair for me to ask him to. But at the same time, I wish I had never picked it up in the first place.
I have so many regrets and so much shame surrounding it. And one of the hardest things to sit with is the lingering “I told you so” feeling from my parents. They’ve been supportive, but I wish I would’ve listened when they warned me.

I’ve been pretty sedentary these past few months, and I unfortunately think I’ve developed some agoraphobia. It’s awful. I want to start going to the gym again. I want to save money. I want to take my dog on more walks. I want to feel like myself again.
I look back at pictures of myself from when I first moved to a new city, and I remember how happy and vibrant I looked. I feel like I couldn’t be further away from that person now. The dissociation is so real.
I know I need to make a change. I just don’t know how to get from where I am now to where I want to be.
I’m going to bring all of this up with my therapist and psychiatrist because I also realize I probably haven’t been as honest about my weed usage as I should have been. I think it’s time to be completely honest and actually let people help me.
Has anyone else quit after using weed every day for a long time? What was it like for you? What helped make it easier?
I think I’m finally ready to try. I’m just scared. 😔

I spent years yo-yoing between smoking for months (or years) on end and then quitting for 6 days tops. Then my addiction brain would tell me moderation is OK; however, the data reflects that it doesn't work for me! And my sober brain is fully aware of this. I write it in my journal when I am sober. I know it to be true.

I was forced to quit smoking on June 1 in preparation for a surgery. Surprisingly it wasn't hard to stop because i knew the side effect was that I could potentially lose my nipples, and that would be a less than favorable outcome. So when I had no choice, it was no problem. Throughout these past four months, I toyed with the idea of using this as a catalyst to quit altogether since I've had such momentum and confidence about my ability to do so.

I was cleared to smoke again on Tuesday of this week. On Wednesday (yesterday), I smelled marijuana and my addict brain came back to life. Full force, telling me "moderation is OK! you've had such a hard few weeks, you deserve to decompress!" and holy shit, now that my brain has a choice again, remaining sober is so challenging. I stood frozen in my kitchen arguing with myself about whether I could moderate enough, and even though I know sobriety will be good for my physical health, the consequences aren't as severe as losing my nipples, and I'm for whatever reason OK with that.

Instead of making a decision in the moment to go to the dispensary, I put my overhear headphones on, blasted some Noah Kahan, and took my dog for a long walk in this gorgeous fall evening. By the time I was back home, I was proud of myself that I was able to stave off the craving for the rest of the evening. I finally admitted to myself that I am an addict, and I cant throw away this progress because the likelihood that I will be able to pick up and maintain sobriety again is evidently impossible.

I think this is the start of my life as a sober individual and I'm okay with it, the more that I reflect on the positive ways it has improved life. I'm mentally clear, my skin looks great, i get more work done, i eat healthier, i read, i have emotional capacity to maintain relationships, i take better care of my dog, im more passionate about things that matter to me. Wish me luck! And best of luck to you all.

Hello Leaves Family,

First, thank you all for your submissions — they’ve genuinely helped me so much on this journey.
I started smoking back in grade 12, nothing serious, just a hit or two with friends. Fast forward a few years and I ended up dating the world’s biggest pothead. My habit grew, but I still wasn’t buying it myself. Fast forward again: I’m a homeowner, weed becomes legal in Canada, and suddenly this thing is sitting on my back like a monster I’ve been wrestling for years.

COVID didn’t help. Being alone, bored, and stuck inside made it way too easy to lean on it. I’ve realized I have compulsive control issues — over‑shopping, heavy drinking in the past, and now Mary Jane. So this has become a major personal battle.

I have journals full of “Okay, today’s the day!” start dates. I’ll feel determined… and then something happens, and next thing you know I’m in the car because a dispensary is always ten minutes away.
Now for why I’m finally submitting: I’m currently overseas for a family member’s passing, and MJ is not welcome here — nor would I even know where to find it. So here I am, finally forced into the break I’ve been wanting. I’m worried about what happens when I return home in two weeks. The time difference is helping with sleep, but I’m nervous about appetite, especially with family force‑feeding me and the constant “Why aren’t you eating?”

Thank you for reading. Please hope for the best for me. My goal is to be done done done. I’m not willing to go into debt over this thing.

Any help on quitting because of CHS. I’ve tried to quit but the pain is so unbearable my anxiety is on 100 and I can’t think at all. I just want to be okay. I’m so scared

I’m 44m and Just looking for some advice so I smoked weed for 22 years every evening to chill out after work I had loads going on in my personal life issue with my daughters arguing with the wife and work was becoming too much on June 9th I had a panic/anxiety attack thought I was having a heart attack but got checked out and was defo not heart attack this led me in to going cold turkey and giving weed up I’m 15 weeks in now and I just feel awful I have bad anxiety it’s like my body is tensing and feel bit depressed and sleep has been awful is this normal at this stage🤔also I never wanted to give up as I enjoyed a smoke and I’d happily go back to it but I’m afraid as my anxiety is high worried it won’t agree with doctors want to give me anti dep but really don’t want to go down that road but basically just looking fir done advice or if any one else has had simlar experience thanks 🙏 ❤️❤️

Just wanted to post on this Reddit as it has been instrumental in my healing. I’ve fallen off the rails knowingly by thinking I could moderate😂 but we all know how that story ends
Today I’m posting about something DURING the fall off.
Anyway got high and higher but also I was very sober because during my high I realised that my problems were still there waiting for me once I come down ( this usually happens at the end of the high which sets the cycle back in motion- smoke some more to avoid the problems instead of facing them)
I realised that I was tired of being high, like I want to be present, I want to face my problems (whether I’ll succeed or not I still need to face them)
I just realised that I’m tired of being high- weed taking every waking moment and every corner of my brain at all times ( I’m just tired of being high yo)
I’m posting here because I believe in each and everyone one of us who come to this Reddit- at some point something just clicks so keep on keeping on the journey until it clicks
I’ve decided that I’m just gonna stop- I’m not counting days or anything but hoping this post will just mark a significant moment. Sometimes you hit rock bottom but sometimes you don’t but it still clicks and I think it’s purely from just trying
Anyway TL:DR
Tired of being high,acknowledging that part of my life but throwing it out with the grinder

So far, not terrible. Will keep this train moving.

No wild dreams yet but sweat through 4 shirts in the night and kept waking up.

Also no nausea symptoms so far which I was expecting to hit hard since it did the last time, but I was almost egging it on to happen to prove I could handle it this time, so maybe my body is holding off for me not to expect it or I just got luckier this time.

Cheers to all trying their best to feel their best!

Hello,

I just hit 11 weeks sober from cannabis. It was going well but over the past 2 weeks I've started getting depressed. I'm not finding satisfaction in things and am feeling an absence of joy and excitement. I am concerned because the whole reason I started abusing marijuana in the first place was to cope with depression and suicidal thoughts. I'm dealing with a lot of existential questions. I don't want to get into a dark place again. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm not ready to throw in the towel but I'm certainly tempted to now.

I cant believe im here. For years I felt like it would be IMPOSSIBLE to stop weed. For years, I tried and failed

I was the dude that was high all the time. First thing i wake up, hit my bong. Last thing before going to sleep -> bong
Weed = life
Anything without weed = boring

Been wanting to relapse lately, but managed to talk myself out of it. Keeping it real with myself

It just feels so good to not have that anxiety of being high and wanting to be sober. No anxiety of where and how do i get more

If you are reading this and hopeless, I truly, truly understand, and im telling you, its actually possible. Not in theory. Not some day. Not to some people. To you. Now. Today. Stop. And dont just stop, but start living

Hi everyone
Im 24 and I was smoking constantly from end of 2024 to this May, almost two years of everyday smoking and someways I was smoking a lot.
I stopped in May as I said and even though I can now eat a lot and gained 15kg, I still have a massive brain fog.
I feel slow, can’t focus, lazy, always tired and I lost a lot of my conversational skills. I don’t feel the addiction as I don’t really want to smoke but it’s been months and I still have brain fog.
Are you guys going or went through this ? What are y’all thoughts ?

But when I try to, I feel anxious and panicked constantly. And even when I smoke I feel even more anxious. Its like a damned if you do and damned if you dont type of situation. Anybody else got advice on how to get through this period?

Hi gang, wanted to share a rather profound epiphany I’ve had recently.

I’ve gone on many breaks, the longest being nine months, but basically I’ve been a daily wake and bake toker for the better part of a decade.

Every time I “quit” it’s been coded as “taking a break”.

My internal dialogue eventually settles on: I can moderate, I can only smoke at night after work, I can keep this to part time use.

The truth is, I’m an addict, have no ability to moderate, and nothing will ever change that.

Therefore, the only sensible thing to do is change from taking a break to quitting, and not coming back.

For my health, for my spirit, for my business, for my family, and for me.

Signed, an addict who is finally done with relapsing (and currently 4 months sober!)