Marijuana and loss of motivation

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

Marijuana and loss of motivation

One of the main side effects smoking marijuana can have, other than the permanent damage it does to the lungs, is the effect it has on the mind, this includes amongst others the effect it can have on your motivation. Many people find if they use too much marijuana, that they lose motivation to pursue other interests and accomplish other things, as all they really desire is to get high. That’s the danger with using an artificial stimuli, that satisfies the reward system within the brain, you no longer have to do other things in order to activate that mechanism, so it’s real easy over time to become reliant on it, for generating those pleasure causing chemicals, instead of having to actually do something in order to achieve them. Allot of people find that while stoned they don’t want to do anything other than sit on the couch, eat junk food, watch TV and play video games, I know I didn’t. It’s not exactly a full and active life.

So why not put down that joint and do so much more with your life!

[elevatorgrrrl]

A treacherous drug...

Agreed! Many people will say pot is a "soft" drug and you could smoke it all of your life without getting sick.. and well, that may be so, but marijuana is a treacherous drug. The real danger is not the health risks, but the effect that it has on our lives and self esteem when it takes the place of things we know deep down we would rather be doing! The damage done to your self worth for feeling like you have accomplished nothing and that you are not good at anything is way worse than anything else pot can do to you.

I suffered for 6 years from the anguish of not living up to the potential I KNEW I had in me. It really stinks when you don't even have the desire or energy to the stuff you used to ENJOY doing -- like painting, reading, hiking, surfing, whatever. When you quit, you realize how rewarding these things are to your health and self-esteem!

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

The real danger is not the health risks

I disagree, my lungs are totally fuct, my mental health is in the toilet, my mind is foggy and my memory worse than a gold fish, all from smoking pot. If that’s not affecting your health then I don’t know what is. I have not smoked for two years now.

[Just Me]

Heys heys peoples, i've been on the stuff for years and the thing that ive noticed is that i havent emotionally grown up. its like ive stayed in the same emotional state that i was when i started. this is not my first attempt to quit, but its certainly my most realistic attempt. i know now that i have to change everything about my life and views to be successful at giving up. everyone i know just about smokes it. i know where and how to get. so i've decided to move away soon. change everything and give myself a new scenery. i know it still wont be easy, but believe me nothing else has worked. i have all the classic symptoms of over use of the weed. and yes i do medicate myself with it.

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

Hi Just Me welcome to the forum.

Well done on your decision to quit. It’s so funny that you mention not having emotionally growing up since you have been using, I was the same, since I have quit I have emotionally matured so much more, I have had to. Being clean and sober did mean that I had to deal with the problems in my life so much more, but I did learn how to do so and as a result I feel I cope with life so much better, it makes you stronger and you are better off in the long run.

I really hope you succeed this time and continue to share your journey with us.

Many thanks for sharing and take care.

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

Mental problems

I smoked cannabis from the age of 17 to 24. I quit on my 24th birthday and immediately got a mania sensation. I had to ride my pushbike 20kms a day. After 2 months I then got severe shifts of highs and lows which lasted for a month and then I got severe depression. I have now been off cannabis for 6 months however the depression is not getting better. I dont want take medication but am now thinking I may have to. There is a constant burning sensation in the back of my head that never goes away and is quite painful. I do not function very well and am a uni graduate but I am unfit to work. I eat healthy and exercise but have severe mental problems. Any sugestions?

[TheDude]

Heys heys peoples, i've been on the stuff for years and the thing that ive noticed is that i havent emotionally grown up. its like ive stayed in the same emotional state that i was when i started. this is not my first attempt to quit, but its certainly my most realistic attempt. i know now that i have to change everything about my life and views to be successful at giving up. everyone i know just about smokes it. i know where and how to get. so i've decided to move away soon. change everything and give myself a new scenery. i know it still wont be easy, but believe me nothing else has worked. i have all the classic symptoms of over use of the weed. and yes i do medicate myself with it.

Yeah, what you described sounds like my own use of pot. I quit 5 months ago, and you are spot on about the inability to emotionally mature.

I have come to realize (when thinking clearly) that it's not about what drugs we have used, but why we use them. One who uses pot can be using for the same reasons another uses alcohol or another uses pills.

We just don't want to face our emotions. Thus, we don't emotionally mature. I have found that my using of pot was my subconscious way to avoid reality. I went though some really bad cravings to get high a week ago. It seems when things are good, they aren't good enough without pot. So this has made me realize there are even more dynamics to this-- I think I am ungrateful when I want to use, because "what is" just isn't good enough.

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

I smoked cannabis from the age of 17 to 24. I quit on my 24th birthday and immediately got a mania sensation. I had to ride my pushbike 20kms a day. After 2 months I then got severe shifts of highs and lows which lasted for a month and then I got severe depression. I have now been off cannabis for 6 months however the depression is not getting better. I dont want take medication but am now thinking I may have to. There is a constant burning sensation in the back of my head that never goes away and is quite painful. I do not function very well and am a uni graduate but I am unfit to work. I eat healthy and exercise but have severe mental problems. Any sugestions?

I am now 34 years old. I Have been a R.N. for 10 years. I have smoked pot everyday for the last 19 years. I am right now considering changing my entire life and my kids lives to quit. My boyfriend is 43 and has smoked for god knows how long.

I actually don't even really know how to really communicate anything, mostly my feelings anymore. It has been my dirty little secret...I have mostly used alone. Since My 13 year marriage ended from an affair, I now smoke and live with the person I cheated with.

I don't even feel like i relate or have communication with people anymore. I am sober at work, and there, I am "myself."

Sparing any more baggage. I saw a counselor a few months back and we really dove into my addiction. I quit for about 5 days, cancelled my appointment to get high as a matter of fact, and never returned. One great thing that came out of it was a prozac prescription.

The drug has been masking very bad depression for years. Deep down, I know it is there..I have been self medicating.

I know alot of people replace addiction with addiction. I also smoke cigs.

Sorry about the ramble. Just found this cannabis rehab site and it is incredible!! Thank you all.

[Drug Rehab Chick]

Hi there,

I'm glad u found this site...I can relate to so much of you're saying. Depression is such a battle to overcome and when ur smoking pot its like having the general of the army for the other side planning your battle strategy! I'm on something called Efexor fx and its really helped to get my brain chemicals a bit more in order. Its a hard thing to change your life..especially when you're fighting issues from the past as well as present one's. I applaud you for your courage and hope that u gain encouragement, support and guidance from this forum....ur so rite mate...its incredible...I want to wish you the very best of luck..u have friends here whenever you need them, and so much more...please remember that..remember also that ur a capable woman, and you are worth so much more than what pot has led u to believe you are.... u matter, ur important and you can beat this...with the support of these good people and your own strength (ur stronger than u think too!)you can overcome..Peace and blessings..

[Detox Me]

my emotions are so inmature! It is imposible for me to take critisim to cope with frustration.... I am 33 but I handle myself like a teenager.

I guess this quitting and handling my sepation will really wake me up.

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

Emotions and relationships

I think it's true that emotions can be frozen by smoking dope because there's a tendency to live in the head so much. We gradually withdraw from real relationships and human contact, and it is only through relationships - and all that goes with that such as responsbility, reliability, intimacy - that we develop a sense of self esteem and maturity. Relationships are vital to good mental health as it's the only way we can have reflected back us any sense of who we actually are.

I would go as far as to say that an individual's part of any rehabilitation programme from cannabis needs to involve getting engaged in the outside world again, ideally doing something for others. I did some voluntary work in a day centre for people with learning difficulties, and seeing the issues they face every day, and with such happiness too, made me feel so humble. It opened my heart again, and gave me self respect back, and I also met people who were nothing to do with the world of dope. Those small steps were the beginning of a whole new life for me. It may work out for you too!

[john lennon]

Agree and Disagree

I agree and disagree because I think it depends on the person. I personally was an active pot smoker and loved to go running, take hikes, or do something active while I was stoned. Occasionally I would just lay around when high. However, I have friends that have ruined their lives with marijuana. I have a friend who is 25 has not worked in 3 years and lives in his mom's basement scrapping bowls for resin. I think it has to do with how you smoke, when I smoked I made sure I had all my shit done for the day and then I spent my free time high. Other people cannot control it and let it over take their life. I think it comes down to what you put first your responsibilities to your job, school, family/friends, whatever or weed.

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

I agree John Lennon, it can totally depend on the person, I started this thread describing what can be the case for some and I think many do have that experience, but if there’s one thing I have learnt about marijuana is what can be the case for one may not necessarily be the case for another, many people do find that they have little motivation to do much while living the stoner lifestyle, but you do get different types of stoners and some do seem to be a lot more active than others.

[mommy]

In my case, I was similarly driven. Pot was a reward after a busy day of work, or grad school.

These days, for the sake of my family, I had to squash down my personal ambitions. Pot helped that. But I feel like I'm losing 'me' in all of this now. Today is my last day smoking alone at home during naptime.

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

This is the main issue for me. When I quit my lifestyle seems incredibly boring. I can't just stay in with DVDs and OLGs. However going to the supermarket or a coffee shop or pub or whatever just feels like a waste of time. I try to stay busy, but I don't feel satisfied by what im doing, and eventually I return to smoking.
I know this is ridiculous, if my life seems boring I should make it more interesting. It seems thats easier said than done. While rolling a joint is very easy indeed.
I think alot about the body chemistry theory metioned, we are shortcutting to success. Actually I believe the chemical involved is called dopamine.