lost 20 years to dope!

[CHEECH]

I am new here, been looking for inspiration to quit. I have been addicted to cannabis for 20 years and have got through life in a dream state.My memory is damaged and i can hardly remember the first few years of my kids lifes.All my bright ideas have gone up in smoke and i dont know where the years have went.now i keep smoking to stop facing the reality that i have messed my life up and its too late to be the person i wanted to be when i was younger. does it get better or is it just a crazy dream?

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

ha cheech never give up on your youthful dreams,things will allways get beeter if we try. you havent meesed up your life if you want to better it. remember your kids,and hold fast to what you have.GODBLESS love ed

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

Marijuana Addiction

Hi Cheech welcome to the forum.

I know what you mean it’s like going around in a dream like cloud for years on end, but I think the longer you do it the more it turns into a joyless dream, rather than a good one. Giving up drugs can improve people’s lives significantly, even if they have been doing it for many years, but giving up isn’t always much fun and things may have to get worse before they get better, but it’s usually worth it in the end.

It’s easy to think well I have wasted most of my life, so I might as well waste the rest, but the rest of your life will probably be better if you do give up, rather than if you don’t and the ages people are living to these days, the rest of your life may be allot longer than you think. It’s never too late to change.

Take care and please keep us posted on what you decide.

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

I have been smoking for years too, but it’s still worth giving up. It’s never too late to change!

Good Luck!

[Cannabis Rehab Guest]

Don't regret it

I have been smoking pot since I was 17, off and on. Now I am 31, and have been smoking for most of the last 6 years, sometimes every day for up to 12 months, sometimes taking a break for up to a week. Even tho my hubby doesn't smoke, I have been high for the whole 5 years that we have been together.I have not had any for almost a month now and have almost lost the desire to have it!The key is, I think, not to go "awww that sh*t is bad, look how much time I have wasted, all the things I don't remember, all the things I would have done if I didn't smoke pot" but to go "well that was me then, I enjoyed it while I wanted it and had it, now is time for a new me". Otherwise you end up hating urself for what u did and that won't help.No excuses no regrets.Keep on smiling!

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

I think it depends how much it costs you, as to whether you should regret something or not, I know we are meant to live in a day and age, where we are suppose to say no regrets to everything, but maybe there are something’s in life we should regret, especially if it’s something that really matters to us, like remembering the first few years of our kids lives. There are things in life that would be better if they didn’t happen that way, so it’s perfectly natural to regret something, it may even be a good thing, as if we don’t feel bad about something, how else would we get the motivation to change it. I think it’s impossible to go through life and not regret anything, personally I would rather accept that I regret certain things, but be at peace with that and value it as the vital motivation one needs to change things for the better, thus turning your negative into a positive.

So be positive and look to the future, but at the same time learn from your mistakes.

[Drug Rehab Chick]

I couldn't agree more. Regret and remorse were the main motivating feelings that finally made me realise that I had allowed dope to rule my life and hurt my kids by making me there but not there, if that makes sense. Without those regrets and the earnest desire to not hurt the people I love any more or myself for that matter I would have nothing cos I still really hate myself for what I have become, apparantly this is a part of the process. I want to hold on to that regret always, because its a real reality check when I start thinking that I could be the one in control, not the pot.

I think the main thing, and the thing I struggle with atm is to separate those actions from the person you are..to regret the behaviours but not to perceive yourself as being nothing but all the bad things you are and have allowed yourself to become. Thats really difficult. But the regret is whats driving me. Its what makes me realise I want no more of them and that I don't want to lose any more time because of my addiction. I'm told that later on I will look back and still regret the things I've done, but will be more forgiving and understanding of myself when I conquer this..both because I will realise its not who I am any more and because a life without pot controlling it is a much better existence, so I will be able to recognise and be proud of the things I've achieved, and of taking the steps I'm now taking to overcome my problems.

[PinkSabbath76]

I can definitely say to you It's not too late..quit today!!

I am on my 4th day sober and the wonderful clear headed feeling will help you to overcome all the regret you have in your mind..

Every day it will get better..keep posting to let us know your progress please..we are always here to help..

[notme!]

I feel the same

"Now is the Time" I've smoked since seventh grade (about 1974) I'm 48 years old Friday the 13th was my first whole day with out smokin, that would be May 13th So that's 5 weeks now, after 3 to 3.5 weeks the irritability was gone the mental reminders are gone the mental habits that tell us when to smoke, like before a movie or before the mother in law comes over or stress release, same thing right. When I was high, which was all day and night, I would look around while driving and check my visuals, ya know how ya do when your high! 5 weeks clean Everything looks the same as it did when I was high, I don't need it I'm natural, the drug brings out whats already in there naturally accept with the damn side affects. It feels good bein clean dude, If the mind doesn't tell you that you need it you will never know it! no kidding. Last week I had a big test Some friends who became friends on one of my Tequila benders (another story) tried to get me to smoke they put a bong in my hand and I pushed it back at them they said Jesus will forgive you, (they know I am a Jesus freak and they think God is a joke) I said yes true I can smoke if I want, but I can't just do it once here or there, I will do it non stop if I take just one hit as they blew their hits in my face, I DID NOT GIVE IN! I was really afraid of how I was going to handle this but I made it. I have givin in many times before and I KNOW WHERE IT HAS GOTTEN ME! A MONKEY SADDLE ON MY BACK.
Do it now CHEECH!

[lynne66]

I know this is an old thread, but it helped me. I am nearing my 48th birthday and have been really depressed about how my life has gone and I'm sure my cannabis addiction helped it go the way it did - nowhere pretty much. Being a female, I am having so many fears about myself and my future and I wonder if this is part of PAWS on some level - this weird feeling of dread and remorse. However, I may be around a lot longer than I probably even want, as I do take good care of myself and there is some insane longevity in my family. So I might as well face the music and get through the rest of it clear and able to focus, maybe even salvage something into a success story in spite of my negative worries.