Way too long

[Longtime toker]

I'm glad I found this forum. Here is my story:
I am on day 7 of quitting smoking weed. I have been a smoker for about 44 years. I was a very heavy smoker and started at a young age growing my own stuff so I didn't have to pay the price for it. I never sold it but would give it away to friends. My whole life seems to have revolved around this plant. I have always been ashamed of smoking pot but I continued to smoke anyway. I thought I was pretty cool and could handle it. For the last thirty years or so I have smoked at every opportunity, from morning until I went to bed and even smoking a couple of times in the middle of the night to help me sleep. I believed that it was pretty benign substance but oh how wrong I was for those years. My career never went anywhere, I based all of my life decisions around smoking and continuing to smoke. I did not smoke before work or during but did after work and it got to the point it was overwhelming. I would hit the bong the minute I got home from work and it never ended until a week ago. I quit cold turkey and have had a rough time of it since. I haven't gotten a decent nights sleep since quitting and have experienced a lot of discomfort, nausea, body aches and so on. I don't hardly even know what day of the week it is anymore and my memory is horrible. I was taking bong hits hourly and the stuff didn't seem to affect me or get me very high anymore. It was a good place to hide and I did.
Well, I was at the doctors office yesterday and I finally told him about my problem and quitting toking. He seemed shocked as I have been able to hide it pretty well over the years. My blood pressure was elevated at 160/79 and he seemed to think that it was because of the withdrawal from pot and being agitated. Anyway, he was very supportive and that made me feel a little better. I have finally told some people about my problem and I feel like I am making some positive progress with this addiction. I guess some people don't have a problem with dependency or withdrawal from this drug, but I did (do.)
Anyway, it is comforting to know that I am not the only one who has had a problem with this drug and withdrawal from it. I used to be in favor of legalization but now I am not.
Sorry if I have rambled on or been unclear but my head feels like it is full of cotton and it is hard to think.
I'm not going back. Never.
That's the short version of my story. The only positive thing about it is that I have quit it for good.
Peace,
Longtime toker (now ex-toker)

For assistance with finding a reputable and accredited Marijuana Rehab Service Provider in the USA you can call the US Government’s FREE SAMHSA’s National Helpline on:

1-800-662-HELP (4357)

[Unregistered]

You will not be sorry life without dope is pretty good my story is the same as yours only I smoked before and during work and only for 37years so i,m only a lightweight. The next couple of weeks is going to be a real battle for you but it sounds like you have the right attitude to beat it. The lack of sleep is the hardest I went to the chemist and got some over the counter sleeping pills and they helped only used the one pack i was worried that i might get addicted to them. I have been clean for 14months now and i get at least 6 hours sleep but i dream all night mostly about people i have not seen in over 30years but like i said life has improved since it does not revolve around the bong hope you can win the battle all the best. Dale

[rooster]

woah 44 years, long time. All the best on your mission mate. Its been almost a month off for me now after 14 years heavy and to be honest apart from the sweating still, the physical symtoms have passed. The real battle begins now.. I'm very board all the time and the dreams are insane, there seem so real. Its gonna be tough for you for a bit I'd expect, but from what I have read the symptons you have are not out of the ordinary, personally I found taking late nights walks helpfull for sleeping. Everyone on here is rooting for you. A quote I found very helpfull was...

If your going through hell...keep going!
Winston Churchill

All the best

[Lontime toker]

Thanks for the kind words. I took steps today to go to a church based addiction support program. I think it would be too easy for me to slip back into my old behavior and I am adamant about that not happening. I need to develop some coping skills and possibly get counseling, as well. I have a lot of will power and quit tobacco cold turkey many years ago but the pot smoking was very much intertwined with who I thought I was and how I dealt with the world. Many times over the years, in short periods of semi-clarity, I rued the day that my friend ever turned me on this this stuff. I've wondered how different my life and relationships would have been had I not begun smoking pot.
I remember my doctor sending me to a psychologist many years ago for depression and I bragged to him how I "self medicated" myself with pot and was in control of my life. After a few visits he told me he could not help me. I felt awful that he had "abandoned" me and I did not realize it was my arrogance and unwillingness to deal with my problem that made it impossible to for him to help me.
Anyway, it helps me to read about other peoples experiences with the drug and put my own into writing. It is kind of cathartic for me to tell others and bring this into the light of day.
Here's to a brighter future!
Longtime toker

[forever quitting]

long time toker - keep it up, thats a long habit to break but take some inspiration from CannabisRehab.org and know that others are in the same boat. 7 days is great - keep up the good work.

Rooster - well done you also, nearly a month and you're doing great. day 40 today and feel great. life here i come

FQ

[Lontime toker]

Thank you for the kind words.
It has been almost 3 weeks now since I quit smoking dope. I am able to sleep more normally now. I think exercise is helping me sleep better. I feel much better. I am coughing up less gunk every day.
Sometimes I find myself standing at the cabinet where my bong used to live. I seem to do it without even thinking about it. It's habit, I suppose, a deeply ingrained habit.
It has helped me to write about my problem. I have seen some forums where people maintain that pot smoking is not addictive. I guess that technically it isn't. I just have a problem with it. I finally realized it. I did something positive for myself, my family and friends.
Thanks!
Longtime toker

[Long time toker]

Its been four weeks now and I feel great! Still coughing up gunk though.

[Cannabis Rehab Admin]

Hi Longtime toker, sorry I don’t think I have responded yet and welcomed you to the forum, I try to do so with every new poster but sometimes the odd post slips by me. Anyway welcome, 4 weeks is awesome well done that a great achievement! You can cough up crap for quite some time after but it usually clears up after a while, stick with it I am sure the results will be worth it.

Take care, thanks for posting and please keep us posted on how it goes.

All the best

[Unregistered]

hiya well done you after 44 years wow. im smoking too after 21 years. need to give up stop saying it and do it. scared how my life would be cus half the time it habit and spending too much on it. not interested in cutting down want to stop period. i dont sleep very well anyway, what will i be like without a joint. anyway keep up the good work.