Becoming disenchanted with the herb and the whole scene.

Hey everyone wasn't really sure where to post this, but I've been having some internal struggles. Lately (the last month or two) weed hasn't been doing anything for me. I've been a heavy user since I was 19 or 20, while taking breaks in between (5 months longest) I'm 31 now. Has nothing to do with money issues, as I have more than I'll ever know what to do with and give it away to friends. I've come to realize I've been abusing this beautiful gift of a plant. My problem is, I realized so much of my identity revolves around this plant. That I'm not sure even who I really am without it anymore it's been so long. My go to is usually oh, I'll just dry out for a month or two then back to business as usual. But feels different this time. I finally feel ready to move on. No idea what I was expecting to get out of this post or why I'm even writing it, maybe just wanted to vent to fellow stoners, have a happy Sunday y'all!

I think a lot of us feel the same way at some point in our lives. Each of us is different, some start with a wake and bake and smoke every hour until nightfall, some for medical reasons, others because they have poor self control, or just don't care. I used to have to work hard to limit my consumption at certain times in my life, and I ended up quitting for several years at one point. If feel like now is a time to quit, then go for it. There is no harm is stopping now and coming back to the herb later on in your life when you want/need to. I wouldn't smoke anywhere near as much as I do right now if I weren't using it for pain. Back when I had a stressful job, long hours, family responsibilities, etc, I just smoked at night and boy did I need that time for myself!

There is one caveat, don't start drinking more when you quit smoking. Better to be a raging pothead than a small time alcoholic! (that would be good wisdom for a fortune cookie)

Rurumo said:

I think a lot of us feel the same way at some point in our lives. Each of us is different, some start with a wake and bake and smoke every hour until nightfall, some for medical reasons, others because they have poor self control, or just don't care. I used to have to work hard to limit my consumption at certain times in my life, and I ended up quitting for several years at one point. If feel like now is a time to quit, then go for it. There is no harm is stopping now and coming back to the herb later on in your life when you want/need to. I wouldn't smoke anywhere near as much as I do right now if I weren't using it for pain. Back when I had a stressful job, long hours, family responsibilities, etc, I just smoked at night and boy did I need that time for myself!

There is one caveat, don't start drinking more when you quit smoking. Better to be a raging pothead than a small time alcoholic! (that would be good wisdom for a fortune cookie)

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Definitely, it's funny you mention replacing one habit with another. The drinking more is what pushed me to go back to being a pot head, because very true it's 100% better than alcohol. As of now I hardly ever drink, when I quit the ganj I definitely drink more

So, what's the alternative? Heavier shit like heroin? Or just going full clean?

"Disenchanted by", and "doesn't do anything for me" are totally different.

PopAndSonGrows said:

So, what's the alternative? Heavier shit like heroin? Or just going full clean?

"Disenchanted by", and "doesn't do anything for me" are totally different.

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No sir, I've always stuck with weed, occasional drinking and very rarely shrooms( been a few years since shrooms). It's both, I still get high from weed but it doesn't do anything for me anymore, at least anything positive at the time. I've come to a bypass in my life I guess. It doesn't have to be either or

I used it to get off a 13 year methadone habit 100mg a day. It worked. That was 5 years ago. Doesn't help like it did. I've also was clean for years but always had weed on my head. I'm 53 and have been using since I was 12. I just do better smoking. Hell I've struggled with every chemical but weed has never hurt me like the others

Same on the hill, here, but a lot older.

Er3 said:

I used it to get off a 13 year methadone habit 100mg a day. It worked. That was 5 years ago. Doesn't help like it did. I've also was clean for years but always had weed on my head. I'm 53 and have been using since I was 12. I just do better smoking. Hell I've struggled with every chemical but weed has never hurt me like the others

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Yes this plant I believe truly is a blessing and can be great medicine. It has never done me wrong either to be honest and helped me overcome anger issues when I was younger. I'm glad you were able to become clean, I lost my older brother to fentanyl 2 years ago, I admire anyone who is able to break that habit of addiction

I'm curious what else you have going on in your life if you feel like sharing.

You say the plant makes up much of your identity. Why is that? Do you have other hobbies you enjoy? Is your occupation satisfying?

I'm wondering if this is more a case of you not having enough else going on in your life to feel fulfilled so, while I think taking a break is fine, I'm concerned that you'll still feel a void even if you quit.

Quit. Sounds like she's left you already. Now what? Well...there are a lot of bad things happening in the world. Perhaps you could use your too much money problem to help somewhere. They say that helping others is the way to help yourself. And you will have extra time, money, and energy to do something else. Perhaps your new personality could be the guy paying for the stuff needed to help other people out.

Very intuitive of you, yeah you're correct, there's more going on than just me smoking all the time. I'm currently about to start my new career. My old career I was working 7+ days in a row before a day off, and often got called in on my one day off. It became too much and I burnt out, I stopped going to the gym, I stopped cooking meals for myself and hanging out with friends and family. So I made sure to give myself 2 weeks of a break in between my new job. It allowed me to really sit down and think what I wanted out of life and reflect. And well here I am, it made me realize I eventually began using weed as a crutch and I'm not sure I'm cool with that

Dreaming1 said:

Quit. Sounds like she's left you already. Now what? Well...there are a lot of bad things happening in the world. Perhaps you could use your too much money problem to help somewhere. They say that helping others is the way to help yourself. And you will have extra time, money, and energy to do something else. Perhaps your new personality could be the guy paying for the stuff needed to help other people out.

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Oops, I just realized it may have came off like I have plenty of money the way I worded it. I just meant it's not so much the issue of paying for bud and wasting money, since you know I grow my own, and meant I gave my weed away to friends for free

Dreaming1 said:

Quit. Sounds like she's left you already. Now what? Well...there are a lot of bad things happening in the world. Perhaps you could use your too much money problem to help somewhere. They say that helping others is the way to help yourself. And you will have extra time, money, and energy to do something else. Perhaps your new personality could be the guy paying for the stuff needed to help other people out.

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But I agree, that does sound fulfilling being in a position to help others. Unfortunately I'm just getting by like most people now a days

Dank Budz said:

But I agree, that does sound fulfilling being in a position to help others. Unfortunately I'm just getting by like most people now a days

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Amen. I was cheering for you. I give away some extra too. Seems like an energy exchange that helps everyone. Good luck with whatever you do.

Dank Budz said:

Very intuitive of you, yeah you're correct, there's more going on than just me smoking all the time. I'm currently about to start my new career. My old career I was working 7+ days in a row before a day off, and often got called in on my one day off. It became too much and I burnt out, I stopped going to the gym, I stopped cooking meals for myself and hanging out with friends and family. So I made sure to give myself 2 weeks of a break in between my new job. It allowed me to really sit down and think what I wanted out of life and reflect. And well here I am, it made me realize I eventually began using weed as a crutch and I'm not sure I'm cool with that

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I'm no doctor but it sounds kinda like depression. Or maybe you're tripping out a bit since you barely ever got a day off and was busy all the time, and for the last couple weeks you haven't been doing anything? I don't know. Nothing wrong with taking a break. I took a long one after my second trip to rehab when I was 17. Quit everything for like 6 years. It was actually really good for me.

Dank Budz said:

Hey everyone wasn't really sure where to post this, but I've been having some internal struggles. Lately (the last month or two) weed hasn't been doing anything for me. I've been a heavy user since I was 19 or 20, while taking breaks in between (5 months longest) I'm 31 now. Has nothing to do with money issues, as I have more than I'll ever know what to do with and give it away to friends. I've come to realize I've been abusing this beautiful gift of a plant. My problem is, I realized so much of my identity revolves around this plant. That I'm not sure even who I really am without it anymore it's been so long. My go to is usually oh, I'll just dry out for a month or two then back to business as usual. But feels different this time. I finally feel ready to move on. No idea what I was expecting to get out of this post or why I'm even writing it, maybe just wanted to vent to fellow stoners, have a happy Sunday y'all!

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Way to go, takes some balls to put yourself out there like this. I've been right where you are...I'm not exactly sure I'm not their now. I started smoking daily as freshman in college and here I am past 40 and still at it daily.

I understand what you mean when you say you don't know who you would be without it. I'm right there with you. Hope you find what your looking for.

PadawanWarrior said:

I'm no doctor but it sounds kinda like depression. Or maybe you're tripping out a bit since you barely ever got a day off and was busy all the time, and for the last couple weeks you haven't been doing anything? I don't know. Nothing wrong with taking a break. I took a long one after my second trip to rehab when I was 17. Quit everything for like 6 years. It was actually really good for me.

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PadawanWarrior said:

I'm no doctor but it sounds kinda like depression. Or maybe you're tripping out a bit since you barely ever got a day off and was busy all the time, and for the last couple weeks you haven't been doing anything? I don't know. Nothing wrong with taking a break. I took a long one after my second trip to rehab when I was 17. Quit everything for like 6 years. It was actually really good for me.

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I went to rehab and quite everything for 5 years as well. Was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was into stuff a lot harder than cannabis. That was was 9 yrs ago. To this day it's only weed for me.

Nice batch of candid posts here. I started waay back in '67, but never really got
the real shit until the next year. And then I was off and running until the 90s. Drank
too much too, so I quit it all for 25 years, then back to cannabis about 5 years ago.
I don't regret going back now, it's legal, prob is it does become a bit life-consuming.
But i'm so old wtf else am i gonna do. I really like this board. Great, and exceptional
members here. Some aholes too, i've found out already, but that's par for the course.

About quitting, this is kind of an aside. I used to puff away daily, then either run out, or
just get bored with it. Stop for 2 weeks, a month or so, and first thing i'd notice after
doing it daily and quitting is i'd get kinda moody, grouchy for a week or so, then i'd
be fine. Then one day at a bud's house, he handed me a joint, so i did it, and invented
an automatic screw gun right then and there. That was when i realized that somehow,
some weird, unexpected way, the damn stuff inspired such imaginings. I'd really had no
idea it'd do that until then. So i looked for in years since then, and yup, it does. If I lay off
of it for a couple weeks, and then do it, i'd get much better highs, more imaginative highs,
laugh more, have more fun on it, until i'd get back into the daily routine of smoking it.
Then, it was kind of humdrum, no big deal, yianno? Anyhow this isn't really relevant to
your topic.

For you, if you want to quit, fine, then, who needs it if not for medical use. If God wanted us
to be high, He'd have arranged that somehow, and i don't really believe in being intoxicated,
i just like it, so i'm doing it again, that, plus it's legal now, so hey, hell yeah. I always liked it.
And like Rurumo said:

Rurumo said:

Better to be a raging pothead than a small time alcoholic

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Since i have been both, I liked that post. That's a great sig for somebody.

Blah, blah blabbity blah, etc.

I've used pot for over 50 years and now it's more out of necessity than a desire to be buzzed. I've use it for chronic depression for 20 years then after prostate issues came up I'm using it for that now and possibly MS. My first MRI 4 years ago showed it had grown to 60cc and was causing some issues then 18 months later it was 75cc. 4 months before my 3rd scan I started taking a small dose of RSO nightly to see if that helped and damn if it didn't shrink down to 55cc. My urologist was blown away. Said he'd never seen that without pharma drugs. Next scan is early Dec in a much higher resolution machine I have to drive 6 hours to Edmonton to get so hoping to see even more shrinkage. Things are working fine down there.

Since a tentative diagnosis of MS a few months ago I'm getting a brain MRI in a couple weeks so have been doing some research. Seems that cannabis can help slow progression so I'm gradually upping my RSO dosage and as soon as I can get my next big batch made will be sending it to a lab for some real numbers. The freezer is half full of pot and I still have 4 plants from my outdoor grow this summer hanging down in the basement. Got pollinated by a hemp farm down the road and are full of seeds so haven't been inclined to get them trimmed up. all indoors for me now and even they won't be safe in the spring and summer when hemp is spewing pollen in the local air so no flowering then.

I've been growing my own since '78 with lots of breaks but daily since early '01 and still like the growing part but with my arthritis I hate trimming with a passion. I could cut my growing down to 1/4 but have friends in worse shape than me that need it and can't afford gov't pot. Just lost a good lady friend to breast cancer and looking like my buddy near by is not long for this world from prostate cancer. Between the two of then I gave them 80cc of RSO. He has not been using it near enough but now that the doctors have nothing else they can do for him he wants to try using it properly and at higher doses. She used lots as her hubby grew pot and made lots for her but she refused the mastectomy and other treatments offered so her doc dropped her as a difficult patient until it was too late. I have faith in the plant but I would never tell someone to not accept treatments that had some success and that's getting better all the time.

I have to be careful not to get dropped by my urologist myself as he's the only one north of Edmonton tho still 2 hours away in GP. He's been bugging me to get a biopsy but I'm not agreeing to that unless this next scan shows something amiss. Nothing but enlargement in the first 3 and with the odds being over 75% that a man my age, (6, already has prostate cancer but will die from something else before the cancer even hurts him the biopsy can wait. Nothing good comes out of those unless it is an aggressive cancer caught early and mine is not showing that way so far. If it was aggressive and life-threatening it would have blown up between the first and third scans for sure. My PSA would be thru the roof too and it's been hovering between 12 - 14 since the last test so I need to call and get another in a month.

I got some 'shrooms 2 years ago to try micro-dosing and they seem to have cleared up my depression then took away any desire for alcohol so I've been sober 17 months to the day now. Been a boozer since my early teens and how it didn't kill me or someone else in all that time I'll never know but sure feel blessed it didn't.

Pot has it's place and even people who just use it for getting high most probably have underlying reasons that make them want it. The safest choice out there for self medicating in my opinion but can also be a crutch. The hard part is finding the root of the problem most times.

Some will feel threatened when others quit.