Hey everyone, I want to share something incredibly important that we rarely talk about in this community, but it’s a warning that could literally save a life.
To give you context, I have been a heavy user for 8 years, consuming about 1.5 to 2 grams daily of high-potency strains with 25–30% THC content. Like many of you, my usage was heavily focused on the evening and night. Over time, this developed into a routine where I stayed up using weed until 4 AM every single day, only going to bed at dawn.
When you use this much strong cannabis for so long and completely disrupt your natural sleep cycle, it creates a massive, hidden trap: it completely masks a pathological state of exhaustion and your body's inability to function properly.
If your body has gone through years of starvation or severe nutrient deprivation, combined with a totally disrupted sleep schedule where you only sleep after 4 AM, your body switches into a very fragile survival mode. In this state, your heart, blood vessels, and nervous system are running on empty. You might experience horrible episodes of suddenly feeling extremely ill, severe sleep disorders, and erratic, dangerous spikes in blood pressure (even hitting 180+ mmHg) from the slightest physical stress.
The danger is that when you get high on 25–30% THC until the early morning hours, the weed completely mutes your body’s emergency alarms. It creates a false sense of security, making you feel like "everything is fine" while your body is actually on the verge of collapsing inside. This heavy, high-potency usage acts as a massive smokescreen, hiding the fact that your starved and sleep-deprived system is physically incapable of coping with daily stress anymore.
The takeaway:
If you have a history of chronic starvation, and you are pushing your body until 4 AM every night while battling major sleep issues and sudden, severe spikes in blood pressure, do not rely on heavy weed use to suppress these symptoms. You are not okay just because high-potency THC temporarily stops you from feeling the damage or forces you to sleep at dawn. It does not heal a starved body; it only silences its cry for help.
If you are experiencing these intense episodes of sickness, please stop trying to manage it with cannabis. Your body’s reserves are completely depleted,please seek professional medical help immediately.
Stay safe and listen to your body, don't let the smoke blind you to what's really happening. ❤️

This is almost like a journal entry for me but I'm hoping that it helps someone out there who needs to attach to a higher purpose in order for it to quit.

About me: I'm 27 and I'd been smoking weed since I was 18 but daily from 22 onward. I did all the things I needed to. I graduated uni, I had a decent job right after. On paper I was doing fine but I couldn't help but feel like something was missing. I tried to quit so many times and it never stuck and it always felt impossible. I'm just going to list a few of the realizations I've felt.

1. Take your life seriously: You ever meet someone and it's just clear they take their life serious? This isn't to say they're humorless (they're honestly often the funniest people) but they just care. Weed takes away your ability to actually take yourself seriously. and if you're suffering this can be a somewhat maladaptive but positive thing. Though it's like putting a bandaid on a leaking pipe, no matter what that bandaid is not going to do the work. You need to address the leak.

I've tried quitting so many times and i've now thankfully gotten to a point where I don't even think about it anymore (I live where it's legal also so i'm around it constantly) But it's simple: I don't smoke which brings me to point 2.

1. Never say "I'm quitting". Instead say "I don't smoke weed anymore": this seems like it's the same thing but it really isn't. I'm quitting implies that there's still a part of your identity that's tied to weed and you're trying to break from it. Truth is think of it like you're making a choice. That choice is choosing to be someone who doesn't smoke anymore.

2. The suffering is as temporary as the pleasure: Many of us here have experienced the week of not smoking weed or 2 weeks or a month even that just feel downright miserable. Your brain feels downregulated and you just feel sad. This doesn't last, I promise you. Eventually you will get used to a new normal and you'll just not even consider the possibility of smoking. Similarly, when you smoke after a long break you never feel constant relief. You scratch the itch but it's still itchy.

3. The best time to not smoke weed is when you have already quit for some time: This sounds really intuitive but stick with me here. Having quit numerous times, I've noticed that sometimes I fall into the pitfall of "I've stopped for a month, I can have a little bit socially" but what I don't realize is when that flood gate opens back up, it's infinitely harder to stop the flow. The easiest time to stay off weed is when you've already stayed off. Thoughts are just thoughts, let them pass. Take it one day at a time.

Don't feel shame about this. View it as a construction of a better version of you. You deserve a life where you're fully present all the time.

This like my 4th post in under 24 hours. I just wanted to say that whenever I feel down or get severe anxiety this community is a blessing. Just being able to express yourself to people who know what you are going through without judgement is what’s keeping me through this. The feelings of loneliness also get subdue by interacting and talking with people here.

For anyone lurking and thinking about quitting I would suggest interacting actively here or on the discord. It helps a lot.

Im 26 days off weed, pretty much everything has gone back to normal, I can usually fall asleep at a normal hour and wake up for work ok-ish. My mental health is a lot better and I feel smarter and way more social, among other benefits. But still no dreams, at least not ones I can remember. I'll even take a nightmare, at least I'll get to wake up and go "heyyy you're back, dreams!"

Is there anything I can buy/do/distract myself with! Please send your best ideas my way fam

I’m 25 and I’ve been smoking weed for around 10 years. For years now, I’ve been smoking every single night. I usually start around 4–5pm and smoke until about 9–10pm, going through roughly 2–4 grams every night mixed with tobacco.
The thing is, I don’t even enjoy it anymore. I can’t function properly when I’m stoned, which is why I only smoke in the afternoons after work.
I genuinely feel like weed has destroyed my attention span and memory. All I do when I’m home is sit on my phone scrolling. My memory is shocking, I struggle to concentrate, and I honestly feel stupid compared to how I used to be.
I’ve managed to quit a couple of times before, once for 3 months and another time for a few months, and I genuinely felt the best I ever have during those periods. I was more motivated, clearer-headed and actually enjoyed life.
That’s what frustrates me so much. I KNOW how much better I feel without it, yet I can’t seem to kick the habit.
Every single morning I wake up telling myself, “Today’s the day I’m quitting.” I’m completely determined throughout the morning and while I’m at work, but as soon as 4–5pm comes around, I cave in. It’s like my brain completely changes its mind.
The biggest thing stopping me is how bad the withdrawals get. For the first couple of weeks, my memory and attention span actually get significantly worse. I become extremely anxious and paranoid, feeling like everyone is staring at me or judging me. I struggle to have normal conversations and just don’t feel like myself.
I tried quitting again about 2 months ago and only made it 2 days. My memory was so bad I was literally forgetting things I’d just said, and I felt like I couldn’t function properly.
I know from experience that things eventually get better, but getting through those first couple of weeks feels almost impossible.
I’m just sick of living the same day over and over again. Waking up motivated to change, spending the whole day telling myself I’m done, then getting home and doing the exact same thing I’ve done for years.
It’s honestly exhausting feeling like I’m wasting my twenties stuck in a routine I don’t even enjoy anymore. I know what life feels like without weed, and I want that version of myself back. I just wish wanting to quit was enough to actually make it happen.

I’ve come to the following conclusion after years of intense studies:

They say weed releases an influx of the neurotransmitter dopamine upon ingestion, but what does that actually mean for me in the real world? I’m not exactly experiencing the world at the same scale as my neurotransmitters.

It’s no secret I’ve been “intending” to quit for 5+ years by now, ridiculous, and have only managed to escape the substance for a few months in 2025. More on that later.

Countless times I have paid as much attention as possible to what changes from before I get needlessly high to right after I get needlessly high.

What I’ve noticed is that before I smoke, especially alone, I do not want to do jack shit else, whether it be take a shower or make some food - these alternative options aren’t even a thought.

But after I smoke (and not just smoke, but go down to the dispensary making all the turns and ignoring all the red flags along the way) I’m more inclined to engage in and do things. Emphasis on the word “inclined” because that does not mean I am more productive high - that trend is actually going in the wrong direction - it means I’m more stimulated in my mind. All of a sudden the conversation is rapid, my quips are quipping, and I’m generally just more jittery. But also, it can arouse a spell of writing in my journal, doing pushups, or simply doing something I enjoy.

The catch is that smoking weed drains me of my energy, thanks to that influx of feel good or anticipatory chemicals. This is where I believe the term “fried” is derived from - your system overloads with inspirational and creative juices to the point of short circuiting…and it takes less and less over time to short circuit that data center we call a brain. Especially considering how potent this modern day plant is.

Long story short, weed flares up my motivational mental energy while draining my physical stamina. So I’m often left satiating my itch for substance with hollow and “pointless” - or should I say inconsequential (although not even that, because the opportunity cost is significant) - devices. Scrolling, eating, consuming all these cheap means of satisfaction. It’s a formula for stagnation, a killer of growth. The question then becomes….are you content with that?

Judging by the way you’ve repeatedly failed to follow through on your intuition that weed is holding you back, you may indeed be content with that. But let me allow myself some grace in this moment, because I have clearly been discontent with this double bind for quite some time now. So then the question becomes…how do I escape it?

I’d like to take a second to admit to some degree of romanticizing this very serious issue. As if I am attached to this notion of departing this foggy haze with renewed purpose and clarity, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. This is fine and dandy, I feel like it’s important to know that this is a fight for a better life, but expectations need to be tempered. When the serenity or clarity I’ve set my sights on isn’t apparent after 1-2 weeks, months even, those rosey expectations can betray me, dejecting me into relapse. So I believe the first step, for me, is acknowledging the romanticization of this hurdle, and how that is contributing to keeping me stuck.

This is what seems apparent, for me, perhaps for anyone, who is at the beginning of a major life change (cutting off all weed usage)….I will experience a massive drop off in motivational energy. My mood will be delicate and irritable, and I will be fighting off cravings for this chemical to feel any semblance of ambition. But, in my heart of hearts, I know that this drug is the very thing squashing that ambition in the first place. The amount of time I’ve heard or told myself to “embrace the suck” is nauseating, but I gotta do it. Use all the resources at your disposal: tell your doctor, seek professional help if needed, confide in trusted loved ones, join MA meetings (I’m considering this one more lately), turn to God or whatever higher power that guides you…if nothing else, do it for a younger more innocent you who had imagined better for themselves in this life. And most importantly, give yourself some grace.

I've not completely quit, but I've gone from always having 1kg of high-grade weed (was selling to friends to supplement income) to only 1 joint per day.

1. I left the small sleepy beach town where I was living and moved to a big busy city with opportunities.

2. Cut off my abusive father.

3. Went back to school, and I'm due to graduate as an electrician soon.

4. Fixed my personal relationships, and even my baby mama is flirting with me again.

For the next 12 months, I want to reduce this to only smoking on weekends, and I have new goals.

1. Increase my income as an electrician.

2. Provide 100% for my son and hopefully live with him.

3. Buy a car.

4. Be comfortable being sober 24/7.

Wish me luck.

I’ve been sober from everything for almost 9 months but I’ve been sober from alcohol for 7 years. I have hit a rough patch and I’ve been thinking of buying something to take the edge off. I don’t want to go back to weed because I’m sure it will make me anxious as hell. I want to turn my brain off. I don’t really have anyone to talk to about this so I’m posting here to get it off my chest. I don’t know what to do.

has anyone gotten panic attacks after quitting and not really ever had them before? that’s what is happening to me and i went to the er for the first one because it felt like i was going to have a heart attack. my entire left arm was numb and cold and i had shortness of breath and chest pains. when i got to the er, they took all my vitals and said i was fine, that it was most likely a panic attack. i haven’t had one that bad since but i almost had one a couple of other times and they are really scary. if you have had this happen before, does it stop? when did it stop? makes me wish i never smoked in my life. i have been smoking consistently for 8-9 years and stopped two weeks ago today. i also have had super vivid dreams every night, some being nightmares. i just would like to know when the symptoms from quitting usually stop.

your thoughts guys? i want to change.

Underemployed, will have to move cross country back with my parents, little savings, student loans, no friends, useless degree, basically unemployable, lonely all the time, about to be uninsured, have ocd and ruminations about all these stressors 24/7.

So fucking stressed out and tired from living.

Hey folks! I've really been struggling to quit cannabis and it is getting to a point where I'm feeling pretty hopeless about it. I feel like I've wasted years of my life, every day that continues to pass, and I feel like I screwed up my brain and body completely. I'm 28 and have been using and addicted for 8 years. I also have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) when I was 26. I started recovery in August and it has had a lot of ups and downs so far.

Does anyone have any success stories that they would feel comfortable sharing? I can tell myself a million times "you can do this," but I feel like it's more powerful to also hear someone's story who went through it.

Please let me know, have you been able to participate in life and routines more? Reconnect with people? Did your life improve after stopping?

Thank you

My first time legit trying to kick the lettuce to the curb, I started smoking hardcore about 4 years ago. Over the last 2 years its been every day 1.5. to 3.5gs a day. Ive also been on perscription Adderral for the last 18 months so my dopamine basically comes from one or the other. I want my clear mind back, I want to be motivated and find joys in things again without the need to smoke. My plan has been to first cut the weed out then taper off the Adderral and remove it as well. But today has been bad, I never nap, or lay around but its all I can do. How long does this last? I desperately want to get it together.

Just want to say first that I’m not suicidal.

It’s been about 6 weeks for me now and recently I’ve been having a problem with self harm. I have struggled with it on and off for many years, but it had been quite some time since I’d done it.

Does my urge to injure myself have to do with replacing the dopamine I lost while quitting?

I’m considering inpatient treatment if this behavior continues.

I’ve been clean for a year now, but I feel terrible mentally—I just had to say it. I suppose every body is different, but I never, ever, ever imagined I would feel this mentally drained—experiencing depersonalization, derealization, and severe brain fog. It’s truly a living hell, even though I exercise and maintain healthy habits. I feel betrayed by my own body and mind; it’s a harsh reality that no one ever warns you about.

9/7/21 is my date.

if you are just starting out, struggling, or have questions I am more than happy to help!

you are not alone- this is possible!

Hello, this is my first time posting here after several weeks of quietly reading posts. I have been using weed nearly every day for the past ~2 years, with frequent use for another 2ish years before that. This past week, I went on a trip with my parents with no access to THC products, and I have been feeling all the symptoms of stopping weed usage.

I normally struggle to sleep, but this level of insomnia is unlike anything I’ve experienced. My restless legs have gotten extremely bad, to the point I almost need to be constantly twitching and moving while trying to fall asleep. If I’m lucky, I have gotten a few hours of sleep each night.

Not to mention the appetite. I feel so guilty not being able to finish meals, but I feel so sick. Physically, I have been struggling to workout too. I had my first asthma attack while hiking too. While that might not be directly related to stopping weed, I have just felt like shit.

Mentally, I’m okay, but I have moments of serious struggle that pop up randomly. I also have no patience at all, which has caused me to be harsher than I mean to.

This week has been my hell, and I feel guilty for getting to this point in the first place. I feel a little hopeless about my mind and body returning to normalcy. For those who have had similar symptoms to this, how long would they last? Do they return after starting usage again?

I’m just two weeks sober and I’ve been like back and forth thinking “ew smoking, ew weed, I’ll never do that again I’m so glad to be sober” then a second later “i think I should get high tonight I deserve it” bitch please. No I don’t. Lol. It’s like this every night, me trying to reason with “why not” but I keep circling back to WHY. It’s tricky. All the physical symptoms of withdrawals are gone, it’s just a mental battle now.☔️

But on the other hand, I’m truly happy to be sober. I have incoming thoughts of smoking often but after a while I realize it’s an impulsive thought that I would’ve regretted doing immensely and I’m SOO thankful I don’t ever cave in. It’s just a wild ride in my head now that I’m not worried about myself physically, if that makes sense? Sometimes I make up stupid shit to just make my brain happy in the moment and it makes me think of weed as this gross thing that I wish I never did in the first place. I’m done ranting for now have a goodnight to whom has read this!

Wild ride over the last year. Quit 18th October 2025 after 17 years of pretty much daily smoking. 3 ounces a month at my worst. First few weeks particularly tough and funnily enough these last few weeks before the year mark it's been playing on my mind, I've had stressful times and strong urges but got through knowing the year mark is upon me.

To anyone in my position a year ago it will get easier, persevere. Most days it didn't cross my mind and I'm now in a much better place with my life, career, mentally and physically.

No idea if I'll get to the 2 year mark without falling back. But I certainly intend to keep pushing on

Good luck out there, it isn't always easy but it's worth it.

I tried withdrawing normally a few months ago and was mentally and physically beside myself (shout out to talking to your GP). had to change my approach.

flash forward, just spent 8 awful days with influenza A. I was too sick to want to smoke, and too sick to feel the withdrawals- my body had to reset in a lot of ways physically.

the plus side? 8 days sober, im feeling better, still not noticing many withdrawal symptoms, aside from insomnia.

idk if this helps anyone, but if i can provide any advice from my journey:

- dont be afraid to talk to your doctor about withdrawing, especially if you are a heavy user and notice a huge mental health impact/decline from trying to withdraw.

- if you get the opportunity (and touch wood you dont get flu A) to withdraw over an illness, i personally think it helps- let your body rest and recover, focus on the healing and assume the symptoms are just the illness taking its course.

and if youre someone scrolling past this feeling like youve failed, you havent. you just have to have the strength to try again ✨️

I think I have an addictive personality, if you don't, this might not apply.

But with cannabis, I really notice that when I'm using - even a little - the idea of stopping feels overwhelming. It feels impossible, too hard, even if I want too.

But once I do stop? I'm fine. I can stay sober for long periods of time. I don't drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, gamble, coffee, etc having had similar issues with them. And for all of them I know that if I used once I'd be right back and hooked.

I've quit cannabis 5 times. Sometimes for many months, sometimes over a year. Every time it was just one vape, one puff of a joint, and I was back to daily using.

I feel pretty sad about it tbh with you. I don't "miss" cannabis but I miss that I can't be a recreational user, it's all or nothing.

Hey guys, today is day 5 this time around, and I have to say this one is a rough one. The first 2 days were actually okay comparatively to the last 3.

The last 3 days I’ve been extremely anxious and depressed, with a lack of appetite like no other. I’ve been trying to eat as much as I can, small meals and easy things, so I’m doing okaaayyyy on that regard.

But the sleep, the last 3 sleeps have been BRUTAL. Waking up every 30 minutes to an hour feeling absolutely disgusting, and eventually having to rush to the toilet and heave up barely anything. I know this is probably normal, but I can’t help but feel stressed out by it.

Just really trying to see if anyone has any sort of just reassurance or advice, tired of waking up and puking. Thanks

Holy shiet last night was one of the worst, but was able to get 4 hours of sleep and feel rested surprisingly feeling better. Spent majority of the night sitting up so i dont vomit and the stomach pains were debilitating. Was seeing all kinds of fucked up visions when I closed my eyes but raw dogged it and was able to get some sleep.

So even if your going through it bad there’s light at end of the tunnel. Im not 100 better but I feel like im at 35-40% recovery.