As Promised
I quit smoking dope about 4 weeks ago (it was exactly 4 weeks yesterday) and as I promised, I'm writing an update on how things are going.
Sleep
At first I had some bad dreams and some trouble sleeping. It still is somewhat harder to get to sleep, but I seem to be sleeping fine now. The only real difference in sleeping is that I remember a lot of my dreams whereas before I didn't really remember many. So I spend longer in the shower now asking myself questions like, "what the hell was THAT all about?"
Productivity
Although you might hear a lot about decreased productivity due to marijuana use, or the mystery "Firestone Study", in fact it doesn't exist. Much of the hype that one hears about marijuana use is just that. I can't find any information that shows any link to lost productivity due to marijuana use, although those who are in prison for it certainly count.
Personally, I don't seem to be any more productive at work or on my blog since I quit. Am I surprised? No, not really. Am I disappointed? A bit. I guess I was hoping that I would be full of energy and motivation, but actually, I am doing exactly what I was doing before, just without the weed.
Mood
I haven't suffered from any mood swings, good or bad. I feel somewhat more peaceful, but I am lacking those moments of excitement that I would get when I was high. Essentially, I'm bored. I feel like an adult now, and it is about as boring as I always thought it would be: very. I've suffered from depression off and on my whole life, and I haven't slipped into one since I quit. I suppose it could happen, but I don't think pot has anything to do with it.
Health
I haven't been sick since last Christmas, but since I quit I feel like I'm fighting something. I may be on my way to a cold, but I usually get one about this time of year anyway so who knows. I hope I don't get sick. I hate being sick.
Withdrawls
Ha! That's funny! Withdrawls. Anyone who thinks they are having withdrawls from pot has never been addicted to anything hard. When I quit doing speed, now that was what I would call withdrawls: 14 hours sleep per day, violent mood swings, delirium. The only thing that has been tough is that I always smoked with tobacco so now I find myself wanting cigarettes. If I'm out having beers with my friends and everyone is smoking, I usually endulge. I really shouldn't but it sure is easy to justify.
Conclusion
Basically, I don't find anything noticably different other than a lack of feeling high, which I really enjoyed. However, something tells me this was the right thing to do. My wife says it is nice when she doesn't have to wait 10 seconds for me to answer her, and things do seem to be less complicated, but really quite boring. I guess this is how it is for "normal" people.
Quitting is easy once you make the decision. It is making the decision that is hard.I still have pot in my house, but I'm not tempted to smoke it. I'll give it away the next time a friend who smokes comes over. The idea that you have to change your friends and start fresh and all that stuff is just silly. If you don't want to smoke pot, just don't smoke it. It works for me.
Sleep
At first I had some bad dreams and some trouble sleeping. It still is somewhat harder to get to sleep, but I seem to be sleeping fine now. The only real difference in sleeping is that I remember a lot of my dreams whereas before I didn't really remember many. So I spend longer in the shower now asking myself questions like, "what the hell was THAT all about?"
Productivity
Although you might hear a lot about decreased productivity due to marijuana use, or the mystery "Firestone Study", in fact it doesn't exist. Much of the hype that one hears about marijuana use is just that. I can't find any information that shows any link to lost productivity due to marijuana use, although those who are in prison for it certainly count.
Personally, I don't seem to be any more productive at work or on my blog since I quit. Am I surprised? No, not really. Am I disappointed? A bit. I guess I was hoping that I would be full of energy and motivation, but actually, I am doing exactly what I was doing before, just without the weed.
Mood
I haven't suffered from any mood swings, good or bad. I feel somewhat more peaceful, but I am lacking those moments of excitement that I would get when I was high. Essentially, I'm bored. I feel like an adult now, and it is about as boring as I always thought it would be: very. I've suffered from depression off and on my whole life, and I haven't slipped into one since I quit. I suppose it could happen, but I don't think pot has anything to do with it.
Health
I haven't been sick since last Christmas, but since I quit I feel like I'm fighting something. I may be on my way to a cold, but I usually get one about this time of year anyway so who knows. I hope I don't get sick. I hate being sick.
Withdrawls
Ha! That's funny! Withdrawls. Anyone who thinks they are having withdrawls from pot has never been addicted to anything hard. When I quit doing speed, now that was what I would call withdrawls: 14 hours sleep per day, violent mood swings, delirium. The only thing that has been tough is that I always smoked with tobacco so now I find myself wanting cigarettes. If I'm out having beers with my friends and everyone is smoking, I usually endulge. I really shouldn't but it sure is easy to justify.
Conclusion
Basically, I don't find anything noticably different other than a lack of feeling high, which I really enjoyed. However, something tells me this was the right thing to do. My wife says it is nice when she doesn't have to wait 10 seconds for me to answer her, and things do seem to be less complicated, but really quite boring. I guess this is how it is for "normal" people.
Quitting is easy once you make the decision. It is making the decision that is hard.I still have pot in my house, but I'm not tempted to smoke it. I'll give it away the next time a friend who smokes comes over. The idea that you have to change your friends and start fresh and all that stuff is just silly. If you don't want to smoke pot, just don't smoke it. It works for me.
posted by Praguetwin at
5:40 PM
16 Comments:
PT, I still have trouble picturing you as a typical pot smoker. Most are just plain bloody boring.
Before - after you never quite matched the image.
By
Cartledge, at 9:03 AM
Thanks C,
I have to admit, I have know some boring pot smokers. It does make things a bit more difficult and I think the weak minded sometimes fall into the apathy trap with it.
Having said that, some of the most interesting people I know are big smokers. The crowd that sneaks off to the bushes at weddings has always been the most fun in my experience.
By
Praguetwin, at 9:49 AM
PT,
Congratulations!!!
My brother quit smoking dope three times. Okay, so for the first two times he told our parents he was quitting, and he told me the truth...he was merely cutting back. However, now he's been completely quit for a year.
While his study habits have not improved (doing a Senior level architecture project that you've got two weeks to do on the night before its due by going without sleep to get it done...not a good idea), but his concentration and retention have definitely improved. He's actually going to be able to move on to Graduate school, which is necessary to become a working architect in the states. Due, in part, to the pot, it's taken him a long time to get here, but I'm very proud that he has gotten there.
You said, "The idea that you have to change your friends and start fresh and all that stuff is just silly."
For pot I will agree with you, as well as the easier "withdrawals." Quitting tobacco was harder for my brother than weed, and though I never smoked weed habitually, I still smoke cigarettes despite several years of trying to quit (I do actually get depressed as soon as I quit, and my doctor has verified the connection.) However, in order to quit acid and some of the other harder drugs he was messing with, he did have to change his circle of friends, and moved two states away to do it. My uncle also had to make such a dramatic step. So, it depends on the drug and the people involved, I guess.
Again, congratulations. And, I truly hope you find a way to take a break from that whole "adulthood" thing once in a while; it truly is a drag. I've never been normal, but I can attest to the fact that there's ways to break free of it without outside chemicals.
By
Mark, at 10:15 AM
Thanks Stephanie,
I guess the point I always try to make is that pot is not a hard drug that requires moving two states away or therapy to quit. Sure, it can be hard to quit, but I find it hard to quit biting my nails.
Pot is not an addictive drug in the true sense. Habit forming, perhaps for some.
I smoked in college and never had a problem retaining information. I guess it affects everyone differently. Maybe in a few months I will notice a difference.
And as to breaking away from the adult world, I don't know. Like I told my wife, I guess I'm going to have to find some new hobbies.
By
Praguetwin, at 2:54 PM
PT
How about “shooting” for a new hobby? Here is one of my favorite Thomas Jefferson quotes:
“A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind.”
By
Anonymous, at 3:09 PM
PT
How about “shooting” for a new hobby? Here is one of my favorite Thomas Jefferson quotes:
“A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind.”
By
Anonymous, at 3:09 PM
Finding hobbies is definitely important. Making sure they are something you genuinely enjoy and have fun at is even more important. My husband's "hobby" is video games. It's not the same kind of hobby most people have, but he enjoys it and it relieves stress. That's what's important. And if it means he's not a "grown-up," so what...he's still very much a man.
By
Mark, at 3:17 PM
Productivity:
You referenced the wrong study. You should have read the Firesign Theater Study which documented the phenonmena of how can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?
All hail Marx and Lennon.
By
Anonymous, at 6:38 PM
Arch,
Actually I probably will. I'm going on a quest soon to see what it takes to get a gun in this country anyway.
Stephanie,
He sounds like a man-child. Just like me.
Loopy,
I had to check them out. Funny stuff. Thanks for the tip.
By
Praguetwin, at 11:58 PM
Good job and good luck for the future. Your report sounds like the straight dope to me.
By
Roger Fraley, at 3:22 PM
I used to have the same experience with pot and not remembering dreams. It always seemed so ironic -- when I was stoned I felt really intuitive and perceptive, and yet I never remembered any dreams the next morning. If I was roaring drunk, as oblivious as a brick wall, I'd sometimes have these 3-dimensional living color dreams that I'd remember really clearly the next morning. Go figure.
By
Anonymous, at 6:25 AM
Thanks Roger. Nice one.
Tom,
At the risk of sounding like a stoner... Dude! Exactly!
If I drink too much, I end up waking up early in the morning because of really intense dreams which stay with me all day even if the events of the night before are fuzzy.
When I smoked, I could remember exactly what happened the night before, but the dreams were a distant mememory.
Ironic.... but life is that.
By
Praguetwin, at 1:30 PM
PT
I would like to help you in this endeavor in any way that I can. Please let me know what I can do for you.
By
Anonymous, at 3:28 PM
Welcome - to the real world. Have a seat. :)
Smoke is deleterious to your lungs and body anyway.
By
Anonymous, at 10:12 AM
Arch,
Endeavor? Sheesh, you make it seem so dramatic. I'm fine, really, but thanks. I guess I thought it would be harder, but really, it isn't tough at all.
Rumunov,
Thanks. And, of course, you are right.
By
Praguetwin, at 12:05 AM
So you have procured a firearm and are proficient in its use?
By
Anonymous, at 3:00 PM
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