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Pot Habit

lunasealunasea Registered User regular
edited May 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
Lately, I've noticed that I've been smoking a lot of weed. Like on a daily basis. I've also noticed how its put quite a strain on my finances. The thing is whenever I stop smoking for a extended period, like two or three days, everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable. Keep in mind I get straight A's in school but I don't play any games or do much except smoke weed, talk to friends, and study. So what I'm looking for now is advice from any smokers or ex-smokers on the forums. How do I cut back? and What should I do instead of smoking all the time?

lunasea on

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    FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    How many of your friends smoke pot? Do you live with anybody who smokes pot?
    The easiest way to sabotage an attempt to cut back on [whatever] is to socialize with people who still do [whatever] whether [whatever] is drugs, World of Warcraft, or eating fatty foods.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
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    lunasealunasea Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Wow, thanks for the fast reply. Well the thing is, most of my friends smoke pot. In fact, pretty much everyone in the social circle I'm in now smoke weed. I do have other friends who don't smoke and who I could socialize with, but they're just simply not as interesting or diverse as the pot-smoking ones. I'm not trying to cut weed completely out of my life, just the major portion of it.

    lunasea on
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    JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    What you do is just smoke less weed. You don't have to do a hit EVERY time one is offered. Just pass once in a while. Pass every third time at first. That's 1/3 less pot. 33%.

    JohnnyCache on
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    EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Hang out with your pot friends while sober, and see if they're still as interesting when you're not high.

    EggyToast on
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    ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    When you smoke how do you smoke? I have a lot of friends that seem to only smoke blunts. A blunt is nice I guess but frankly I find it as quite wasteful. Smoke smaller portions and try to use water every time. Sometimes during the semester I find myself smoking too much and my grades slip and I pretty much force myself to only smoke at night when I'm free. It basically boils down to will power to cut back, which is not hard to do. What's this about things becoming unpleasant after a few days of not smoking? That isn't right. May have a bigger problem there.

    Shogun on
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    lunasealunasea Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    The thing is, the kids I'm smoking with now are fiends. That means we smoke out of whatever is available. Be it bongs, water bottles, blunts, or whatever. But I'm definitely going to take Johnny and Shogun's advice, I'm just going to try to force myself to smoke less. If there's a sure-fire way to cut back besides sheer will power, then that'd be nice.

    lunasea on
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    LemmingLemming Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    If you're having trouble stopping, try to stay in places and be with people where you wouldn't smoke. If your parents are home, try and do something in the same room as them, or watch TV or do homework in a public area. Go hang out with friends who don't smoke, as suggested.

    Basically, if you put yourself in situations where you couldn't smoke (at least, you would face consequences or be really uncomfortable doing so), and you won't smoke.

    Lemming on
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    ViolentChemistryViolentChemistry __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    If you're already high, don't smoke. If you're not planning to do anything after you smoke, don't smoke. These are both a tremendous waste of time and weed (ergo money and money).

    ViolentChemistry on
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    Manic205Manic205 Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Focus on stuff that pot can hinder. Games like STALKER and RTS's, games that require concentration and tactics. Or reading; I find reading damn near impossible when I'm high, so find a good book.

    Before my roommate moved in, the only trick I needed to stop smoking was to look at my ATM withdrawals(I use my card for absolutely everything except for pot) and realize whoa that's a bit too much. But it's pretty hard to turn him down when he walks in with a bong in one hand and Smash Bros in the other. I don't really have an answer for you if that's the case; free hash has never been a problem for me.

    It just sounds like you're smoking too much. That feeling you have will go away when you start smoking less frequently. Or it did for me.

    Manic205 on
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    AzioAzio Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    lunasea wrote: »
    Lately, I've noticed that I've been smoking a lot of weed. Like on a daily basis. I've also noticed how its put quite a strain on my finances. The thing is whenever I stop smoking for a extended period, like two or three days, everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable.
    This usually passes after a week or so. Also, 2-3 days is not an "extended period".
    lunasea wrote: »
    The thing is, the kids I'm smoking with now are fiends. That means we smoke out of whatever is available. Be it bongs, water bottles, blunts, or whatever. But I'm definitely going to take Johnny and Shogun's advice, I'm just going to try to force myself to smoke less. If there's a sure-fire way to cut back besides sheer will power, then that'd be nice.
    The thing with smoking pot regularly is it's just that, a habit. It's pretty easy to kick, too. It's not like you get withdrawal, so will-power is pretty much the best way to do it.

    Azio on
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    Smug DucklingSmug Duckling Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Azio wrote: »
    lunasea wrote: »
    The thing is whenever I stop smoking for a extended period, like two or three days, everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable.

    The thing with smoking pot regularly is it's just that, a habit. It's pretty easy to kick, too. It's not like you get withdrawal, so will-power is pretty much the best way to do it.

    Um... "everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable" is basically the definition of withdrawal.

    Smug Duckling on
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    ViolentChemistryViolentChemistry __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    Azio wrote: »
    lunasea wrote: »
    The thing is whenever I stop smoking for a extended period, like two or three days, everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable.

    The thing with smoking pot regularly is it's just that, a habit. It's pretty easy to kick, too. It's not like you get withdrawal, so will-power is pretty much the best way to do it.

    Um... "everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable" is basically the definition of withdrawal.
    Withdrawal, also known as withdrawal syndrome, refers to the characteristic signs and symptoms that appear when a drug that causes physical dependence is regularly used for a long time and then suddenly discontinued or decreased in dosage. The term can also, less formally, refer to symptoms that appear after discontinuing a drug or other substance (unable to cause true physical dependence) that one has become psychologically dependent upon.

    In other words you're only half right and only because enough people don't know what the word actually fucking means that an alternative definition has forced itself into popular lexicon. All he's actually describing is that he's not used to being dead sober anymore. If you go do literally anything interesting, you forget about it completely.

    ViolentChemistry on
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    CrossBusterCrossBuster Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    lunasea wrote: »
    If there's a sure-fire way to cut back besides sheer will power, then that'd be nice.

    I suppose you could have your lungs removed. Failing that, just...stop smoking pot if you think it's becoming a problem.

    CrossBuster on
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    AzioAzio Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Azio wrote: »
    lunasea wrote: »
    The thing is whenever I stop smoking for a extended period, like two or three days, everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable.

    The thing with smoking pot regularly is it's just that, a habit. It's pretty easy to kick, too. It's not like you get withdrawal, so will-power is pretty much the best way to do it.

    Um... "everything just feels unpleasant and uncomfortable" is basically the definition of withdrawal.
    Withdrawal, also known as withdrawal syndrome, refers to the characteristic signs and symptoms that appear when a drug that causes physical dependence is regularly used for a long time and then suddenly discontinued or decreased in dosage. The term can also, less formally, refer to symptoms that appear after discontinuing a drug or other substance (unable to cause true physical dependence) that one has become psychologically dependent upon.

    In other words you're only half right and only because enough people don't know what the word actually fucking means that an alternative definition has forced itself into popular lexicon. All he's actually describing is that he's not used to being dead sober anymore. If you go do literally anything interesting, you forget about it completely.
    I am a near-daily pot smoker, but I could stop tomorrow and would merely "miss Bob" for a couple months before getting over it. My experience with the ganja has not been dissimilar to my experience with World of Warcraft, except much more enjoyable, and somewhat less time-consuming. I will probably kick it when I start school in the fall, but for the time being I see no reason to stop before then. My job is not particularly demanding.

    Azio on
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    FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    lunasea, you just need to find something enjoyable to do that doesn't involve pot. Start working out. Buy a 360. Learn an instrument. Masturbate 12 times a day. Could be anything, as long as it occupies your brain.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
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    DirtchamberDirtchamber Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    I make sure to ration my weed usage on a semi-strict timetable. So, for example, if I use it on Saturday, then I'll try and not use it until the following weekend. Or if I use it twice in a week for whatever reason (stress or what-have-you), then I'll try not to use it for a fortnight after that. This works for me because I find the experience of forcing myself to refrain reinforces my confidence in my ability to control the habit, and also makes the times when I do use more enjoyable - like a reward for sticking to my guns. Plus, it obviously helps my finances too.

    By the way, Eggy, of course his friends aren't going to be as interesting if he's hanging around them sober while they're all high. Hanging around stoned people while straight is one of the most tedious things I can imagine. That doesn't make his friends bad or uninteresting people - it just means that he (or she?) shouldn't hang around them while they're stoned.

    Dirtchamber on
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    MrBallbagginsMrBallbaggins Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    If you're not going to be driving, have a beer or two. It can help make a little go a long way. If you're trying to cut down for financial reasons, then when you do that activity, use a bowl. It doesn't waste as much as a constantly burning joint/blunt/fatty, and then smoke a cigarette afterwards for lasting effect. Or get caught with a baggie by the 5-0. That can make you slow down in a fucking hurry.

    MrBallbaggins on
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    ViolentChemistryViolentChemistry __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    If you're not going to be driving, have a beer or two. It can help make a little go a long way. If you're trying to cut down for financial reasons, then when you do that activity, use a bowl. It doesn't waste as much as a constantly burning joint/blunt/fatty, and then smoke a cigarette afterwards for lasting effect. Or get caught with a baggie by the 5-0. That can make you slow down in a fucking hurry.

    There are more efficient devices than bowls, but I'm not going to tell you how to make your own paraphanalia in H/A because that's too far. Just a reminder, guys, keep the advice centered around helping him to not-smoke, and less on how to smoke.

    ViolentChemistry on
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    MrBallbagginsMrBallbaggins Registered User regular
    edited May 2007

    There are more efficient devices than bowls, but I'm not going to tell you how to make your own paraphanalia in H/A because that's too far. Just a reminder, guys, keep the advice centered around helping him to not-smoke, and less on how to smoke.

    Sorry, will do. But uh...how could one go about finding these methods?

    Anyway, to not smoke as much, you could just not buy it, or buy less of it when you do. Or take up crack.

    MrBallbaggins on
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    Vincent GraysonVincent Grayson Frederick, MDRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    The easiest way to cut back is to stop buying it. I have a few friends that're regular smokers, and I smoke with them when we hang out, but I never buy my own, so it keeps me from smoking very often.

    Vincent Grayson on
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    SatanIsMyMotorSatanIsMyMotor Fuck Warren Ellis Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    The easiest way to cut back is to stop buying it. I have a few friends that're regular smokers, and I smoke with them when we hang out, but I never buy my own, so it keeps me from smoking very often.

    and probably makes your friends think you're a leech.
    My advice is restrict smoking to your leisure time. Never mix it with work or school and also if you're high then don't smoke any more, you won't get any higher.

    SatanIsMyMotor on
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    SudsSuds Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    When I was in first year university I used to smoke every day, sometimes more than once a day. After my grades started taking a hit I decided to quit.

    For the first 2 or 3 days it was hard, especially since the guy in the room next to me was a big pot smoker too. However, after about a week, week and a half the desire to smoke pot was completely gone. I had no issues turning it down after that.

    This might have been because I only ever smoked weed, I never mixed tobacco in with it. A lot of people I know like to mix in cigarettes to make it "smoother." I imagine if you're doing that a few times a day you'll have a nicotine addiction as well.

    Suds on
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    Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    The problem is getting past those 2-3 days. They're always crap - when I smoke weed, the next thing I want to do is smoke weed. After about three days of not smoking, the urges just disappear and I find myself quite enjoying sobriety. I'm still learning how to moderate my intake, but that's generally how I do it at the moment. Be strong at the beginning, because everything's better with weed, and let the temptation drain away naturally.

    Nexus Zero on
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    SudsSuds Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    True, those 2-3 days are hard, but it's not THAT bad.

    Suds on
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    Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Suds wrote: »
    True, those 2-3 days are hard, but it's not THAT bad.


    Oh, no, not that hard. Finding some preoccupation would do the trick. I just have a hard time convincing myself I wouldn't be having a better time stoned.

    Nexus Zero on
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    TokyoRaverTokyoRaver Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Cold turkey, man.

    If you don't have the discipline to go cold turkey, I'd suggest seriously re-evaluating your lifestyle.

    I've had issues with pot in the past, but many times I have just stopped, and yeah the first couple days are irritable and frustrating but after a few days, when pot is in front of you again, you're not even sure you really want to smoke it.

    TokyoRaver on
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    exisexis Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    TokyoRaver wrote: »
    Cold turkey, man.

    If you don't have the discipline to go cold turkey, I'd suggest seriously re-evaluating your lifestyle.

    I've had issues with pot in the past, but many times I have just stopped, and yeah the first couple days are irritable and frustrating but after a few days, when pot is in front of you again, you're not even sure you really want to smoke it.

    Well, he doesn't really want to completely quit, by the sounds of it. I think it would be alot harder trying to go cold turkey if you don't really want to stop smoking all together.

    I'd suggest trying two set a couple of days per week where you specifically don't smoke. If you can handle that, you could setting three days, or four, or whatever, smoking less and less until you you're happy with your intake. But I think you'll find the entire process easier if you can set an actual goal of how much pot you want to be smoking.

    exis on
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    ViolentChemistryViolentChemistry __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    Obviously no one is seriously advising taking up crack, and lunasea's obviously not planning to either way. It's a fascist-state, not a fucking preschool.

    ViolentChemistry on
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    TokyoRaverTokyoRaver Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    exis wrote: »
    TokyoRaver wrote: »
    Cold turkey, man.

    If you don't have the discipline to go cold turkey, I'd suggest seriously re-evaluating your lifestyle.

    I've had issues with pot in the past, but many times I have just stopped, and yeah the first couple days are irritable and frustrating but after a few days, when pot is in front of you again, you're not even sure you really want to smoke it.

    Well, he doesn't really want to completely quit, by the sounds of it. I think it would be alot harder trying to go cold turkey if you don't really want to stop smoking all together.

    I'd suggest trying two set a couple of days per week where you specifically don't smoke. If you can handle that, you could setting three days, or four, or whatever, smoking less and less until you you're happy with your intake. But I think you'll find the entire process easier if you can set an actual goal of how much pot you want to be smoking.

    See, the problem with this is, if you know how it works at all, a day on and a day off, or a couple days on and a couple days off, just means you're going to be consistently irritable when you're not smoking.

    It's better to do longer periods...I need reality checks, personally, and I simply don't have the discipline not to smoke when I have it in the house. If I have it, I will smoke every day until I don't. What I do when I need a break is I simply don't refresh my supply when I run out...I go about a month on, a month off and so on. That way, I get a nice long break to get back to reality, and if my circumstances are ok after that month and I feel like I wouldn't be doing myself a disservice by smoking again, I'll get some more.

    TokyoRaver on
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    YarYar Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Feral wrote: »
    Masturbate 12 times a day.
    Yes but then what will he do in the afternoon?

    Anyway, as has been mentioned, video games are a great way to quit. So is a steady significant other who doesn't use as much as you do. You'll find things to do.

    Yar on
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    PojacoPojaco Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    You've got to find little things throughout the day that will distract you from gettin' high.

    Exercise
    Games
    Reading
    Homework
    Skateboarding
    etc.
    .
    I regularly quit for about a month at a time every two months i.e. two months on, one month off. You've just got to avoid boredom, and remind yourself that you can use that money for more long-term fun (save up for a new PC, HDTV, vacation, etc.)

    Pojaco on
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    Sk1nnyManSk1nnyMan Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Either follow the advice already given or do it Trainspotting style and lock yourself in a room until your clean.

    Sk1nnyMan on
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    ViolentChemistryViolentChemistry __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    Yar wrote: »
    Anyway, as has been mentioned, video games are a great way to quit. So is a steady significant other who doesn't use as much as you do. You'll find things to do.

    ViolentChemistry on
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    Vincent GraysonVincent Grayson Frederick, MDRegistered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Yar wrote: »
    Anyway, as has been mentioned, video games are a great way to quit. So is a steady significant other who doesn't use as much as you do. You'll find things to do.

    In my experience, smoking and videogames go hand in hand, so I can't agree there.

    I mean, once you finish smoking a bowl, the inevitable answer to "what should we do now?" is "Let's play some fucking videogames".

    Vincent Grayson on
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    FellhandFellhand Registered User regular
    edited May 2007
    Yar wrote: »
    Anyway, as has been mentioned, video games are a great way to quit. So is a steady significant other who doesn't use as much as you do. You'll find things to do.

    In my experience, smoking and videogames go hand in hand, so I can't agree there.

    I mean, once you finish smoking a bowl, the inevitable answer to "what should we do now?" is "Let's play some fucking videogames".

    Agreed. One of my favorite past times is getting baked and playing SSBM.

    Fellhand on
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    happysharkhappyshark Registered User regular
    edited May 2007

    In my experience, smoking and videogames go hand in hand, so I can't agree there.

    I mean, once you finish smoking a bowl, the inevitable answer to "what should we do now?" is "Let's play some fucking videogames".



    seriously, this man speaks the truth. What you should do however is save the money you spend on weed and buy a really nice HDTV or surround sound, whichever you don't have. Make sure you own it though, don't buy on credit. THEN get high once you have that.

    happyshark on
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    ViolentChemistryViolentChemistry __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2007
    Yar wrote: »
    Anyway, as has been mentioned, video games are a great way to quit. So is a steady significant other who doesn't use as much as you do. You'll find things to do.

    In my experience, smoking and videogames go hand in hand, so I can't agree there.

    I mean, once you finish smoking a bowl, the inevitable answer to "what should we do now?" is "Let's play some fucking videogames".

    And in my experience that logic isn't, and either way Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is how I quit smoking when I did. I can see if you were saying that smoking pot is a bad way to quit videogames. I suppose if you don't actually like videogames unless you're high, yeah, it's not going to work for you then.

    ViolentChemistry on
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