Benefits of being off weed

i cant sleep or relax,
can anyone help with suggestions please??
ive been smoking weed for 3 years, very heavy for the last year.
both my parents and my brother died within 18 months of each other all out of the blue, having had a close family and no problems to deal with before ive found this hard to deal with and unable to sleep or or stop thinking,
found myself locking myself away and getting battered every night and then every day and night.
ive given up weed on new years eve but still arent getting decent sleep even though im tired. I am so much happier without the weed and so much more positive but just wondered if anyone had any techniques they have used with success to calm down and relax.
this is my first post and have found this site so good for me just to know im not on my own thankyou all!!

Welcome Carrotman,

First, it is great that you found a place to offer support in overcoming your addictions. Second, I am sorry about the loss of your parents and brother. This is a major issue, which would warrant professional counseling and psychological help. Excellent idea to quit smoking cannabis to clear your head, but you will need support to stay off it. Please get into contact with your local health services!

Regarding sleeping, I am no expert. I had insomnia for several nights during the first few weeks after quitting. The old remedy of a warm glass of milk (assuming you're not lactose intolerant!) and a book is an old school method to get into slumber mode. Be sure that you are getting adequate exercise, as this helps reduce stress, which is a major cause of insomnia. Some people here on the forum have recommended various herbal remedies and over-the-counter sleeping aids. Personally, I just rode it out until it passed. It sounds like your case may be a bit more serious, given the loss of loved ones.

Keep sharing your story, and consider starting a thread regarding overcoming sleep issues.

Glad to have you here!

Just peeked in for a daily dose of inspiration. But I've been thinking (clearly): One great thing about quittingafter smoking for half a century is tha now I recieve all these wonderful benifits as something new, gifts to play with, things that people who never smoked take for granted...

...hm, don't know if this sounds like I just had a slip-up, but cut me some slack: english is not my first language and I'm only 13 days since my last joint.

Hi carrotman, hello Axel, props to wakinglife and a big non-smoky 'hey' to the rest of you peeps

I'm on weed-free day 14 now. Feeling clearer every day. Enjoying feeling smarter, relating to my wife and child better. Still checking in here most days for a dose of support, and still mostly avoiding my smoker pals. I did chill with them a bit the other day - to be honest I wasn't really tempted, I was more kinda bored with the sh** they go on about when they're high. I don't want to become one of those preachy reformed addicts, but there you go. I'm more and more feeling that 4:20 is in the past, and it's good to finally move on.

Carrotman, I'm a bit of a herbalist myself, so I would offer you these suggestions for getting off to sleep: lavender oil bath, storax resin on an incense burner, well-brewed camomile tea (the flowers work better than the leaves) and valerian root (quite powerful that one, can be tricky to get up again the next day if you take too much). Try not to eat in the evening if possible. Getting up a regular time each day can help too - when your body gets used to your regular waking time, it should tend to make you feel sleepy in the evening. It might sound like old-wives tales, but worth a go I reckon.

SpoonBanger

Hey spoonbanger and carrotman 1969. Camomile tea usually does the trick for me also. Or a nice glass of red wine an hour or so before bedtime, but thats only if I'm having some with dinner; don't want to exchange smoking cannabis with alcohol or sigarettes.

I see I wrote that I had smoked for half a century earlier today - I meant a quarter. :oops:

... yes you certainly don't want to swap a weed problem for an alcohol problem. Being a pot head might be bad, but being an alcoholic is worse, fo shizzle.

I've found I've gone kinda mad on the peppermint tea in the day. It's not relaxing, more sortof stimulating in a mild way. Don't know if that's cos mint is in the same plant family as cannabis... could be something to do with it I suppose.

Thanks man... Your are trully an inspiration. I think you came to this site just before I relapsed (mid August '06). I was actually quite suprised to see that you were still here when I returned. I think you and Flowerchild are the only ones that still check in here regularly since I came back from my brief "slide". This was definately some encouragement. I'm sure that it goes without saying, but I've noticed an evolution w/ your posts as well...

Anyway, it's funny you brought up the 42 day clean streak I had last year. Today marks 42 days (6 weeks) free from pot. One more day and I beat my personal best (the longest in 6 years). I've been very weary about alcohol lately 'cause that's what drove me to relapse last time. I actually haven't even had a drink in 2007 so far. Not that alcohol was ever a problem for me, but I just can't let my guard down or let my inhibitions get lowered.

I actually can't even stand smelling weed smoke when I'm around friends. I don't even like smelling the bud itself. Anything that has to do with weed I shy away from now. Except friends. I had a stoner friend tell me yesterday that he likes me better when I'm not high. He said I talk more. Wow... I guess I was a bigger fool than I thought. Considering this was coming from a weed smoking friend. Things seem to be lining up just right.

Thanks for all the encourgement and inspiration you continue to bring to the board. Your wisdom has been and remains much needed.

Peace.

Wishing you another day plus, so you can beat your old record. Rise_above you can do it. On the subject of drinking. When I quit smoking I also quit drinking(alcohol is not a problem for me either). I use to have a drink or two after I smoked, especially when the buzz was not so great from the pot. So for the first few months I didn't touch either. Then when I got thought I got through the worst of the withdrawals, I tried an alcoholic drink. I am okay with having wind with dinner, or a few drinks with friends. No fear of any relapse, I just enjoy a drink when ever I want. Not that I am encouraging alcohol consumption, just reassuring that you will be able to enjoy it again without fearing you'll smoke again. Take care, talk to you later, love and peace to you, Tina

Another day has passed, no serious craving today, still feel strong and determined. I like this so much at the moment that I feel for the first time I can say that I never want to smoke hasj again ever.

I didn't really start counting the days until I began reading the posts on this forum. I believe this is because I want all these good things to happen to me as soon as possible and I find myself scrolling back to see what was happening to some of you at the various stages of your cessations.

Today was a little strange regarding the progress and discovering of new things happening to me. Up until now since I stopped smoking on january 2. I could clearly notice progress. Coming through the first week was like taking off a tight bathingcap, a couple of days ago I had my girlfriends family over for dinner, made the dinner and genuinelly enjoyed myself in their company for the first time in the nine years we've been together. But today it was almost as if that bathingcap was back on ever so slightly. I could physically feel the limitations of my brainwork.

Am I doing something wrong? Does the clearing up stop and even withdraw at times? Aren't I drinking enough water? What's happening?!

I need some reasurence... anyone?

It is a strange roller coaster ride for a month or two or so. Everyone is different on when they feel like the days are evening out, I wish I could give you a definite time frame, but I can't. Enjoy the great days, and grin and bear the bad ones. The only thing I can for say for sure, is everything and anything you go through is normal. Your not doing anything wrong, just take it a day at a time, it is all you can do. Know you have me and others here for support and encouragement. I hope you have a good night. Take care, talk to you later. love and peace, Tina

Thank you Tina. I do feel sharper today even though I had less sleep than during the night before yesterday. It's surprizing also how good it feels getting response and thus confirming, like you say, that I'm not alone.

Some of you may hope that I get over this soon, but I must say that the general positive attitude and levels of literary abilities displayed here are impressive. To think that you were all a bunch of stoners once is unbelievable!

Hello Axel, This whole one on one and group discussion forum is a wonderful tool in assisting and helping each other through the crazy days of detoxing. That saying about misery loves company rings true. It is just so reassuring to know that so many others have been where you are, and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you are NOT alone. As far as positive attitudes and literary abilities, it just shows everyone how the body and mind can heal, with time. May you continue to have sharp, pot free days, stay in touch, take care. love and peace, Tina

Day 17, feeling ok, but just ever-so-slightly schizo. I now have at least three people living in my one head:

- person A never wants to smoke again
- person B thinks 'I can have a break then have occasional weedy fun'
- person C thinks 'I want a bong right now'

Presently person A is winning, which I'm pleased about.

Best wishes to y'all

SB

I've noticed a strange paradox when comparing my "clear world" and my "stoned world."

In my stoned world, I tend to hold the opinion that I am excelling in whatever I'm doing, when in fact I'm underperforming.

In my clear world, I'm more apt to believe that I'm underperforming in whatever I'm trying to accomplish, when in fact I'm excelling.

In my "stoned world" I generally think that I can get away with other people not noticing that I'm baked. But one stoned day, I decided to get my US passport photo taken. Looking at it now, I look so completely out to lunch in that photo. It's living proof to me that I CAN'T get away with it. I not only feel stoned when I'm stoned, I look stoned and I act stoned.

As I get older I need all the memory power I can get. I can't operate at peak performance when I'm high.

It seems the more i try to put in words how I've been feeling lately the more it doesn't seem right to me. But i always seem to go back to the word blank. Its my 7th week off weed =) At first it was weird not smoking. I was extremely happy to have done it with such ease But i must explain.. I had quit smoking cigarettes and the first day with no cigarettes at all i had came home from shopping all day and got high with a friend who had been staying with me. We smoked our blunt and shortly afterwards i came inside i quickly taken my shirt off and told Greg i couldn't breath and began to have a panic attack. I didn't know at the time so i went to the hospital and the emergency room just seen it as a big joke and treated me as if i was having a heart attack -shrugs- they never even said anything to me about it possibly being a panic attack. But anyway i had decided to not smoke at all after that. Like i said i was so excited about quiting smoking i had been a smoker for my most of my teen life. I had started smoking weed shortly after i started really smoking cigarettes that was about the age 13 I had just turned 18 around the time i quit.. Ive never had a lot of friends a couple friends here and there most of them i smoked with Now with me quitting i didn't want to be around the scene it was just weird for me. I hated turning them down it made me feel bad about it and thats something that really bothered me because i was still wanting to smoke. So i decided to stay away.. i really thought since i quit smoking id get up and do everything i need to get done around me and my dads place but it really just makes me frustrated and i give up.. my dads quite a pack rat and we live in a 2 bedroom apt. so you can imagine what our place looks like. I keep getting farther and farther away from what I've really wanted to post here today. I just feel blank.. I sit home watching tv and play games weather on my computer or my Nintendo DS. I think about if i was to try to have a conversation with someone i don't know what id say to them. I've tryed to look for things that interest me and i guess nothing does. gah. this has to be the hardest thing ive done in a while. this has seriously drove me insane. i really feel if i was to just go get high and start smoking again everything would go back to the way it was. and i wouldnt feel this way. well instead of me just deleting this im going to post it. Well id love to hear what people have to say i guess. =)