Benefits of being off weed

Yeah!

I like the way you broke your benefits into categories. I can totally relate to what you're saying. It is great to inspire other people; not by being preachy, but by letting them see for themselves that you are doing fine without cannabis. I have not told any of my chronic buddies what they should do about their own use, because it's totally their decision. Each of us can just do what works best for us, whether that is totally abstaining from all substances, or using them in moderation.

It is good to have your voice back on the forum!

one benefit i've noticed today is increased muscle tone (important for a vegetarian). i think that thc..taken too often (daily/all day long) can increase your metabolism to the point that catabolism occurs increasingly. This prob explains why some over users looks like sticks even though they eat junk all day?

Quitting smoking weed has helped me get stronger in many ways: physically (as ill_i_bus said re: muscles), mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This is not a forum to discuss religious beliefs, so I'll not go into my own here. Whatever you want to believe in, it seems to strengthen after going off cannabis. Perhaps that's since one can no longer rely on dried flowers to reach a higher state, other means to get there are sought out.

Regarding creativity: I'm reading Scar Tissue (Anthony Keidis biography) and the Red Hot Chili Peppers started making their most consistenly solid music after they quit using.

In truth _ I couldn't see much good at first, just relief _ i knew it would come, the moment of revelation - and it has and now I really appreciate this thread. Infact I might take some time off posting for a day or two to read - such alot of good stuff added

We all know what'll happen if we get stoned -but if we keep straight - the possibilities are endless!!!!!

Just got my sense of humour back today - yes I can laugh and be happy all without weed!

Great point about the chillies - I'm a singer song writer and for years my producer friends have despaired at me and my smoking cos they know they are not getting the best from me - none of them use anything when they are creating because they know if they do they will just produce something from up their own ar*e I played my guitar and sang for the first time straight and it was amazing - I felt every word I had written and my voice was belting out!!! - it wasn't always like that - but since the revelation that weed has took me for a fool and robbed me and tricked me.. I see
Music is my husband - weed was my seedy lover - now I'm going to be faithful to my true love and not screw around


Cheers mate - this threads great!

Hope2 wrote:In truth _ I couldn't see much good at first, just relief _ i knew it would come, the moment of revelation - and it has and now I really appreciate this thread. Infact I might take some time off posting for a day or two to read - such alot of good stuff added

We all know what'll happen if we get stoned -but if we keep straight - the possibilities are endless!!!!!

Just got my sense of humour back today - yes I can laugh and be happy all without weed!

Great point about the chillies - I'm a singer song writer and for years my producer friends have despaired at me and my smoking cos they know they are not getting the best from me - none of them use anything when they are creating because they know if they do they will just produce something from up their own ar*e I played my guitar and sang for the first time straight and it was amazing - I felt every word I had written and my voice was belting out!!! - it wasn't always like that - but since the revelation that weed has took me for a fool and robbed me and tricked me.. I see
Music is my husband - weed was my seedy lover - now I'm going to be faithful to my true love and not screw around


Cheers mate - this threads great!

so true, music is my first love..
i have the singing talent i beleive, but not the confidence and i hope to gain this when im clean... its like their is a gravitaional pull towards my lil block of hash right now but i will not cave in...

You two kids just make me so damn happy. I truely wish I was your age when I decided to quit, but hey as I've said before....you can't look back and regret, it does not change it. Take time to read some of the past posts, you will be amazed at how the way you feel, others have felt it. What you have and will go through, others have been there. Quitting pot does not kill you, it just makes you stronger. The clarity of your mind, not coughing up gross phlegm every morning from your lungs, not hiding your habit,& not wondering when you will get your next bag. The weeks of physical and psychological withdrawls you go through are worth it. No pain on gain. Stay on this site, other then quitting it's the best thing you can do for yourselves. Every story, every worry, every word, is helpful to someone. You two have such good and positive things to say. Keep up the good job, and mark those calendars, everyday is a day to celebrate I hope everyone has a great Sat. night. Take care, talk to you later. Love and peace to us all!!

Flowerchild wrote:You two kids just make me so damn happy. I truely wish I was your age when I decided to quit, but hey as I've said before....you can't look back and regret, it does not change it. Take time to read some of the past posts, you will be amazed at how the way you feel, others have felt it. What you have and will go through, others have been there. Quitting pot does not kill you, it just makes you stronger. The clarity of your mind, not coughing up gross phlegm every morning from your lungs, not hiding your habit,& not wondering when you will get your next bag. The weeks of physical and psychological withdrawls you go through are worth it. No pain on gain. Stay on this site, other then quitting it's the best thing you can do for yourselves. Every story, every worry, every word, is helpful to someone. You two have such good and positive things to say. Keep up the good job, and mark those calendars, everyday is a day to celebrate I hope everyone has a great Sat. night. Take care, talk to you later. Love and peace to us all!!

aww cheers flower xx
the more i read, the less i need weed!!
so grateful i found this site, and i hope others out there find it too...

Nice one and thanks Flower. It's true - you type yourself into clarity on this site eh.
Right I'm off for a bit - heavy reading - so don't worry if I don't check in for a bit.
CS - I've missed reading you today - maybe I've missed your posts cos such alots been added - hope you are ok mate.
Nice one everyone!

I am seriously feeling the positive vibes! I believe in the collective consciousness, and as I was working out today I had the most vivid image of strands of light linking up everyone who communicates. I don't want to get all flakey, but one thought was that those who struggle (i.e. about to light up) could draw on the strength of those who are feeling strong and sending out the good vibes.

I have so much more love in my life now. My son (5 yrs old) seems so much more responsive to me now (probably because I am actually present with him, and hear his every word).

When I would normally have stormed out to get high after an argument with my partner, I now take a patience-filled breath and process what is happening. I feel like I am establishing new neural networks for coping with emotionally-charged situations.

I am loving my life! Thanks for all those who tell their stories (the gory details of despair, as well as the bliss that eventually fills those who are determined to find it without cannabis). You have helped me immensely, and I am sending out my deepest gratitude!

Good morning everyone.
Today is the first day of purity for me, and i already feel good.
I did have terrible nightmares about 9/11 and trying to escape, and seeing thru the eyes of about 5 people that were there. but anyway.
I have a renewed sense of life, waking up to greet the morning sun and air. I am already losing weight by my practising self discapline.
I look forawrd to having positive relationships with strangers and old friends that do not rotate around drugs.
I look forward to getting out and about, going swimming, being close to nature and visiting places of interest, museums and the like.
Im looking forward to a guilt free relashionship with my family, who i regularly ignore because im too stoned. Cant wait until i stop coughing up nasty stuff. Hope to one day have less vivd nightmares. (i have long horrific nightmares everynight). I am sooo excited about getting my energy back and get a little spring in my step.
yay too many positive outcomes...
sorry if im clogging this place up with loads of posts, its just this website is really helping me.
and yes i also beleive in the collective conciousness, one little example - i always wonder why on certain days, loads of people wear the same colour top - did they all wake up thinking, this is a red day!
but yes i hope we are all connected, and that i can help people and be their rock and show people kindness that has been shown to me here at this forum.

Hope everyone is well today. Phoenix, may today be the beginning of a wonderful pot free life for you. About dreams/nightmares, crazy or scary they are very normal to be experiencing. They will get less intense as the days go on. Do not apoligize for clogging up the site with your post. They serve two purposes, helping yourself and others. Also congratulations, you've gone from new member to JUNIOR member in three short days. That's because you care to share and you are willing to reply. Keep up the great job!! Wakinglife,I love what you said about positive vibes and strands of light linking up those who communicate!!! What a wonderful image and well said. I have felt that way from the beginning. It just helps the soul to know your not alone, and the things your dealing with and feeling are shared by others. Take care everyone,have a great day,talk to you soon. Love and PEACE to all.

I am just finishing reading the autobiography of Anthony Kiedis (singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers). Throughout the book he chronicles his struggles with drug addiction. Although I was ready to fall asleep, I had to get out of bed to share this quote, as it might help someone:

"They call it getting high, because it's wanting to know that higher level, that godlike level. You want to touch the heavens, you want to feel glory and euphoria, but the trick is that it takes work. You can't buy it, you can't get it on a street corner . . . you have to earn it. . . . Maybe I wanted to know what that light was all about and was taking the shortcut. . . . My whole life I took the shortcut, and I ended up lost." (from Scar Tissue, pp. 461-462, by Anthony Kiedis)

I just wanted to restate how great it feels to break free of my own whirlpool of self-medication and step into a stronger space. It is only through doing the work of staying balanced (riding both highs and lows) that I am able to offer a hand to others.

Peace and support going out to all those who are struggling!

I was thinking today about how busy my life is. It is absolutely filled with the normal stresses of work, family, relationships, and finding the time to do everything that needs to be done.

The strangest thing is, it does seem to all be getting done!

I was waiting at the traffic light, contemplating how I used to immediately go home to the pot pipe after a day of work. A typical day involved waking, working, smoking, and lounging. I would never quite have the drive to do the things I needed to do: career obligations, family time, time for doing activities that actually benefit me. It's bizarre that I always found the time to get high, but not the time for other, far more rewarding tasks.

By chronically using cannabis, I was unintentionally turning myself into someone who was stunned, easily amused by absurdly inane sh*t and basically a walking imbecile. For every precious day, I was willingly giving away several hours of conscious, quality time. What a dunce!

I am now laughing on a regular basis at how misguided I was. (Hey, I'd rather laugh than cry any day!) It was as though in drawing this beautiful thing called a human life, I had my pencil blunted in a state of permanent dull-ness and my drawing surface was caked with cannabis residue.

Thank you, Reality! I am not sure what was so terrifying about your piercing clarity before, but I am glad to have returned.

69 days without smoking!

Stay strong, people, it pays off!

Many new feelings have arisen since I chose to give up cannabis ten weeks ago. This thread is focusing on the positives, although it has not all been easy to process. What I am starting to realize is that emotional ups and downs, cycles, are a normal part of the human experience. While chronically using pot I had insulated myself from the way I was truly feeling inside. It was as though I was living in an artificially climate-controlled environment. There were some lows, some highs, but mainly just balmy, numbing sameness.

I am now celebrating the return of what I will call emotional seasons. It cannot stay summer forever, no matter how much we wish it could. The way I used to be obsessive about self-medicating (with weed) was actually a way to keep my life in an emotional rut. It is becoming apparent that I was detached from the full richness that a variety of moods and feelings can elicit.

The way I feel these days is not always what I am used to. It seems like I am making up for lost time. Opening a new window on the world, the breeze can be chilling, as well as invigorating. I would be lying if I said I know what tomorrow will bring: but isn’t that life’s beauty, the mystery?

It might seem like a minor benefit, but I am really enjoying it: I can leave the house without having to get all my ‘stuff’ ready. While I was chronic, I could virtually not leave the house without having a pre-rolled joint, a lighter, or my bundle (weed, pipe, matches) with me. It was annoying; especially when I was busy, to have to take this extra step in preparation for going out. There were times when I would be packed for a weekend getaway, ready to go out the door, and I would need to fumble through rolling enough joints for the weekend.

Now if I want to go out (for some air, walk, coffee with a friend, dinner, movie, etc.) I just put on my shoes and coat and leave. There is no hassle of “needing” to bring all this extra sh!te with me at every departure.

For someone who loves to travel light, this is a huge benefit!