Quitting cannabis - my story

[brfsa2]

23 hours ago, blaze master said:

Forgot to mention the dreaming. Wow

 

Crazy dreams.

Yep. It's what Cannabis is very good at, suppressing REM sleeping stage where dreams and nightmares occurs. 

Foe some people it's why they consume it, for example people with  war PTSD, someone who have nightmares of dead people every day. 

For normal people it's detrimental to their emotional stability, REM and dreams help your sanity and memory. 

[blaze master]

1 hour ago, Prubangboy said:

I definitely went crazy with it after my marriage break up. I love weed. It definitely made me dysfunctional, in terms of losing things and spending a lot of time on Reddit.
 

Now I do it about two or three times a week, just a half gram. The problem with weed: the more you do it the less you enjoy it.

 

For me, weed provides a great social benefit. Most of the good friends I’ve made in Thailand have been through smoking weed. There’s a place around the corner from my condo that is like a pub of days gone by.
 

I am 72. I read that only about 2 to 5% of people my age still smoke weed.

 

I dont go on reddit.

 

I smoked because I wanted to not because I had to. Im just not feeling it anymore for a number of reasons. 

 

That's it. So I decided to stop try other things and ways for life. 

 

I thought I would struggle more mentally than I have but its been quite easy. I dont have any urge nor do I feel the need to smoke.

 

Ill leave you wifh this.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Prubangboy]

The Reddit quit smoking pot group called leaves was helpful to me when I got completely unhinged on weed. But doomscrolling and or watching porn when combined with smoking pot really does blow up your dopamine.

[blaze master]

4 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

The Reddit quit smoking pot group called leaves was helpful to me when I got completely unhinged on weed. But doomscrolling and or watching porn when combined with smoking pot really does blow up your dopamine.

 

I dont watch porn i make it. The only scrolling i do online is on this forum. I have no other form of social media. 

 

Never got into it and never will. But thats a whole other thread.

[Prubangboy]

I’m getting a very defensive vibe from you, like you think I am judging you.

 

That’s not the case. I admire you for posting your story and wish you the best.

 

You keep saying over and over again that your story is not the same as my story.
 

I agree.

[Denim]

I was a daily smoker for about 20 years. Only went without when there was none to be had.

 

When I moved to Thailand full time I gave it up as too much hassle and too risky. Now I find life here so unstressful that even though it is legal I don't feel like starting up again.  That plus my heart is not as strong as it was and I never liked the racing you get when you first light up.

[blaze master]

23 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

I’m getting a very defensive vibe from you, like you think I am judging you.

 

That’s not the case. I admire you for posting your story and wish you the best.

 

You keep saying over and over again that your story is not the same as my story.
 

I agree.

 

Not meant that way.

[RSD1]

I’m currently traveling outside of Thailand, and have been for a bit over 3 weeks, so I haven’t had any access to it during this time. When I’m in Thailand, I typically use it daily, either by inhaling it through a dry herb vaporizer, ingesting some edible oil, or a combination of both together in small doses. Sometimes just micro dosing the oil alone when I don't want any psychoactive effect. 

 

I generally only use it at night and occasionally during the day. I wouldn’t consider myself a heavy user, but I am a consistent one. 

 

For me, it helps with anxiety, improves mood, reduces body aches, helps prevent muscle spasms, improves sleep, and enhances overall well-being. It also makes sex highly more enjoyable for me.

 

The only time I find it limiting is when I need to focus intensely on a project. In those situations, I take a break to stay sharper and more productive.

 

A couple of months ago, I took about a month off it while wanting to work on something at a fast pace. I didn’t miss it during that time because I was so focused on what I was doing, and once the task was complete, I returned to my usual usage routine.

 

While traveling these past few weeks, I’ve definitely missed having it, especially at night when I’d normally use it to unwind and relax and I feel my sleep is usually better with it than it is right now. That said, I haven’t experienced any withdrawal symptoms or noticeable changes, either physically or mentally while stopping it, either on this trip or when I took a month off earlier this year. The same was true when I traveled without it for a few weeks in April. So it’s clear to me that I can take breaks from it periodically, and for extended periods without any negative effects, other than the loss of the benefits that I get when using it.

 

Overall, I feel it enhances my life. I don’t smoke it, so there’s no impact on my lungs, and aside from the occasional break to stay focused, I don’t see any downsides.
 

I don’t smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or consume coffee. So I clearly don't have any stimulant dependencies, nor have I ever. I also have no desire to stop using it, in fact, quite the opposite. Of course, everyone’s experience will be different, but that’s mine.

[blaze master]

7 hours ago, RSD1 said:

I’m currently traveling outside of Thailand, and have been for a bit over 3 weeks, so I haven’t had any access to it during this time. When I’m in Thailand, I typically use it daily, either by inhaling it through a dry herb vaporizer, ingesting some edible oil, or a combination of both together in small doses. Sometimes just micro dosing the oil alone when I don't want any psychoactive effect. 

 

I generally only use it at night and occasionally during the day. I wouldn’t consider myself a heavy user, but I am a consistent one. 

 

For me, it helps with anxiety, improves mood, reduces body aches, helps prevent muscle spasms, improves sleep, and enhances overall well-being. It also makes sex highly more enjoyable for me.

 

The only time I find it limiting is when I need to focus intensely on a project. In those situations, I take a break to stay sharper and more productive.

 

A couple of months ago, I took about a month off it while wanting to work on something at a fast pace. I didn’t miss it during that time because I was so focused on what I was doing, and once the task was complete, I returned to my usual usage routine.

 

While traveling these past few weeks, I’ve definitely missed having it, especially at night when I’d normally use it to unwind and relax and I feel my sleep is usually better with it than it is right now. That said, I haven’t experienced any withdrawal symptoms or noticeable changes, either physically or mentally while stopping it, either on this trip or when I took a month off earlier this year. The same was true when I traveled without it for a few weeks in April. So it’s clear to me that I can take breaks from it periodically, and for extended periods without any negative effects, other than the loss of the benefits that I get when using it.

 

Overall, I feel it enhances my life. I don’t smoke it, so there’s no impact on my lungs, and aside from the occasional break to stay focused, I don’t see any downsides.
 

I don’t smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or consume coffee. So I clearly don't have any stimulant dependencies, nor have I ever. I also have no desire to stop using it, in fact, quite the opposite. Of course, everyone’s experience will be different, but that’s mine.

 

I dont miss it and have had no issues mentally at all. 

 

I just wanted to stop. Time for other things now.

 

Hey I dont drink coffee either. I hear its something most of society is dependant on though. 

 

Great post. Thanks.

[RSD1]

1 hour ago, blaze master said:

 

I dont miss it and have had no issues mentally at all. 

 

I just wanted to stop. Time for other things now.

 

Hey I dont drink coffee either. I hear its something most of society is dependant on though. 

 

Great post. Thanks.

 

Great. It sounds like there’s really nothing for you to miss, especially since from your original post it didn’t seem like it was adding anything positive to your life anymore. Now you can move on to the next phase of your journey, whatever you decide that to be.

 

It’s also good to hear you haven’t had any mental challenges during the whole process. Hopefully the physical symptoms will ease up soon too. But the mind is an incredibly powerful thing and sometimes it can be the cause of physical symptoms like nausea, headaches, upset stomach, diarrhea, sweats or loss of appetite. These can often be tied to anxiety, fear, and the emotional process of letting something close to you go.

 

You mentioned it might limit your access to more women. I’m curious about that. Do you feel that using marijuana turns them off in some way? And if so, do you think it’s more of a physical turnoff or a mental one? I know for me, I find it off-putting when a woman smokes cigarettes, drinks alcohol heavily, or even consumes a lot of coffee. I usually prefer not to be around that. A lot of it comes down to the smell of it on them. I also don’t enjoy being around women who are very drunk. Maybe that’s what you were referring to when it comes to marijuana?

[blaze master]

25 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

 

Great. It sounds like there’s really nothing for you to miss, especially since from your original post it didn’t seem like it was adding anything positive to your life anymore. Now you can move on to the next phase of your journey, whatever you decide that to be.

 

It’s also good to hear you haven’t had any mental challenges during the whole process. Hopefully the physical symptoms will ease up soon too. But the mind is an incredibly powerful thing and sometimes it can be the cause of physical symptoms like nausea, headaches, upset stomach, diarrhea, sweats or loss of appetite. These can often be tied to anxiety, fear, and the emotional process of letting something close to you go.

 

You mentioned it might limit your access to more women. I’m curious about that. Do you feel that using marijuana turns them off in some way? And if so, do you think it’s more of a physical turnoff or a mental one? I know for me, I find it off-putting when a woman smokes cigarettes, drinks alcohol heavily, or even consumes a lot of coffee. I usually prefer not to be around that. A lot of it comes down to the smell of it on them. I also don’t enjoy being around women who are very drunk. Maybe that’s what you were referring to when it comes to marijuana?

 

Most of the symptoms have gone away. My head still feels foggy though. I would of thought the opposite would happen but I attribute it to my heavy use. 

 

As for women. Yes both. Along with many stigmas and known issues cannabis can bring out. I think many women associate it like many other drugs and have opinions formed about it through that. Although not wrong in all cases it does come from that stigma standpoint. Right or wrong it does limit my access. That's not something im willing to sacrifice in this life. 

 

If that makes sense.

 

Day 13 now. 

[RSD1]

15 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

Most of the symptoms have gone away. My head still feels foggy though. I would of thought the opposite would happen but I attribute it to my heavy use. 

 

As for women. Yes both. Along with many stigmas and known issues cannabis can bring out. I think many women associate it like many other drugs and have opinions formed about it through that. Although not wrong in all cases it does come from that stigma standpoint. Right or wrong it does limit my access. That's not something im willing to sacrifice in this life. 

 

If that makes sense.

 

Day 13 now. 

 

Interesting, and as you said, you would have expected the opposite, to gain more clarity now that you’ve stopped. That’s usually why I stop and what I gain when I take a break from it in order to focus more effectively. And since you mentioned feeling foggy, wouldn’t you consider that more of a mental reaction than a physical one?

 

I do think someone could use cannabis edibles without a partner ever really knowing. There’s no smell, nothing visible around for them to see, and if the doses are low enough, there might not even be any noticeable change in behavior. When I'm using it, I've never had anyone around me, or any of my friends say to me that I look like I'm high. But I guess my behavior doesn't change much and my eyes don't get bloodshot. And of course there's no smell from the way I use it.

 

Anyway, congratulations on day 13. It sounds like you’ve got this. 👍🏼

[jvs]

Blaze master,if you don't mind me asking,how much did you use?

I use mostly everyday but only in the evening and only edibles.

Just use it to be able to sleep because getting enough sleep was really hard for me.

I suffer from PTSD and Tinnitus and i used to take sleeping pills but i believe Cannabis is better than sleeping pills.

I take a break from it sometimes but than i sweat a lot for a few days but than i can't sleep.,so i start using again.

I will see where it leads me but i feel for now this is the best way for me.

 

 

[blaze master]

2 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

. And since you mentioned feeling foggy, wouldn’t you consider that more of a mental reaction than a physical one?

 

I wish I knew. The human brain is quite complex right. 

 

I couldn't do edibles and hide it from someone. I would feel like im being dishonest with them about who I was. 

 

Plus I neved liked how edibles felt. Even at small doses.

[blaze master]

2 minutes ago, jvs said:

Blaze master,if you don't mind me asking,how much did you use?

I use mostly everyday but only in the evening and only edibles.

Just use it to be able to sleep because getting enough sleep was really hard for me.

I suffer from PTSD and Tinnitus and i used to take sleeping pills but i believe Cannabis is better than sleeping pills.

I take a break from it sometimes but than i sweat a lot for a few days but than i can't sleep.,so i start using again.

I will see where it leads me but i feel for now this is the best way for me.

 

 

 

Quite a bit. If I had to guess an average number it would be at least 10 or so grams a day. Coming from both flower and concentrates.

[newbee2022]

On 5/31/2025 at 6:49 AM, blaze master said:

First off. All comments questions and criticism is encouraged.

 

I have been an extremely heavy cannabis user for almost 30 years now. I have decided to stop smoking and thought I would share the reality of what I am going through.

 

Yes I know this is anecdotal and the same things may not happen to others. I'm not here to brag but when you hear people say oh I've been smoking for 20 years etc....I've been high for 30 years. Other than 3 months (when I first arrived In Thailand it was 2003 and finding cannabis in hat yai was a challenge to say the least)  and a few other days here and there i have always been smoking. 

 

I graduated college high. Worked my professional career high. Basically everything high.

 

I stopped on May 20 so i'm 10 days in now. Yes I know its not a long time but thats not what this is about. Im here to give my unfiltered truth.

 

It has been very different from when I quit smoking cigs 9 years ago.

 

Since stopping I have encountered quite a number of withdrawals or side effects. Nauseous. Headaches. Upset stomach. Diarrhea. Loss of appetite. My head still feels quite foggy even after 10 days of 0 use. I have also been experiencing hot and cold flashes.

 

At times I am finding it hard to concentrate and focus. I have had difficulty sleeping for most of my life so that hasn't changed much. I was sweating profusely at night the first few days. To the point of changing my bed sheets 2 or 3 times a night. 

 

A Thai friend of mine who was in a similar situation quit back in January. He also went through many of the same things I am going through. We were both heavy users. 

 

I dont have the same feeling that I had when i quit cigs. That urge to light up another just isn't there. Neither is that irritating feeling I got when I quit cigs. 

 

I was also a heavy drinker for about 10 years but I haven't been drunk in about 18 years now.  I will have a beer or 2 if I am out in a social setting but never anything more.

 

I cant say that I'll never smoke a joint again as I dont know where life will take me. Still only 48 so many years to go. I do know however I will never return to being such a heavy smoker. 

 

I am In good health. Never spent a night in the hospital. All my doctor checks turn out in normal healthy ranges. Im 5 10 and weigh about 175lbs. I dont have anything like a smokers cough. That stopped shortly after I quit cigs. I have normal lung capacity as per my health records. I have a decent diet and walk 4km almost daily.....always high 🤣 

 

Hopefully sharing this can help show that for people like me quitting did in fact have withdrawals and side effects. My thai friend said it went away for him after about 2 weeks.

 

That's my story. Puff puff pass.

 

 

 

 

 

You're aware, that thousands of your brain cells died already?

Can you feel it?

I suppose you do. 🙏

[blaze master]

1 minute ago, newbee2022 said:

You're aware, that thousands of your brain cells died already?

Can you feel it?

I suppose you do. 🙏

 

Thousands of my brain cells died reading your comment thats for sure.

 

Nice low brow insult. 

 

Also there is no science as of.yet backing up your claim. But carry on with your reefer madness.

 

 

[newbee2022]

1 minute ago, blaze master said:

 

Thousands of my brain cells died reading your comment thats for sure.

 

Nice low brow insult. 

 

Also there is no science as of.yet backing up your claim. But carry on with your reefer madness.

 

 

I expected such answer.

As I said thousands of brain cells are gone. That's a fact, not an insult. 

And with your answer you gave yourself already a proof.

If you don't believe me, ask another doctor you trust.

[blaze master]

1 minute ago, newbee2022 said:

I expected such answer.

As I said thousands of brain cells are gone. That's a fact, not an insult. 

And with your answer you gave yourself already a proof.

If you don't believe me, ask another doctor you trust.

 

Haha you're funny. Nice walk back on the insult.

 

There is no proof of your claim. You can expect anything you want. 

 

 

[newbee2022]

15 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

Haha you're funny. Nice walk back on the insult.

 

There is no proof of your claim. You can expect anything you want. 

 

 

No, it's not funny.

Your chances to suffer from Alzheimer are even increasing.

As I said:

Ask another doctor about it. !!!!

Good luck.

[blaze master]

1 minute ago, newbee2022 said:

No, it's not funny.

Your chances to suffer from Alzheimer are even increasing.

As I said:

Ask another doctor about it. !!!!

Good luck.

 

No proof or science to back your claim. Go have a coffee. 

[newbee2022]

28 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

No proof or science to back your claim. Go have a coffee. 

You don't need to trust me. Therefore I advised you to ask a Doctor you would trust.

Up to you. 

Your story would require to do some tests even.

However, it's apparent you wouldn't like to know anything about the connection of cannabis use - brain cells - and Alzheimer.

Enjoy the remaining time.

[blaze master]

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

You don't need to trust me. Therefore I advised you to ask a Doctor you would trust.

Up to you. 

Your story would require to do some tests even.

However, it's apparent you wouldn't like to know anything about the connection of cannabis use - brain cells - and Alzheimer.

Enjoy the remaining time.

 

A quick search shows your claims are not backed by any science. 

 

But you keep on making bold claims no one is stopping you. 

[newbee2022]

11 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

A quick search shows your claims are not backed by any science. 

 

But you keep on making bold claims no one is stopping you. 

Good luck in your future.

End of conversation 

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, blaze master said:

 

Thousands of my brain cells died reading your comment thats for sure.

 

Nice low brow insult. 

 

Also there is no science as of.yet backing up your claim. But carry on with your reefer madness.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, blaze master said:

 

Haha you're funny. Nice walk back on the insult.

 

There is no proof of your claim. You can expect anything you want. 

 

 

Google "cannabis effect on brain cells". I hope you're still able to understand what you'll find.

Sorry, not good news for you I reckon

 

[RSD1]

58 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

Quite a bit. If I had to guess an average number it would be at least 10 or so grams a day. Coming from both flower and concentrates.

 

Well, then it sounds like edibles are out of the picture for you. But that's probably a good thing since the direction you want to take now is stopping it completely rather than switching to another form of it.

 

I honestly didn’t know the kind of daily use you mentioned was even possible. On my heaviest days, I usually stay under a gram. I once knew someone who used three or four grams a day, and even that seemed like a lot at the time.

 

Using 10 grams daily over such a long period likely meant that cannabis became almost like a baseline neurochemical in your system, something your brain adapted to as part of its everyday functioning. Over time, that kind of sustained exposure could certainly influence how the brain processes emotion, thought patterns, decision making, judgment, logic, and even self-perception.

 

What’s especially fascinating is that your use spanned such a key period of mental development, from adolescence into adulthood. That means many of the brain’s natural changes and adaptations during those years occurred while it was consistently under the heavy influence of THC. Perhaps some of the natural developmental processes did not unfold in quite the same way, simply because the brain wasn’t operating in its unaltered state. It makes you wonder whether, after stopping now, the brain tries to resume those processes, possibly picking up where it left off, even with thought patterns that feel like that of someone younger or unfamiliar. Hard to say, but it’s an interesting idea.

 

That’s not to say the version of yourself during all those years wasn’t valid, only that you may now reconnect with aspects of yourself that have been quiet or in the background for a long time. It’s a meaningful shift though, and from the way you’re approaching it, it sounds like you’re doing so with real insight and strength.

 

Also, the fogginess you mentioned makes more sense given the amount of THC your system was accustomed to for so long. After functioning with that level of unnatural brain chemical influence for decades, it’s possible the brain hasn’t quite recalibrated to operating without it. Even though you said you no longer felt the effects, likely due to long-term tolerance, THC had probably still become a fundamental part of how your brain maintained balance day to day.

 

Now that it’s no longer there, your system might be trying to relearn how to regulate itself without something it had come to rely on, even though it was artificially added. That adjustment could definitely create a sense of mental fog, even if you’re technically sober now. It’s not so much withdrawal in the traditional sense, but it may be more like the brain searching for its footing in an unfamiliar baseline state.

[blaze master]

4 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

 

Well, then it sounds like edibles are out of the picture for you. But that's probably a good thing since the direction you want to take now is stopping it completely rather than switching to another form of it.

 

I honestly didn’t know the kind of daily use you mentioned was even possible. On my heaviest days, I usually stay under a gram. I once knew someone who used three or four grams a day, and even that seemed like a lot at the time.

 

Using 10 grams daily over such a long period likely meant that cannabis became almost like a baseline neurochemical in your system, something your brain adapted to as part of its everyday functioning. Over time, that kind of sustained exposure could certainly influence how the brain processes emotion, thought patterns, decision making, judgment, logic, and even self-perception.

 

What’s especially fascinating is that your use spanned such a key period of mental development, from adolescence into adulthood. That means many of the brain’s natural changes and adaptations during those years occurred while it was consistently under the heavy influence of THC. Perhaps some of the natural developmental processes did not unfold in quite the same way, simply because the brain wasn’t operating in its unaltered state. It makes you wonder whether, after stopping now, the brain tries to resume those processes, possibly picking up where it left off, even with thought patterns that feel like that of someone younger or unfamiliar. Hard to say, but it’s an interesting idea.

 

That’s not to say the version of yourself during all those years wasn’t valid, only that you may now reconnect with aspects of yourself that have been quiet or in the background for a long time. It’s a meaningful shift though, and from the way you’re approaching it, it sounds like you’re doing so with real insight and strength.

 

Also, the fogginess you mentioned makes more sense given the amount of THC your system was accustomed to for so long. After functioning with that level of unnatural brain chemical influence for decades, it’s possible the brain hasn’t quite recalibrated to operating without it. Even though you said you no longer felt the effects, likely due to long-term tolerance, THC had probably still become a fundamental part of how your brain maintained balance day to day.

 

Now that it’s no longer there, your system might be trying to relearn how to regulate itself without something it had come to rely on, even though it was artificially added. That adjustment could definitely create a sense of mental fog, even if you’re technically sober now. It’s not so much withdrawal in the traditional sense, but it may be more like the brain searching for its footing in an unfamiliar baseline state.

 

 

It wasn't thay heavy the whole time. I would say the last 8 years or so. When I started it was just daily use. As I got older and move involved with it my use increasd to those levels. 

 

I've known people that smoked a lot more than I did as well. I worked with a medical dispensary in the early 2000s in Toronto. The owner consumed well over an oz daily. Through edibles and smoking. 

[blaze master]

7 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

 

Google "cannabis effect on brain cells". I hope you're still able to understand what you'll find.

Sorry, not good news for you I reckon

 

 

I have and there is no conclusive science. Again with the low brow insults. 

[RSD1]

23 minutes ago, blaze master said:

It wasn't thay heavy the whole time. I would say the last 8 years or so. When I started it was just daily use. As I got older and move involved with it my use increasd to those levels. 

 

I've known people that smoked a lot more than I did as well. I worked with a medical dispensary in the early 2000s in Toronto. The owner consumed well over an oz daily. Through edibles and smoking. 

 

I don’t mean to stereotype your last comments, but in my experience, people who’ve struggled with substance dependency often compare their usage to someone else who uses even more of the substance, or they’ll downplay how long they used it at such high levels as a way to normalize it.

 

That said, what matters most is the direction you’re heading now. I’ve always believed life is about balance and moderation. Even the essentials: things like food, water, sleep, and exercise can become harmful when taken to extremes. So when it comes to a mind-altering substance, especially at very high levels, I find it hard to understand how it could be seen as acceptable, let alone useful or necessary. From the outside, it does seem more like outright abuse. Just like with overeating, it’s difficult to see any long-term benefit or necessity in that kind of excess. Anyway, hopefully all that remains in your rear-view mirror now. 

[Felton Jarvis]

On 5/31/2025 at 7:22 AM, save the frogs said:

 

what does that mean?

just looked it up, and found this online:

cannabis leads to increased sexual desire, but ....

 

I never wanted anything to do with sex when I used to smoke cannabis. All I wanted to do was sleep. Now that I am 75, I have zero interest in weed. The Thai weed that I have tried is like a sledgehammer. Much too potent.