Why quit weed?

[element]

Or in other words - why should somebody quit cannabis? 

Probably there is no defninite answer to this or is there? Generally I'm getting better at moderarting it - on some days I am able to avoid it. 

But this substance is so cool, it's kind of refreshing for the mind. It can  give awesome insights, it's like showing some hidden site of reality, removing resistance etc.

Also it is strange that I'm searching for some answers to this topic - if it's really harmless them I would probably just use it and not care.

[Schizophonia]

I would save this for just the weekend or something.

[Raze]

 

 

[Thought Art]

How to Quit Cannabis the Easy way - Allen Carr

[Yimpa]

I don’t take weed. Never have, never will.

I take medicinal gummies instead 

[Basman]

Quote

Benefits of Quitting Marijuana

Exclusion from marijuana smoking can lead to some significant enhancements to the body and mind systems. Understanding how to quit marijuana safely is crucial for those seeking these benefits. Some improvement occurs through changes in cessation outright, while others arise within weeks or months. Some of the following are unquestionable benefits of abstinence from marijuana:

Improved Energy and Driving Forces: All individuals have more energy, thus being capable of participating more positively in everyday activities and seeking their goals.

Improved Concentration: Immediate cessation of marijuana intake is known to induce a better mindset, with one being able to concentrate more positively on daily activities.

Improved Memory Recollection: Research reveals that intellectual faculties, such as memory, respond much better to marijuana cessation.

Shallow Breathing: Cessation can increase lung capacity, ease breathing, and reduce wheezing or coughing.

Healthier Cardiovascular and Respiratory Function: Once the body starts to heal from marijuana, people can expect healthier heart function and breathing, as well as feeling invigorated and more lively.

A More Balanced, Positive Mood: For some, simply taking time to relax can cause more emotional equilibrium, an end to depression or anxiety.

Apart from the physical and mental benefits, stopping marijuana can also have the potential to improve other aspects of a person’s life. These may include:

Relationship Improvements: People who enjoy marijuana can discover that their friendships with friends and family members improve, as they are more present and engaged during those times spent together.

School or Work Performance: With enhanced focus and motivation, students and workers perform better in school or work activities.

Improved Financial Situation: By choosing not to spend money on marijuana, your financial situation can be improved, allowing you to use it for other healthier activities or habits.

General Improvement in Health: Most people experience a massive improvement in overall health and well-being as their body gets over the effects of using marijuana.

It should be kept in mind that even though the benefits are tremendous, some of the complications, such as sleep disturbances, may take longer to be overcome after stopping. High rates of ex-users of marijuana report sleep disturbances, which may continue for weeks or months after giving up use of the drug. Having support during this transition is beneficial for patients facing challenges like these.

https://midwestrecoverycenters.com/benefits-of-quitting-marijuana/

I'm personally very happy that I'm not dependent on any drugs, including caffeine. It doesn't even occur to me as an option.

That's a good link by the way. It has a timeline for what you may experience when quitting and how to treat marijuana addiction.

Edited May 6 by Basman

[Jacko]

You could ask yourself what your relationship is like with it, why do you use it, how often, does it interfere with your values, vision, goals. Are there any negative side effects? How much do you use? Are you addicted? Does it occupy your mind when you stop using? How much time do you put towards it? Are there negative side effects? Is there a history of mental illness in your family? Do you live in a place where you could face legal consequences such as criminal charges, loss of licence, loss of employment. 
 

Some things to consider. I would say that weed used sparingly and at the right moment, rarely is the way to go, for me.

Edited May 7 by Jacko

[meta_male]

17 hours ago, element said:

Also it is strange that I'm searching for some answers to this topic - if it's really harmless them I would probably just use it and not care.

It's not strange, you probably intuit that it does do some harm, even if you can't see how at the moment. How long have you been using it for?

[integral]

It makes you lazy, unfocused, and dumb
 

That’s why you should quit

[Thought Art]

Weed has been marketed incorrectly for decades and it’s a shame. It’s a drug, it throws off you emotions, fogs your mind. I regret ever getting involved in it. 

[meta_male]

16 hours ago, Thought Art said:

Weed has been marketed incorrectly for decades and it’s a shame.

How?

[Hojo]

@meta_male its sort of like meditation without actually doing it your mind is still running a mile a minute and you are still engaging with it and think you aren't.  This leads to psychosis over time. Meditation you can quiet your mind weed dosent quiet the mind and you are unconcioisly interacting with it. You just stop reacting emotionally to it.

Edited May 8 by Hojo

[Thought Art]

@meta_male Its marketed to be cool, fun, harmless. Its marketing to make you more creative. But, really it just makes you retarded.

[PolyPeter]

I have come to the conclusion that, it depends on the current phase of your life.

If you have no problem with becoming less productive, maybe forgetting things, and living a very unstructured manner, sure, it can be a funny activity enhancer. If you are relaxing, on vacation, or playing video games and listening to music, it can enhance the way you connect with this kind of activities.

But, if on the other hand, you are using it when you need to be productive, lets say when you have to study, learn new things, work very focused, then it might not be the best thing to do, and it might even produce panic or anxiety attacks. 

Also, weed today is not the same as weed 10 years ago. It is significantly stronger, most of the time.

 

The long term side effects are very very real. 

This side effects are nothing when compared to things like alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, or other hard drugs. 

At most, you can get psychologically dependent on it, like you said, "it's kind of refreshing for the mind. It can  give awesome insights"

There are plenty of other ways in which you can get your mind refreshed and have awesome insights. 

That resistance you talk about, might mean that you have a baseline resistance that can be removed some other way. Like doing Yoga or meditation.
 

How often do you use it? you mentioned not using it some days, which sounds like you might use it pretty often. 
Caring about the possible harms is a good sign of your own awareness telling you that is not all flowers and colors. Can you sense a feeling of -not caring about things- become more and more common within your days? 

what is the purpose of using it for yourself other than refreshing your mind, and removing resistance? resistance to what exactly?

Hope you are doing well!
 

[Carl-Richard]

Probably the most concerning effect is that it dissociates you from parts of your memory (not just short term memory, but long term memory). It limits your cognitive field of vision, narrows it down, and interferes with your ability to connect new information to existing knowledge, to see and feel parts of yourself that you might be hiding from (often the more uncomfortable parts), and generally to be responsive to inner and outer signals that may help you move in the direction you want to go. It can be a great hindrance for personal development.

Other than that (and also connected to that), it

• interferes with your ability to learn
• messes with sleep hormones and sleep cycles
• elevates cortisol which can lower stress tolerance
• is often smoked which is bad for your overall health and causes cancer
• makes you numb to certain emotions and might diminish empathy (while also heightening it in some cases)
• teaches your mind to rely on outside sources for your joy rather than creating it from the inside through meaning, natural presence and good health
• makes your body and mind dependent on a fluctuating and unstable state (that lasts for a few hours) which destabilizes your mood and general functioning
• lowers your ability to organize your thoughts and behavior

What is the best way to use cannabis (if you don't have a better alternative, which there are many candidates for, e.g. serotonergic psychedelics)? Once in a blue moon. It can increase creativity by a lot, it can help you break with stuck patterns and get a new perspective on things.

But beware that even when used infrequently, it has a lasting effect on your system, as it contains lipophilic substances which go into all your cell membranes and all your lipophilic cell organelles and stay there for quite a bit of time longer than the supposed "duration of action" or even biological half-life. As a rule, you will feel the effects for at least a week after consuming it.

Edited May 9 by Carl-Richard

[meta_male]

8 hours ago, Thought Art said:

Its marketed to be cool, fun, harmless. Its marketing to make you more creative. But, really it just makes you retarded.

@Hojo @Thought Art It's the same with this forum, all about balance. It can enhance contemplation and creativity, if used in the right amount. And I guess it depends on where you live how it's been marketed. It's still illegal here and the only people who say it's harmless are addicts.

[Yimpa]

18 minutes ago, meta_male said:

And I guess it depends on where you live how it's been marketed.

It is legally prescribed here for people who are on the verge of dying (e.g. cancer) or have already lost touch with reality without it (e.g. intractable epilepsy, meaning out of control). And smoking the medicine is banned, instead there are gummies, tinctures, shots (drink), topicals.

[meta_male]

1 hour ago, Yimpa said:

And smoking the medicine is banned, instead there are gummies, tinctures, shots (drink), topicals.

Why is smoking banned? Because of the smell? Switzerland prescribes it too, but they don't care how you consume it. Other than that it's still illegal, but more of a grey area since every second person uses it anyways. You are allowed to carry 10g for personal use even if you got it from the black market, but at the same time you are not allowed to have used it in the past.

[Yimpa]

6 hours ago, meta_male said:

Why is smoking banned? Because of the smell?

That is one way to look at it. For context, I’m in Texas, a highly conservative state. So from their POV, they don’t want to associate medicinal usage with criminal stereotypes like hippies and gangsters.

Little did they realize that I would become extremely gay/lesbian and a certified baddie 

Edited May 9 by Yimpa

[meta_male]

@Yimpa Let’s swap locations, I’ll leave you my stash and existential problems, you leave me your lesbian friends and blue cat.