Withdrawal

"I’m not telling you it is going to be easy.

I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it!”- Anonymous

Quitting Weed Is A Massive Positive Change

Unfortunately Cannabis withdrawal is definitely a real thing but it doesn't affect everybody in the same way or with the same severity. For many people the whole process can be remarkably straightforward which may explain the myth that because some people don't have a problem quitting weed then it's a walk in the park for everybody ready to make that change.

In fact the way withdrawal affects each individual depends on a variety of factors; for example how much Cannabis you were using, your overall health, how fast your metabolism works, how much exercise you do, whether you have underlying issues regarding diet and sleep and even your weight and body mass index (BMI).

The severity of withdrawal is just as importantly linked to mental health. If you are depressed anxious or bi-polar for example and have been using weed to self-medicate these conditions, then quitting weed and regaining emotional balance and a straight head can really be challenging certainly through the early days and weeks of abstinence.

"Remember, you may experience some of the symptoms listed. possibly all of them or maybe none at all. But if you know what to expect and how long these symptoms typically last this is obviously going to help to make the process more transparent and easier to manage".

Time estimates are approximate so prepare for some variation.

Even if you expect the worst you may be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can bounce back to enjoy the benefits of being free, independent and clearheaded.

So in no particular order...

Day and Night Sweats

Sweating at Night During Weed Withdrawal Is a Common Symptom

You may not believe that simply smoking weed could cause such an obvious symptom of detoxification. However Most detox of any sort involves some sweating and should be encouraged by drinking more water than usual, up to about 2litres a day. THC will be expelled through your urine and sweat quite naturally and a good level of hydration will also help regulate your body temperature day and night.

Night sweats are difficult because combined with light sleeping they can cause disturbance and discomfort to your partner as well as yourself. If this is an issue consider sleeping separately for a short while.

It's definitely worth making sure you have enough clean bedding to change in the night and if possible make sure it is as light as possible and made of a breathable material, same goes for your clothes, within winter reason.

Maybe take a lukewarm shower before bed this can help lower your body temperature and help you relax when you feel that you are ready for sleep.

Avoid spicy food and caffeine for a while especially before bed

This unforced sweating can last for anything up to 21 days but usually will decrease in severity and frequency much sooner than that.

Hand, leg and Body Shakes.

Some people withdrawing can experience episodes of shaking and tremors, maybe one of your hands or perhaps when you are sitting your leg won't stay still.This experience is almost always a one or two-time deal. If you are in the privacy of your own space my advice would be to go for it by exaggerating the action until your hand or whichever part of your body that is shaking is exhausted this should take about 10 minutes.

Movement to loud music can help release some of this emotional tension naturally from your whole body... GO FOR IT. If the tremors are not subsiding in a matter of minutes or are occurring with increasing regularity and for longer periods don't hesitate to get some medical advice as soon as possible.

Stomach Cramps Loose bowel movement

Learning how to sleep well again after quitting weed

Some people experience stomach cramps and loose bowels during withdrawal. If you have been having these issues since before quitting and they are worsening you need to get some medical advice to make sure there is no underlying condition.

If they just started when you quit this is of course debilitating but not too serious. Ginger or Peppermint tea can help. You also need to keep hydrated with water mixed with rehydration powders. Stick to bland food until you start to feel better.

Usually stomach cramps only last a day or three at most, if they continues much longer, then again the advice is to seek some professional medical advice.

Loss of appetite.

If you are experiencing a loss of appetite be reassured that this is a very common symptom. The important thing is to make sure you are taking some nutrients onboard otherwise you will probably start to feel weak, light headed and slightly sick.

Grab some good quality multi-vitamins and if you can afford to, keep taking them until your diet stabilises.

If you can't face solid food at this point and have a blender you could start making fruit and/or vegetable smoothies for yourself. Also try and eat small portions of dried fruit and/or nuts as snacks during the day.

For hot food ideally get some light soup down you, try and eat your soup with bread or crackers if you can. It's important to your physical recovery to make the effort. Your appetite will come back quite naturally within about 7 days

Irritability and emotional overload.

"Yeah, you're probably going to be triggered by small things, big things and stupid things. short people, big people, and stupid people. Your kids, other people's kids and adults behaving like kids".

In short when you're adjusting it takes a little time and perhaps even a little humility to remember what it feels like to live life on life's own terms rather than retreating back to being stoned when you find yourself challenged by the craziness of other people and the situations you might find yourself in.

Life is often unfair, boring, and stupid and if you can even begin to accept this one ridiculous truth you will be well on the path to a happier life, maybe even a joyful one.

We can also be easily become overwhelmed when we're adjusting to life without weed especially if we have been using it to sit on other strong feelings not just irritability and frustration.

As ever it is so often the seemingly smaller situations that can release a mighty slew of suppressed emotion leading to anguish and tears.

For now, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and triggered, once the worst is over try and regain a sense of proportion.

What really happened?

Is what has hurt you really that bad?

Really beyond recovery or healing?

Where is the silver lining? - clue there always is one if you look hard enough.

Working with these emotional highs and lows are all part of the process of positive change and growth.

A process that can take some months from first quitting until you learn that problems will flatten themselves out and things are not usually as bad as you think they are at the time.

Try and remember that we all have good days, not so good days, and absolutely horrible days. This is normal.

Even after 3-4 weeks you will notice how you are not quite so reactive to irritation and overwhelm as during those really early days without using weed. Keep going and you will find for yourself the rewards of observing and controlling your reactions when shit happens. These rewards lead towards a new calmness that is totally real and if you're like me, something that you never thought you could possibly achieve with or without Cannabis.

Sleep Disruption, Bizarre Dreams and Nightmares

Often people most affected by sleep disruption when quitting will be those who use weed to bury painful feelings and emotions which of course to some degree is all of us. This is one reason why not sleeping well is probably the most common Cannabis withdrawal symptom and the one that sends many back to their old ways of using weed to knock themselves out before bed.

However similar to those who use alcohol as a sleep aid if you're a heavy user the effectiveness of that bedtime joint or edible reduces greatly over time, so that when you're actually ready to quit a weed habit your sleep quality may already be pretty shaky.

Quality is important here and once you've swapped your habit of a drugged sleep in exchange for a healthy night's rest you will definitely notice the difference in how you are able to manage your energy throughout the 24 hour cycle

Most Cannabis users whether consciously or unconsciously use weed to block out uncomfortable feelings and emotions, and unfortunately when we quit sometimes these will surface in the form of bizarre dreams and nightmares.

We also know that there are many, many, people who have lived through extreme experiences and consequently suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many will have used weed to dampen down feelings of fear, shame, guilt and powerlessness that lie under the surface and can emerge through nightmares and waking dreams.

This project is designed for those who feel they are ready to quit using Cannabis and although I think it is true that for some PTSD patients Cannabis can be an effective short term barrier against PTSD episodes at night it's effects can be unpredictable. I'd suggest there are other strategies including professional trauma therapy that may be more effective over time.

Most, but not all dreaming occurs during the REM phases of sleep and these REM phases increase in length as the sleep period progresses typically starting about ninety minutes after first falling asleep.

My own experience was that in the first days and nights after quitting weed I would have a very intense vivid dream in what seemed like a few seconds after falling asleep. This would immediately wake me up and afterwards I would sleep fairly dreamlessly for about 2-4 hours when I would be woken by another intense dream. This would repeat again close to the time I was used to waking up. Not all of my dreams were nightmares but they did seem extraordinarily real for a few minutes upon waking.

It was around this time that I realised that for all the many, many years I had been smoking weed heavily I never seemed to remember any dreams ever. I made up for it during those early weeks when I became weed free.

Sometimes I found it really hard to get to sleep and suffered from a standard insomnia. I think overall it took about 6-8 weeks for me to adjust and find a new sleep rhythm and boy did that feel good. These days I don't sleep like a baby (or my cat) but generally I wake rested and get what I need.

Most people wake up a few times during the night, and actually we don't need to get all of our sleep in one go and this tends to happen quite naturally the older we get.

If only we could learn to relax the mind and body when we wake rather than falling in to a vicious mental obsession about the sleep we are missing then the whole falling asleep again thing would become easier with practice. Read more here.