"All beginnings are somewhat strange; but we must

have patience, and little by little, we shall find things

that at first were obscure, becoming clearer."

Vincent de Paul: 17th century saint.

Adjustment: Those First 24 Hours

If you have followed the tapering exercise in the last section, by now you should be used to not giving in to your mind every time it tells you it's time to alter your mood by getting high.

But it is incessant, isn’t it? Every few minutes you wearily have to remind yourself that you don't use the stuff any more, and try to distract yourself by thinking about something else.

Actually you're doing brilliantly, even in this short period. Every time you don't give in to that slightly empty feeling you're doing a little mental arm curl and building up your mind-muscle.

"But as well as me recognising the effort you're putting in to this positive change I'd like you to do the same for yourself".

Not everybody finds self-acknowledgement easy, if we're not given praise when we're very young then it doesn't always come naturally to praise ourselves when we're older.

Also many of us use harsh thoughts about ourselves as a way of driving towards higher often unattainable standards and when that doesn't work we self-punish ourselves by doing things that are not necessarily good for us like overusing substances and alcohol.

So in these first 24 hours and for the next few weeks every time your mind says “Surely it’s time to get high" take your right hand, place it on the opposite shoulder and tap yourself once or twice on your back.

As you do so, say your own name and congratulate yourself. Acknowledge yourself for taking this step towards a happier and healthier future you. This is hard work and you're doing great.

That's right I want you to literally pat yourself on the back. Actually I suggest going a step further and giving yourself a hug by placing each arm over it's opposite shoulder, maybe rock yourself back and forward for a few seconds and just tell yourself "well done, this is a tough moment but YOUR NAME I'm really proud of you"

Give yourself a little self-love in a way that perhaps nobody else will understand. This is you acknowledging your own personal sacrifice and your own very real investment in your positive future.

By the way don't be surprised if this action make you a little tearful, I'm telling you that this is a good sign and I've written more about your feelings and emotions a little later.

Each time you do this take the time to remind yourself about the benefits you are looking to achieve from this process, and how every minute and every hour you go without giving in to your reflex is a step closer to achieving your goals.

Yes; now is the time to use the goals that you wrote down so carefully a few days ago. The goals that start

"I haven’t smoked weed for 12 months, life is now different because..."

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu knew a thing or two when he wrote "Every journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

To re-supply or not to buy? As ever it's all about choices

The truth is, not everybody will feel confident enough at this stage to delete their contacts’ details. Also here in London where if you're under 18 it's probably easier to buy weed than alcohol or tobacco. Just deleting a number is not going to make a huge difference.

Or you may live in an area where Cannabis can be prescribed or sold and taken recreationally without any legal interference.

If so then the challenge, as ever is down to the choices you make. The opportunity is never far away if you know where to look and let's face it if weed is our thing we always know where to look.

The really, really, important point is to remember the consequences of taking a backward step at this stage. it's just so easy to message that number or to put yourself in a situation where weed is available because of how you're feeling. Just remember most painful feelings just like a painful itch will change and subside when you don't scratch it. If you are constantly scratching and lapsing then your skin just becomes raw and you never make the big changes that might make your future happier if you stop for long enough to find out what else might be possible if you put some positive energy elsewhere.

Sorting out a Shared Living Space

Can you make your home weed free?

This is definitely a good idea, but realistically it is not always possible, as our home mates and loved ones may still be smoking. At the very least, if the people you share your home with are continuing to smoke, they need to be respectful of you and your choices. That means: no messing around, no joking, no testing or teasing. You need to make sure others are in no doubt of your commitment to this effort.

If you do find yourself living with others who spend a lot of time being stoned at home it may prove worthwhile to study their behaviour closely.

Do the look like they are having a good time? Do they seem alert or even fully awake? Do they understand what you are saying? Or do you constantly find you are having to repeat yourself?

Are they positive or do you notice that they seem quite defensive, detached or even depressed much of the time? Again I'm not saying that weed has negative consequences for all of us all of the time, everybody makes their own choices in life, but it's amazing what insight a little bit of distance can give.

If in fact one or more of your housemates are really committed weed smokers who are unlikely to respect you and your new direction then you may have to seriously think about moving home before you attempt your quit.

Drastic I know but for the next few months I'd suggest that if you are serious about this positive change then quitting is going to be your number one priority and more important than your temporary living arrangements.

If you're comfortable where you are then I suggest you put some real energy in to making your personal living space the nicest it's ever been. However small this is your intimate space. Keep it well ventilated, make an effort to keep it clean and tidy, change the bed-linen regularly, and spend some of the money you will not be spending on weed to buy some nice things which will make your space a special and welcoming place for you to call home.

Your Own Place

If you’re in the lucky position where your home is your own then obviously make it a weed-free zone for yourself and also to visitors and guests. Additionally, think about how you can change things in a positive way, whether by redecorating or simply shifting the furniture to create a fresh environment.

This first weedless 24 hours marks the start of a new life and it can help to acknowledge this by making small changes to your living environment even placing your bed facing a different wall in your bedroom can help remind you that life doesn't have to be the same day after day.

Much that happened yesterday was habitual, boring and predictable. When you begin to leave your cannabis habit behind, life can seem strange as your mind adjusts to the fact that it isn’t stoned anymore. Changing your living space gives your mind something else to focus on, another aspect of life that feels unfamiliar even positive and interesting.

Out In The World

I’m sure there will be moments when it will feel like you are expending a lot of emotional energy simply just not using weed. This sometimes amounts to a feeling of being overwhelmed by even the simplest interactions with other people, or becoming frustrated by what you would normally consider straightforward tasks.

Even if it's as relatively simple as waiting in line whilst the person in front seems to take an age over their business, this can lead to overwhelm; let alone dealing with your boss, a work colleague, or family member who habitually winds you up the wrong way.

Now is the time to remind yourself to slow down for a moment. When you notice you are feeling this way the first thing to do is try to recognise and acknowledge the frustration you are feeling. Physically you might find your breathing becomes faster, your stomach may churn, your eyes may blur, you might even begin to feel pain in your chest. These are physical reminders and you need to take notice of them.

Mentally your mind will be racing with everything that is wrong with the situation. Once again, it is your job not to indulge your mind, try and step back for a moment and gain control of your thoughts.

Frustration and anger and feelings of unfairness are very common early triggers if we have been suppressing them by smoking weed for years. But you can learn to calm down firstly by recognising and acknowledging them and then taking a moment to breathe deeply.

Allow yourself to consciously relax by breathing slowly and steadily though your nose and with your mouth shut just for a few moments. With practice This will allow your mind to catch up with itself, to give yourself a bit of perspective.

Is what is going on so terrible?,
Will reacting angrily actually cause problems that you don't need in your life right now?
How can I improve the situation without saying or doing something I might regret when I've calmed down?

Look this is a tough ask and it takes practice but most people who over-use mood altering substances or food or sex or shopping or gambling use these things to keep a lid on uncomfortable feelings. Learning how to navigate life on its own terms is an awesome superpower that can help us achieve so much else.

These early lessons in recognising and acknowledging emotions will be one of the most valuable benefits of your new life. There is nothing wrong with righteous anger but learn how to release it at the right time, to the right person or organisation and in a measured way.

Staying Home Today

If you’re at home today and feeling a bit paranoid about going anywhere, it is likely you will have been feeling quite restless unable to focus on much other than getting through the day and not lighting up a spliff.

I'd suggest this may give you more opportunity to practise longer relaxed breathing sessions, sitting or lying

down for maybe 10 or 20 minutes at a time. If you haven't done so already put your headphones on, lie down and listen to our Clearhead hypnotherapy recording for some soothing relaxation. If for whatever reason this is not for you, YouTube is your friend; there are plenty of relaxing videos or soundscapes to listen to.

If you are genuinely anxious about leaving the house and interacting with others then perhaps you could start thinking gently about getting out of the front door for a few hours on your terms. Set yourself some small task

to accomplish .

This could mean simply taking the first steps toward finding some new resources to help with your anxiety, perhaps in the library or at a local resource centre just popping out to get some leaflets even without personal interaction could be a good challenge to set yourself.

If anxiety isn’t the problem, start thinking in terms of adventure, visiting people you haven’t seen for a while and who live in another area, or finding some small reason to make trips further afield.

Adjustment: Alternative Activities:

When I quit, l gained physical and emotional energy that was difficult to come to terms with.

Previously, every time I had attempted to stop I found simply being at home without weed extremely challenging. Sitting around doing very little except thinking how easy it would be to buy weed was never going to be an effective strategy for me. So when I quit for the last, and final, time I did something that was uncharacteristic for me. I started to plan how I was

going to manage my time.

I chose five different things that I knew would support my decision to no longer smoke.

I started preparing more meals from scratch. I bought a bicycle and began riding it no matter what the weather. I stepped up my yoga, and started meditating for 10 minutes every morning as a discipline when I woke up. I also started attending

a 12-step programme, twice a week, which was incredibly supportive. Making that commitment to attend added real

shape to my week, and even though I couldn’t totally identify with everything said at the meetings, I took strength from being in the company of others who were struggling with their own problems in their own lives, even though it was often with different substances. If nothing else this took the focus away from myself for a while.

Those were my choices. For you it could be a completely different set of activities but honestly if weed is/was an every day habit when you quit there is going to be a vacuum and not finding new and alternative activities is a sure way to find yourself back doing the same old, same old.

Adjustment: Alternative Activities: High Functioning Quitters

Plenty of folks have problems with their addictive relationship with cannabis whilst still remaining busy; combining work with active social lives, fitness routines, and a generally productive lifestyle. I would suggest that it will also serve you well to shake things up a bit. It’s not only being active that is important at this time, this is also about challenging yourself and your perceptions, to distract you as your mind and body adjust to their new freedom. So, for example, if you keep yourself fit through swimming, try jogging;or visa versa. If you have a hectic lifestyle with seemingly no space for new activities, drop something, or somebody, and put one or two new hobbies, or people, into place. Experimenting with new pursuits doesn’t mean you are committed to them forever. This is simply a strategy to keep your mind positively engaged at a time when it's easy to slip back to using weed as your go-to reward or relaxing strategy.