Marijuana Addiction and Withdrawal - What Happens When You Quit Smoking Marijuana
Most regular and heavy marijuana smokers go through a detox period when they first stop smoking weed. The withdrawal timeline will usually last between ten days to a month, and is hardest in the beginning. Quitting weed sometimes produces bodily and mental withdrawal symptoms.Regular withdrawal symptoms are discussed in detail below.
Agitation and Anxiety!
One of the biggest hurdles in the first couple of weeks is anxiety. The anxiety that you feel when you quit is typically minimal compared to a complete anxiety attack - but it is constant! You need to get ready to deal with the emotional and mental state you will be in for the first couple of weeks when you stop smoking. I have looked through sofa pillows,and the trash, just to find a crumb or a little nugget to smoke. I describe it as feeling like something is missing, and needing to get back to a high state so that you can relax again. You may notice you are holding a lot of tension and not breathing well in the first week. Keeping yourself busy will help some, but it won't make this feeling go away. Keep reading to learn more about marijuana withdrawal.
Insomnia and Racing Thoughts
Insomnia is a big deal in the first couple days of quitting. A number of times, I was unable to sleep for days. This goes away. If smoking marijuana makes you calm and tired, quitting will make you anxious and your mind lose focus. It can take a while for your sleeping patterns to get back to normal. Usually within a month you will have more regular sleep patterns and get a full nights sleep. It is important to keep a regular sleep / wake schedule when going through marijuana withdrawal.
Intense Dreams and Quitting Weed
As any smoker knows, cannabis intereres with your dreams and stops you from dreaming or makes you forget them. When you give yourself a break from weed, the nightmares come back - and sometimes they are vivid. If you haven't dreamed in a weeks, months, or maybe even years, this aspect of marijuana withdrawal is very strange. Memories from years ago may resurface in dream form. I remember having a dream of classmates from high school that I hadn't seen in over 10 years!
Nightmares are common when you go through marijuana withdrawal. These can be incredibly vivid and involve people and places you know. I have had several dreams where I thought the world was about to end and I have woken up in a sweat before.
Some people dream about marijuana, and some smoke marijuana in their dreams. This is completely normal and part of the detox process.
Not Feeling Hungry
One of the most common symptoms of marijuana withdrawal is a lack of appetite. Usually these symptoms last three days after the last joint you smoke. You can almost think of it as the opposite of the munchies. Take Out doesn't taste as good without Mary Jane!
Don't be surprised if your appetite shrinks, or that you have no appetite for a couple days. You might lose some weight when you go through detoxification. The lack of hunger can be a part of a more general feeling of being sick that has been described as mild flu like symptoms. Most people don't experience diarrhea or nausea, but it does happen sometimes.
When I stopped smoking pot, my diet improved. I have experienced the loss of appetite, and even the runs during the first week of quitting.
Getting Sweaty
You may feel this after not smoking pot for a few days. I think it caused from the tension of not smoking weed. I do know that after smoking (succumbing to temptation) the sweats dissapear immediately. One trick for dealing with this, is to think of it as cleansing and that your body is cooking out the THC. Your are speeding up your detoxification by sweating it out!
Agitation and Anxiety!
One of the biggest hurdles in the first couple of weeks is anxiety. The anxiety that you feel when you quit is typically minimal compared to a complete anxiety attack - but it is constant! You need to get ready to deal with the emotional and mental state you will be in for the first couple of weeks when you stop smoking. I have looked through sofa pillows,and the trash, just to find a crumb or a little nugget to smoke. I describe it as feeling like something is missing, and needing to get back to a high state so that you can relax again. You may notice you are holding a lot of tension and not breathing well in the first week. Keeping yourself busy will help some, but it won't make this feeling go away. Keep reading to learn more about marijuana withdrawal.
Insomnia and Racing Thoughts
Insomnia is a big deal in the first couple days of quitting. A number of times, I was unable to sleep for days. This goes away. If smoking marijuana makes you calm and tired, quitting will make you anxious and your mind lose focus. It can take a while for your sleeping patterns to get back to normal. Usually within a month you will have more regular sleep patterns and get a full nights sleep. It is important to keep a regular sleep / wake schedule when going through marijuana withdrawal.
Intense Dreams and Quitting Weed
As any smoker knows, cannabis intereres with your dreams and stops you from dreaming or makes you forget them. When you give yourself a break from weed, the nightmares come back - and sometimes they are vivid. If you haven't dreamed in a weeks, months, or maybe even years, this aspect of marijuana withdrawal is very strange. Memories from years ago may resurface in dream form. I remember having a dream of classmates from high school that I hadn't seen in over 10 years!
Nightmares are common when you go through marijuana withdrawal. These can be incredibly vivid and involve people and places you know. I have had several dreams where I thought the world was about to end and I have woken up in a sweat before.
Some people dream about marijuana, and some smoke marijuana in their dreams. This is completely normal and part of the detox process.
Not Feeling Hungry
One of the most common symptoms of marijuana withdrawal is a lack of appetite. Usually these symptoms last three days after the last joint you smoke. You can almost think of it as the opposite of the munchies. Take Out doesn't taste as good without Mary Jane!
Don't be surprised if your appetite shrinks, or that you have no appetite for a couple days. You might lose some weight when you go through detoxification. The lack of hunger can be a part of a more general feeling of being sick that has been described as mild flu like symptoms. Most people don't experience diarrhea or nausea, but it does happen sometimes.
When I stopped smoking pot, my diet improved. I have experienced the loss of appetite, and even the runs during the first week of quitting.
Getting Sweaty
You may feel this after not smoking pot for a few days. I think it caused from the tension of not smoking weed. I do know that after smoking (succumbing to temptation) the sweats dissapear immediately. One trick for dealing with this, is to think of it as cleansing and that your body is cooking out the THC. Your are speeding up your detoxification by sweating it out!
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