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Severe Marijuana Withdrawal


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#1 pocketsdeep

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Posted 11 July 2008 - 01:42 PM


Heres my story:


I'm a healthy 25 year old male. I was smoking marijuana for about 4 months almost on a daily basis before I dropped it cold turkey about 2-3 weeks ago because of depressive mood swings. Since quitting my life has been horrible. I'm emotionally unstable throughout the day. My anxiety level is very high. I feel depressed at times. Its taken control of my life. I can't concentrate on my work. Worst of all, I'm having trouble sleeping. It could take me hours before I fall asleep. One time I woke up early morning, sat in front of my computer and my whole body was shaking and trembling. Here is an article I found that that describes exactly what I'm groing thru - http://addiction-dir...withdrawal.html. I'm trying my best to work through the withdrawal phase and I have no idea how long it will take.

I've never had a history of depression or extreme anxiety issues. Also I would like to avoid anti-depressants at all costs. I basically want something to help with my anxiety issues and help calm me down. I would especially like to fall asleep quickly and get a good nights rest like I used to.

Some natural alternatives I'm considering are:

Rhodiola
Melatonin
Ashwagandha
bacopa


I would very much appreciate any advice I could get.

#2 Mixter

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Posted 11 July 2008 - 05:35 PM

Most important part, some daily exercise, at least jogging or if lacking motivation, long brisk walking.

GABAergics, such as GABA, and yes, Ashwagandha is good.
Lemon balm extract and Theanine against anxiety.

For motivation try some choline, or if affordable, DMAE and/or phosphatidylserine, along w/ the exercise.

Additionally you might try tryptophan, valerian, and if depression/anxiety won't wear off for
good, some months of a good brand of St. Johns Wort (preferrable to any SSRI) should help.

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#3 yoyo

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 12:37 AM

Lithium.

#4 niner

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 02:53 AM

You might want to avoid all alcohol. Maybe avoid all caffeine as well. Get in touch with your inner Mormon. The alcohol avoidance is for the mood disorder that induced you to drop the pot in the first place. People with mood disorders usually don't do well with marijuana over the long haul. The caffeine avoidance is to help with sleep. If I have short term sleep issues, I have no problem with 5 mg Ambien, but that's up to you. It has negatives, but they aren't too bad. I'm a bit puzzled as to why you want to avoid antidepressants "at all costs". That suggests that you consider them to be lethal, but an awful lot of people use them or have used them successfully. It's true that some of them (Effexor) have withdrawal issues, but some of them are pretty benign. I wouldn't write off the entire class of drugs. Get lots of exercise, as was mentioned above.

#5 yuri35434

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 03:44 AM

If you are having trouble falling into sleep entirely consider melatonin supplement, 3mgs or so of melatonin would be best (marijuana also promotes the conversion of serotonin into melatonin). If you are stuck in a very light that is easily interrupted, consider a benzodiazepine sleep aid of some sort, but remember they subtract from some of productive things your body does while asleep.

Otherwise I suggest try to keep yourself occupied with entertainment or anything just in order to fill the gap marijuana has left during the day.

#6 Lotus

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 08:47 PM

I agree with some previous posters, exercise, fresh air and St. Johns Wort would help. Mainly it's a period of time that you'll just have to go through, it does take a while for thc to leave the body since it is stored in the fat deposits. Pamper yourself and take care to eat healthy and drink a lot of fluids and such. Maybe you can look into some detox diets too, although I don't know that much about them. Anything that speeds up metabolism, reduces fat and such should help. Take care and good luck.

#7 wootwoot

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Posted 14 July 2008 - 03:15 AM

I have heard that benzos can help a lot for that. I would avoid taking them for a prolonged period though.

#8 Ben

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Posted 15 July 2008 - 02:08 PM

I have heard that benzos can help a lot for that. I would avoid taking them for a prolonged period though.


Yes, but then you could fall into the trap so many drug addicts fall into. Trading one addiction for another.

#9 catdaddy

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Posted 15 July 2008 - 08:50 PM

I've currently been off marijuana completely for 23 days now. I had a lot of attempts that lasted a few days and then relapsed, but I"m strong and confidently on the road to sobriety now.
Running and lifting weights are definitely part of my stress management toolbox now; without them quitting would have been much harder.
Make sure you're getting plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids, since these are a large part of healthy brain tissue(fish or krill oil are good supplements), fresh fruits and vegetables are helpful also.
I'm a big fan of bacopa as well, it's very calming.
Drink lots of water.

Here is a link that I found very helpful in describing what to expect as you progress through detox. www.droginfo.com/pdf/guideuk.pdf
A very good resource.

By the way, I was a daily smoker for 5+ years.
So hang in there, it will get better.
Good luck!

#10 7waysfromsunday

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Posted 22 July 2008 - 07:24 AM

Mate. I smoke pot, probably more than just about anyone on these forums guaranteed. And if I WANTED to quit smoking, I just wouldn't think about it.

If you made the personal choice to quit smoking, then there you go. 99% of the work should already be done. Each time you think about smoking, just remember why you quit in the first place.

#11 zoolander

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Posted 22 July 2008 - 07:54 AM

Some decent recommendations. Keep in mind that THC is a fat soluble compound and hence may take some time to exit your system completely.

I'd ask the posters to be careful about how they refer to pocketsdeep situation. As far as I know you do not get addicted or develop an addiction to marijuana you develop a psychological dependance. The above is a good example of this as the withdrawals signs are that of a pyschological nature (i.e anxiety, mood change, depression and so on). It's a very fine line though because the abrupt cessation of something you have a psychical dependance on can cause changes in neurotransmitters that may affect mood.

Anyhow....there are some great recommendations above.

Rhodiola is more than likely going to be a very helpful compount. Pocketsdeep mentioned it in his initial post however no one has recommended it.

J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Mar;14(2):175-80.Click here to read Links
A pilot study of Rhodiola rosea (Rhodax) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Bystritsky A, Kerwin L, Feusner JD.

Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. abystritsky@mednet.ucla.edu

BACKGROUND: Rhodiola rosea is an herbal supplement that many in the general population in Russia and elsewhere in the world have used for decades to alleviate everyday anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Whether R. rosea is effective in reducing similar symptoms in clinical samples is unknown. The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate whether R. rosea is effective in reducing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). METHOD: Ten (10) participants with a DSM-IV diagnosis of GAD, recruited from the UCLA Anxiety Disorders Program and between the ages of 34 and 55, were enrolled in this study from November 2005 to May 2006. Participants received a total daily dose of 340 mg of R. rosea extract for 10 weeks. Assessments included the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), the Four-Dimensional Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Clinical Global Impressions of Severity/Improvement Scale. RESULTS: Individuals treated with R. rosea showed significant decreases in mean HARS scores at endpoint (t=3.27, p=0.01). Adverse events were generally mild or moderate in severity, the most common being dizziness and dry mouth. CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvement in GAD symptoms was found with R. rosea, with a reduction in HARS scores similar to that found in clinical trials. These preliminary findings warrant further exploration of treatment with R. rosea in clinical samples.


The above study is the first of it's kind and I'm not overly impressed with it's design however the take home message is reasonable.

Finally, pocketsdeep you may want to consider that you may have a genetic predisposition for dependancy/addiction. Additonally, your withdrawrals may be related to nicotene, that's if you use tobacco in your mix.

Stick in there matey

#12 Opelousas Cajun

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Posted 23 July 2008 - 03:36 PM

Time to take control of yourself.... Marijauana was letting you escape from reality, now it's time to return.. Here is a short narrative that my hypnotherapist gave me when I wanted to stop smoking cigarettes (after 25yrs)... I printed it out and carried it in my wallet; and when I had the craving for a cigarette, I would read it to myself 3 times:
"I have a stronger feeling everyday that I am in complete control of losing the smoking habit and I keep my determination to succeed. I let no situation allow my enemy, the cigarette, to gain control. I continually picture myself as a NON-SMOKER......HEALTHY, PROUD AND CONFIDENT with CLEANER LUNGS, A STEADY HEARTBEAT and BETTER BREATHING ABILITY.. Being the BOSS, rather than a slave, is more important to me than seeking MOMENTARY pleasure, allowing long-range damage to my body. Every hour as a non-smoker is a victory.
I AM THE BOSS!!!!!" (change the verbage to meet your needs)

It's not easy breaking any habit, as all habits become a subconscious lifestyle by repeated actions....now it's up to you to reverse this.... if it takes changing your lifestyle, so be it.. The good thing is that you recognize the hold that this substance has on you, which tells me that you've got more respect for yourself than to let a drug damage that respect. If you don't have respect for yourself, why would anyone else? What drug user do you know, that you have the utmost respect for?? Who is the strongest; you or the drug??? (Just thank the Heavens that you're not addicted to Cocaine, Meth, or Pharmaceuticals (our legal drug pushers) ).

Edited by Opelousas Cajun, 23 July 2008 - 03:53 PM.


#13 Opelousas Cajun

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Posted 25 July 2008 - 01:27 AM

Time to take control of yourself.... Marijauana was letting you escape from reality, now it's time to return.. Here is a short narrative that my hypnotherapist gave me when I wanted to stop smoking cigarettes (after 25yrs)... I printed it out and carried it in my wallet; and when I had the craving for a cigarette, I would read it to myself 3 times:
"I have a stronger feeling everyday that I am in complete control of losing the smoking habit and I keep my determination to succeed. I let no situation allow my enemy, the cigarette, to gain control. I continually picture myself as a NON-SMOKER......HEALTHY, PROUD AND CONFIDENT with CLEANER LUNGS, A STEADY HEARTBEAT and BETTER BREATHING ABILITY.. Being the BOSS, rather than a slave, is more important to me than seeking MOMENTARY pleasure, allowing long-range damage to my body. Every hour as a non-smoker is a victory.
I AM THE BOSS!!!!!" (change the verbage to meet your needs)

It's not easy breaking any habit, as all habits become a subconscious lifestyle by repeated actions....now it's up to you to reverse this.... if it takes changing your lifestyle, so be it.. The good thing is that you recognize the hold that this substance has on you, which tells me that you've got more respect for yourself than to let a drug damage that respect. If you don't have respect for yourself, why would anyone else? What drug user do you know, that you have the utmost respect for?? Who is the strongest; you or the drug??? (Just thank the Heavens that you're not addicted to Cocaine, Meth, or Pharmaceuticals (our legal drug pushers) ).


I forgot another very important note; DO NOT KEEP A MENTAL 'LOG' OF HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE YOUR LAST 'SMOKE'.... This is a daily reminder of a bad habit....to tell someone that "It's been 4 weeks, 3 days, 5 hours and 47 minutes since I had a smoke" is not going to make you a changed person, just a person who has been separated from a nasty habit...... get it OUT of your subconscious....bury it... FORGET about it!!!!!!
(you can't forget an old girl friend if you can tell how long it's been since you've seen her :~))

Edited by Opelousas Cajun, 25 July 2008 - 01:28 AM.


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#14 happy

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Posted 25 July 2008 - 02:22 AM

My regimen to offset cannabis' effects:

Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, Bacopa, L-Tryptophan, Piracetam, ALCAR, CoQ10, Fish Oil, and ALA.

Start making this smoothie in the morning:

1c. 1% Kefir (trader joes)
1c. blueberries
1/2 banana
1tbsp lecithin

A Better Brain with Blueberries

In laboratory animal studies, researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Researchers found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.


I only smoke or ingest cannabis a few times a week. I'm not in school right now, but when I was I only smoked on Fridays and Saturday. However, when I took Provigil @ 50-100mg I realized I never wanted or desired to be high on the weekends even though I love zeh cannabis.

Provigil has been given to cocaine addicts, and you should know that marijuana and coke raise dopamine levels. Go to a doctor and find out if it works for you.

I know you stated you wanted to use "natural" methods first, but keep this in mind if your withdrawal symptoms get shitty.


Also, read about Deprenyl (Selegiline).

"Several clinical studies are currently underway to evaluate Selegiline's effectiveness in helping people stop smoking tobacco or marijuana."

"Effectiveness of Selegiline in Treating Marijuana Dependent Individuals". ClinicalTrials.gov. National Institute on Drug Abuse (March 2005).
"Usefulness of Selegiline as an Aid to Quit Smoking". ClinicalTrials.gov. National Institute on Drug Abuse (July 2004).

Good luck.

Also, if there are any yoga studios in your area I definitely encourage you to try it. Read about meditation! Ask Zoolander about his meditation techniques :]

Edited by happy, 25 July 2008 - 02:34 AM.





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