[Quirkster]

My T said that if I really wanted to help with my mental issues, I had to quit smoking the Gunji. The thing is I don't really have some attachment to the drug, its not as interesting as the other drugs I take, so why do I take it more often then grog? I mean in some ways I don't really like it, at all. But my addication for it is extremely steady, smoking it like an everyday normal thing, just like how often I smoke fags (which is WAY too much). Ever since I've tried to steer clear of it, I have notised how addicted my friends are, and how often they were the reason I smoked it. Not because of peer pressure, but that's just what we do. I've notised that I may be the cause of my best friends smoking it, which makes me feel pretty low. But the frustrating part is, as much as I would like to leave my friends for a while, just to get away from it, I can't. Because my friends are the nicest, beautiful, accepting and wonderful they are. How do I help myself to get away from temptation?

-Sam

[Leed]

Hi Sam ~ I'm a recovering alcoholic -- and your smoking is as much of an "addiction" as drinking.

When I was getting sober, I was told I had to change people, places & things. If I continued to hang around my drinking buddies, I would certainly start drinking again. It's the same with the smoking -- if you're around it all the time, you're going to pick up again.

It would be best to just avoid them for awhile until you have some "clean" time under your belt. Then you won't feel so threatened. And who knows -- perhaps your friends will give it up too once they haven't seen you in awhile.

If your urge gets really bad, you might try some AA meetings -- I know that's for drinkers, but we get people with addictions in there too. It's no problem. Most meetings welcome any type of addiction. Best of luck & keep us posted. Hugs, Lee

[Quirkster]

Thanks for your advice Leed, but the things is, I dont at all feel threatened, or manipulated by them. In fact its quite the oppisite, you see, without my friends I don't think I would be alive. And in a time when I need them most, I couldnt possibly be separated from them. Espcailly my boyfriend. They are the friends who make sure I have a bed to sleep on when my parents kick me out because they cant deal with their own mental issues, or when I cant deal with the abuse. Leaving them now would ruin me. So as you can see I have a huge deliema.
Thanks
-Sam

[We_do_recover]

Originally Posted by Quirkster

My T said that if I really wanted to help with my mental issues, I had to quit smoking the Gunji.

hiya Quirkster

did your T explain WHY? if not, ask T to do so. if yes, perhaps ask T to explain more clearly why she/he has made this recommendation to you?

there's probably a very good reason for recommending this. i don't know what sort of mental issues you have, but smoking the green herbage is one of the leading drug-related causes of, among other things, psychosis. it also may cause or be linked to depression, anxiety, paranoia, and many other problems.

love & light

[Quirkster]

Hey We-Do-Recover, (Ps. Love the name!)

Yes, my T and Pdoc have made it every clear to me why I have to quit. Although they do not think it is the reason why I have my mental illnesses, they don't think itll really help either, because they are still making sure I am on the right drug ( Due to my rare from of epilepsy.) being not on the skunk will make it clearer for them.
-Sam

[We_do_recover]

what your T and Pdoc are saying makes sense. those few that i mentioned are but a few of the possible complications. not to say the weed CAUSES the problem, but it may well be masking the real problem or even aggravating or exacerbating it. it's not gonna kill you to lay offa the weed for a little while to see if it helps them with their diagnosis. but i guess NOT laying off the weed for a while, on the other hand, may very well make things worse

Originally Posted by Quirkster

my friends are the nicest, beautiful, accepting and wonderful they are. How do I help myself to get away from temptation?

you're very fortunate to have such caring wonderful friends. if your friends are as wonderful as you describe them, they will be open-minded and understand that you may need to be away from them for a while, right?

once again, it's seriously NOT gonna kill you to be away from risky/dangerous people, places and things for a while to see how your treatment progresses

Originally Posted by Quirkster

Not because of peer pressure, but that's just what we do.

dude, that is what peer pressure is all about, yanno?

i wish you well with whatever decision you make, though. i know it's not an easy decision to make. been there, done that, doing something different now…

love & light

[beauflow]

yes you have a huge deliema. Perhaps you could talk to your boyfriend about usage.

at the end of my drug life I stopped smoking weed among other drugs, but still lived with ppl that smoked and would offer. it was sometimes difficult but I refused, I lived like this for a month before I departed. I kept away from the influence. This included my own brother.
Its hard to quit something, even if your ready to quit, but its very hard to quit and have the constant influence around its very hard.

I hope that helps a little. Deep inside you know your answer if you are ready to quit your addiction.

I wish you well

[Quirkster]

@ We_Do_Recover, Yeah they are accepting no matter what I do. But I don't htink you understand, they are all I have, and it might actually kill me. Seriously, I dont need know T or Pdoc to tell me that! My friends arew the only thing that has kept me from being in hospital, no jokes. But I don;t evne like the stuff, I just smoke it and smoke it and dont even know, and thought of not smoking it is driving me loco!

@ beauflow Talk to my boyfriend? that one who smokes tea more then you can poke a stick at? Tehe. He is wonderful and I am in much love with him. And he will help me get over my addiction. I have been around the bush ever since I could breathe. I am used to its smell, taste and smokey aroma, that most of the time it reminds me of home.

[We_do_recover]

i hear you… i really, really do. i had to walk away from friends in the past as well. then i was left all alone with ME. that was probably the hardest part of all… being left with me. it was a terrifying thought for me.

maybe they have kept you out of hospital, i can't say. but maybe they have only delayed the inevitable? maybe you were going to end up in this situation eventually, no matter what? maybe it's time that you give yourself a break? maybe you just need to give yourself a chance to get better? cos you DO deserve to get better, you need to know that. but it's not gonna happen unless you give yourself a chance. maybe your T has said something similar.

have you considered attending support groups, 12-step meetings, or anything like that? most recovering addicts will offer you similar advice, doesn't matter if they're 12-steppers or did it another way, cos there are other ways. i'm not suggesting NA or AA or any other program is the only way.

what i AM suggesting about addiction recovery is that:

if you want to HAVE different (get better, stop using, get your sanity back again, etc…), you have to DO different (whatever it takes, whatever the cost, go to any lengths…)

like i said earlier, maybe you think i'm not understanding you but i believe i am. really, really, really. i know it's not easy, but it's OH, so worth it!!

what i'm NOT doing is justifying your attachment to your friends and the hazardous environment in which you are living

[madisgram]

quikster, smoking weed among other things will not allow you to benefit from therapy. if you continue to smoke save yer money and not go. perhaps your drug use is more important than helping yourself with therapy and meds, which by the way, save yer money there too. the drug use doesn't allow the meds to do their work.
i know it sounds like i'm bustin' you but i'm not. been where you are now. maybe you need to suffer the consequences of your drug use to enlighten you to how much it's hurting you and hindering your mental wellness. i don't think you're ready or open to the harm you're doing. keep us posted. we're here to support your getting clean.
best of luck to you.

[Quirkster]

We_Do_Recover : I know. And I will try superdooper hard. I will try harder then anyother times before! cause I really am sick of all this. However, my friends are my friends, and I will stick by them even if they are stupid little tea-heads. And my home life, baby, you dont know nothing yet. Although I do love my family, its one of the reasons why I am the way I am.

@madisgram: I will try my hardest to fixmyself. and thank you for your support.

[We_do_recover]

Originally Posted by Quirkster

And my home life, baby, you dont know nothing yet. Although I do love my family, its one of the reasons why I am the way I am.

yeah, i hear you…

love & light

[madisgram]

thanks for you reply, quirkster. we're here to support your efforts. we have a saying in AA..."sick and tired of feeling sick and tired."

[Quirkster]

Thank you. I will you updated. Much love
-Sam

[Perna]

I would find other things I'd rather spend time doing (working, studying, etc.) during most of the time they are smoking. Presumably they spend a goodly bit of time smoking and not doing much else? I'd get away from that. It might be helpful to you if your bf had smoked but wasn't actively smoking when you are with him?

It will make you "cross" to not smoke, maybe even a bit depressed, you will get little aches and pains and out of sorts (people who are tested in labs, trying to give it up for a week, often leave before the experiment is up and blame the bed pillow for being too hard/soft or some little thing like that, never that they really miss the smoking).

[sunrise]

quirkster, one solution to this is to not be around your friends until you have this under control. But another solution is to ask your friends not to smoke around you. I have had a friend and family member ask their friends and family not to drink around them because they were trying to beat their alcohol addiction. I was HAPPY to not indulge while in their presence if it helped them. What are friends and family for? Maybe you are scared to ask your friends for their help with this. But if they are true friends, they will be HAPPY not to smoke weed while they are with you. If they grumble and don't want to accommodate you, then they are not very good friends, and it wouldn't really be that much to give up being with them if you know they don't care enough to help, would it? Addiction if serious and friends and family should be willing to help. You just have to ask. The ones who don't want to help probably have addiction problems of their own. My friend who was giving up alcohol found that several of her family members would not give up alcohol around her. These were people she didn't even see that often, just occasionally at holiday family gatherings. Imagine, they can't give up alcohol for a few hours a few times a year! They would rather give up the delight of her company. Wow, some family, huh?

Please ask your friends. They will want to help if they care about you.

Good luck.

[my3sns]

Curious ??? Does T know about the other drugs you are using? (boy i am out of the loop , cuz i am not familiar with some of this slang...Gunji?? fags??? grog??? wow

[Sunna]

Docs are right with that while you are smoking pot they really can't tell how their drugs are working on you. Cannabinoids are anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, and anti-anxiety. THC is ... well... Let me say I have two friends with epilepsy, and one would go into grandmall at a wiff of smoke, while another uses pot as the only epilepsy control after the pharmaceutical anti-epileptics messed him up really badly, one worse than another. And when he does not have a puff first thing in the morning before he sits down and starts checking the stock market will likely seize, fall of a chair and have another nasty concussion (I once suggested that if he refuses to smoke before sitting to a computer he should at least put a bike helmet on, and maybe even strap himself to a chair). But remember the other one who gets grand malls from some smoke or a bite of brownie? Do you get why your docs want you off this stuff? It just creates one big UNKNOWN.

You may want to try reducing how much you smoke, and be consistent with it. That already may change how your prescription drugs work. Don't need to get stoned all the time, it's all up to you. You must have had moments when you decide you had enough for now, so negotiate with yourself to decide so earlier.

And it sounds like your friends really, really care about you, trust that they will help you.

[Quirkster]

@ Perna - Actually wonderful idea, I find sometimes, I do work and study helps more when I do that. Maybe this time I'll stick to it? Ah but I find my Bf more painful to be around when he is smoking, cause he goes all dopey. :P

@My3 - Yeah she does, the worst part is now she wants me to tell my Nerologist, and I hate that guy! And yeah sorry about that sometimes my aussies slang is a bit confusing.. but to keep you updated Gunji - Weed, Fags- Ciggerettes, Grog - Alchohol.

@ sunrise - Yeah, that is a good idea! Most of them esp bf besties ...etc will not mind doing that at all! brillient!

@sunna- I know! I have epilepsy, and because i smoke so much I cant even tell what it is doing too me, its hard when i get so bloody stoned i forget to take my meds. I know I need to stop, but everything is so difficult. I will try and do all the suggestions, and for the moment just keep cutting back and remember to take my meds!!! maybe finally get off the stuff. For good. So haard though when you have been living around and being with your whole life.

[Quirkster]

Well, I feel in the stupid trap of my stupid friends though................... wonderful friends but BLERGH. It's so hard when it is a lovely day outside, and having some greenstuff is so pleasureable. But, now I regret it.

[beauflow]

Originally Posted by Quirkster

Well, I feel in the stupid trap of my stupid friends though................... wonderful friends but BLERGH. It's so hard when it is a lovely day outside, and having some greenstuff is so pleasureable. But, now I regret it.

Try as some suggested to do other things while your friends are "poking smot"
- It will be hard to quit completely always being around buds that do the bud thing.
I still wish you well

[Quirkster]

I know but it wasnt planned! I dont know. Lunch time?? Where else do you enjoy you food but outsdie?! BLERGH!

[madisgram]

i went to mcdonalds for 5 years. for real.

[beauflow]

Quirkster have you ever been able to refuse smoking while with your friends and just let them get high as you sat back and observed?
F you have done it once you can do it again. it may very hard to do every time but just remember the time of not accepting to get high, but still with them.
I'm sure eventually you'll get tired and see some thigh you hadn't before while being sober and around high ppl.

If you have never been able to refuse when offered, have you tried?, and if you have tried but failed and still smoked it up with them, what does that mean to you?
Outside can be great with out getting high!

I'm sorry if that comes off wrong

[racee]

its my own fault for not saying anything so i can't blame them but my housemates still smoke long after i quit. and it was fine for first few years but now it's getting into my dreams. which obviously is on my mind. and i know they would stop or leeave if i just put my fist down, but always trying to smooth things over and be accomidating as i am i let it slide.

The good about it all is you just have to sit people down and be stern with em. look this is how it is and you either need to be considerate of my feelings and the goals that i want for myself or leave. might sound harsh but it's your life. to others they look at sobriety or trying to quit as a joke sometimes and don't realize how serious you are until its a do or die situation.
after awhile you will actually enjoy not having a foggy head. and love being in the moment, i still hike, go to the ocean, walk around town with my ipod. get a cup of coffee.....and i don't smoke while doing it (which i thought was never possible) it's retraining your brain. i'm sorry theres no quick fix, or simple answer oh god how i wish there was for everything
personally i have nothing against the stuff but when it starts compromising your health and consuming your life....and especially when those thoughts enter your head...maybe i shouldn't be doing this that's when you know you need to take a long extended break- as always the easiest way for me to stop things is looking at it like this isn't the end, i give my brain the pleasure of saying this is only a small break not stopping all together and it helps with the anxiety of a dear friend departing forever, and then when i get stronger i tell myself this is it! and i can handle it better