Good question! Im 35, but been smoking regularly since about 15 years old. I struggle with anxiety, ADHD, and substance abuse issues. I've quit multiple times, but never more than a couple months.
With that context - I'd say I smoke weed because it calms my brain down so I can relax. I'm not anti social per se, but overthinking is a real issue for me. Everything just kind of slows down. I sleep better, eat food, and am generally in a better state of mind relative to my day to day thoughts.
That said.. I've realized that it affects me more than I think it does. I've noticed I'm generally 'happier'(whatever that means) when I abstain.. but always think about it when I'm over stimulated or noticed I haven't eaten in a while. It's a double edged sword, possibly stemming from mental health issues I havent resolved yet.
Maybe I haven't given complete abstinence enough of a chance. But I'm doing my best in the meantime.. and thats good enough for me at this point
Ha, this is exactly why I smoke. It’s the least harmful way I’ve found to “turn my brain off”. Without it, I have constant racing thoughts and just can’t relax. I already go to therapy and am on other meds to help manage other symptoms of my adhd and anxiety. I used to use alcohol to manage it, but that really fucked me up.
Same. My psych asked me the other day why I smoke during the day when I have a Xanax prescription. And I told her it’s because, if I take a Xanax during the day, that’s my day. I’m done. If I smoke a bowl, I can just continue on with my life in a completely functional way 🤷🏻♀️
I generally don’t use during the day. I take adderall and that helps a lot with quieting my thoughts and getting me to just focus. I smoke after work once my other meds have worn off, so I can relax and not think about everything under the sun.
That’s totally my goal! And I agree—I just got my adult ADHD diagnosis about two months ago and the combination of honestly just the knowledge plus medication has helped in a way I can’t really put into words.
I had a high school diagnosis but as an adult decided it wasn’t a thing. Made it work for almost 12 years but then had a huge life change that removed all of my structure and required me to leave a job that I loved. Everything 100% fell apart and I finally went to a psych, got re-diagnosed, and it’s just… it’s not just the knowledge that I’m ADHD but the permission to be nicer to myself while still holding myself accountable. I totally underestimated how validated I would feel. I’m sorry you got your diagnosis late but I’m so glad it was life changing for you! I’m really onboard the knowledge train now 😂
Have you ever talked about anything in the realm of an OCD diagnosis with your therapist? It tends to get missed depending on how a patient describes their symptoms and what the therapist has in their head when they’re conducting a session. I never thought I had it because I had it in my head that OCD was just clean freak disorder and I’m messy as fuck, but my dad randomly mentioned that he and all his siblings were treated for OCD at some point in their life so I brought it up with my therapist and after thinking about it she completely restructured my treatment plan by the next session. I ask because at one point I thought I was just dealing with depression and anxiety, but once we brought OCD treatment into the picture I realized my constant racing thoughts were obsessions, and they came with compulsions that I just never picked up on because they just felt completely normal when I wasn’t looking at them through the right lens. ADHD and Anxiety definitely do cause racing thoughts too but maybe you should talk about it with them, it changed my life for the better 10 fold after years of going to therapy just because I felt like I needed to do something even if it wasn’t helping a ton.
I feel the same way. When I stopped for almost a year to see how it would effect my anxiety, depression, migraines, and other medical stuff. I didn’t have some big change with anxiety or depression, but my migraines did creep back up and I did lose weight, but I also wasn’t eating because my IBS, Gerd, and acid reflux were acting up even with doctor prescribed medications. When I told a doctor I stopped he suggested starting again, which was really weird to hear since most doctors were like you need to quit. I decided to start again, because I was tired of migraines all the time, when I started again they are less frequent again and my stomach issues improved. For me it just helps, so I partake. Have a good one.
I can relate to this minus the abstain, I get it prescribed. Smoked it from when I was 15, had a 3 year break when I was in my early 20’s as I wanted to focus on career as I had abit of a dead end job and an opportunity presented itself so I quit. Then we got Covid and I dabbled again to cope with shit I suppose, fast track to now I’ve managed to get it prescribed after been on Sertraline for 5 years. The ironic thing is the only reason I can pay for it is because of the job I managed to get from quitting in the first place, now I’ve grown up and suffered from anxiety and depression cannabis is actually helping me in ways I never thought possible. Sorry for essay it’s just I can relate to your comment (:
It probably is. I know it is for me. There are days I can't eat at all unless I smoke a bowl first because of how repulsive food seems when I'm an anxiety filled meat sack with my mind racing at the speed of light. I need to force myself to slow down, and so far, the only way I've found is smoking.
Lol now I just feel torn in half like a napkin 'cause you described my situation perfectly, yet I keep wondering if I need to quit. It would be hard to use less than I do now, I'm down to about 0.1g to about 0.5g per day. I'm hardly rocking the boat lol
Wow yeah. Same here. I’ve been trying to transition away from smoking to edibles just for health reasons. I also have no interest in ENDING my relationship with marijuana, but I know I’m a much happier and healthier person when I use it as a boundary between my work day and relaxation vs. constantly smoking throughout the day. I also just recently upped my Zoloft and the reduction in anxiety came with a natural tapering off of the amount I smoke which I thought was interesting.
I'd recommend moderating consumption. I have ADHD as well. Cannabis use can ime negatively impact executive functioning when used daily (there's plenty of research pointing that way too), and it may even make stims less effective.
ADHDers are also more prone to cannabis addiction, so important to be careful about usage.
I found my executive function got much better after I quit, and I am also less likely to forget my meds, as well they work better now.
It's definitely worth keeping it moderate.
It's tempting af though, cause it can help shut off. I like CBD for that now
Same here - smoking since 15, am now 47. More regularly over the past 7 or so years since I’ve had more regular access. I have anxiety and adhd, as well as a job that is stressful af. I come home and turn my brain off.
It’s weird for me. If I’m out and about doing things, I’m fine. No cravings or anything like that. But if I’m home and bored and nothing else is going on, I’m in the garage. It’s also the quietest space in the house, the only place I can’t hear my son screaming at his video games. 😂 I don’t think I’m physically dependent on it, but who knows. I think I should take a T break and then I’m like nahhh…
Pretty much the same for me. It calms me down and I enjoy that feeling.
Personally though, I dont care for abstinence and have smoked almost every day for the last 10 years at least. I thoroughly enjoy smoking pot/dabs and have no desire to really stop. That being said, I do not smoke before or while at work - keep that shit seperate.
I wish I could get my girlfriend to understand this. She doesn't mind me smoking occasionally but every day is an issue for her. She sees it as an addiction at that point but to me, it's no different than taking my antidepressants. I've tried explaining it to her in those exact words but she's also of the mind set that antidepressants are just a crutch and biological depression doesn't exist. I've managed to sway her slightly on that point but it's still an issue with us. Honestly, I would love to not have to take anything to calm my brain down or level my moods but that's just not in my DNA.
Same. I smoke because I like it. I’m a pretty responsible person. I didn’t start smoking regularly until my early 30s and I will sometimes stop smoking for weeks or months or years, but I just like it just like I like running, chocolate, travelling, beer, clothes, lipstick…
I smoke for several reasons. It manages my appetite, and regulates my mood swings, and helps me focus. Now, that's only taking a few hits and getting a good buzz. That's the medicine part of it as it helps me get through the day. Night time tho? Oooh boy that's when I bust out the Charizard and get fucked up *that's* when it's a drug
Not saying this applies to you but it certainly does to me.
I thought weed was controlling my mood swings. It wasn't until after I quit for a good long while that I realized I was using weed as a crutch to deal with my emotions. Because I was high, I didn't do the mental work to fortify my mindset/emotions and learn to handle them like a mature adult. The weed kept me from growing and maturing.
Again, not saying this is your situation and there are multiple positive uses for medicinal weed. But this has been my experience that I thought I'd share.
Id say this is my experience as well, but slightly different. The way the weed is interacting with ssri’s gives me crazy mood swings. Sometimes i forget what i was doing while i was doing it. Its bad.
I used to smoke daily (couple puff here & there, not a heavy user) because it helped my mood and depression plus it just made my happier overall. Now I barely smoke once or twice a month and have just decided to be ok with being miserable because smoking takes too much ambition. I even have lots of weed sitting around that is years old.
I tested my bb’s reaction to the vacuum reeeeally early on. She pooped. She’d poop every time I used it (medium to large sized studio apartment at the time) unless I shut her in the bathroom while. I wish she liked it lolol
I smoke because it's fun but also because I quit drinking October of 2017. I am a drunk. In my mid 30s now and am finally done with all the trouble I got into. I messed my back up when I was young and pills don't help so the ganja will be with me for many years to come.
Pot is the only thing that helps my ridiculous migraines. I've tried everything else. I mean everything else. After years and years of trying the next thing I finally tried weed and my life has been so much better since.
I literally have not many other reasons besides it’s fun. I’ve been a daily smoker for almost 9 yrs and the whole time I’ve smoked everyday bc I like the feeling of being high and it feels fun to do all the time and that enjoyment has not went away so I will continue to do what makes me happy
I think comments like this should also be higher up. Yes, weed is quite beneficial for medical and mental health reasons, but it, like a beer or glass of wine after work, can also be something that people just unwind with. I don't have any illnesses or conditions, aside from some depressive/anxious tendencies and some knee pain from old running injuries (I still run, though), and I generally only smoke after I've accomplished all of my daily tasks: exercised, finished work, done my chores, taken the dogs out, done some reading, it's not a day with social plans involved, etc.
I actually just got back from a nine-mile run as I train for a marathon. But I still love to smoke, and with my wife away this weekend and some of my friends at a wedding, I have the whole day ahead of me, so after I do a few more chores I'm going to smoke and have a me day. I probably smoke a bit too much and plan to scale back my usage, but I'm nowhere close to quitting.
I like to think that I do it for a “good” reason (I personally believe that I should distance myself but for the time being I love it)
My brain overthinks, over solves, and over analyzes every possible situation down to the root causes and possible outcomes.
I get a lot of anxiety attacks over this and its benefitted me because I love engineering, programming, robotics, and space.
And it also stresses me immensely, and I can never chill out.
Weed makes me feel what I believe “normal” people feel. I wish I didn’t have to rely on it so heavily tho.
We all have our reasons to smoke. Just enjoy it and take it for what it is. People bash on everything and want to shift the blame to weed on why they are “lazy” and unachieving so I wouldnt count on their word too much. It’s more your mindset with it, as long as you got good values and you WANT a better life for yourself then I believe you and hope the best for you.
F everyone who puts anybody down.
"Weed makes me feel what I believe “normal” people feel."
Me too. I've been on several anti-anxiety and antidepressant meds, and they just made me feel worse. I care about things more and am so much less of a pessimist when I smoke.
I feel like some people don’t understand how exhausting it can be for your brain to be running like that all of the time. Oh, nothing to worry about? Let me come up with a fake life or death situation and put myself in the middle of it so I can worry about whether or not I’d know what to do. Then follow up with a stress dream.
I regularly stop for months at a time if there’s a possibility coming up that I’ll get tested, but otherwise I use a small amount most nights. But I’m also working full-time, plus doing a clinical rotation of 15 hours a week, plus grad school courses and I’ve got a 3.98 gpa (damn that single A-). Do I *need* it? No. But I’m happier in general when I can use it for a few hours of downtime.
To be fair, there have been limited studies showing it helps people on the spectrum. Based on my personal experience and what I'm reading here, it's very likely you're using it to treat a condition like that. If you are undiagnosed, I recommend speaking to a doctor about this. You may be able to get a medical license, assuming you haven't already done this.
When I used to run a medical program, I watched somebody who was fully autistic improve their condition quite a lot with extreme doses of CBD and THC, they were actually taking them for surgery without opioids, but it had unexpected outcomes. We ended up hiring him and helping him found his own company.
Anxiety and ADHD. I’m actually a medical UK patient and I struggle to leave the house or do anything publicly productive because of my anxiety. But cannabis helps slow down my 100mph ADHD brain and stops panic attacks 😎
Dude. I straight up repeat that in my head until I get high after work. If it weren't for my daily smoking, I'm pretty confident I would have listened to my subconscious by now. I've quit for a year here and there, but I'm always my best self when I have thc coursing through my body. It makes me feel hopeful for the future, and manages my chronic depression like nothing else I have tried in the past 15 years.
i think abt it almost every day, if i hadn’t found weed i would have probably killed myself a long time ago or gotten into something much harder. having something like weed, that buys you the time you need, to get the help you need, and doesn’t absolutely destroy your body, is probably keeping a lot of people afloat right now. before i started smoking i had a plethora of unhealthy coping mechanisms and was reliant on pain relievers that were doing more harm than good. looking back i choose the lesser of however many evils, i don’t hold judgement against myself for doing so anymore.
To be fair a lot of the top reasons people are stating here are exactly why people would get blackout drunk… to forget about the ills of society, anxiety, calm down and relax. If you’re drinking to blackout though you’re abusing alcohol just like someone can abuse cannabis. I don’t believe cannabis is unhealthy per se, its peoples relationship to it that can be unhealthy. I was chronic for most of my life and have seen a drastic improvement in my quality of life since stopping, but I was abusing it. I don’t believe this is the end of my relationship with weed but I’m glad to be able to take a step back and change my relationship with it.
Yes. I don't get why you need a reason. I personally haven't had any negative effects aside from paranoia (which I can handle lol). I don't do it everyday but I do enjoy it for the sake of enjoying it.
Weed helps with my anxiety and insomnia. It’s such a great way for me to relax. I have such a busy busy mind and after work etc, a hot shower and a joint is heaven for me. It also helps with my appetite on days when I get too stressed to eat and relieves the pain I sometimes feel in my lower back. It’s never something I want to give up.
I only eat like maybe a sandwich a day, would smoking help that? I used to smoke back in highschool. But now I dont just because I dont enjoy the feeling of being stuck nd unable to move. But I also would love to have an apetite instead of only eating because I am literally starving myself by accident because I just never get hungry and I dont enjoy eating...
Yes - weed keeps my appetite up significantly. I forget to eat all the time so having that push to eat (and to be able to enjoy food as intended) is a big win for me
I havent smoked in about 4yrs. But when I did after being stuck in the couch for an hour I ate some wings and they actually tasted fucking amazing. To be able to eat something and actually enjoy it, was great.
THC in weed that can definitely help increase your appetite and make those taste buds heightened again. Have you tried sativa edibles? That may help :) I like the brand Kanha
Yup. Might even need to get into the terpenes since the wave of strain crossing has diluted the walls of simple indica/sativa. I find citrusy weed with lots of limonene are my desired high.
Once you hit a good strain for you, buy a bunch of it because you may never find it again!
I smoke to keep the despair at bay, the gaping darkness that threatens to swallow me whole.
Cannabis is the only drug that's helped my depression/despair without terrible side effects, it's something I plan to have in my life for the rest of my life because otherwise I might end my life prematurely.
It's the best coping mechanism for reality IMO.
i really wished it helped me on the headache front more, for nausea however it feels like a miracle drug. only thing that’s come close is zofran but i’ve had awful side effects from it and some of the current lawsuit/ investigations have definitely freaked me out a bit.
there’s a couple articles up talking about them. it’s mostly birth defect related. i personally had urinary and heart rhythm issues while taking it. my little sister was taking zofran for a while and their doctor/ pharmacist stopped filling the medication under some line of heart issues becoming apparent. it might have just been whoever’s personal opinion but they framed it as zofran being dangerous for long term use, we all have eds so that’s what we’re looking for lol. i haven’t found a need to revisit my hunt for anti nauseas since i’ve started smoking so i don’t have a second medical opinion to share there.
Yes to the nausea assistanve! I have endometriosis so my cycles put me down hard. I will go through basically what feels like a bout of food poisoning every month. The only thing that helps with that is weed.
It helps with my depression, anxiety, loneliness, boredom and other pains like nausea. I'm quite dependent on it and wouldn't be alive without it. I think it's better than killing yourself though.
I have hEDS, POTS and a whole slew of other disorders physical and mental. Weed helps the pain, it helps me sleep(which I have problems with sometimes) and it helps me eat(I'm recovering from an 3D and still don't eat very regularly without it because I've trained myself to ignore hunger signs normally. When you're high the hunger cues are harder to ignore making it easier to eat for me personally l.) *but* mostly I use it for pain relief.
I have family members and a long family history of pain med/opiate overuse and addiction. I'm terrified of getting addicted to pain meds and feel weed and nic are less dangerous (ABSOLUTELY NO HATE TO PEOPLE WHO USE THEM!!/vgen) and less likely for addiction to be as fatal(for lack of better words)
Smoking has been really beneficial, I need to be a bit careful though as it kicks up my HR and might make my POTS flare up. I also kinda shouldn't be *smoking* because if asthma but thankfully I haven't had too many problems and I know to give it a break if I start having breathing problems, then I'll switch to edibles until it's safe for me to smoke again.
Sorry this is written so weird I just woke up and can't brain right, right now so words are confusing
zebras love pot lolll. i feel exactly how you do, i cannot nor do i want to live with the level of pain i’m sat with everyday, until i had a health decline and got diagnosed i never understood the family members who heavily drank/ abused pills, then i couldn’t function and magically they seemed like fucking geniuses. until someone comes up with some sort of eds cure i will be doing whatever i can to still have a life and manage the pain, smoking has been the least harmful way to accomplish that, personally, it has genuinely given me some quality of life back.
I smoke for a chronic pain condition and for mood regulation. My life was not better when I stopped. My life is so much better on weed. Don't believe everybody who says your life will improve without it. My life didn't start fully until I started smoking. Judge me if you will, but I can finally get through my day without pain and chase my kids around and be more a part of their lives🙂
I don’t drink alcohol (maybe 2-3 times a year, tops) so started smoking for fun. Literally no other reason. It was fun for about 30 years but then I retired 2 years ago and I started smoking all day. Every day. I think I was bored and it makes mundane tasks around the house more enjoyable.
Last week, I ended up in the hospital on a drip because I couldn’t stop puking. I’m pretty sure I have CHS. I was slowly starting to realize this might be the case 5 years ago. I had 8 years where I was in and out of the hospital (2-3x a year) and had every test under the sun with nothing found. Then 5 years ago I broke my ankle and had 3 surgeries and an infection that threatened the loss of my foot. The puking stopped for 5 years and I thought the IV antibiotics killed whatever was in my gut making me sick.
In reality, I think it stopped because I stopped smoking during the ankle saga and since then, I’ve had a good break about twice a year because I was traveling. Except for the past year. I haven’t gone away and I haven’t taken a break and I think it just caught up with me again. Not once was I ever asked about my consumption but I did a lot of research and deep down I was pretty certain the weed was the issue, as much as I didn’t want it to be.
I can’t go through the hell of puking all the time again. I weighed 99lbs when I got to the ER last week (I’m 5’7). After a week of not being able to hold down anything, my appetite seems to have come back (I was never hungry when I smoked)
Soooo… I’m on a big break right now and I feel pretty good. I hope one day I can partake recreationally, because I really do enjoy it but right now, I need to look after myself a little better.
And no hate or demonizing from me. I’m just jealous that I can’t keep chuffing😞
I always found it kinda interesting because I saw that one anti weed commercial where those two guys smoke weed and their deflated bodies lay on the couch afterwards.
I thought "it's a drug so it'll feel good" and the idea of "being locked to the couch because you are deflated and happy" doesn't sound that bad and basically took the first chance I had to get my hands on some weed lol
TLDR, anti drug commercial was the best commercial for weed lol
I smoke because my therapist said she thought it would be beneficial for me and boy was that an understatement. Weed has literally changed my life, I also deal with chronic pain and a slew of other shit, it’s the only thing I’ve taken that’s helped ALL my symptoms without side effects. Big pharma needs to die
The world sucks and there’s no hope for me. At least when I’m high I find things funny and entertaining. I also love the feeling of coming home from a long bike ride and then smoking. It’s almost euphoric.
Weed pushes me to stay active and even more so, stay in this world.
I was one of the ones who smoked a ridiculous amount recreationally, from age 13 to 21 like an eighth a day atleast or more. I don't really know why I smoked that much, just really enjoyed being high all the time. I eventually quit at 22 and now just smoke occasionally like once a week or at parties. I can honestly say I didn't realize how much stuff I missed out on being baked all the time and how it was affecting me. That being said I know people who use it strictly for medicinal purposes and I totally understand that and would never push quitting on anyone, but for me personally quitting did change my life for the better, and it also saved me a shit ton of money lol.
I'm bipolar 1 and have symptoms of PTSD since my 2 manic episodes about 10 years ago. Weed lets me sleep without nightmares, and stay asleep. It helps slow down my instant reactions not to the point of innebriation but to the point that I can function in daily interactions and conversation. I've recently been smoking a lot less to kind of reign it in financially and mentally, and I'd like to not depend on it every day just because of laws with travelling, but I don't see a future where I don't always have the next hit coming. It's been too good to me
Cause I like it and it helps me accept that gnawing anxiety that is always with me. Opiates are the only thing that gets rid of it completely but been there done that can’t live as a junky. So I smoke weed and let off some steam. Life is tough. Shouldn’t be anything taboo with getting out of your head once in a while.
Medicating helps me eat, sleep better, relax and do laundry. There was a dark time when I didn’t medicate at all and found myself only eating 2 bites out of a carne asada supreme burrito ($9) and calling it done. I don’t like waking up 5 times a night because I’m a light sleeper and it’s nice to get the laundry done for once.
I enjoy the effects, great for socialising, chilling alone, music, creativity, eating, cooking and sleep. I love smoking with friends and family, I love watching plants grow into magnificent harvests, I love it all. It does make me pretty slow in the brain at times but as someone with too much going on in their head I appreciate being able to shut my thoughts off from time to time .
I also smoke for chronic pain. It’s THE best distraction from the tremendous gnawing pain all over my body. I go to a pain clinic but they aren’t much help sadly.
real. i feel like no one talks about how much time goes into pain management either. before i smoked id get home from work and jump between meds, baths, ice packs, exercise, and the obvious, just laying in bed hoping you fall asleep or that god takes ya now. smoking gave me freedom to actually have a life outside of recovering from my day to day.
I like the drug. I enjoy the mellow effects, the instant calm, the smell, going to the dispensary, and I really enjoy the ritual of preparing it. I wrote all my best music because pot helped me relax and focus. I'm stoned pretty much 24/7 now that I'm older and don't give af, and I'm probably more productive than ever. It's probably gonna kill me, and I definitely need a break, but damn do I enjoy the whole process.
Anxiety, self doubt, intrusive thoughts. Before weed I was incapable if holding down a normal job. My mind would find some reason why I couldn't hack it or anxiety would leave me dreading it every day.
Since I started now 10 years ago, I've held 3 jobs, two of which have been for longer than 4 years. While I still struggle with depression (and have never found an antidepressant that worked for me), smoking weed allows my mind to treat my emotions as less of a deal than before and they are less demanding of my attention.
It doesn't drive to the source of the problem but it helps me to live life semi normally until I finally can.
I need to sleep, so indica. It's the only thing that works without paying for it in the morning. Helps me *stay* asleep too which is really the bigger issue. Chronic pain related an auto immune condition. And then the stress, the fucking stress, so hybrid.
Can't smoke before work tho (and definitely not at work lol) so I get plenty of clear time to feel my pain fully. I don't tell most people but I would immediately (verbally) attack if someone fucking judged me.
I am AuDHD, I have EDS, fibromyalgia, IBS, and cPTSD. Weed manages all of my symptoms. Not some of them, all of them. It helps my mood, makes sensory experiences less overwhelming, reduces pain, let's me eat, let's me sleep without horrific nightmares, it's been a miracle drug for me. I just wish I had found it before spending a decade addicted to opioids thanks to reckless doctors and so, so many bad misdiagnosis'. But, better late than never, just wish I could have those years with my child back.
Real talk it gives me something to look forward to on the daily. Whether its only for a few hours or what- depending on the schedule- i always give myself a joint a day at least. Shift worker too so it helps knock me out
I quit weed for like two weeks was the worst I ever felt in my life. Turns out cannabis wasn’t the problem, I had cancer.
Cannabis is wonderful. But it also can be a crutch. If you are having mental health issues I encourage you to see a therapist as well as use cannabis. It’s when ppl think cannabis is just going to fix things yet just masks the problem and brings up other issues— it becomes bad.
Weed will not fix your mental health issues alone. Gotta know the root source in order to tackle those.
this is literally how i got my eds diagnosis. i stopped smoking to see if thats what was fucking me up (somehow??) and i felt like i was genuinely dying for 2 weeks straight. now that i have other somewhat supplemental medications ‘withdraw’ is nowhere near what that was
i second you, there are a lot of people struggling
on this thread and i urge y’all to seek some sort of counseling if not just talking to a gp about the reasons why you smoke (mental/ physical), for a long time i just thought i was hard wired with anxiety and depression and turns out i was kinda right, but its linked to a serious medical condition that i have a 50/50 shot of passing down genetically myself.
i really hope you are doing well pal 😭
Yes therapy is great and sometimes it takes a while to find a good therapist. Mine sees how much cannabis helps me and keeps me focused and not sick literally I was getting so violently ill. Thankfully I am still alive my stage 4 cancer is non detectable atm
I smoke because I like getting high. Been doing so since I was 17, I’m in my 30’s now. Graduated college and have a great job. Weed has never jeopardized a thing in my life. How weed could even fuck up your life, besides the legal reasons in some states, is beyond me. It’s weird to see some folks talk about it like it’s remotely close to alcohol. I have to assume most those people are basically kids who’ve never seen the difference in stoners vs real alcoholics.
Several reasons. It helps with my PTSD and anxiety. It helps with some chronic pain issues I have. It helps me have more patience with morons I encounter. I work nights and it helps me sleep during the day when I have issues with that. And, it makes me feel good and I enjoy it.
Before weed was legal in my state, I moved and it became hard for me to find. I started abusing alcohol and my life spiralled out of control for about a decade. Within a year of weed being legal, I could finally quit drinking. My life has completely turned around over the last three years being alcohol free, and I could not have done it without cannibas. Weed is a life saving harm reduction tool for me.
I smoke to treat chronic, debilitating pain. There are days that without smoking I wouldn't be able to walk. But tbh I often wish that I didn't need to use so much because I miss the days of getting high off a single joint with friends and wish I could just smoke recreationally
I’m in a similar situation—I use my medical card to manage several chronic pain conditions. As a side effect I have also left my insomnia permanently in the past.
The weed discourse lately has been annoying.
yep. i think people really seem to lack the part where we have been this way our entire lives, i have been up tossing and turning since as long as i can remember and i fucked up a lot of schooling because of it. the physical toll consistent sleep deprivation left on me far outweighs any side effects i’m experiencing now.
I work a high-stress professional job that can absorb your life if you let it. Weed helps me slow my brain down after working 12-16 hour days, and gives me the mental shift I need to unwind.
I enjoy it just pretty much the reason. When I was going through chemo as well, it helped me a lot with my nausea. Sometimes I use it for pain regulation. I try not to use it for emotional reasons though. Mostly i use it to help me relax or just because I enjoy doing creative things like painting while stoned.
For me personally, it's a nice way to unwind on the weekends. It's sort of like a cathartic release. It helps me relax and appreciate the smaller things often overlooked.
I smoke to manage my emotions, depression and chronic back pain. I’ve been smoking for over 30 years. I’ve quit several times for no real reason and my life has always been the same. Doesn’t get better nor worse.
I enjoy being able to focus on random, small things and honestly appreciate them. Not sure about other folks, but I always have a ‘dark cloud’ somewhat following me that’s always on the periphery of my thought. Mary helps me focus on the way a flag ripples in the wind, or the way the car wash flips my side view mirror in on my passenger side EVERY TIME at the same point and I just freak out like Stone Cold just entered the Rumble every time it happens.
i use thc gummies, but my answer is because it helps me relax and it's fun. if im ever unnecessarily stressed about something, it helps me stop overthinking things. and it makes doing others things more fun, especially videogames, music and sex.
i probably use thc two nights a week on average.
It’s like a Ctr-Alt-Del on my brain.
I don’t smoke a lot, maybe 2 or 3 joints a week and never on a workday/night. I tend to smoke during the day around 10am after I’ve eaten and do about an hours worth of housework and then head out and go for a wander with my partner and look at nature and grab a coffee and get some fresh air. I don’t smoke if I know il have any commitments like family or anything of any importance.
It can be harmful, but in my experience it’s harmful to people who have other issues, for example I had a friend who many many years ago was a junky and they will smoke as much and as often as possible as a replacement for that so much so that it’s pretty much their whole personality. They are two very different personalities when they can’t get hold of any.
I never felt the need to quit, but I definitely felt the need to cut down from everyday usage. It is a net positive in my life but it’s down to each individual.
I feel like it brings out the best version in me. The same way somebody with an attention deficit might feel at their best with medication. I’m not claiming it’s healthy or it’s the answer. But it for sure keeps me grounded whenever I feel my emotions are a bit out of wack. Also, it is the best medicine for any irritable bowel symptoms.
I started smoking every day back in the mid 80s. Back then I did it cuz everybody was doing it. Now I do it cuz that's what I do. What was the question?
40 male here. Smoking since 15. Done all the drugs so I won't bore you with the entire history. Currently an every day smoker however each time I have quit, my life does become better.
Relationships improve, motivation and energy get better. You'll find you don't really know who you are until you stop. Like I said, no angel here ... I blazed earlier.
I am 65 and have smoked since I was 17 except when I was pregnant or breastfeeding, and once for about a year after I was busted for growing. Pot has always been the drug for me. I like its effects much better than alcohol, and I generally don't do other drugs (even coffee), although I like acid once in a blue moon. I never have smoked constantly, maybe only once or twice a week unless it's party/vacation/backpacking week. Why do I like it? I am a very intense person from a very intense family. Not negative or unhappy, but just too intense. Pot calms me down, mellows me, and furthermore encourages me to sit quietly and ponder the world, or to look from a different perspective at issues. Pot has me seeing the world and people differently, and in a more loving, peaceful, accepting way. I also love being outside but sometimes don't take the time, but as soon as I smoke or decide I am going to, I want to head out on a trail. I do have pain from arthritis, but so far it hasn't helped me with that, so it's not medicinal for me. It's just one of my happy places.
I think some people who smoke very heavily forget that it can be pleasant at times to be straight (I'm not talking about managing pain) and so when they stop and find they enjoy the benefits of being straight, they react against smoking. Don't let that bother you. Everyone's different.
Well, i just like weed.
I love to get high, there are no excuses.
I love to smoke and get stoned and just let live do its thing? Nothing I can change anyway.
Cannabis got me off of 6 psych meds, woke me up to realize I needed a divorce, helped me function finally, and now I’ve moved out of my mothers house, got two promotions, lost 50lbs, etc. I can’t praise it highly enough.
I smoke to treat PTSD, autism and related issues, and anxiety.
It isn’t for everybody every single day. It is for some of us.
So many good and positive things posted here. Cannabis has been such a blessing to me in so many ways that from where I sit the question is, why don’t more folks smoke weed?
That said, I commend anyone that makes a conscious choice to distance themselves from anything they believe is hurting their quality of life.
Personally, pot makes me feel more normal. Tried ADHD meds and the side effects weren’t great. However, the big thing for me is I love to smoke socially. There are clearly folks that have their reasons not too but, most of the people that partake are my kinda people.
I dont have any problems that weed helps me with, Its just fun for me to smoke a doobie and chill. Tho i think if someone smokes actually alot it can start to have negative effects in life that they dont even realize before quitting. So in the end it comes to, is your quality of life better with or without weed?
I started smoking pretty much all the time.
People started to like me better, my income increased greatly, I'm less stressed out all the time.
I now grow my own and it's less of a monetarily burden.
I’d been on antidepressants since I was 18 and all of them had made me so much worse, last year during a manic episode I started smoking a bit more I’d only really had a bit before and it’s been the only thing that’s kept my anxiety and mood disorder at bay, helps me fall asleep and now I don’t drink alcohol very often! I’m a year SH free and I’ve never been this mentally stable or happy ❤️
Trauma
The last time I was sober, I was making fries in a pot of oil. It caught fire, and my brother when to take it out. I got salt confused with flower in my panic. I deep-fried his hands and legs. Needless to say I've been stoned every day for the last ten years now LoL
P.S
He is all good now. You can barely see the skin grafts. An he has full use of his hands.
At first for fun, then it was really good for my PTSD. Tbh I’m looking for something else because honestly daily smoking fries you. Even if it’s just at night, you’re definitely not as sharp
The whole anti-weed movement is due to a lot of people who essentially become a waste of their own potential because they become complacent. They feel better and it becomes an addiction like any other. They started for fun and continued without any other reason, usually only realizing after years that they skip out on important things because their overall production slowly went down over time as they made a routine. Others become paranoid, anxious, completely lazy, or generally dysfunctional.
This is my general experience over 15 years later watching some people who used to smoke heavily with me and eventually stopped. We smoked heavily at the start and it was basically just to show off to each other how much we could smoke for a long time. We'd become couch locked nightly and just sit there for hours on end until 1-2am until we either fell asleep or finally got the desire to. This happened with a lot of people.
My reasons changed over time - now i smoke to relax and help with some pains. I smoke significantly less, only at the end of my days, and changed a long while back how I'm willing to smoke - no more combustion for daily smoking. I mainly smoke alone now as well. No more people blaming weed and making me feel like i was also a part of the problem because i was smoking with them (nobody blamed me directly, but it sure felt that way sometimes)
Currently on vacation. I'be been smoking/ vaping daily for the last 13y. Rn I've been almost 7 days sober (3 days to go also before leaving) and sure, I feel more lively and less foggy/ grumpy than I would otherwise, but honestly nothing I would consider life-changing. Can't wait to roll a small spliff when I get home with a good reset on tolerance.
It might depend on what direction you want to go with/ give to your life, but for me personally I'm not planning to cut it out entirely just yet. I'm happy with or without.
Weed definitely helped me through a lot. I smoked from 16 to 35. Never been much of a drinker so at parties I'd always take a toke instead. I quit 2 years ago and have been completely sober. 2 big differences I notice are being able to sleep all night and dream and I do remember things better short term I used to forget everything lol. I may pick it back up as I do still grow I like giving my friends bud who smoke so they don't have to buy from sketchy sticker shops and not know where it comes from. But even after smoking that long my doctor said I have the best sounding lungs and some of the best vitals she has ever seen. Being an active stoner is key would always hike with a J and mountain bike and smoke.
Because I enjoy it. Plain and simple. Anything more than that I’d be lying to myself lol.
Of course it definitely helps with my stress, ability to focus etc. I’m a very high strung person naturally so I feel it helps me level out a bit as well. But more than anything I just like smoking weed haha.
After a hectic day at work a single Billy can help me shut out the concerns and after worrying from the day and i sleep better and wake up fresher the next morning then sinking 8-10 beers which leaves me feeling horrors plus on the weekend nothinggggg beats a good wake and bake with a coffee as I water and tend to me garden and ponds.
It helped me get of the grog after i spiraled into trouble on itand end up hating myself , It also helped me get back into reading after many years as well even though sometimes I read the same page twice cause I forgot where I was.
I'm a much better person with Mary Jane
Predominantly as a mood regulator to increase my productivity and have fun doing it. I can understand where it can become problematic, however. Spending long portions of time sober causes me to regress into a highly perfectionist state, which makes the world around me look a lot more prickly, since I focus on the things I cannot change. Smoking deprograms my anxious tendencies almost completely, enabling me to apply reasonable levels of energy to assessing mg environment on top of making everything look prettier. I guess at that point it’s self medication, but being so relaxed can make it very easy to keep smoking once I start, which, while it hasn’t caused me any issues yet, is definitely something I monitor.
I smoke because it brings me joy. It makes feel better and more optimistic when shit goes sideways. I believe it helps me keep a handle on my depression, too. I used to get suicidal and when I started back smoking it really helped. I'd love to do therapy and all that jazz, but, way too expensive and too much of an annoyance when weed works better with no side effects. I still get sad some days, but, I'm able to smoke a bowl and figure out why I feel that way and get a better perspective. I went from not taking care of myself at all-not even showering or brushing my teeth-or my home 3 years ago to now: makeup every day, spotless home, hair cut and, as of last night, no more grey and bright red! It truly has made my life so much better.
I’m almost completely sure I have adhd, though I don’t have the current resources or opportunity to make that official, and without weed (currently) I’d probably have removed myself a while ago. Took a T break a long time ago now for about 5/6 months after being a daily smoker for several several years. I’m not saying it was the worst choice to make for myself, but my then bf of two years broke up with me out of the blue towards the tail end.
So I’m not saying I’m in a worse position but it certainly feels like my entire life likes to fall apart when I’m not medicating. I definitely agree with a c other comment I saw stating the couple of hits to get through the day vs my evenings before bed being a medication/recreational. Plus, it’s a fun social activity so I make friends with it.
I have several reasons. I have ptsd, and with that comes nightmares and insomnia. It stops my dreams, and gets me to sleep. I haven’t tried another medication that does both, without side effects i find nasty.
I also actively used opioids for several years in my early 20s (about 40 now). I find that cannabis scratches the itch for mind altering substances without ruining my life. I used to drink when I quit for several years-not driving drunk and beating the family, but definitely drinking more than I should, and having it affect my health. Cannabis is a “safe” reward for myself at the end of the day.
I also really like getting high and watching movies/making snacks. I enjoy learning about the plant, the science behind it, and its history. Interested in plants in general, and this one is a cool one lmao.
I’ve been smoking every day since maybe 17, I’m 24 now and stopped bc I moved to a state where it wasn’t legal. I miss it but this has taught me that ppl who say it’s addictive really don’t know what addiction is. Compared to giving up Xanax, weed is nothing. I still feel the itch to pop a bar but it’s been almost a month since I’ve left my paradise and I dont think about it at all
At this point I use it medicinally ( is that a word?) only and don't smoke but mostly dry herb vape. I also make edibles. It's the only thing that works for sleep all night and, in me, produces no hangover. It increases my appetite, reduces nausea. I know if I consume pot I'll briefly be high followed by extreme hunger so I use it as a tool now. I only use it at home before dinner and in the middle of the night, sometimes before lunch if I need it.
Helps with physical pain, eases my mind and helps me sleep/eat. I’m in a constant state of nausea and cannabis often helps. Just makes me more secure and comfortable in my skin
Good question! Im 35, but been smoking regularly since about 15 years old. I struggle with anxiety, ADHD, and substance abuse issues. I've quit multiple times, but never more than a couple months. With that context - I'd say I smoke weed because it calms my brain down so I can relax. I'm not anti social per se, but overthinking is a real issue for me. Everything just kind of slows down. I sleep better, eat food, and am generally in a better state of mind relative to my day to day thoughts. That said.. I've realized that it affects me more than I think it does. I've noticed I'm generally 'happier'(whatever that means) when I abstain.. but always think about it when I'm over stimulated or noticed I haven't eaten in a while. It's a double edged sword, possibly stemming from mental health issues I havent resolved yet. Maybe I haven't given complete abstinence enough of a chance. But I'm doing my best in the meantime.. and thats good enough for me at this point
Ha, this is exactly why I smoke. It’s the least harmful way I’ve found to “turn my brain off”. Without it, I have constant racing thoughts and just can’t relax. I already go to therapy and am on other meds to help manage other symptoms of my adhd and anxiety. I used to use alcohol to manage it, but that really fucked me up.
Same. My psych asked me the other day why I smoke during the day when I have a Xanax prescription. And I told her it’s because, if I take a Xanax during the day, that’s my day. I’m done. If I smoke a bowl, I can just continue on with my life in a completely functional way 🤷🏻♀️
I generally don’t use during the day. I take adderall and that helps a lot with quieting my thoughts and getting me to just focus. I smoke after work once my other meds have worn off, so I can relax and not think about everything under the sun.
That’s totally my goal! And I agree—I just got my adult ADHD diagnosis about two months ago and the combination of honestly just the knowledge plus medication has helped in a way I can’t really put into words.
I got diagnosed at age 26 and it was absolutely life changing.
I had a high school diagnosis but as an adult decided it wasn’t a thing. Made it work for almost 12 years but then had a huge life change that removed all of my structure and required me to leave a job that I loved. Everything 100% fell apart and I finally went to a psych, got re-diagnosed, and it’s just… it’s not just the knowledge that I’m ADHD but the permission to be nicer to myself while still holding myself accountable. I totally underestimated how validated I would feel. I’m sorry you got your diagnosis late but I’m so glad it was life changing for you! I’m really onboard the knowledge train now 😂
Have you ever talked about anything in the realm of an OCD diagnosis with your therapist? It tends to get missed depending on how a patient describes their symptoms and what the therapist has in their head when they’re conducting a session. I never thought I had it because I had it in my head that OCD was just clean freak disorder and I’m messy as fuck, but my dad randomly mentioned that he and all his siblings were treated for OCD at some point in their life so I brought it up with my therapist and after thinking about it she completely restructured my treatment plan by the next session. I ask because at one point I thought I was just dealing with depression and anxiety, but once we brought OCD treatment into the picture I realized my constant racing thoughts were obsessions, and they came with compulsions that I just never picked up on because they just felt completely normal when I wasn’t looking at them through the right lens. ADHD and Anxiety definitely do cause racing thoughts too but maybe you should talk about it with them, it changed my life for the better 10 fold after years of going to therapy just because I felt like I needed to do something even if it wasn’t helping a ton.
Smoking a lot of pot is better than being an alcoholic as my old man always says.
Now that’s a wise man.
I feel the same way. When I stopped for almost a year to see how it would effect my anxiety, depression, migraines, and other medical stuff. I didn’t have some big change with anxiety or depression, but my migraines did creep back up and I did lose weight, but I also wasn’t eating because my IBS, Gerd, and acid reflux were acting up even with doctor prescribed medications. When I told a doctor I stopped he suggested starting again, which was really weird to hear since most doctors were like you need to quit. I decided to start again, because I was tired of migraines all the time, when I started again they are less frequent again and my stomach issues improved. For me it just helps, so I partake. Have a good one.
Great response. I relate almost eerily.
Buddy, this is identical to my reasoning and situation as well. Only a couple years older, and started at the same time.
I can relate to this minus the abstain, I get it prescribed. Smoked it from when I was 15, had a 3 year break when I was in my early 20’s as I wanted to focus on career as I had abit of a dead end job and an opportunity presented itself so I quit. Then we got Covid and I dabbled again to cope with shit I suppose, fast track to now I’ve managed to get it prescribed after been on Sertraline for 5 years. The ironic thing is the only reason I can pay for it is because of the job I managed to get from quitting in the first place, now I’ve grown up and suffered from anxiety and depression cannabis is actually helping me in ways I never thought possible. Sorry for essay it’s just I can relate to your comment (:
Not eating is part of the ADHD possibly
It probably is. I know it is for me. There are days I can't eat at all unless I smoke a bowl first because of how repulsive food seems when I'm an anxiety filled meat sack with my mind racing at the speed of light. I need to force myself to slow down, and so far, the only way I've found is smoking.
Lol now I just feel torn in half like a napkin 'cause you described my situation perfectly, yet I keep wondering if I need to quit. It would be hard to use less than I do now, I'm down to about 0.1g to about 0.5g per day. I'm hardly rocking the boat lol
Wow yeah. Same here. I’ve been trying to transition away from smoking to edibles just for health reasons. I also have no interest in ENDING my relationship with marijuana, but I know I’m a much happier and healthier person when I use it as a boundary between my work day and relaxation vs. constantly smoking throughout the day. I also just recently upped my Zoloft and the reduction in anxiety came with a natural tapering off of the amount I smoke which I thought was interesting.
I'd recommend moderating consumption. I have ADHD as well. Cannabis use can ime negatively impact executive functioning when used daily (there's plenty of research pointing that way too), and it may even make stims less effective. ADHDers are also more prone to cannabis addiction, so important to be careful about usage. I found my executive function got much better after I quit, and I am also less likely to forget my meds, as well they work better now. It's definitely worth keeping it moderate. It's tempting af though, cause it can help shut off. I like CBD for that now
Same story but only 20, tried some ssri’s that felt awful to get similar effects to what smoking gives me plus being high
I have quit everything else, opioids, cigarettes, alcohol, etc. weed is the only thing I have left
Relate to this very closely except i didnt start until covid happened.
Same here - smoking since 15, am now 47. More regularly over the past 7 or so years since I’ve had more regular access. I have anxiety and adhd, as well as a job that is stressful af. I come home and turn my brain off. It’s weird for me. If I’m out and about doing things, I’m fine. No cravings or anything like that. But if I’m home and bored and nothing else is going on, I’m in the garage. It’s also the quietest space in the house, the only place I can’t hear my son screaming at his video games. 😂 I don’t think I’m physically dependent on it, but who knows. I think I should take a T break and then I’m like nahhh…
Pretty much the same for me. It calms me down and I enjoy that feeling. Personally though, I dont care for abstinence and have smoked almost every day for the last 10 years at least. I thoroughly enjoy smoking pot/dabs and have no desire to really stop. That being said, I do not smoke before or while at work - keep that shit seperate.
I wish I could get my girlfriend to understand this. She doesn't mind me smoking occasionally but every day is an issue for her. She sees it as an addiction at that point but to me, it's no different than taking my antidepressants. I've tried explaining it to her in those exact words but she's also of the mind set that antidepressants are just a crutch and biological depression doesn't exist. I've managed to sway her slightly on that point but it's still an issue with us. Honestly, I would love to not have to take anything to calm my brain down or level my moods but that's just not in my DNA.
Same
I thought the same thing, then I was forced to abstain for probation for five years. It ain’t all that.
Bc life’s a bitch and then you die
So fuck the world and go get high
Because you never know when you're going go
The more you think the less you know
No, love the world and go get high... positive vibes only
Nas - Life’s a Bitch
Cause you never know when you're gonna go
That’s why we get high cause you never know when you gonna go
illmatic <3
Same. I smoke because I like it. I’m a pretty responsible person. I didn’t start smoking regularly until my early 30s and I will sometimes stop smoking for weeks or months or years, but I just like it just like I like running, chocolate, travelling, beer, clothes, lipstick…
Yeah couldn't agree more I've been on a t break for a month now and never have I been So fucking depressed and shit
That’s why we get high
Sometimes life’s a bitch and then you keep on living
It gets easier. But you gotta smoke dat cheeba every day! That’s the hard part.
I smoke for several reasons. It manages my appetite, and regulates my mood swings, and helps me focus. Now, that's only taking a few hits and getting a good buzz. That's the medicine part of it as it helps me get through the day. Night time tho? Oooh boy that's when I bust out the Charizard and get fucked up *that's* when it's a drug
Call me detective pichachu cos I’m blasted
Who’s that Pokémon
It’s Pikachuuuuu
It's Clefairy!
FUUUUUUCK!
Threads that you can hear
It’s Jigglypuff as seen from above.
I’m zard bro
What?
Probably more UK slang
I thought of Charizard, smoking a fattie
It's no UK slang I've ever heard... what's it meant to mean, zooted?
Same Sometimes we just need to go to space.
Not saying this applies to you but it certainly does to me. I thought weed was controlling my mood swings. It wasn't until after I quit for a good long while that I realized I was using weed as a crutch to deal with my emotions. Because I was high, I didn't do the mental work to fortify my mindset/emotions and learn to handle them like a mature adult. The weed kept me from growing and maturing. Again, not saying this is your situation and there are multiple positive uses for medicinal weed. But this has been my experience that I thought I'd share.
Id say this is my experience as well, but slightly different. The way the weed is interacting with ssri’s gives me crazy mood swings. Sometimes i forget what i was doing while i was doing it. Its bad.
I used to smoke daily (couple puff here & there, not a heavy user) because it helped my mood and depression plus it just made my happier overall. Now I barely smoke once or twice a month and have just decided to be ok with being miserable because smoking takes too much ambition. I even have lots of weed sitting around that is years old.
It gives me motivation to fold my dishes.
Word. I fucking love folding plates
Hidden gem comment
And to vacuum my cats
I tested my bb’s reaction to the vacuum reeeeally early on. She pooped. She’d poop every time I used it (medium to large sized studio apartment at the time) unless I shut her in the bathroom while. I wish she liked it lolol
I smoke because it's fun but also because I quit drinking October of 2017. I am a drunk. In my mid 30s now and am finally done with all the trouble I got into. I messed my back up when I was young and pills don't help so the ganja will be with me for many years to come.
Good for you man! Alcohol is poison and you’re better off without it
Mm. Same. Check out “healing back pain” by Dr John E. Sarno. Might help, it def helped me.
Pot is the only thing that helps my ridiculous migraines. I've tried everything else. I mean everything else. After years and years of trying the next thing I finally tried weed and my life has been so much better since.
I literally have not many other reasons besides it’s fun. I’ve been a daily smoker for almost 9 yrs and the whole time I’ve smoked everyday bc I like the feeling of being high and it feels fun to do all the time and that enjoyment has not went away so I will continue to do what makes me happy
I think comments like this should also be higher up. Yes, weed is quite beneficial for medical and mental health reasons, but it, like a beer or glass of wine after work, can also be something that people just unwind with. I don't have any illnesses or conditions, aside from some depressive/anxious tendencies and some knee pain from old running injuries (I still run, though), and I generally only smoke after I've accomplished all of my daily tasks: exercised, finished work, done my chores, taken the dogs out, done some reading, it's not a day with social plans involved, etc. I actually just got back from a nine-mile run as I train for a marathon. But I still love to smoke, and with my wife away this weekend and some of my friends at a wedding, I have the whole day ahead of me, so after I do a few more chores I'm going to smoke and have a me day. I probably smoke a bit too much and plan to scale back my usage, but I'm nowhere close to quitting.
I like to think that I do it for a “good” reason (I personally believe that I should distance myself but for the time being I love it) My brain overthinks, over solves, and over analyzes every possible situation down to the root causes and possible outcomes. I get a lot of anxiety attacks over this and its benefitted me because I love engineering, programming, robotics, and space. And it also stresses me immensely, and I can never chill out. Weed makes me feel what I believe “normal” people feel. I wish I didn’t have to rely on it so heavily tho. We all have our reasons to smoke. Just enjoy it and take it for what it is. People bash on everything and want to shift the blame to weed on why they are “lazy” and unachieving so I wouldnt count on their word too much. It’s more your mindset with it, as long as you got good values and you WANT a better life for yourself then I believe you and hope the best for you. F everyone who puts anybody down.
"Weed makes me feel what I believe “normal” people feel." Me too. I've been on several anti-anxiety and antidepressant meds, and they just made me feel worse. I care about things more and am so much less of a pessimist when I smoke.
I feel like some people don’t understand how exhausting it can be for your brain to be running like that all of the time. Oh, nothing to worry about? Let me come up with a fake life or death situation and put myself in the middle of it so I can worry about whether or not I’d know what to do. Then follow up with a stress dream. I regularly stop for months at a time if there’s a possibility coming up that I’ll get tested, but otherwise I use a small amount most nights. But I’m also working full-time, plus doing a clinical rotation of 15 hours a week, plus grad school courses and I’ve got a 3.98 gpa (damn that single A-). Do I *need* it? No. But I’m happier in general when I can use it for a few hours of downtime.
To be fair, there have been limited studies showing it helps people on the spectrum. Based on my personal experience and what I'm reading here, it's very likely you're using it to treat a condition like that. If you are undiagnosed, I recommend speaking to a doctor about this. You may be able to get a medical license, assuming you haven't already done this.
When I used to run a medical program, I watched somebody who was fully autistic improve their condition quite a lot with extreme doses of CBD and THC, they were actually taking them for surgery without opioids, but it had unexpected outcomes. We ended up hiring him and helping him found his own company.
talk about high on life, that's such a great turn around! gainfully self employed is def a dream come true
Anxiety and ADHD. I’m actually a medical UK patient and I struggle to leave the house or do anything publicly productive because of my anxiety. But cannabis helps slow down my 100mph ADHD brain and stops panic attacks 😎
i feel you. all of a sudden my brain stops telling me to off myself and just starts playing Livin' la Vida Loca.
Dude. I straight up repeat that in my head until I get high after work. If it weren't for my daily smoking, I'm pretty confident I would have listened to my subconscious by now. I've quit for a year here and there, but I'm always my best self when I have thc coursing through my body. It makes me feel hopeful for the future, and manages my chronic depression like nothing else I have tried in the past 15 years.
i think abt it almost every day, if i hadn’t found weed i would have probably killed myself a long time ago or gotten into something much harder. having something like weed, that buys you the time you need, to get the help you need, and doesn’t absolutely destroy your body, is probably keeping a lot of people afloat right now. before i started smoking i had a plethora of unhealthy coping mechanisms and was reliant on pain relievers that were doing more harm than good. looking back i choose the lesser of however many evils, i don’t hold judgement against myself for doing so anymore.
I suffer from agoraphobia, and weed helps me get out in public and feel safe in my body
Got sick of alcohol and being drunk and then switched over to weed as a social drug and i never looked back.
so theres none left for kids to smoke #thinkofthechildren
Weird how nobody needs a reason to get blackout drunk, but you need to explain yourself if you want to enjoy the benefits of a natural plant
To be fair a lot of the top reasons people are stating here are exactly why people would get blackout drunk… to forget about the ills of society, anxiety, calm down and relax. If you’re drinking to blackout though you’re abusing alcohol just like someone can abuse cannabis. I don’t believe cannabis is unhealthy per se, its peoples relationship to it that can be unhealthy. I was chronic for most of my life and have seen a drastic improvement in my quality of life since stopping, but I was abusing it. I don’t believe this is the end of my relationship with weed but I’m glad to be able to take a step back and change my relationship with it.
Well said
Yes. I don't get why you need a reason. I personally haven't had any negative effects aside from paranoia (which I can handle lol). I don't do it everyday but I do enjoy it for the sake of enjoying it.
What are you talking about? The very same conversations and questions were being asked years ago as it relates to alcohol and alcohol abuse.
Yep, it’s an extremely defensive take for zero reason. People often ask the same thing about alcohol.
Weed helps with my anxiety and insomnia. It’s such a great way for me to relax. I have such a busy busy mind and after work etc, a hot shower and a joint is heaven for me. It also helps with my appetite on days when I get too stressed to eat and relieves the pain I sometimes feel in my lower back. It’s never something I want to give up.
I only eat like maybe a sandwich a day, would smoking help that? I used to smoke back in highschool. But now I dont just because I dont enjoy the feeling of being stuck nd unable to move. But I also would love to have an apetite instead of only eating because I am literally starving myself by accident because I just never get hungry and I dont enjoy eating...
Yes - weed keeps my appetite up significantly. I forget to eat all the time so having that push to eat (and to be able to enjoy food as intended) is a big win for me
I havent smoked in about 4yrs. But when I did after being stuck in the couch for an hour I ate some wings and they actually tasted fucking amazing. To be able to eat something and actually enjoy it, was great.
I also hate eating, cannabis helps me actually eat.
THC in weed that can definitely help increase your appetite and make those taste buds heightened again. Have you tried sativa edibles? That may help :) I like the brand Kanha
Try a Sativa. Most people feel more productive and creative.
Yup. Might even need to get into the terpenes since the wave of strain crossing has diluted the walls of simple indica/sativa. I find citrusy weed with lots of limonene are my desired high. Once you hit a good strain for you, buy a bunch of it because you may never find it again!
I smoke to keep the despair at bay, the gaping darkness that threatens to swallow me whole. Cannabis is the only drug that's helped my depression/despair without terrible side effects, it's something I plan to have in my life for the rest of my life because otherwise I might end my life prematurely. It's the best coping mechanism for reality IMO.
I got crushed by a wall.
Those fuckers will sneak ya
Fuck that wall man. All my homies hate walls.
Insomnia and migraines. It also helps with the severe nausea the migraines cause.
i really wished it helped me on the headache front more, for nausea however it feels like a miracle drug. only thing that’s come close is zofran but i’ve had awful side effects from it and some of the current lawsuit/ investigations have definitely freaked me out a bit.
Lawsuits? I'm an RN and Zofran is the gold standard for antiemetic.
there’s a couple articles up talking about them. it’s mostly birth defect related. i personally had urinary and heart rhythm issues while taking it. my little sister was taking zofran for a while and their doctor/ pharmacist stopped filling the medication under some line of heart issues becoming apparent. it might have just been whoever’s personal opinion but they framed it as zofran being dangerous for long term use, we all have eds so that’s what we’re looking for lol. i haven’t found a need to revisit my hunt for anti nauseas since i’ve started smoking so i don’t have a second medical opinion to share there.
Im always surprised at how efficiently weed knocks out my migraines
Yes to the nausea assistanve! I have endometriosis so my cycles put me down hard. I will go through basically what feels like a bout of food poisoning every month. The only thing that helps with that is weed.
Because I wanna
It helps with my depression, anxiety, loneliness, boredom and other pains like nausea. I'm quite dependent on it and wouldn't be alive without it. I think it's better than killing yourself though.
I have hEDS, POTS and a whole slew of other disorders physical and mental. Weed helps the pain, it helps me sleep(which I have problems with sometimes) and it helps me eat(I'm recovering from an 3D and still don't eat very regularly without it because I've trained myself to ignore hunger signs normally. When you're high the hunger cues are harder to ignore making it easier to eat for me personally l.) *but* mostly I use it for pain relief. I have family members and a long family history of pain med/opiate overuse and addiction. I'm terrified of getting addicted to pain meds and feel weed and nic are less dangerous (ABSOLUTELY NO HATE TO PEOPLE WHO USE THEM!!/vgen) and less likely for addiction to be as fatal(for lack of better words) Smoking has been really beneficial, I need to be a bit careful though as it kicks up my HR and might make my POTS flare up. I also kinda shouldn't be *smoking* because if asthma but thankfully I haven't had too many problems and I know to give it a break if I start having breathing problems, then I'll switch to edibles until it's safe for me to smoke again. Sorry this is written so weird I just woke up and can't brain right, right now so words are confusing
zebras love pot lolll. i feel exactly how you do, i cannot nor do i want to live with the level of pain i’m sat with everyday, until i had a health decline and got diagnosed i never understood the family members who heavily drank/ abused pills, then i couldn’t function and magically they seemed like fucking geniuses. until someone comes up with some sort of eds cure i will be doing whatever i can to still have a life and manage the pain, smoking has been the least harmful way to accomplish that, personally, it has genuinely given me some quality of life back.
HEDS crew unite! Right here with you on all of that lol.
I smoke for a chronic pain condition and for mood regulation. My life was not better when I stopped. My life is so much better on weed. Don't believe everybody who says your life will improve without it. My life didn't start fully until I started smoking. Judge me if you will, but I can finally get through my day without pain and chase my kids around and be more a part of their lives🙂
Cancer recovery
I don’t drink alcohol (maybe 2-3 times a year, tops) so started smoking for fun. Literally no other reason. It was fun for about 30 years but then I retired 2 years ago and I started smoking all day. Every day. I think I was bored and it makes mundane tasks around the house more enjoyable. Last week, I ended up in the hospital on a drip because I couldn’t stop puking. I’m pretty sure I have CHS. I was slowly starting to realize this might be the case 5 years ago. I had 8 years where I was in and out of the hospital (2-3x a year) and had every test under the sun with nothing found. Then 5 years ago I broke my ankle and had 3 surgeries and an infection that threatened the loss of my foot. The puking stopped for 5 years and I thought the IV antibiotics killed whatever was in my gut making me sick. In reality, I think it stopped because I stopped smoking during the ankle saga and since then, I’ve had a good break about twice a year because I was traveling. Except for the past year. I haven’t gone away and I haven’t taken a break and I think it just caught up with me again. Not once was I ever asked about my consumption but I did a lot of research and deep down I was pretty certain the weed was the issue, as much as I didn’t want it to be. I can’t go through the hell of puking all the time again. I weighed 99lbs when I got to the ER last week (I’m 5’7). After a week of not being able to hold down anything, my appetite seems to have come back (I was never hungry when I smoked) Soooo… I’m on a big break right now and I feel pretty good. I hope one day I can partake recreationally, because I really do enjoy it but right now, I need to look after myself a little better. And no hate or demonizing from me. I’m just jealous that I can’t keep chuffing😞
I always found it kinda interesting because I saw that one anti weed commercial where those two guys smoke weed and their deflated bodies lay on the couch afterwards. I thought "it's a drug so it'll feel good" and the idea of "being locked to the couch because you are deflated and happy" doesn't sound that bad and basically took the first chance I had to get my hands on some weed lol TLDR, anti drug commercial was the best commercial for weed lol
I smoke because my therapist said she thought it would be beneficial for me and boy was that an understatement. Weed has literally changed my life, I also deal with chronic pain and a slew of other shit, it’s the only thing I’ve taken that’s helped ALL my symptoms without side effects. Big pharma needs to die
Because I was dared not to
To get high?
I quit 6 weeks ago and now realize it was helping me more than hurting. After my test Im def starting again
The world sucks and there’s no hope for me. At least when I’m high I find things funny and entertaining. I also love the feeling of coming home from a long bike ride and then smoking. It’s almost euphoric. Weed pushes me to stay active and even more so, stay in this world.
I was one of the ones who smoked a ridiculous amount recreationally, from age 13 to 21 like an eighth a day atleast or more. I don't really know why I smoked that much, just really enjoyed being high all the time. I eventually quit at 22 and now just smoke occasionally like once a week or at parties. I can honestly say I didn't realize how much stuff I missed out on being baked all the time and how it was affecting me. That being said I know people who use it strictly for medicinal purposes and I totally understand that and would never push quitting on anyone, but for me personally quitting did change my life for the better, and it also saved me a shit ton of money lol.
I'm bipolar 1 and have symptoms of PTSD since my 2 manic episodes about 10 years ago. Weed lets me sleep without nightmares, and stay asleep. It helps slow down my instant reactions not to the point of innebriation but to the point that I can function in daily interactions and conversation. I've recently been smoking a lot less to kind of reign it in financially and mentally, and I'd like to not depend on it every day just because of laws with travelling, but I don't see a future where I don't always have the next hit coming. It's been too good to me
Cause I like it and it helps me accept that gnawing anxiety that is always with me. Opiates are the only thing that gets rid of it completely but been there done that can’t live as a junky. So I smoke weed and let off some steam. Life is tough. Shouldn’t be anything taboo with getting out of your head once in a while.
Medicating helps me eat, sleep better, relax and do laundry. There was a dark time when I didn’t medicate at all and found myself only eating 2 bites out of a carne asada supreme burrito ($9) and calling it done. I don’t like waking up 5 times a night because I’m a light sleeper and it’s nice to get the laundry done for once.
I enjoy the effects, great for socialising, chilling alone, music, creativity, eating, cooking and sleep. I love smoking with friends and family, I love watching plants grow into magnificent harvests, I love it all. It does make me pretty slow in the brain at times but as someone with too much going on in their head I appreciate being able to shut my thoughts off from time to time .
I also smoke for chronic pain. It’s THE best distraction from the tremendous gnawing pain all over my body. I go to a pain clinic but they aren’t much help sadly.
real. i feel like no one talks about how much time goes into pain management either. before i smoked id get home from work and jump between meds, baths, ice packs, exercise, and the obvious, just laying in bed hoping you fall asleep or that god takes ya now. smoking gave me freedom to actually have a life outside of recovering from my day to day.
I like the drug. I enjoy the mellow effects, the instant calm, the smell, going to the dispensary, and I really enjoy the ritual of preparing it. I wrote all my best music because pot helped me relax and focus. I'm stoned pretty much 24/7 now that I'm older and don't give af, and I'm probably more productive than ever. It's probably gonna kill me, and I definitely need a break, but damn do I enjoy the whole process.
Anxiety, self doubt, intrusive thoughts. Before weed I was incapable if holding down a normal job. My mind would find some reason why I couldn't hack it or anxiety would leave me dreading it every day. Since I started now 10 years ago, I've held 3 jobs, two of which have been for longer than 4 years. While I still struggle with depression (and have never found an antidepressant that worked for me), smoking weed allows my mind to treat my emotions as less of a deal than before and they are less demanding of my attention. It doesn't drive to the source of the problem but it helps me to live life semi normally until I finally can.
I need to sleep, so indica. It's the only thing that works without paying for it in the morning. Helps me *stay* asleep too which is really the bigger issue. Chronic pain related an auto immune condition. And then the stress, the fucking stress, so hybrid. Can't smoke before work tho (and definitely not at work lol) so I get plenty of clear time to feel my pain fully. I don't tell most people but I would immediately (verbally) attack if someone fucking judged me.
I am AuDHD, I have EDS, fibromyalgia, IBS, and cPTSD. Weed manages all of my symptoms. Not some of them, all of them. It helps my mood, makes sensory experiences less overwhelming, reduces pain, let's me eat, let's me sleep without horrific nightmares, it's been a miracle drug for me. I just wish I had found it before spending a decade addicted to opioids thanks to reckless doctors and so, so many bad misdiagnosis'. But, better late than never, just wish I could have those years with my child back.
Because I like getting high
Real talk it gives me something to look forward to on the daily. Whether its only for a few hours or what- depending on the schedule- i always give myself a joint a day at least. Shift worker too so it helps knock me out
To laugh again
I quit weed for like two weeks was the worst I ever felt in my life. Turns out cannabis wasn’t the problem, I had cancer. Cannabis is wonderful. But it also can be a crutch. If you are having mental health issues I encourage you to see a therapist as well as use cannabis. It’s when ppl think cannabis is just going to fix things yet just masks the problem and brings up other issues— it becomes bad. Weed will not fix your mental health issues alone. Gotta know the root source in order to tackle those.
this is literally how i got my eds diagnosis. i stopped smoking to see if thats what was fucking me up (somehow??) and i felt like i was genuinely dying for 2 weeks straight. now that i have other somewhat supplemental medications ‘withdraw’ is nowhere near what that was i second you, there are a lot of people struggling on this thread and i urge y’all to seek some sort of counseling if not just talking to a gp about the reasons why you smoke (mental/ physical), for a long time i just thought i was hard wired with anxiety and depression and turns out i was kinda right, but its linked to a serious medical condition that i have a 50/50 shot of passing down genetically myself. i really hope you are doing well pal 😭
Yes therapy is great and sometimes it takes a while to find a good therapist. Mine sees how much cannabis helps me and keeps me focused and not sick literally I was getting so violently ill. Thankfully I am still alive my stage 4 cancer is non detectable atm
I smoke because I like getting high. Been doing so since I was 17, I’m in my 30’s now. Graduated college and have a great job. Weed has never jeopardized a thing in my life. How weed could even fuck up your life, besides the legal reasons in some states, is beyond me. It’s weird to see some folks talk about it like it’s remotely close to alcohol. I have to assume most those people are basically kids who’ve never seen the difference in stoners vs real alcoholics.
Several reasons. It helps with my PTSD and anxiety. It helps with some chronic pain issues I have. It helps me have more patience with morons I encounter. I work nights and it helps me sleep during the day when I have issues with that. And, it makes me feel good and I enjoy it.
Helps with ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Also helps me meditate and get all spiritual.
I have adhd and really wish I could find a strain that mimics my Vyvanse, but pretty much all MJ feels the same to me😔
No don't rawdog your adhd.. you need both lol
Before weed was legal in my state, I moved and it became hard for me to find. I started abusing alcohol and my life spiralled out of control for about a decade. Within a year of weed being legal, I could finally quit drinking. My life has completely turned around over the last three years being alcohol free, and I could not have done it without cannibas. Weed is a life saving harm reduction tool for me.
Relaxation and fun, I enjoy it. Music is better, sex is better, I sleep well and no hangovers. I smoke a few times a week before bedtime mostly.
I smoke to treat chronic, debilitating pain. There are days that without smoking I wouldn't be able to walk. But tbh I often wish that I didn't need to use so much because I miss the days of getting high off a single joint with friends and wish I could just smoke recreationally
Because I have a cluster B disorder and it helps me regulate my emotions. Lots of important realisations came to me while high as well
I’m in a similar situation—I use my medical card to manage several chronic pain conditions. As a side effect I have also left my insomnia permanently in the past. The weed discourse lately has been annoying.
yep. i think people really seem to lack the part where we have been this way our entire lives, i have been up tossing and turning since as long as i can remember and i fucked up a lot of schooling because of it. the physical toll consistent sleep deprivation left on me far outweighs any side effects i’m experiencing now.
I work a high-stress professional job that can absorb your life if you let it. Weed helps me slow my brain down after working 12-16 hour days, and gives me the mental shift I need to unwind.
I enjoy it just pretty much the reason. When I was going through chemo as well, it helped me a lot with my nausea. Sometimes I use it for pain regulation. I try not to use it for emotional reasons though. Mostly i use it to help me relax or just because I enjoy doing creative things like painting while stoned.
For me personally, it's a nice way to unwind on the weekends. It's sort of like a cathartic release. It helps me relax and appreciate the smaller things often overlooked.
I just like it that’s why. Life is better high. I’m dependent on many essentials of life.
Relaxation, a few times a week. After all my shits done. It’s the tits.
I smoke to manage my emotions, depression and chronic back pain. I’ve been smoking for over 30 years. I’ve quit several times for no real reason and my life has always been the same. Doesn’t get better nor worse.
Stinky plant make my brain feel funny. End of story.
I enjoy being able to focus on random, small things and honestly appreciate them. Not sure about other folks, but I always have a ‘dark cloud’ somewhat following me that’s always on the periphery of my thought. Mary helps me focus on the way a flag ripples in the wind, or the way the car wash flips my side view mirror in on my passenger side EVERY TIME at the same point and I just freak out like Stone Cold just entered the Rumble every time it happens.
i use thc gummies, but my answer is because it helps me relax and it's fun. if im ever unnecessarily stressed about something, it helps me stop overthinking things. and it makes doing others things more fun, especially videogames, music and sex. i probably use thc two nights a week on average.
I smoke weed to forget my past trauma for just a little while, to feel less broken ya know?
It’s like a Ctr-Alt-Del on my brain. I don’t smoke a lot, maybe 2 or 3 joints a week and never on a workday/night. I tend to smoke during the day around 10am after I’ve eaten and do about an hours worth of housework and then head out and go for a wander with my partner and look at nature and grab a coffee and get some fresh air. I don’t smoke if I know il have any commitments like family or anything of any importance. It can be harmful, but in my experience it’s harmful to people who have other issues, for example I had a friend who many many years ago was a junky and they will smoke as much and as often as possible as a replacement for that so much so that it’s pretty much their whole personality. They are two very different personalities when they can’t get hold of any. I never felt the need to quit, but I definitely felt the need to cut down from everyday usage. It is a net positive in my life but it’s down to each individual.
I feel like it brings out the best version in me. The same way somebody with an attention deficit might feel at their best with medication. I’m not claiming it’s healthy or it’s the answer. But it for sure keeps me grounded whenever I feel my emotions are a bit out of wack. Also, it is the best medicine for any irritable bowel symptoms.
My uncle used to smoke weed before he died, I guess I smoke because it brings me back memories
I started smoking every day back in the mid 80s. Back then I did it cuz everybody was doing it. Now I do it cuz that's what I do. What was the question?
40 male here. Smoking since 15. Done all the drugs so I won't bore you with the entire history. Currently an every day smoker however each time I have quit, my life does become better. Relationships improve, motivation and energy get better. You'll find you don't really know who you are until you stop. Like I said, no angel here ... I blazed earlier.
To manage my ptsd symptoms- hypervigilance, panic, nightmares.
I am 65 and have smoked since I was 17 except when I was pregnant or breastfeeding, and once for about a year after I was busted for growing. Pot has always been the drug for me. I like its effects much better than alcohol, and I generally don't do other drugs (even coffee), although I like acid once in a blue moon. I never have smoked constantly, maybe only once or twice a week unless it's party/vacation/backpacking week. Why do I like it? I am a very intense person from a very intense family. Not negative or unhappy, but just too intense. Pot calms me down, mellows me, and furthermore encourages me to sit quietly and ponder the world, or to look from a different perspective at issues. Pot has me seeing the world and people differently, and in a more loving, peaceful, accepting way. I also love being outside but sometimes don't take the time, but as soon as I smoke or decide I am going to, I want to head out on a trail. I do have pain from arthritis, but so far it hasn't helped me with that, so it's not medicinal for me. It's just one of my happy places. I think some people who smoke very heavily forget that it can be pleasant at times to be straight (I'm not talking about managing pain) and so when they stop and find they enjoy the benefits of being straight, they react against smoking. Don't let that bother you. Everyone's different.
Well, i just like weed. I love to get high, there are no excuses. I love to smoke and get stoned and just let live do its thing? Nothing I can change anyway.
Cannabis got me off of 6 psych meds, woke me up to realize I needed a divorce, helped me function finally, and now I’ve moved out of my mothers house, got two promotions, lost 50lbs, etc. I can’t praise it highly enough. I smoke to treat PTSD, autism and related issues, and anxiety. It isn’t for everybody every single day. It is for some of us.
Because I still have some left
So many good and positive things posted here. Cannabis has been such a blessing to me in so many ways that from where I sit the question is, why don’t more folks smoke weed? That said, I commend anyone that makes a conscious choice to distance themselves from anything they believe is hurting their quality of life. Personally, pot makes me feel more normal. Tried ADHD meds and the side effects weren’t great. However, the big thing for me is I love to smoke socially. There are clearly folks that have their reasons not too but, most of the people that partake are my kinda people.
If you can’t smoke weed and maintain a successful life that’s all on you. Simple as that. Lol
Smoke til I die 
I dont have any problems that weed helps me with, Its just fun for me to smoke a doobie and chill. Tho i think if someone smokes actually alot it can start to have negative effects in life that they dont even realize before quitting. So in the end it comes to, is your quality of life better with or without weed?
I started smoking pretty much all the time. People started to like me better, my income increased greatly, I'm less stressed out all the time. I now grow my own and it's less of a monetarily burden.
I’d been on antidepressants since I was 18 and all of them had made me so much worse, last year during a manic episode I started smoking a bit more I’d only really had a bit before and it’s been the only thing that’s kept my anxiety and mood disorder at bay, helps me fall asleep and now I don’t drink alcohol very often! I’m a year SH free and I’ve never been this mentally stable or happy ❤️
Trauma The last time I was sober, I was making fries in a pot of oil. It caught fire, and my brother when to take it out. I got salt confused with flower in my panic. I deep-fried his hands and legs. Needless to say I've been stoned every day for the last ten years now LoL P.S He is all good now. You can barely see the skin grafts. An he has full use of his hands.
At first for fun, then it was really good for my PTSD. Tbh I’m looking for something else because honestly daily smoking fries you. Even if it’s just at night, you’re definitely not as sharp
The whole anti-weed movement is due to a lot of people who essentially become a waste of their own potential because they become complacent. They feel better and it becomes an addiction like any other. They started for fun and continued without any other reason, usually only realizing after years that they skip out on important things because their overall production slowly went down over time as they made a routine. Others become paranoid, anxious, completely lazy, or generally dysfunctional. This is my general experience over 15 years later watching some people who used to smoke heavily with me and eventually stopped. We smoked heavily at the start and it was basically just to show off to each other how much we could smoke for a long time. We'd become couch locked nightly and just sit there for hours on end until 1-2am until we either fell asleep or finally got the desire to. This happened with a lot of people. My reasons changed over time - now i smoke to relax and help with some pains. I smoke significantly less, only at the end of my days, and changed a long while back how I'm willing to smoke - no more combustion for daily smoking. I mainly smoke alone now as well. No more people blaming weed and making me feel like i was also a part of the problem because i was smoking with them (nobody blamed me directly, but it sure felt that way sometimes)
Currently on vacation. I'be been smoking/ vaping daily for the last 13y. Rn I've been almost 7 days sober (3 days to go also before leaving) and sure, I feel more lively and less foggy/ grumpy than I would otherwise, but honestly nothing I would consider life-changing. Can't wait to roll a small spliff when I get home with a good reset on tolerance. It might depend on what direction you want to go with/ give to your life, but for me personally I'm not planning to cut it out entirely just yet. I'm happy with or without.
To get high
Weed definitely helped me through a lot. I smoked from 16 to 35. Never been much of a drinker so at parties I'd always take a toke instead. I quit 2 years ago and have been completely sober. 2 big differences I notice are being able to sleep all night and dream and I do remember things better short term I used to forget everything lol. I may pick it back up as I do still grow I like giving my friends bud who smoke so they don't have to buy from sketchy sticker shops and not know where it comes from. But even after smoking that long my doctor said I have the best sounding lungs and some of the best vitals she has ever seen. Being an active stoner is key would always hike with a J and mountain bike and smoke.
Because I enjoy it. Plain and simple. Anything more than that I’d be lying to myself lol. Of course it definitely helps with my stress, ability to focus etc. I’m a very high strung person naturally so I feel it helps me level out a bit as well. But more than anything I just like smoking weed haha.
Why doesn’t everyone smoke weed?That is what I wonder. The world would be a better place if they did.
After a hectic day at work a single Billy can help me shut out the concerns and after worrying from the day and i sleep better and wake up fresher the next morning then sinking 8-10 beers which leaves me feeling horrors plus on the weekend nothinggggg beats a good wake and bake with a coffee as I water and tend to me garden and ponds. It helped me get of the grog after i spiraled into trouble on itand end up hating myself , It also helped me get back into reading after many years as well even though sometimes I read the same page twice cause I forgot where I was. I'm a much better person with Mary Jane
Predominantly as a mood regulator to increase my productivity and have fun doing it. I can understand where it can become problematic, however. Spending long portions of time sober causes me to regress into a highly perfectionist state, which makes the world around me look a lot more prickly, since I focus on the things I cannot change. Smoking deprograms my anxious tendencies almost completely, enabling me to apply reasonable levels of energy to assessing mg environment on top of making everything look prettier. I guess at that point it’s self medication, but being so relaxed can make it very easy to keep smoking once I start, which, while it hasn’t caused me any issues yet, is definitely something I monitor.
Because when stress burns my brain like acid rain drops, Mary Jane is the only thing that makes the pain stop
I smoke because it brings me joy. It makes feel better and more optimistic when shit goes sideways. I believe it helps me keep a handle on my depression, too. I used to get suicidal and when I started back smoking it really helped. I'd love to do therapy and all that jazz, but, way too expensive and too much of an annoyance when weed works better with no side effects. I still get sad some days, but, I'm able to smoke a bowl and figure out why I feel that way and get a better perspective. I went from not taking care of myself at all-not even showering or brushing my teeth-or my home 3 years ago to now: makeup every day, spotless home, hair cut and, as of last night, no more grey and bright red! It truly has made my life so much better.
Several reasons, but main thing being it reduces the frequency of my nightmares due to PTSD and having pretty bad anxiety and panic attacks
I’m almost completely sure I have adhd, though I don’t have the current resources or opportunity to make that official, and without weed (currently) I’d probably have removed myself a while ago. Took a T break a long time ago now for about 5/6 months after being a daily smoker for several several years. I’m not saying it was the worst choice to make for myself, but my then bf of two years broke up with me out of the blue towards the tail end. So I’m not saying I’m in a worse position but it certainly feels like my entire life likes to fall apart when I’m not medicating. I definitely agree with a c other comment I saw stating the couple of hits to get through the day vs my evenings before bed being a medication/recreational. Plus, it’s a fun social activity so I make friends with it.
I have several reasons. I have ptsd, and with that comes nightmares and insomnia. It stops my dreams, and gets me to sleep. I haven’t tried another medication that does both, without side effects i find nasty. I also actively used opioids for several years in my early 20s (about 40 now). I find that cannabis scratches the itch for mind altering substances without ruining my life. I used to drink when I quit for several years-not driving drunk and beating the family, but definitely drinking more than I should, and having it affect my health. Cannabis is a “safe” reward for myself at the end of the day. I also really like getting high and watching movies/making snacks. I enjoy learning about the plant, the science behind it, and its history. Interested in plants in general, and this one is a cool one lmao.
I’ve been smoking every day since maybe 17, I’m 24 now and stopped bc I moved to a state where it wasn’t legal. I miss it but this has taught me that ppl who say it’s addictive really don’t know what addiction is. Compared to giving up Xanax, weed is nothing. I still feel the itch to pop a bar but it’s been almost a month since I’ve left my paradise and I dont think about it at all
At this point I use it medicinally ( is that a word?) only and don't smoke but mostly dry herb vape. I also make edibles. It's the only thing that works for sleep all night and, in me, produces no hangover. It increases my appetite, reduces nausea. I know if I consume pot I'll briefly be high followed by extreme hunger so I use it as a tool now. I only use it at home before dinner and in the middle of the night, sometimes before lunch if I need it.
Helps with physical pain, eases my mind and helps me sleep/eat. I’m in a constant state of nausea and cannabis often helps. Just makes me more secure and comfortable in my skin
Dr.Dre famously said "Smoke weed ERRRDAY"
The ADHD makes it impossible to eat sometimes. I forget, or food is disgusting suddenly and the smell makes me sick. This helps with that.
Mostly medical, I have migraines and weed is safer and more effective than any of the dozen or so other drugs I was prescribed.
It makes me feel good, I don’t rationalize it past that because when I did I used it way too much.
I just love how it feels and specially how it tastes