Todays relaxation technique is one that I learned from an old roommate of mine, he used to perform this technique when he couldn’t fall asleep. This is a great exercise for marijuana withdrawal when you have insomnia. I struggle with insomnia when during the first couple days that I stop smoking weed.
The exercise is called “Muscle Tension and Relaxation”. It is very easy to do – you simply tense up, then relax certain muscle groups in your body.
If you practice this regularly, you will get to know your body better and have a good understanding what tension and relaxation feel like in your body. Relaxing your body also helps to relax your mind. You can combine this exercise with deep breathing to get rid of any more stress.
I like to start at the feet, then work their way up to the face. The exercise is the same for each body part
Instructions:
- Get comfortable.
- Take a moment to relax, breathing in and out in slow, deep breaths.
- Once relaxed, shift your attention to your right foot. Feel your awareness in your foot then slowly tense the muscles. Squeeze as tightly as you can while counting to 10.
- Relax your right foot. Feel the tension flowing away from your foot as it becomes limp, loose and relaxed.
- Take a deep breath and continue to relax your foot.
- Follow the same sequence for your left foot.
Starting from the feet, move slowly up each muscle group in your body. Here is an example pattern:
- Right / Left Foot
- Right calf / Left calf
- Right thigh /Left thigh
- Hips and buttocks
- Stomach / Abdominals
- Lower Back
- Chest
- Upper Back and Trapezoids
- Right / Left Arm and Hand
- Neck and shoulders
- Face
I hope you enjoy this exercise and it helps you get to sleep when you are going through marijuana withdrawal. Insomnia is very common when you quit, so remember you are not alone and you can be proactive when dealing with insomnia, anxiety, or other weed withdrawal issues.
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Hello i have been smoking pot since i was 16, i am 26 now, i have quit and taken tolerance breaks in the 10 years i have smoked but the urge to smoke pot is always there i can always think of a reason as to why i need to hit a bowl or find a joint. at one point i found myself believing that i need pot to sleep or even enjoy life. i can honestly say that pot is not some cure all i swear on that. i started back to school and was clean and i was doing great keeping up on work and showing up to class was nothing for me. but once i started smoking again i have missed many classes and i am now buried in homework, and it makes me want to smoke more cuz i am so stressed but its the pot that put me into the situation. pot is bad very bad and you should never do it, it ca be harder to quit than smoking cigs. never start it cuz once you start you will always want it and the urge is something only will power can beat.
hi ppl,
i am a 21 yr old who has been smoking since 15 yrs old, i hav decided its def time to give up but finding very difficult. My bf n i only broke up on fri so not even a week, we were 2getha 4 bout a yr n a half. i decided 2 try n quit yestereday n been ok but wondering if smoking a bit of leaf at night is still quitting or if i am just making excuses 4 myself. im scared im trying to do it at a bad time due 2 the break up but really need 2 at the same time. iv also been suffering from anxiety depression for a cpl of yrs now too n quitting enhances anxiety… plz help thanx
I KNOW SOME FRIENDS WHO SAID THT THEY DID NOT GET ANY WITHDRAWLS, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME, AS I GET VERY BAD ANXIETY ATTACKS AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH QUITING. I NOTICE THAT WHEN IM DOING STUFF THAT I WOULD NORMALLY NOT DUE WHEN I WOULD GET HIGH (HIKING, SWIMING, GOING OUT WITH PEOPLE THAT DONT SMOKE) IM OK. ONCE IM AROUND THE HOUSE NOT DOING ANYTHING OR IF I GO TO PLACES WHERE NORMALLY I WOULD BE BAKED I GET THE WITHDRAWLS. I HAVE ASKED ALL MY FRIENDS THAT HAVE QUIT MOST OF THEM SAY THAT THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTHOMS (BY THE WAY MOST OF THOSE ARE STILL SMOKING SO THATS PROB THE REASON THEY SAY THAT). I DO HAVE 2 BUDDIES THAT WENT THROUGHT THE SAME THING THAT IM GOING THRU NOW, JUST TALKING TO THEM RELIEVE MY SYMPTHOMS,
REMEMBER POTHEADS ARE LIKE CRABS IN A BUCKET THEY WILL TRY TO PULL YOU BACK DOWN ONCE THEY SEE A FELLOW CRAB IS ABOUT TO ESCAPE. BEST ADVISE GET EXCERCISE MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND STAY BUSY. THATS WHATS BEEN WORKING FOR ME.
I KNOW SOME FRIENDS WHO SAID THT THEY DID NOT GET ANY WITHDRAWLS, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME, AS I GET VERY BAD ANXIETY ATTACKS AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH QUITING. I NOTICE THAT WHEN IM DOING STUFF THAT I WOULD NORMALLY NOT DUE WHEN I WOULD GET HIGH (HIKING, SWIMING, GOING OUT WITH PEOPLE THAT DONT SMOKE) IM OK. ONCE IM AROUND THE HOUSE NOT DOING ANYTHING OR IF I GO TO PLACES WHERE NORMALLY I WOULD BE BAKED I GET THE WITHDRAWLS. I HAVE ASKED ALL MY FRIENDS THAT HAVE QUIT MOST OF THEM SAY THAT THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTHOMS (BY THE WAY MOST OF THOSE ARE STILL SMOKING SO THATS PROB THE REASON THEY SAY THAT). I DO HAVE 2 BUDDIES THAT WENT THROUGHT THE SAME THING THAT IM GOING THRU NOW, JUST TALKING TO THEM RELIEVE MY SYMPTHOMS,
REMEMBER POTHEADS ARE LIKE CRABS IN A BUCKET THEY WILL TRY TO PULL YOU BACK DOWN ONCE THEY SEE A FELLOW CRAB IS ABOUT TO ESCAPE. BEST ADVISE GET EXCERCISE MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND STAY BUSY. THATS WHATS BEEN WORKING FOR ME. 6 DAYS STRONG AND GOING
HERE IS A WEBSITE TO FIND LOCAL MEETINGS FOR SUPPORT
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/meetaz.shtml
This is day 2 for me. God it’s hard. I go from being totally Zen and proud of myself to physically lashing out at myself (not violently, just, um. Hair pulling..how embarassing lol) and wanting to screeeam.
My biggest challenge is finding another coping mechanism when family life gets tough…but the biggest issue is SLEEP. I use Rescue Remedy Sleep and it’s been helpful in the past.
I really want to bring attention to this though: I read everywhere that because marijuana is not physically addictive, all physical withdrawal symptoms are really in the psyche. Nuh uh!! haha your body is fully aware that there’s a toxin it once had and is no longer receiving…and it is ready to SWEAT that sh** out!!! Same with your lungs healing themselves (mm, coughing up tasty crap lol). Just aheads up, it IS VERY physical!!! *bangs head against wall* *meditates*
Hey guys,
Massive sleeping problem
I’m not thinking of stopping…. but cutting down to parties and gatherings and NOT by myself.
I have seen 6 a m at least for the past two weeks, latest 12 ish. It’s down right fucking nasty. I can’t break it. I do jobs around the house take my mind off it by substituting it with my tetris addiction :/
I think it affects you depending on personality mine is incredibly addictive. Others who dont may find it fairly easy.
I never sweat i’m sweating my arse off even with a fan and the window open! (English)
Don’t necessarily need it the thought is repulsing me right now. Got a headache and i’m very uncomfortable.
Dreams are more vivid though i enjoy dreams partially lucid.
Just fucking sucks being alone.
But anyways im going to give this a go and see if it sends me off.
Cheers M
I smoke every night, before going to bed. I do it already more than 10 years. I quit sometimes in the past, for max 3 months, and then I began again with the same ritual: after dinner, before going to bed, i need to relax, alone if possible. Since I live with my partner I realise that I am not able to quit. I began to smoke weed, because I wanted to quit with sigarettes, a friend told me to smoke just 1 joint when I really wanted to smoke tobacco and so I will not begin to smoke sigarettes. Indeed it worked. I stopped smoking more than 8 years ago. But, lately I am thinking that I really wanna quit with weed too. Often I wake up in the morning with headache and swollen eyes and I think ok, tonight I wont smoke. Then, after dinner, I really feel I wanna smoke…and I don’t care about how I will feel the day after..I just wanna relax. Do you guys think that I am addicted or that it is just a habit to go outside, to relax, to have time for myself and to smoke. Some days ago I didn’t smoke and I didn’t sleep all the night. I am worried also about that, but I know, that once stopped for a while I would sleep much better! Give me some advices how to deal with this ritual-habit-relax addiction. thanks anyway
I won’t lie, my main reason for wanting to quit has nothing to do with my health, it has to do with my wallet! I am so sick of spending all my money on weed, dutches and eye drops! I want to pay off my car, I need to get a new car… I can’t do that when I spend all my extra money paying for this rather expensive and time consuming habit. I have been a regular smoker for 11 years and sadly, I still don’t necessarily want to quit smoking… I just need to stop buying, which means I need to be ok with not smoking for lengthy periods of time. I have found that the best thing I can do for myself is stay extremely busy, which keeps my mind from thinking about smoking as much and makes me tired enough to sleep at night.
Today is my third day off the skittels. Im really upset at times because of the mental addiction weed has had on me. I have rarely had any sleep and I have been over anylyzing things with a mix of extreme stress and fatigue. My brother is addicted and I am also trying to get him off the drugs. I really dont want to talk about the past, but it has taken a toll on me also, and its time to quit.
I have read all the comments, and I love them, they have been helping me. SO thanks to everyone!
Hello All
I started smoking weed when i was around 16, im 25 this year. throughout past 9 years of smoking, I’ve tried quitting countless of times, i probably go through quitting 2-3x every year.. in the beginning of the 3-4yrs of my smoking days, I enjoyed as much as anyone. It makes me laugh, Im happy when im high but that quickly starts to fade as years go by. Especially with relationships with women, I broke up with 3 of my ex’s. Sometimes i looked bad and think.. what was I thinking, was i indulged in weed that i wasnt seeing things clear? Am I Insecure and over paranoid to the point where I was making bad decisions?
Since last year weed no longer gives me the same effects and feelings that I had in my early smoking years. Sometimes I just smoke because I feel like Im supposed to. I do not get laughs, I dont feel happy, I just feel numbed and tiredness. I fiend for weed almost every 2-3 days. Im not as bright, energized, and happy as before. I feel like Im easily distracted(hard to focus). I find everything un-appealling, which makes me want to turn back to weed again.
Drugs react and affect people differently, some say they are smarter the more the smoke. I used to get very creative and awesome in video games when I smoke but not anymore. I really want to become normal again, Im tired of the old me. Laying around going out smoking weed, getting stoned, watching movies stoned, eating everything at the house. WEED is mentally and physically un-healthly for me.
Its harder to quit these days cuz the more research u do online, people are supporting marijuana, people want to legalize it. You hear rappers talking about smoking that good cali kush, on TV, advertisement… is pretty much everywhere.
Its sad im turning to cigs instead of weed cuz i want to be mentally clear.
God bless the ones that plan to smoke til the end, I wish i could be like Wiz Khalifa but my body reacts differently..
The one thing I cannot stand about my marijuana withdrawl is the insomnia! I am in fact awake right now at 4 am and have yet to prepare for another stressful day at school. I did try the sleeping tip but even if my body is relaxed, my stomach, and head aren’t because of my other symptoms and im also experiencing mild shakes. All of these withdrawal symptoms are too overwhelming for me to handle. Im just afraid this will interfere with school and homework ,which especially makes me anxious. I honestly feel super tired, but my body will not let me sleep. as much as it has helped me deal with stress, getting off the pot is just as stressful if not way more…especially being in an environment where the people i love do stress me out..its just so uncomfortable. If I did wean myself off weed everyday, little by little, does anyone think this would help reduce these awful withdrawal symptoms??..
How is it going for you Shelby? Did you stick with it? I am 5 days sober and having terrible insomnia myself. It gets better!!!! After about a couple weeks. Hang in there!! I’ve done it before and this time is for good!!
Wow nice to hear I’m not alone, panic attacks, insomnia, weight loss I have it all. Didn’t know after 10 days due to other stress related issues this was compounding the problem. About 4 years ago I was taking a light dose of lexapro for some major life business stressors, it worked wonders for me. I have gone back on it which seems to be helping me get through this very uncomfortable situation. I will quit, I stopped smoking cigars and chew 15 years ago, it was a bitch but I was able to do it. I will do all the breathing exercises and other recommended ways to help grind through this challenge, good luck all!!
Hey all,
It’s great to see some positive feedback and tips from other people who have quit.I have been a daily user since I was 16.I am now 24 and after many,many attempts to quit over the years I now feel ready to quit properly.After taking a step back and looking at the state my life was in,be it social life,work life,relationships I have come to the realisation that I NEED to quit.As much as I love to relax with a spliff it is doing me no harm.I want to feel normal again and have a clearer mind where I can part take in meaningful conversation with friends rather than being anxious and timid in social situations.Over the past year or longer I suppose,I continue and continue to smoke with very little high experienced and in the end it became more of a neccessity to smoke rather than actually wanting it for enjoyment.Marijuana is addictive and I wish I could be a person who has the intermittent smoke but thats just not the case.Thankyou all for blogging tips and tricks/experiences you have had to overcome this addiction.At least now I am armed with the knowledge to quit…..so here goes!
15 days in and today was a tough one, not that I want to smoke, just feel like shit. It’s hard to focus at work and stay on top of my game. Sleep is way better thank God. Have figured out what happened 2 weeks ago. Must have overdosed on THC, is this possible? The weed must of been some kind of super shit, to many bong hits. This sent me into some kind of anxiety/depression /withdrawal state of mind. Not fun. I have gotten rid of all stuff and will not smoke again. I met with some friends and some were smoking, I left the area. Have now developed a chest infection along with laryngitis GREAT. I will be happy when I reach 30 days. I’ve read it is the time frame when your system really begins to clean out, lets hope so. Hang in each day becomes better, try not to over do it just because your feeling better, take it slow. Now I have to take my own advice!!
Hi everyone i have been smoking since i was 11 i am now 46. I am on day 6 and is not easy. The one thing that is helping me is a product my brother in law told me about . Its called sonnes #7 , its a detox solution and it draws out impurities in the body, doesn’t taste bad and i truly beleive its helping with the withdrawal. After reading some other comments it seems some people who havnt smoked for as long are having worse symptoms. give it a try you can purchase at most haelth food stores. Thanks for all the comments .
I started smoking pot when I was 18, I’m now 58 and grow ‘good stuff’. I can stop for 30 days at a time, no problem. Do you really think I am able to quit for good?
hey guys the side effects….losing weight, grummpyness, and hard to sleep. it is true but it is worth it. breathing better and when i do sleep i am dreaming…which is pretty awesome and more self empowered and more money in my pocket. its been about a month with no weed. hang in there itss all good.
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hello to all me and my gf are 3 hard days in.we are both exhausted from hardly no sleep it takes us 3 to 4 hours to get to sleep myself have really sweaty palms all the time.weed aint fun anymore it jus makes me have panic attacks even with the slightest pains in my body.were both 23 years old and have smoked weed for the past 3 years its our way of life how sad as it sounds.our 3 different group of frends pop over for smoke every day.i dont want to tell them they cant smoke at our house any more.personally it helps me jus watching them gettin stoned and acting like zombies while i im thinking more sharper than ever iv jus had a big crop aswell which makes it harder my buddies have tried my weed but not us i gettin to the point tha i feel really against it.i cant wait to feel the real benefit of not smoking nomore we will be happier wealther and healthier.cant long way to go yet.thanks very much to everyone on this site for helping us it really does help good luck to everyone its hard but we all know its worth it any the right thing to do,jus remember weed aint cool specialy in the long run.
Smoking weed is beautiful ! If the government tells you otherwise they’re wrong . They bs us to much ….. and no your not an addict !!!!! All you need to do to quit isssss exercise til you get tired that’s why you can’t sleep cause your body and mind are not physically exhausted and weed puts you to sleep cause it relaxes you like the same feeling after a workout if that doesn’t help you need to tire your body out and if your gonna smoke I suggest you eat either before or after but preferably after its bomb
. Do what you have to do grow your own damn bud it ain’t difficult look it up you don’t need a whole plantation just one or two ( financial problem solved ) the rest some bs ….
When smoking weed you HAVE TO EAT !!!!!! OR ELSE YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT AND THAT IS BAD CAUSE THEN YOU LL GET HEADACHES FOR BEING MAL NUTRITION NOT BECAUSE OF THE WEED …. I personally think ciggs and alcohol is worse because yu get hangovers and you throw up n with but the next day with weed you smoke yourself a couple grams you eat and drink powerade and Tommaro morning you wake up refresh but if your wanting to quit you have to wake up at 7 a.m run or do something like sports because it will keep your mind of it and it will exhaust you …. and if you feel depress you need to be around good people that you like being around with to get your mind of it … don’t be alone because you will miss Mary W .Jane !
u guys r just like me its nice to know im not the only person that thinks this way!
Jose, you need to go get a life pal. Why r u wasting our time here on this site. Ya wanna smoke your brains out, go, smoke!! We don’t want to… so fuck off and go tweak your pot plants, your spelling and grammar aren’t suffering enough yet!
Wow, there are others like us, at first we did not think so and then, the long timers started telling their story. Cindy and I are both trying to quit smoking. John is now 51, he started smoking when he was 13, Cindy started at 13 and is now 46. There are many reasons to quit, one is the lack of legalization, it is hard to find a job that does not drug test. Not to say we have not been working, employed since 18 years old, company closed and now unemployed so money is now also an issue. Reading others stories gives us hope as we are 2 and 3 days into our quest and already sleepless, waking up feeling like we ran 100 miles. A bully tormented me twice at different times last night in my dreams. Cindy’s help in quitting is coming from scriptures and a heavy conviction that it is time to quit. Wish us luck as we wish you all the same
I am quitting weed, and while your advice is very helpful, the pictures of bountiful plants and lit joints, is a lot like waving a piece of meat infront of a hungry wolf on a chain.
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