Dear Teentalker,
It sounds like you’re stuck in quite a frustrating cycle of dependence and talking about it is a great step forward. Let’s work on understanding your need to smoke to deal with social situations and it's relationship with sleep, as well as think of ways in which you can reduce, if not cut out entirely, the dependence. You are perfectly capable to do so! Here are some things to keep in mind:
- It took a couple of years for the weed habit to become an addiction, so be patient with yourself when you reduce its usage – relapses.....
Dear Teentalker,
It sounds like you’re stuck in quite a frustrating cycle of dependence and talking about it is a great step forward. Let’s work on understanding your need to smoke to deal with social situations and it's relationship with sleep, as well as think of ways in which you can reduce, if not cut out entirely, the dependence. You are perfectly capable to do so! Here are some things to keep in mind:
- It took a couple of years for the weed habit to become an addiction, so be patient with yourself when you reduce its usage – relapses are inevitable and okay!
- Identify what’s behind smoking up: if you are anxious, bored or upset about something
- Substitute the ritual of smoking with another healthier ones like making yourself a cup of tea
- Experiment with not smoking before you go out – you may feel anxious the first few times but with practicing your social skills, this anxiety will subside.
Over time, you associate smoking weed with sleeping, if you smoke 6 days a week and not the 7th, your brain will be craving that dose of chemical because it thinks it needs it to fall asleep.
Giving up on substance means that sleep will be partial, or interrupted or simply non-existent – this is normal. Give yourself a few weeks to let the habit break – 3 weeks at least!
Many smokers realize that they aren’t addicted to smoking per se, but to the act of rolling, lighting and puffing the joint. This ritual calms them, gives them something to focus on. I wonder if you could substitute this ritual with another. Maybe developing a tea ritual – grinding spices, boiling the tea, pouring it, sipping it. Others find that the act of inhaling and exhaling is what they crave, so they use a balloon! What aspect of smoking do you most enjoy?
On another note, it makes complete sense that you feel anxious without weed when you have to be social. Weed has become your companion, and without it you feel like something’s missing. However, weed can make you more reclusive, thus not allowing you to develop your social skills. Try socializing without weed. Some people start small, like they meet just one trusted friend for a movie or coffee without getting high, and see how that makes them feel.
Lastly, and most importantly, work on identifying your trigger. Have you noticed the thought that crosses your mind that prompts you to smoke? It could be anything, from “I’m bored and have nothing to do” to “I don’t want to do this homework.” Keep a journal listing these thoughts and identifying what your triggers are. This is because addiction starts off as being a mere symptom of another issue (like feeling anxious or depressed) and recognizing where it stems from can be really helpful. Once that issue is addressed, you may not feel the need to smoke as much.
Hope this helps, if you have any other query do connect online for chat between 11am-8pm or drop us an offline message.
Regards,
Expert Teentalk India
