Posted by ClearSkies on May 6, 2008, at 14:57:52
In reply to Re: I've got to figure out how to stop too!, posted by luvinmomofone1 on May 6, 2008, at 7:43:52
Hi there, I don't smoke any more but found when I first stopped drinking (I'm an alcoholic) that I definitely substituted weed for alcohol. I understand that it's fairly common for those of us who've struggled with substance abuses to conquer one problem, only to develop another. I even went so far as to stop my caffeine and sugar intake as at one point I was convinced that I was becoming quickly addicted to those substances too (and haven't really learned otherwise for myself). I've been sober for 2 years and 9 months, and don't even think about smoking any more. (Do I sounds boring? Probably...)
The quick answer is... that there isn't a quick answer. Just as we have had to go through abstinence and withdrawal from other addictive substances, I think that it's relatively easy for some of us, for whatever the reason, genetic or behavioral or what on earth it is, to develop a habit that we find we can't easily break ourselves of. But I personally wasn't able to wean myself off of any of the substances that became problematic for me; I had to discontinue their use entirely. "Moderation" really doesn't seem to be in my personal vocabulary, unfortunately.
I am wondering, though, whether one of the medications that helped me with my alcohol cravings might also help with weed - acamprosate, brand name Campral. I don't know if it has a clinical application or if there is even anecdotal evidence for it helping, but I found that it helped considerably with my anxieties overall while I was in the early months of sobriety.
That's just off the top of my head, and it might be a poor idea at that - but Campral helped me a lot. I was on it for a year and a half, and it didn't interfere with any of my psych meds.
ClearSkies
poster:ClearSkies
thread:368221
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20080104/msgs/827529.html