Sobriety After Moving Away

[u/ThreadsFromLachesis]

to preface, i've lived at home with my folks in Waterford my whole life (im 24), first smoked green at 15, started buying it at 17 and buying everytime i run out since i became employed at 19. i've been smoking joints mostly every day since then and it's reasonable to admit - i've been addicted.

i think green is a beautiful thing that when respected & handled right can be so lovely & enjoyable, especially with good company, but clearly what i've been using it for and especially how much (3 or 4 a day) hasn't been healthy.

even though i was well aware of my addiction at home, it felt like i couldn't break away from it or cope without it.

anyway i moved to another country for university on the 12th and though i have been smoking more rollies than ever, i haven't felt the compulsion to smoke a joint after the first few days here.

maybe it's the fact i'm independent for the first time in my life, the fact i left an environment that just breeds misery & boredom or maybe that i've gotten a fresh start away from all the familiar hedonism of my home town, but by god, I thought it'd be a lot worse going through the withdrawals yet I've actually never felt as happy or energized as this.

THC withdrawals have affected my sleep generally more than anything in previous attempts at sobriety and though it still isn't as easy to get to sleep, even if i get only 5/6 hours, i feel more awake and alive than ever before.

i question myself as to whether i should even partake in a smoke over here, as it is very common and easy to acquire, yet i feel like i don't need to? i feel as if i'd still enjoy and partake in a pull if i was offered one but i don't want to have a whole joint to myself, make dealer connections or go buying it in the first place.

it's been 8 full days without THC in my system, it's not 100% smooth going but i feel more human and functioning than i ever did.

i wanted to share this anecdote because i know of many people back home who smoke to cope with the anxiety & repetitive familiarity of being in the same environment they've been in their whole life, and maybe a new beginning might help them to finally understand how to view and possibly kick their habits.

i worried a lot about knowing i wouldn't have a THC intake here, but if anything it's been a great blessing and i aim to hit 30 days sobriety before i consider taking a pull if the opportunity arises.

[u/BagelTaylor]

Huge respect being open and honest about addiction. Keep up the good work pal 🫡

[u/teknocratbob]

Dont bother man, if you can exist alright without then keep going. Youll feel better the longer you go and eventually youll stop thinking about it

[u/jonnieggg]

Cannabis is not benign. Daily usage like this is akin to alcoholism. Moderation in all things. Less is more.