Had enough? Want to know how to stop smoking weed? When you’re ready to stop wasting money, time, and ambition, stopping marijuana doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Learn the easiest ways to stop using pot and get on with your life.
A LIST
If you’re looking to quit smoking pot, you obviously have your reasons. Those reasons are the motivation that will help you make marijuana a part of your past and keep it there. Making that motivation easy to access is a powerful tool in how to quit smoking weed.
Create a list of your reasons for wanting to quit. Money? Do you have a financial goal? Do you need to lose weight? Is there a drug test in your future? Whatever your reasons, write them down on a piece of paper and keep them in your pocket. Whenever you feel tempted to smoke pot, take your list out and review it. Realize all you stand to lose by smoking weed. You can make this list more powerful by writing a brief description of each motivation and goal.
AVOID TEMPTATION
Marijuana is a habit, not a physical addiction. Because of this, quitting can be as simple as avoiding situations the habit is associated with. For instance, if your best friend always wants to smoke pot, maybe it’s time to put a little distance between you. Limit contact to phone, email, or public meetings where marijuana smoking is not a realistic possibility.
If weed is part of a nighttime relaxation routine, avoid the location or entertainment you usually participate in that has become associated with marijuana.
In general, simply avoiding the opportunity to smoke pot is a great ‘how to’ quit smoking weed tip. You don’t have to avoid it forever, but in the beginning, while your resolve is most fragile, a safe space between yourself and temptation can be a great help.
WRITE YOUR HISTORY WITH POT
You may have a lot of fun and fantastic memories of your times smoking pot, but most of us also have some pot mistakes in our past. Maybe your mistakes include embarrassing behaviors, loss of relationships, wasted money, or wasted opportunities. Make a list of what marijuana has cost you and read it to yourself frequently. The money, love, and possibilities lost can create a stunning list.
INVEST IN YOUR HEALTH
If learning how to quit smoking weed is a bit overwhelming, try learning how to invest in your health. Mental, physical and intellectual well being can suffer when you smoke pot. This is not always a direct result of marijuana, but of what your aren’t doing while you’re smoking it.
Start a routine that will increase your health, emotional well being, or intellect. Investing in yourself can become addictive, replacing your bad habit with an extremely positive one. Even if you only decide to pursue a new hobby, if you perform this activity during those times you normally devote to smoking weed, it can serve as a great distraction.
LET IT PASS
No matter how much effort and preparation you invest in how to quit smoking weed, there will likely be times when the urge to smoke strikes you. These times are usually quite brief, though they seem to go on forever. When the urge to smoke marijuana strikes you, acknowledge it. Take a deep breath and tell yourself, “let it pass.” The urge will be gone before you know it.
If the urge lingers, take out your list of motivation and your pot history and review. See what weed has cost you can be a tremendous help in remembering the importance of avoiding it.
ISSUES
Not everyone smokes pot as a form of relaxation or recreation. Some people turn to weed like others turn to alcohol; to escape emotional pain. If you are smoking weed to forget a traumatic event or to cover any other serious emotional pain, seek professional counseling. Your pain is not insurmountable, but you may need some help learning to deal with it.
MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS
This is the 12 step program designed to support smokers and teach them how to quit smoking weed. While not as common as your local AA meeting, most states and large towns have Marijuana Anonymous meetings. If quitting is becoming a true struggle, turn to MA for help.