I just want to say I think you made the right choice in quitting your clinical practice for the path you're on Dr. K. For people like me who don't have the resources or who's problems aren't "severe" enough to justify the cost of therapy, you've given such a powerful tool to help us work through our own problems. You've literally changed my life, and all I can say is thank you.
Can’t agree more. I deal with a lot of mild mental health issues. Things im positive i can overcome alone and his content/ education just helps a lot. Everything from understanding my mind to why I do things to how I could change them. It’s really powerful stuff no cap
To be fair that's literally what therapy is for anyway. Therapist itself does not solve your problems for you - they merely highlight what you could be struggling with but the hard work needs to be put in by you and only you. Dr. K's advice is quite generic and one size fits all so it is still worth seeking therapy if there's lots of comorbidities and more than just 1 thing going on as they will be able to adjust therapy to your needs exactly.
Topics Discussed on Weed 9:00 Why do people say weed isn't addictive, even when someone has an obvious dependency? 22:02 What is considered heavy marijuana use for you guys? 28:29 How does the addictive mind work 30:15 Marijuana and Productivity: Experience with cannabis coupled with a productive energetic mind 40:37 Fellow ADHDrs who use weed for concentration 52:04 Does cannabis help with chronic pain? 53:54 Can you explain weed induced psychosis? 1:08:08 Story of a Patient who was actually being followed by the FBI; Believing in Patients; Mental Illnesses, Male Suicides, Thoughts about Therapy and Mental Health Crises 1:14:56 "Hey, I'm not quitting weed" 1:15:48 "I feel that people were born to poor families have an insane disadvantage because of that we're all saying not to be materialistic but materialistic things help us so much.." Materialism. Security = Foundation of Mental Health. 1:25:01 Healthy weed used in moderation? 1:27:45 Pressure, Anxiety, Worries 1:32:07 Patients who have turned their lives around by joining the military 1:33:15 Opinion on using Cannabis treatment for autism symptoms 1:34:58 Heavy marijuana use and Rebound syndrome; Cyclic vomiting syndrome 1:38:58 "Didi I break my brain development because I smoked weed 20-30 times between the ages of 12 and 17?" 1:42:40 "I don't use cannabis anymore[...] decision to quit [...] it seemed to degrade my ability and willingness to speak and articulate clearly[...]" 1:44:56 Marijuana relationship with Anxiety, Depression 1:49:04 Dr. K defines Chronic Use 1:49:47 Closing message
quitting today i'm so sick of needing to nap everyday, lying to myself, not being able to make music cause im stoned. so tired of having a "bad" day just because i didn't smoke. dr.k you've helped us more than you know i needed someone to tell me i'm not okay. weed was fine the first two years but after five its causing the adhd and anxiety to be worse. wishing anyone who sees this luck with whatever goal your striving towards.
just wanted to say that i also struggle badly with making music, high or not. it's really my biggest factor in contemplating quitting. i just want to be back into making music too. i hope youre doing well
Hey, Dr. K I'm a psychologist from Latin America and I really enjoy your content. It's quite formative and different from the sort of education I got at university. Definitely 100% relevant.
Man I won’t lie when I first saw Dr Ks videos I thought he was a conceited guy who didn’t rlly know shit. Well now hes helped me a lot and I don’t think its a coincidence that a lot of my favorite youtubers were people I initially thought had no use/connection to me. Very humbling and makes me want to be way more open to what people have to share. Respect to this guy.
Fr, self help and mental health stuff online is so full of charming grifters that it's basically impossible to tell if someone is qualified at the first glance (or ever)
Kind of is tho… I mean why do people have this crappy stigma against opioids/pain medicine? For some people such as myself they are literally miracle drugs, I was severely underweight, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sit down properly cause of my back The doctors tried everything to help me, all the standard stuff, then weed (which didnt help very much), then I finally relented and tried opioids and WOW for the first time in my entire life I was able to go through a day without pain! I was finally able to start having a normal life! Then all these druggies came along and now my prescription is very strict and I have to live my life week by week and fight to not have them take me off of them so please don’t demonize opioids they are really needed by some people
@Practicalinvestments Some addicts are villains, but many of them started off much like you except options were actually not what they needed. The drug companies pushed opiods at people like candy for 20+ years. You needed opioid meds; some folks need daily or hourly authentic affection and appreciation. You had a busted back; they have wounded souls. I hope in time you can see the stigma against addicts and the drugs they use are basically the same thing and both only make the individual and societal problems worse.
I started smoking pot when I was 17, just on the weekends and with friends. Fast forward to when I was 22, my girlfriend at the time died of cancer and I started smoking every day to escape reality because my reality sucked. Now I'm 30 and I still smoke every day but in larger amounts. I never graduated college, I'm unemployed, my physical and mental health is at rock bottom, I've lost friends and I'm my family is worried about me (and rightfully so). Something I think is worth mentioning is that when you smoke every day for so long, being high becomes the default state and you're rarely sober (it only happens when you run out of weed and can't get more right away). And it's weird, but I've gotten to a point where being high gives me a clear mind and being sober clouds it. Let me explain: when I'm in my room smoking my third joint of the day, I suddenly look around, see how messy my room is, how neglected my hygiene andmy looks are, how weak my body has become, and I say to myself, "What the hell am I doing?" and I quit for the day and go to bed. The next day I wake up, the high wears off, what do I do? I roll one, and as soon as I take the first puff, I say to myself again, "What the hell am I doing?". So I go cold turkey (which leads to extreme constipation and irritability for the first few days, but it gets better). Then, after the period of sobriety is over, I think, "That wasn't so hard, let's buy some weed to celebrate/reward me." I contact my dealer, and honestly the whole process of meeting with him, buying the product, coming home, rolling one and lighting it up is the highest dopamine rush I get. Then I get high and I think "What the hell am I doing?". It's weird, but I feel like when I'm sober I forget all the bad things weed has done and is still doing to my life, and I only fully remember it when I'm high. It is very hard for me to break this cycle, but I am still trying, and Dr. K, your help is greatly appreciated. I thank you for choosing this path.
Same exact experience. I haven't found it myself but I think the only way to break this cycle is to find something more fulfilling/celebratory than weed (shit's hard to compete with though)
Comment 2.0: When I quit weed about a month ago I honestly didn’t really want to stop smoking, but the lessons I’ve taken away from dr k’s content really helped me to view myself and my “potential” as a competing interest. I became less interested in the fun things I could do or think about while high and more interested in living a life I’ve never given myself the chance to pursue before. I want to learn, go to school, create, experience- and yeah for sure I miss getting high sometimes, but I’m finally at a point in my personal journey where I truly feel ready to give myself a chance and to pick me over escape. So for anyone else who doesn’t feel ready yet, it really will be ok.
I hope that you are succeeding in your quest to conquer smoking! I too am questing for sobriety! Your first sentence really stuck out to me because I've been reading a fantastic book about maximizing your heroic potential and one of the early concepts is exactly what you described. I felt inspired by your comment and I hope you don't mind me sharing the title and author: Aretè by Brian Johnson (Shameless plug note: it's on sale on Audible for $7.99 for a while longer) Best of luck to you in your endeavors!
I used to be a cannabis addict and I'm so glad I quit. When I started, a shared a house with a few other smokers, it was just normal. When I moved into my next house, with some other friends, all women btw, they didn't smoke, and I started feeling so isolated. They didn't shame me, but I didn't feel comfortable being around them when I was high because we all knew I was addicted, so I literally and metaphorically hid in my room so they didn't see me high. It affected my focus too. And I became lonely. I'd be stoned in the middle of the day on the weekend when I could've been exercising, doing art, walking, climbing, surfing, anything. If you're considering quiting, then do it, I'd say. I've got so much agency back. I feel confident in myself. It's brought a lot of benefits to my life.
@@KingOfShenanigan no it's the weed. It downregulates your dopamine and endocannabinoid system. So you don't seek new novel experiences. It's such a trap.
I started watching this video so I'd have something to stimulate me while cleaning and now crying on my floor. I would consider myself someone who has a strong sense of consciousness about my own mental state. I was lucky enough to be diagnosed with adhd at an early age, but even with this knowledge my family never really had the resources to help me. I also believe both my parents are neuordiverant as well so we all struggled with the lack of resources. Now that I'm becoming an adult and I have the ability to understand more about myself it has become increasingly clear that I have mental health issues, but I still lack the full range of resources I need. For years now I've felt like a failure for knowing I needed help, seeking out help, and still feeling the same way. Some part of me always knew that my environment and lack of resources was negatively effecting mentally, but hearing Dr.K put it so plainly really made me realize that I'm not a failure. That in fact, the opposite is true because despite still living in the same place and despite still lacking resources I've been able to improve. I feel that I might one day be close enough mentally to give myself the life my brain needs. And that it's not my fault that life is hard. I was not and am not the problem. I am the result. This both brings me pain and comfort. And to think I was just gonna go smoke after this 😂
Videos like these from you allowed me to lower my marijuana usage, quit medical school and pursue coding which has been great so far, and develop better relationships. TY DR K
Gotta say Dr. K, this came at an awesome time. I've been smoking for 15 years (since I was very young) and have started taking occasional breaks over the past few years. It's hard to admit, but once I'm sober for a week or two, my life transforms with almost no effort on my part besides the effort it takes to stay off the weed. All of a sudden I start filling the time I spent smoking weed with exercise, reading, practicing music, and all sorts of other wholesome activities. I also naturally start eating better and cutting back on other bad habits because I can all of a sudden feel how negative the effects of all these things are. Plus I've been struggling at my software job hard for a while, but all of a sudden I'm able to perform super well since being sober. I'm still very attached to weed, but I can't deny that using it every day has been very detrimental to my life in many ways. I'd like to be able to use it in moderation one day, but recognize that if it's all or nothing, the best choice would be none at all. Thanks for laying out some hard to hear stuff; I'll try to keep listening with an open mind 🙂
You should try scheduling your hits it’s helped me out with smoking less and I enjoy it more since I have something look forward to at the end of the day
@@Christian-ij7ue I've tried that, didn't work out for me. I'd just sit around anticipating the weed all day. It takes a few days for the brain fog to lift for me too. Ideally I'll be able to smoke like once every one or two weeks eventually though, I still undeniably enjoy it lol
@@jomalomal I enjoy it as well . I found that filling up my time with other stuff helps. Such as the gym and doing chores that need to get done. (At the gym rn and high)
I also want to agree about Housing first. I'm a formerly homeless person. Long back story here. In the end I had to reach out and ask for help and keep asking and just quit trying to do it all by myself, and that's when i got myself into official consideration for housing assistance. I had to jump through many hoops and I had a certain amount of privlege. But I was on meth before, and now i'm not and i'm not homeless and i'm in therapy and i watch these psychoeducational channels as my special interest. I have a lot of support around me and i'm not ready to quit the weed yet. When I was homeless, sometimes other homeless people would give gifts of weed when they saw me having panic attacks and PTSD episodes in the shelters. This in a culture where two people will fist fight over a cigarette or a drink. It was a really meaningful moment when that happened and restored some faith in humanity.
I've been a longterm smoker for ages, and the whole "it makes you okay with being bored" has been very true for me. As soon as I sober up, all the tasks I've put off rush back into my working memory, stressing me out... and making me reach for the lettuce. Did some journalling the other day after Dr K's vid on anger, and turns out I have such a shit self-perception that I self-sabotage because I believe I don't deserve to get better? Also... makes me feel better about "how much time I've wasted", some sunk cost fallacy stuff, and the shame of "if I had started earlier, imagine how much farther I'd be". I can start at any time... but only when I'm sober, so... I hope this video can help me figure out how to cut down on the beep beep cabbage :/
Sometimes their is no cutting down for many people. It’s either all or nothing and accepting that can be the first step toward quitting. Everybody wants to just do it on Saturday night or every other Saturday night only but hardly nobody does.
Bro sometimes I can’t get sober for this same reason. All the clarity of what I could be right now and all the wasted potential comes back to me. It’s really hard to break the cycle
I've had a very different experience, marijuana helped me overcome agoraphobia & helps me when I feel like staying in bed all day. I smoked this morning and have checked 8 of the 10 things off my list already for the day, and I still have 6hrs before bedtime. I understand this is my experience and not everybody's, I just wanted to share mine, as I am listening while actively high and gardening so I feel I am coming from a very different perspective than most other commenters here.
You should speak up about positive experiences because people get really fucking up themselves calling it an addiction or talking about how others are dependent. Frankly, they shouldn't be talking about anyone but themselves. I'm glad you're having a helpful experience.
I'm curious as to how long you have been smoking for? I found it helped me understand a lot of thing about me that weed really helped me to bring to the surface 5 years ago. But now I find a lot of those benefits have started to slip away over time and more and more use over time as well. Yes a lot of how much I use is on me but I have found that over time I became more dependent on how much it would up my mood. I love what weed has done for me but I'm thinking I need to take a break for a while after watching this video. I'm sure my base line is all kinds of out of whack because of how much I now smoke.
@@magicfairycome I’ve noticed if I smoke alone or with a large group and then try to enter a social situation, I get anxious and quiet. If I’m around friends when I smoke, I’m fine. So for me it can give me temporary agoraphobia
@@Dustlite I mean people can and do get addicted to weed. There are people I know who use it every day and can’t function without it similar to caffeine. That’s when I consider it an addiction because you’re that reliant on it.
Been waiting for Dr.K to talk weed specifically. I became quite a stoner over the past 8 months and definitely have lowered the amount I have in the previous weeks. Just the reinforcement I need to make sure I don’t fall back into it again 🙏🏻
He talked about it a year ago in a video "The Problem With Weed" but that was only 8.5 minutes long. This looks like it will be a more through discussion though.
Been wake and bake with concentrates for about 4 years now. I def feel its time to quit. I like being sober but i dont feel like myself at all. I feel more high sober than i do stoned.
@@Shannendetro dude that is bonkers. I like to smoke as well but i only ever smoked the actual flower, or hash. I like smoking a lot sometimes, but i couldn't do what you're describing, doing a bowl daily i have done in the past but how does your kinda high even feel after such a long time without real breaks?
@@nerfmoze8590 It doesnt feel like a high anymore. Nicotine is MUCH more effective on me if i want a "high" but i dont do many other drugs often. Ive noticed my journey has changed a lot and its become much more negative in the recent months. I used pot to help me lose about 100 pounds when i started. Now it just kinda numbs me. I the highs and lows of life now seem overwhelming without pot tbh.
@h̵e̵a̶v̴y̴h̸e̷a̷d̴2̴k̵1̸ well stated btw. I have a similar experience. I can relate strongly to "wanting to get out of that in-between state where you cant find anything interesting or worthwhile"" If i dont smoke at the start of the day, by midday this feeling is non existent and i feel great, but with even one dab in the morning and this is where i find myself all day when not stoned.
So I was a chronic (all day, every day) user for over a decade starting in about the 7th grade. I recently quit and over the past few months I've noticed an dramatic increase in the quality of several areas in my life. Including my relationships, my mood, productivity, etc. A lot of what you said in this video really resonated with me and Im really glad you made it. Thanks Dr. K
@@katherinep708 Be open about what drugs are, don't demonize them and explain and educate your child properly. Understanding comes from knowledge. If I knew about most drugs what I know now I sure would have taken some more time before I tried them, if at all. The unknown and forbidden part is the alluring thing, especially for teens... Education is everything.
weed made me realize that I do in fact have emotions and none of them felt "bad" I cry, yet feel happy, I'm angry, yet cathartic, I'm fearful, yet euphoric. I haven't smoked in a month but it's made me realize I'm a person lol
News for you. The weed increases your estrogen levels and that is what is leading to all the emotional stuff lol The weed is not helping you it is literally messing up your hormone balance and what you're experiencing is the results
Somewhat similar. The most psychoactive thing I had until 32 was tea levels of caffeine, and I was pretty quietly desperate with childhood trauma without recognizing it. After 5 years of SSRIs not doing well, trying THC for the first time blasted open repressed memories and stitched my continuity of self back together within a year.
Dr K. I have to thank you for your hard desicion on giving up to help only a hand of people. I have watched so many videos of yours over the last weeks/months and I learned so much about myself, my ADHD, my addiction to weed and why I used to smoke instead of taking care of my life. I think one of your last videos about ADHD/Weed correlation you said "you have to get sober" and this quote gave me the kick in the ass to finally make the desicion to become a sober person! I love your content and you are having a very big, very positive influence on my life. Thanks for being my AOE Healer! Please continue with your work! ♥
i got addicted to weed despite not even liking it, i just convinced myself i did. it was fun at first, but then it became a catalyst of anxiety and sleep deprivation and quickly took over my life. i quit all my hobbies, didn't want to work, didn't want to attend school, and i cut off all meaningful relationships. all i wanted to do was get high all day. for years i regressed into my room and developed behavioral disorders that have been very challenging to remiss and everything i've built since 'quitting' is treading on a fine line of relapse into heavy use again. its permanently changed my brain and personality in ways i cant explain; ways that aren't taken seriously.
@@possibleproblem479 thank you for sharing, I had a very similar experience and thought I was the only one. It started off as being both fun and anxiety provoking, music and movies felt more immersive and interesting but anything from socialising to even going outside became awkward and scary. I developed extreme introversion and avoidance and isolated myself so that I had many evenings where the only thing to do was smoke weed. I'm clean 6 months now but still experiencing social anxiety, yet to a lesser degree, thinking the next step is to quit alcohol and coffee, as they also ramp up my anxiety.
You might have adhd cause I feel the same way and struggle even after being sober for such a long time. ADHD makes you feel like you “need” even if you never do/did and the experience was bad. Only the pleasure was semigood but it was more numbing than anything.
Was a heavy marijuana user for almost 10 years, since I was 15 (along with other substances for a while in there, been off those for years though). Been completely sober for about 2 months now and am honestly enjoying it a lot. I fucking care about things again. My attention has gotten better and am reading more again. I dont get so distracted whenI'm drawing/painting. I'm currently recording my 7th album, and this is my first one sober. It's some of my best material yet. I used weed as a massive cope for years. "Oh, it helps my depression, it helps my muscle/back pain." "Oh, it makes me more creative." "Oh, it helps me get to sleep." I was scared to get sober for these reasons, but I've learned that those just weren't true. It did not help my insomnia. I'm creative on my own, and I know there are other treatments for my depression/chronic pain. Pot was making me comfortable with not seeking out that help. Looking forward to continue my sobriety journey and finally go to therapy and get what I need instead of hiding behind pot. Hoping to next quit my nicotine and tobacco usage, but one addiction at a time
I feel that so much! All the best to you! I believe in you and you can do it! Doing the same, 25yo as well, been smoking both nicotine and weed for 11 years, but trying to quit weed and nicotine at the same time(but I just reduced it from 10-12 cigarettes a day , to 3, and today decided to quit for good), which might be a bad idea but seeing black stuff come out every morning is very depressing.
@Danny Bee hell yeah brother! It takes time but you've got this. Don't get discouraged if you end up lighting another cigarette, just forgive yourself and keep pushing on. We'll be clean one day at a time man 🙏
@DannyB kudos and courage to you for your effort to uplift your life. I think you have much unseen supportive energy coming your way thru Dr. K., all those listening to him and anyone who cares about your wellbeing. Stay awesome and strong on your healing path.❤
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Does anyone know any good source to get them? I put so much on my plate and it definitely affects my stress and anxiety levels, would love to give shrooms a try.
A few weeks ago, I made the decision to quit smoking weed because I realized it was causing a lot of cognitive fog in my brain. Unfortunately, during the last six months of using, I lost interest in my relationship with my girlfriend. Now that I have quit completely, she has ended things between us, and I am feeling pretty lost. Despite the difficult situation, I am proud of myself for making the decision to quit and prioritize my health and well-being. Although it's tough to lose a relationship, I am trying to focus on the positives and use this experience as an opportunity for personal growth and self-improvement. I know that with time and effort, I can move forward and find happiness again. Maybe she realized that things can get better and will come back soon. ❤
thats fucking great bro you are on the right path. i feel what you mean with the slow internal loss of attachment to things that you value while you continually numb yourself with weed. its kind of a feedback loop as well where you are more willing to continue the degradation cycle than return to reality and deal with lifes highs and lows with a clear perspective. its great that you took that accumulated punch as an awakening to really better yourself tho so just build those values back up bro i wish you the best
That is almost exactly what happened to me, only the other way around. I broke things off with her because i got bored/didn't feel anything towards her anymore. Quit about 3 weeks ago. :)
You’ve helped me more than any of the MANY counselors and psychologists I’ve seen over the years. The past 6 months or so I’ve showed up to my appointments with a whole presentation created in my head from watching your videos ahaha. As someone who struggled to articulate what was going in in my head, thank you for doing it for me, you have quite literally saved my life.
He’s no better than most clinicians. I think it’s easier to help you from the comfort of your home on a RUclips video with hours of content then you coming into a clinic face to face though
Weed is 100% addictive. Back in the fall, I started my first year coaching football simultaneous with my freshman year of college. It was a lot to handle and I picked up smoking right before. Later on in the semester, my social anxiety was off the charts and I was smoking constantly in between classes and coaching. I was constantly chasing the next high, just to feel that relaxation for a bit and then go to sleep. Heading into my spring semester, I obviously knew that it was a problem. I would be irritable and lazy. I didn't quit cold turkey, and still smoke, but I started limiting when I would be "allowed" to smoke. Now, I will only smoke at nights. Never before my workouts or classes. That way, I wasn't depending on weed to get me through my day, but rather as a way to unwind if I feel like it will help. Once you're able to say "nah I don't wanna smoke right now," you start to build a healthier relationship with using.
I started out trying weed when I was 16, like a few puffs every two weeks or so with a small gang after work. Around my 18-20th I started doing it more, learned how to roll up, doing it every other weekend which increasingly got more regular. From my 26th till my 30th I started smoking at home on a daily basis. This turned into 1-3 joints every evening or during the day when I didn't have to work. I was fine with it, I managed to live a normal life next to it with a 32hr dayjob. But now that I completely quit cold turkey over 2 months ago, after which I've had a few puffs on two seperate instances, I can safely say: I am so glad I quit. It makes such a difference in what I thought was a life unaffected by it. I am so much more energetic, I sleep much better and wake up way more well rested. I already dreamed a lot but now I do every night. I can concentrate a bit better, although my adhd hits me like a truck after all this time being pretty much chronically influenced by weed. I never saw myself as addicted, and seeing how easily I managed to quit and never having felt a need to use it again I am still convinced I never was actually addicted in a problematic sense, but the difference in using and not using at all is immense, although the effects of quitting take some time to be noticable in the longer run. Those two instances in which I did smoke, I got actually stoned which I hadn't really been anymore since I started smoking daily, which was fun. But I immediately noticed the bad effects of it, such as sleeping really badly. Once again: I am so glad I quit. It's really no good for anything to smoke weed that often. Just quit, or at least heavily moderate how often you use weed.
I was a daily smoker for 10 years and I was absolutely physically and psychologically addicted. I developed a paranoid personality. Became extremely distrustful of anything and anyone, even myself. Wasnt sleeping. I also needed weed even to eat. I quit last february. First week off, couldnt eat, even the smell of food gave me nausea. 3 months clean, im sleeping better, having hella dreams. Still struggling with paranoia, but mind is starting to become more clear. I forgot what its like to feel sober. I still dont feel like I did before i started smoking. Before weed I was open and social and during the 10 year smoke sesh i became a shut in. Hope i can get better. Just my experience.
Hell yeah, keep it up. Sometimes recovery requires trying out new things instead of waiting to return to how you were. You generally can't go back, instead making a new you is the goal :) Good luck. Proud of you.
Hey brother congrats on stepping out of the 10 year smoke sesh. I was also addicted for 10 years and am 2 months sober, experiencing some of the same things you are. Hope you're continuing to do well, we got this man 💪
@@christopherlebo460 Making progress. Better than I was 3 months ago. Sometimes I feel good sometimes not so good. Still a little paranoid about certain things but that feeling is less frequent. If you're feeling terrible I can suggest a few things you may not have tried. If you where a hardcore smoker like I was, simply not smoking will leave you with a hole in your life. You need to fill that hole with something healthy. In my case it's physical activity like weight lifting and jogging. I try to see that as my new "vice". I've gained good weight in 3 months and have been told i look better and healthier. I've been reading into some studies. Firstly found out thc interrupts REM cycles, meaning dreams, which are extremely important for mental health. So you need to get your sleep back on track and make sure you are getting enough of it. I've found out cannabis modifies your neurology in some ways, it resembles fundamental neurotransmitters made by your body such as Anandamide. As a result drugging myself for a decade conditioned my brain to function with unnatural levels of said neurotransmitters. Now that we have taken the artificial intake away, we gotta give our brains time to get used to functioning without thc and increased levels of key natural chemicals. It is expected that our brains are going to be unstable for a period of time, but there's no telling how long it will be. 6 months is not enough. Anxiety and bad feelings are going to be in our lives for a while but i suggest not making a big deal out of it. We are strong. Just power through the bad episodes and try not to make your whole life about not smoking. Instead make your life about consistently doing things that are good for you. Ours is not an easy journey, but for this reason we will be all the more strong when we come out the other end. Best regards.
This is the way I've always thought about weed being a gateway drug: Everyone always tells you that drugs are bad. You go through school and drugs are demonized at every turn. All the horror stories you get told, the 'definite' negative consequences, etc. Then you smoke weed and realize that there aren't always negative side effects (at least immediately), not every drug is fuel for horror stories, and in fact it's actually a great way to relax from the stress of your life, just like having a beer. Suddenly you realize that all the adults in your life have been lying all along. What other drugs might they have lied about? I bet other drugs aren't as bad as they've always told me either! That's how it happened for me, anyway. Parents, educate your children properly. Abstinence strategies are basically like inviting your child to use without your knowledge, which is far more dangerous.
In the US, the remnants of Reagan's corrupt political agenda and D.A.R.E. personally had this effect on me. They told us as fourth/fifth graders that cannabis was just as dangerous as heroin and meth. This sick misinformation undermined my trust in authority in general, and certainly contributes to the gateway phenomenon, at least in those who were "educated" by such agendas.
Yeah thats a good point, but thats mostly because of demonization and criminalization, teens should be educated on weed, they should properly be informed about long term effects and actual negative effects, if it was properly regulated too it would allow people to try it without breaking the „illegality line“, once thats broken a lot of people wont find other substances that bad
I love that you understand weed, and accept that people will use. I think there are weed smokers out there that are looking for information like this and it is such a blessing
Dr. K, don't regret your decision to help more people but with less impact. You've inspired me in many very impactful ways... For example, I'm down 40 lbs since I found your content.
@@kevinbissinger I tend to word things oddly... Anyways, my point is that he's actually having more impact now overall even if he doesn't see it as much as he did when working with patients on a 1-on-1 basis
Im about to go smoke but I know the damage that I am doing to myself now better. I didn't use hard drugs until I was 18, to find out that I am still developing my brain and inhibiting is a sad reality, but everyday I feel more in control (I am on sertaline but oh well..). I want to smoke weed now because I like the short effects, that's just the truth. But I do want to stop, and I have gone from abusing to moderately using more and more so. Thank you Dr.k.
Bro you're helping millions in a little way, the informations you are giving are INVALUABLE, because of emotional connection with you. One could read thousands of books and stuff that say "everything is ok" without any definite synthetic usable opinions. But here you give us the map to understand the landmarks, and that's just amazing. Thank you!!!
Thank you for discussing a major but not so obvious contributor to psychological and physiological distress. I aspire to be a psychiatrist and help people cope and heal but we desperately need systemic and cultural changes to increase prevention of certain disorders and support for those in need.
ironically, my mother has had CVS (cyclic vomiting syndrome) since she was 9 years old. She was obviously not smoking at the time, but one of the biggest reasons she started smoking was to ease the symptoms that came with it. My whole life, if my mom was sick- she needed to go to the hospital for fluids and meds to stop the episode. Now when she goes in for it, they really try to chalk it up to the fact that she smokes regularly. But it's never been that. p frustrating
My brother and I have this as well but he ends up in the ER. I’ve had mine since I was six and it went away with my pregnancies and came back a year later after each one. I hate this mystery illness.
Cannabinoid Hypermesis Syndrome can affect those who chronically consume cannabis. Slightly more prevalent in women but also affects men. (55% of sufferers are female, 45% male, according to some studies.) I've had many ER visits for fluids and pain medication due to 24 - 48 hours of continuous vomiting. It used to be common to prescribe opioids (Dilaudid) to calm the stomach. Now the more common treatment is Droperidol or Haloperidol, which are dopamine agonists, along with capsaicin cream applied topically to the stomach. The number one "symptom" that defines CHS is a compulsion to take extremely hot showers in order to relieve the pain and nausea. I realize your mom may not suffer from CHS, but it's likely the reason that doctors have linked your mom's CVS to cannabis use.
@@brodello9249 it sounds terrible to experience and i’m so grateful that i don’t suffer with it. i’m happy yours went away, my mom also pretty much doesn’t experience it anymore, maybe once in a great while in the last 7 years. i remember being little and having to ride with her to the hospital while she was getting sick because i couldn’t drive her and i couldn’t be left home alone yet. it was awful
@@davidinwashington yeah that’s basically what i was getting at. its frustrating because its soo the opposite of that, the very LAST thing she ever wants during that is a hot shower and typically the only way she could hold off going to the ER immediately was by smoking. since CHS has gotten so common, especially apparently with older people¿ (my mom is 50) they don’t want to believe her that it’s not that, despite having the diagnosis since she was literally 9 lol CHS is real and a terrible thing i also wouldn’t wish on anybody- i’ve known a few people who have had it- it’s just annoying that the drs are like “mmmm no. you smoke so it can’t be your lifelong diagnosis and must be that you smoke cannabis”
I used to have super bad panic attacks, that wouldn't stop- even after therapy. I also smoked weed, lots in the beginning as a teenager and later in life only on rare occasions once in a while (6-10 times per year). I told my therapist at that time that I smoke, but only once every 1-2 months. She told me that it might be the reason for my panic and anxiety and that I should try not to smoke for at least 6-12 months and see if my mental state gets better. it actually did. My anxiety & panic was for my feeling 80% less severe and occurred only on very rare occasions since then. I am sad, that I can't enjoy smoking anymore, but it's for a reason.
Yes this is the thing people don’t get I’ve had panic attacks from it too usually if I’m not in the right mindset and already anxious or if I take too much. I take a very small bit of edible if I need it like once a month usually more in the winter to help with seasonal depression and sleep issues. But I’m not addicted to it and don’t need it, I just take it to help ease life sometimes. I didn’t start using it until adulthood either. Never touched it as a kid bc a lot of the stoners in school were using other shit I didn’t want and I didn’t trust them.
I also had a big problem with panic attacks and anxiety in the end of 2020. They have started shortly after I started smoking again after 3-4 month long break. I also started having unbearable ectopic heartbeats (although 3 doctors said that my heart is healthy). What's weird - weed was the only thing that made my ectopic heartbeats disappear. But only for like 5hours. I have decided to quit doing it in a month or two, because I thought weed might be the reason. Now I am almost 2 years clean..And I still have ectopic heartbeats and panic attacks from time to time.. I wish it would all end with quitting weed. Antidepressants were really helping me for like a year, but my doc advised me to stop taking them as soon as my mental state is better..
I had a similar experience, I didn't really ever have much anxiety before smoking weed, sure I would get scared or a bit anxious at the appropriate moments in life but nothing like I have felt in the past 5 or so years. I stop entirely because I would have a panic attack pretty much every time I smoked without fail, this is after somewhat heavy daily use. I don't think I can just blame the drug itself entirely as I have had many stressful and saddening events take place for me over this time period, but I also think it played a large role in my current and past anxiety, even after quitting. Some out there don't want to accept that there can be problems that arise from smoking weed and I know my story is not uncommon from talking to other friends and people that have gone through similar things. When I was smoking every day I was convinced that I would never stop smoking, but now that I am out of the fog of daily smoking I can see all the ways it hurt me, lack of motivation, anxiety, detachment from myself, unreasonable or delusional thought processes, memory problems, and the list goes on. I wish I could tell my younger self to be more cautious with weed, and that it can effect who you are and how you feel long term. I'm not trying to totally demonize weed here, I had some great times with it and on it, met great people, had great experiences, but I didn't need weed for all that, it may have made me enjoy the moment more strongly, but now I just wish I could remember all of them more clearly.
I developed schizoaffective disorder from weed. I do believe I was predisposed to it though. I had psycothic symptoms growing up, but when I was 14, I started smoking weed pretty often. I quit when I was 16 but started again when I was 17. After I started up again, I smoked way too much in one sitting and became psychotic. I was a mess for about 8 years, but I am now able to manage it with years of therapy and antipsychotics. The funny thing is schizophrenia doesn't run in my family or at least Im not aware of it if it does. So if you're under 25, I wouldnt touch the stuff. The risk may be small, but it will mess up your life entirely. My cognition is still fried and I doubt it will get better. Also, I go to a clinic for psychotic disorders, and I have done a lot of groups. I'd say more than half the people there have had similar experiences with weed. Also, if you have a psychotic disorder, don't smoke weed. I promise you it does not help you.
Although I did not develop schizoaffective disorder, I had 2 bad trips on weed which sent me into full blown panick attacks which lasted for hours and after I had depersonalization/derealization for a few days after. During the panick attacks I was hallucinating, strong delusional thoughts, thinking every one was conspiring against me, I was convinced I was having a heart attack and if I did not die I was damaged and wouldn’t be able to function properly anymore, etc. I have never had a panick attack or anything like it before in my life, never suffered from depression or any mental health disorder, but weed made me suffer so many mental health symptoms for weeks if not months after use. I have decided to stay away from weed entirely because I do fear developing a myriad of long term mental health issues from it. It’s really not for everyone, I’m not anti-weed but people should be at least be educated on these terrible negative effects that no one warned me about. Every time I bring up my negative experience with weed, there’s an army of potheads telling me I was “predisposed”, I don’t buy it. There is absolutely no history of schizophrenia or other similar mental health disorders in my family, as far back as I know.
I’m a veteran who has been diagnosed with anxiety and c-ptsd, and while I was in the army I drank heavily to cope with that, and since I’ve got out I started smoking when I feel the need, and almost immediately I quit drinking, and could finally go to sleep at night without waking up in terror. It’s definitely not for everyone and like alcohol it needs to be self-regulated, but it definitely has the potential to help a lot of people. I do also have friends who have addictions to it and while they won’t admit it, the rest of their friends know it’s a huge problem for them, so everyone should be careful, as with anything and especially with medications!
finally watched this video after feeling guilty i purposefully avoided it. nice to get a reminder that i have goals to reduce harm and i deserve to work on them!!! Weed might have helped me cope in the past and present but there are other skills i want to explore properly. The hardest thing about weed addiction is when it barely affects your life and its consequences. My main reminder has been the thought of my lungs, and that they should be treated better.
Hey man when you said build a life that's worth living that sparked a light in me. Like something finally clicked, I'm severely depressed and everyday has been the same for months bad sleep wake up smoke then play video games then eat and smoke then go back to sleep. I have a lot of suicidal thoughts like even when something small inconveicne happens its "I want to die" but in reality its the strong desire to live, live the way I truly want. and when you said build a life that's worth living I realized shouldn't wait for things to get better I should build slowly and compassionately the life that I want to live so bad that I rather die than not live it.
1:23:38 That is...I'm not sure I have the vocabulary express my thoughts exactly, but it felt...noble almost? I felt...appreciation for that decision. I started watching your videos a few months ago, and while things are far from perfect, and I have a lot of growing to do, you've definitely helped me start to think about where I am, what my situation is, and be more in tune with my own emotions, and helped me learn to see my emotions as valid and to trust what I'm feeling. I'm only 20, and have so SO much to learn, but you've definitely helped put me on a path to a deeper understanding of myself and the people I'm close with. I like to think you've sown the seed of my mental health journey, now I just need to water and take care of that seed, so I can then grow in a positive way. I'm thinking I might go to therapy soon, something I didn't think I needed until I started watching your videos. Thanks Dr.K
I'm addicted to weed. I wish I never started but it is what it is. I wake and bake in the morning. I eat an edible once i get to work (Co worker makes edibles) I hit the vape from my other co worker, while I'm passing the weed filled bowl, and I end the day with a drinkable edible that I personally make and smoke from my bowl. I'll usually make my cannabutter and put the cannabutter on my toast, eggs and such. I use far to much weed.
Biggest thing that helped me out was cutting out bongs and replacing it with dabs/ joints/edibles those things gave me the worst brain fog and things feel so much more manageable now that I’ve cut it out
Hey man take baby steps by lowering your usage. I was psychologically addicted and what helped me was sticking to one method of getting high, which was joints. Smoking weed vs vaping or edibles (store-bought) put more barriers in my life. It was less appealing. I would stink, I could only smoke in certain areas, it wasn’t discreet, I had to roll everything myself etc etc. Another method I used was simply buying less weed and changing the times I would smoke which was only before bed. Everytime I had an urge, I began asking myself why I was doing it. What happened before that led me to this decision? How do I feel in the moment? What other methods are there to decompress or have fun? Smoking with other people will be the biggest challenge. Practicing saying no or completely removing yourself from the situation is rough but you don’t have to completely cut out weed just be mindful of your intentions and the real effects it’s having on your life.
I completely agree with the comments here. Carts are dangerously easy to use and I wouldn’t advise them unless you’re suffering from chronic pain. It’s probably safer for your lungs to vape but you’re playing with addictive fire. I hate the taste of edibles so they’re fairly safe for me. Bongs and joints are a lot more work, so if that’s all I have then I’m less likely to get high unless I really want it, rather than getting high because I can
I'm a daily user for chronic pain, depression, anxiety and it probably saved my life during the pandemic and since. You just have to keep in mind the respect it deserves. It has diminishing returns when you don't.
I eat an edible once or twice a week. It keeps the stress of quitting alcohol manageable. If people think weed is addicting, I have to ask if they ever drank heavy? Weed isn't harmless, but compared to booze it's pretty danged benign. This has been my experience so far anyway. I've known people that have gotten in trouble with it. But booze for me was an escape from my problems. Weed makes me think about my issues, not really fun if you wish to forget. It allows me to laugh at myself and life. But have no desire to increase my use. I could drink all day everyday and I wanted more. Plus coming off booze needed IV Ativan to keep my heart rate below 100. That's what you call physical addiction. If weed is addictive I will take it over booze anytime.
1:09:00 - 1:14:31 was such an incredible segue and validating thing to hear. I was talking with my therapist the other week and brought this up. Paraphrased, "I'm really don't think I'm depressed, I've been there before. I'm familiar with depression -- but damn if it isn't a huge challenge to be hopeful about the future right now." Society man, I haven't liked the direction it's been heading since like 2013 & it's been exponentially getting worse in my option. 1:15:43 - 1:19:43 was really good too. Thank you for sharing your personal experience. 1:19:44 - 1:22:44 was also good to hear. What a beneficial stream.
For things like therapeutic/mental benefits, I'd say that it is a good starting point or launching pad, but not exactly the actual solution itself. Like with treating anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc., it can help greatly to start you on your recovery, but it won't get you to the finish line for sure. For me, it helps with these by giving me motivation and a mood boost, as well as a different perspective on life, etc. This is good because it gets me out of bed, makes me do things like socialize, clean, etc. However, while it does help me work, it means that I am not working at 100% like Dr. K mentioned. It may raise your baseline, but it also lowers your maximum potential. If you're always running at 15%, it may help you get to 50, but will prevent 100. I may be more productive in that I go to the store for groceries, but it will nerf me by making me forget half the stuff on my list as an example.
Definitely a heavy user and definitely an addict by your definition. The issue I have is that I have a really bad case of childhood ptsd that has resulted in a pretty severe avoidant personality disorder. I've been trying to resolve it with psychotherapy for nearly a decade in a half now, but it has proven to be incredibly resilient to treatment. What psychotherapy has done is helped me a great deal in coping, so I can stay productive and superficially socially connected but that operates solely on discipline and willpower, which is exhausting and unsustainable. Once the day's work is done, though I'll basically just shut down, with a mix of fatigue, loneliness and despair that has nowhere to go but around and around and around. Until I can find a way to resolve my cptsd, this is likely going to continue to be the case. I also know that I get addicted to things to cope. When I was a kid, I was addicted to junk food, which I would gorge on in secret, steeling myself for the inevitable return home to a narcissistic father and a bipolar mother. When I was in college, I was addicted to sex, finding some solace in the faux-affection of sex workers and the gratification of orgasm. Once Covid forced me to go cold turkey on that, I seem to have transitioned to Marijuana, with the euphoria providing some relief for the grinding misery of working on meaningless tasks for the sake of pure survival while the world falls apart around us. I'm still in therapy. I still try every day to overcome my past. But to be honest, it hasn't been enough. I still feel as isolated and incapable of connection as when I started, only now more capable of working around it. To give up marijuana, to me, sound like to choose to sink back into that abyss of dispair which I have not been not strong enough to swim out of, or else threaten becoming addicted to something even less benign.
Feel the same way mate, I'd rather be high and living than sober and dead. It's a pretty fucking bleak outlook for sure, but maybe we can crawl our way out, good luck brother ❤🩹
Thank you very much for this. I recently started watching you, the things I've learned have been immensely helpful. I am 26 years old and started smoking weed at 14. I only smoked every once in a while with friends until I was about 17, and at that point, it became a daily thing. I smoked every single day from that point on until about 2 weeks ago. Sadly, the thing that finally motivated me to quit was finances, but after a couple of days of being clean, even with insomnia and stress, everything became easier all of a sudden! (Aside from sleeping) I have so much more energy, and my mind is so much clearer now. Once I realized the improvements I was seeing, I came to your videos about weed dependencies and the negatives/positives weed can bring, and I finally can see how bad I was making things for myself. I had myself stuck in a permanent fog. At this point I have seen many improvements, and my sleep schedule is slowly getting better and better as the days go by. I hope anyone else dealing with the same issues I was also find their solutions. Thanks again and good luck to all!
I’m also 26 and started smoking weed at 14! Haha How and what helped you quit smoking? I also want to quit or at least lower my consumption. I just find it difficult because I use it to help with my depression, anxiety and adhd.
@Danny Leggo the 2 things that initially motivated me to stop were the money I was spending on it seemed excessive, and I was convinced I had smoked for so long that I wasn't using my brain to its full capacity. I also leaned on weed for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Quitting was very difficult at first, it definitely takes a desire to stop to do it. It's really hard to quit a habit/dependency if you don't WANT to quit. Once I had decided enough was enough and wanted to stop, I cut it cold turkey. The first 5-7 days were pretty tough. Trouble falling asleep, loss of appetite, and lack of patience. After a week it got easier but it didn't truly get easy until around week 3. By then it's out of your system and you'll feel normal again. Once I had gotten back to normal, my sleep was good, and I felt good. My mind definitely feels sharper now days, and I'm better at having professional conversations at work. (I'm in sales) So for me it's been really great. TLDR: it's hard for a couple weeks but worth it. It makes you feel better in ways you wouldn't assume as a stoner.
This is pretty nice im right now in a personal smokebreak because im heavily overcoping my life with weed and try to mute my life entirely like im 5k in debt,lost my job lately cuz im default depressed and can't even break the habit to be depressed as i logically think my situation isn't unmanageable but i feel like a 25 year old traumatized dysfunctional child that gets overwhelmed to keep track of my life , everything feels like a brickwall in my face and i dont even get the power i need to get up and fix shit up but on the other end i kinda feel like bro you aint depressed,you aint cry a lot,u aint feel that much in any direction but i clearly know as its diagnosed that im heavily depressed but always feel like lazy and undisciplined
Depression isn't laziness ! Don't think of yourself that way. Don't guilt yourself for the lack of drive and emotion you feel. The fact that you're trying to do something about it is HUGE. As someone who was in a similar situation, I'm hoping the best for you. I assure you it can get better !
@@chloevaillant9430 thanks for your uplifting word's i just gotta figure out how i can find a reasoning and drive for life I guess some goal but it feels all so meaningless to me and i can't figure out how. Do you have some tips after going through something similar emotional ?
@@theRobson0908 If you have a good feeling about the person who diagnosed you stay in touch. If you go that road, beware that medication can really worsen the situation at first. Don't go through that alone if possible. I stopped quickly because I didn't recognize myself anymore, but it has proven usefull to some so it's up to you. I've felt such helplessness for such a long time that I couldn't believe where I'm at right now. Nothing fancy but I finally remember that joy is a thing and life has meaning even when I'm down, which happens quite rarely. But I won't lie, thoughts patterns are really hard to break and can reappear depending on the context. Be kind to yourself, I can't stress this enough. This really took me years to learn. Show yourself the kindness and respect you would to a dear friend. Sometimes we are the first to judge and treat ourselves unfairly. Avoid people who do so because it tends to normalize something that shouldn't. It can be hard to feel like we deserve anything when we haven't been raised that way or when we don't "perform" well in society, but truth is you have value whatever your current circonstances may be. Do you value people based on their success / beauty / money ? We may envy such people but we don't value people we love based on such trivial things. We don't despise them at the first sign of weakness either. If you value fairness and kindness you shouldn't treat yourself any different than you'll do another. Be patient and understanding with yourself, try to stay in touch with what and who you love, just one day at a time.
Go check out some videos about Marcus Aurelius meditations. As myself someone who struggles with mental health, I found comfort in his words useful or not. Wishing you all the best fellow human!
For me, weed is beneficial if I use it with good intentions but it is harmful if I use it with negative intentions. What I mean by good intentions is that I make a ritual out of it - I actively decide "I'm going to go smoke a joint and look at the stars and listen to music on my back verandah" and I let my mind wander, I stop when the joint stops being enjoyable even if it isn't completely finished, I allow myself to feel and process emotions, then I take a shower and go to bed. When I use it with negative intentions, I just think to myself "today sucks, I'm bored, I just want to feel different" and I use weed as a cope for my own dissatisfaction. I usually spend the whole time scrolling social media while I smoke, I'm not mindful, I binge eat, and I usually end up wanting more to regain the high as it starts to wear off. sometimes I even start getting panic attacks because l become hyper-aware of body sensations and I have health anxiety. So for me, developing a healthy relationship with weed has meant paying attention to my motivation for use before I actually decide to use, and deciding not to use if my mindset is one of just wanting to get high and forget my day. I also reflect on my experience the next day to evaluate how well I assessed my own motivations and how my decision worked out for me. The disclaimer here is I have it medically prescribed for insomnia and chronic pain. It doesn't necessarily reduce my pain but it sure as hell increases my ability to tolerate my pain. And yoga/ stretching while high feels extra good. But also I don't use it for productivity- I use it to give myself permission to stop being productive for the day. I always do my chores and uni work sober and then only get high at the end of the day. But I believe I may fit into that minority category Dr K referred to where I also do yoga and meditation and the marijuana adds an additional spiritual and creative component to my life. Certainly not for everyone though and I have seen many people abuse marijuana and become dependent and stagnant because of it.
I used to smoke weed recreationally, explicitly but over time as I got older and things happened in my life and I became depressed and anxious it became an escape from reality. That's where my "addiction" to it comes in. I'll just smoke weed and bury myself in a video game for hours and hours and completely suppress whatever it is that's going on in my life to an unhealthy degree and ill do it repeatedly, and when the time comes that for whatever reason I cannot get weed, I become severely anxious because I don't have the buffer between me and reality. That's as far as the "withdraws" go though, there's no actual withdraw, there's no stealing money or something from friends and family to buy more, none of the typical things an "addict" might do but this is just as destructive to me as that would be because I become way too comfortable with completely ignoring real life and when you do this for a long period of time, you disassociate completely to the point of of being completely disconnected from everything and everyone. It becomes the norm for me and I'm basically just anxiously awaiting the next time I have weed so I can cope with life and I just repeat it over and over. I hate it but I don't want any other way because Id rather be numb than deal with my issues.
You hit the nail on the head. Pretty much how I felt when I was smoking. It comes down to whether you’re ready to take that step and start feeling again. Or continue numbing yourself with weed
Dr k mentioned in another talk about weed when you smoke to stop feelings these feelings they build up and start ruining your high, he mentioned our bad emotions are our most powerful and promote positive change in our lives, you stay stagnant with weed, I smoked on and off for like 8 months and I’m two weeks clean, sometimes I want to smoke but I’m trying to stay strong
Im not so sure the "withdrawl" ends there, at least for everyone. For me, after extended periods of heavy use, I experience pretty bad insomnia for up to two weeks. It is also known that high amounts of THC will downregulate cb1 receptor expression. So, after stopping, your endocannabinoids are less effective at carrying out their function. As such, until your body regulates cb1 expression after cessation, you definitely will experience some deviation from you baseline physiology for a while whether youre tuned into it or not. Now, Im talking with HEAVY use, and different people respond differently to these things, so im not trying to speak for everyone -- just that its clear some level of a "true" withdrawl is possible.
Weed has done nothing but help me. I was depressed for many years until I started using weed. I take so much better care of myself. My chores get done, I exercise, I eat right, and I've lost 70 lbs in 7 months and am still losing.
Do you plan to one point go weedless with these activities? I mean once you get into a healthy routine, able to organise your life, loose the weight you'd like to loose, etc, would you try lower the intake or completely quit? I'm genuinely interested, it reminded me Dr K talking about the healthy changes in life and the lowered need for drugs.
@Rebeka Nagy eventually yes I would like to move it to a more recreational/social use as it is now a daily use. I'm currently in therapy and working on getting an official ADHD diagnosis, and hopefully, I will get medication. I do need something 😩. I just hit 75lbs lost, which is the halfway point for my realistic goal. My ultimate goal is 175 lbs lost. At that point, I'll weigh 173 lbs and will have lost more than I weigh. I will have killed a man and disposed of his body.
I'm a medical marijuana patient from the EU and I've been smoking weed every day once or twice before going to bed for more than 8 months now. It helps me get to sleep almost instantly whereas before I had a lot of trouble falling asleep. I've tried a plethora of things like completely dark room, no blue lights, meditation, breathing exercises, going to bed at the same time every day, sun exposure, cold showers, etc. I workout regularly, I am on a balanced diet, have a good family and work life. And yet sometimes I would lay in my bed for 1-3 hours before falling asleep. I'm using a 100% indica flower in a ball vape. My tolerance has gone up significantly though, so I am going to take a break very soon. I know it won't be easy, but hopefully I will emerge much stronger :P Anyway the only negative effect I've noticed is indeed worse short-term memory, which does suck. But still I'll take take over random sleep times any day.
This conversation on material and lifestyle conditions affecting the ability to have a life worth living is huge. I normally don't care about the new year reset mentality, but I'm coming out of a hard year (I mean, who isn't, I've had a lot of hard years in a row) and decided to make my life qirth living and spend more energy on trying to build a lifestyle I find value in. I spend so much of my life cleaning, gaming, and stressing, and I live in one of the most beautiful, accessible cities to enjoy the outdoors in in the state, probably in the US. My rent and finances are worse than theyve ever been, but Im trying to invest in skills like cooking and sewing and get outside and exercise ans enjoy the world more. I turned 25 in December and I've spent a lot of time in the last year feeling like I'm getting nowhere and Im already half dead. My partner got the opportunity to buy a house and its structure is in good condition for what a careless owner it had for 50 years. It's a very small house, but the yard is the size of the house, so I'm seizing the chance to learn about gardening and developing what we have into something we love while I have it. My point is, what he said about having a safety net being the ultimate priviledge above money is right. I've had at least some sense of a safety net my whole adult life, even though as a kid I was living in the living rooms of family friends multiple years. I want to be able to offer that stability to other people like my younger sibling, and I have to take my privilege seriously if thats ever going to happen
I was very psychologically dependent on weed for almost two years. I've had severe GAD my whole life, and smoking for the first time was so unreal. It felt like the missing puzzle piece to my life, all my anxiety completely vanished when I was high. All was good until weed turned on me and actually started giving me anxiety, though. I became lazy, my grades dropped, I was sleeping all the time and I was severely depressed. It was only when I got on antidepressants and quit weed altogether did I see some improvement. Drugs effect everyone differently, and although I know weed has been a positive factor in many peoples lives, it was not for me. I'd go as far to say it ruined those two years of my life, as I was in college and was supposed to be going out and making friends.
I can't think right on weed personally, any type of stress that happens when i'm in that state makes me feel awful. I have to be in a non-stressed almost meditative place both physically and mentally in order for it to do me any good. The times that i was in that zone have given me great insight on my life and identity. All barriers melt away and i realize that these labels we've made are just an illusion, a facade. There is nothing that i have chosen for myself. My name is not truly mine, it was given to me by others. I deconstructed myself and i realized that i could choose a different path, a new name, a different outlook on life, i realized in that moment what i truly crave is the freedom to shape my personality and body free from the expectation and corruption of others. We are born shapeless and full of potential but as we age we are caged and corrupted, poisoned even though we can not see it.
For me it's a self medication thing. I'm actually working on getting a diagnosis and I think one of the biggest problems with weed is you delay real treatment because it makes life somewhat manageable when really even with weed you should be getting help.
I've been a daily smoker for around 13 years, and while I might seem successful on the outside with a full-time job as a computer scientist and working on my 3rd degree, I struggle with my addictive tendencies. One of the issues is that weed has also enabled my gaming addiction, making it even more challenging to break the cycle. Despite being able to manage my life while being high, I know deep down that I want to make a change. Living in an expensive city like Reykjavík, Iceland, I realize how much money I could have saved if I hadn't been smoking - maybe even enough to buy a house by now. I also miss having a more active social life and being more productive in general. What really concerns me is my past with harder drugs. I've seen friends who were sober for years suddenly overdose, and it's been incredibly tough to witness. There's always this lingering fear that I could fall back into that trap if I don't get my act together. I just want to share my experience and encourage others to stay away from drugs - the initial appeal is never worth the long-term consequences. Stay strong, everyone.
I have severe PTSD from military service as a combat medic in the Army, and problematic enough adult ADHD to require medication. For years I listened to my psychiatrist, who frankly stated the literature shows marijuana makes the symptoms worse. I used to get high a lot as a teenager and young adult. I started taking THC through dosed edibles and my quality of life significantly improved. I hadn't left my own home for almost 7 years and within 2 months I was in a healthy relationship and going out every weekend. I've often wondered if this is because of the drug itself, or because I conditioned myself to think this is how normal is at a younger age. Either way, in my case, it's been a life saver. It helped me resolve a lot of issues I had internalized without having harshly negative criticism of myself when going over traumatic experiences. It helped me learn to forgive myself, come to terms with what has happened and move on. It is definitely not addicting, to me, in the same sense as something intensely physical addictive like coccaine or nicotine. But, I've noticed my symptoms return if I take a few weeks off from it and so it can definitely be something you gain dependence on by virtue of improving quality of life - which I don't believe is such a bad thing when considering the alternative of not taking it at all. I do think I conditioned my mind by over using at a younger age to believe it is a better state of being, to be high, but at this point it's clearly helping more than it's hurting. For me the largest negative impact it has on my life is that it costs me a small amount of my monthly income. If I had a choice between giving up THC or giving up the symptoms I take it for, I'd give up THC without a second thought. Unfortunately we don't get to choose our baggage in life, and this is the solution I've found.
I'm a smoker of 3 years but gone sober due to my financial situation. I had one bong with tobacco, non cigarette smoker. And I was hooked for three years. Definitely addicted. Everytime it came time to quit with multiple relapses I'd cry a lot as my trauma came rushing back. I was dependent to feel any joy in my life. I'm now sober but just not as happy as I was while using weed but I don't feel as depressed because when I smoked I'd realise how dire my situation is but it made it okay but I needed more weed to keep at bay and go on with my life. But now I can't afford it at all and I'm just not as anything. I mostly stay in bed practically paralyzed by life. N where I am it isn't legal. So I've started drinking more but trying to cut down which I'm succeeding at. I guess I have to find some sort of purpose to just get by through my life. But anxiety makes it painful to the point it feels like I'm passing out but still awake and standing and weed helped me a lot but sadly with a child in a illegal country I can't. Weed brought me so much joy and with a true friend that also smoked at the time we had the funnest chillest times of our life but I guess it's time to move on. But I don't feel joy in any sense anymore the only thing that makes me slightly happier and present is good food. Otherwise I'm withdrawing from life. But I'm sober and I guess that's good because it's also caused me damage with psychosis which to me was just a series of ultimate spiritual awakenings with meditation and meditation doesn't hit the same as it does high for me. But man I was on top of the universe of ultimate realization and how beautiful and amazing it is to be alive in this universe, in this galaxy, in this solar system, on this planet which evolved life and to be human. But when I'm sober I'm just nihilistic, I don't see meaning in our purpose of being alive. Ah well anyway. Good luck to everyone trying to cut back or quit. It is possible I've done it four times successfully. It can be hard, all that really helped me was trying to eat and resting and watching RUclips and video games with friends if you can. I'm still early in recovery so hopefully things go back to normal and should get better.
man i feel this so much, only time i can get myself to do something is cook some food or go buy liquor. im so fucking miserable, i hope we somehow pull through this my dude
@@lilthreadd me too bro I'm the same, just sold my car for like 350 dollars I'm gonna have to get a job and start fresh but man I'm in bad as shape physically and mentally to do so. I hope for the best for us bro we'll surely get there with some time
@@christopherlebo460 Hmm good question. Honestly I've relapsed but I'm smoking once a week. I feel like shit too. I try to do my best to keep busy. So I've been bmxing and walking and doing gardening and chores. I also have my own kid to take care of. But in a world like this where I don't see much positives with all the bad happening i seem to need a vice weather its a cold one every Friday or one tiny hit when its bedtime. I vape like a chimney because i used to smoke ciggies and miss tobacco heaps but can't afford it. So it's definitely up n down. I've also been trying to think forward to the future to see what path I can take. So I thought if i quit I could get a new iPhone then a 165hz screen then get my drivers license then start looking for a job and sort out my house and misses and daughter then save for a cheap get around car and then my dream car which is a skyline 370gt coupe (infiniti g37) which would all take up my time for years. But honestly I don't see my self letting go of weed permanently. I used to smoke all day every day big hits non stop, but now it's strictly once a week in the weekends at night. But don't let me make you relapse it's not what I want for you. There must be good sides to not smoking such as money saved, and no black luggies, maybe you could get something or work towards something that will make you feel more complete or at least keep busy. I find some days ill feel extremely anxious or uneasy and all that really helps me is beating the shit out of my bmx so maybe even exercise is key but everyone is different. I guess another thing is being mindful of thoughts and feelings and finding a real solution that truly helps without resorting to drugs. I have a feeling you need a break like a nice as holiday away from the usual, i need one bad. I lost a lot to weed all my hobbies and joys in life and natural happiness and all this time and I'm only starting to rekindle my love for things like PC gaming which i couldn't even do high because i just wanted to sit somewhere in silence and be high and feel it. So for the last 4 years I've practically done nothing but meditate high. I traded my whole life to feel high which has damaged a lot and I've only just taken responsibility in the last two weeks to make amends. People say it does get better over time but we just have to find our way and find out for ourselves. 6 months is no joke man, you're damn strong for pulling so far, I hope you find a way to feel better man and I hope you keep pulling through. Weed addiction can be pure torture and a burden on our lives.
Funny enough weed has been a very positive effect on my life. It has made me work out more,gives a new positive outlook on life.And I don’t use substances much I only do weed and basically hate alcohol. Now I will say I understand how weed can negatively impact people because many will react differently to weed. For me it really chills me out and helps me think and process things. Now I can do all these things without weed,but I would be lying if I said it didn’t help and improve these already existing qualities as well help with relaxation. So in my opinion I think weed is overall good and helpful tool, but people should do research on and make a educated decision on use in moderation.
Yeah I started pole dance fitness not long after I got my first prescription for medical marijuana and started near daily use (before the medical stuff, I would buy a bunch of it, smoke it until it's gone, then to cold turkey for months before i bought it again because it was too expensive). Since I started using the medical stuff daily, I've also maintained a regular exercise routine at the pole studio for the first time in years, had all around better mental health, and generally better eating habits. I'm losing weight slowly but surely, and at a healthy rate (about 1kg a month - doesn't sound like much but I'm also putting on muscle and am only mildly overweight in terms of BMI). Basically my life is overall better since I started using nearly every day but I have also had negative effects from it if I'm not careful with how much I consume. But important to note I do take occasional breaks from it and do not experience withdrawals from it. But I certainly don't think it is good for everyone and wouldn't at all claim that it's entirely safe and has no potential for abuse.
It slows me down as well and helps me to process things. I also hate alcohol, but I get why people like weed. That’s not to say though it can’t be addictive to people, I know some who NEED it every day. I don’t need it every day. It’s once in a while and only on the weekends to just chill out for a bit. I get what you mean though about the life outlook the days following after I’ve come down and am sober I’m more content with stuff and just okay even if things go bad. It helps me sleep really well too. It should be taken in moderation and I have to use a very small amount or it can make me so anxious.
@@mrs.quills7061 you’re lucky in that reguard, I feel a feeling of discontentment after I use weed for the following days. Feels like a dopamine deficit. I become more edgy and feel as though normal activities I enjoy are not as fun for a couple weeks or so.
That’s why I stopped completely, even just occasional use did that to me. But I did used to use it a lot at one time so maybe that is the reason in my situation. Like someone with scar tissue cuts easier than someone without.
Dr K, I hope you understand that this talk was exactly what I needed to hear right now. It was a perfect balance of educational, empathetic, understanding, and motivational, all as one big reality check (for me, at least). Thank you for your insight, and don't sell yourself short on what you're accomplishing here. I think out of the millions of people who have seen your content, some are bound to have genuinely been impacted enormously by your words alone. Also, I love how this was like an hour and a half of professional presentation, and then like four F-bombs out of nowhere. They were very well-employed and really emphasized your point. And it was hilarious.
Hey dr K!! Longtime viewer first time commenting. I’ve worked in the cannabis industry in WA for a few years and have been grappling w/ my relationship w/ weed. This lecture was spot on RE what I’ve been able to find and what I’ve seen after 2 years in the industry. One note. The term marijuana is super dated and is rooted in racism. It is actually a word that was invented to SOUND like it came from Mexico to perpetuate/ justify the war on drugs. Marijuana is a term that is no longer used in the industry. Now, we use terms like cannabis, weed, pot, etc. Love your content! Thanks for all the work you put into this community.
i'm bipolar, have ADHD, CPTSD, and chronic pain. I am highly creative, and have been smoking weed for 11 years. It has helped stabilize my mood, curb both depressive and manic episodes, reduce suicide ideations and attempts (both with and without other medications involved), increased creativity, productivity, and even improved my motivation in academics and career. weed doesn't work for everyone. it can be helpful to those who deal with a certain set of issues. and with those it truly helps, the benefits are unlike anything else. Aside maybe psyclobin or ketamine. I've tried all 3 and found the weed has consistent benefits for PTSD symptoms, treating them at the source and healing trauma wounds. where as ketamine requires more planning for it to be therapeutic in the same manner. And psyclobin is very helpful with depression and PTSD, but a tad dangerous for me, the bipolar boy. triggers manic episodes if i take too much. so can sativa strains. hybrid doesnt trigger mania though. i recommend hybrid for anyone with anxiety issues or mania/psychosis.
Thank you for this! I’ve been trying and failing to quit smoking for the past several years. I genuinely want to quit, but I keep talking myself into getting more when I run out…
I'm 29. I own a cannabis farm in Oklahoma. I'm drowned by ADHD. The weed makes my ADHD worse. And my ADHD causes impulse control problems. And I constantly have weed laying around. So I can't control my impulses. So I smoke more weed. And I lose more control of my impulses. Soooo I'm doing great
I have ADHD myself. Have you talked to a psychiatrist about this? I am not trying to convince you of trying medication, but if you haven't, I would consider it. For me, it lowers impulsivity and impulse control significantly. On this beautiful Sunday I'll still smoke up though :)
I'm on my way to quitting a half life long weed addiction and you really have helped my mindset and motivation to persist while honouring and understanding my needs, and not punishing myself for not having overcome it yet. I'm well on my way. "Stability is the absolute foundation" spoke to me strongly. Thank you so much for your advice and wisdom Dr. K!
Thank you for the information about how anxiety manifests in men. I am currently feeling a lot of "pressure" from many directions. I will try to internalize that I have anxiety and will consult therapist on addressing this.
You gave two definitions of Addiction, But it seems like you left out what I would call "actual addiction" The things you described are things I would describe as "dependence" and "coping/use disorder" respectively. But there is a big difference between either of those, and the way drugs like cocaine or heroin highjack the reward system of your brain to become an intrinsic desire in itself. From my understanding, cocaine addicts aren't just trying to stave off withdrawal symptoms, or cope with some underlying issue in their life/behavior. The drug has it's own extreme reinforcement effect to the extent that you can remove dependence, and remove those underlying issues, and you would still want the cocaine just because it feels so good. Addiction is about *CRAVING*. not a reasoned want, (bad or good reasoning) but a CRAVING. What you say would indicate that coffee addiction is extremely common. I think like almost half of caffeine users would be addicts on the basis of physiological dependence. But It seems to me like researchers do not consider caffeine an addictive substance. There's even a section in my psychopharmacology textbook from college citing research that evaluates whether caffeine can be considered an addictive substance, and they come to the conclusion that it cannot, and that is what the textbook teaches.
I am interested in educated discussion on this. Definitely I felt like I was too dependent on coffee, enough so that I decided to switch to tea and then even faded out daily tea. And it wasn't easy. Not nearly as hard as quitting cigarettes tho.
I love this comment pointing out the difference between actual brain hardwired addiction and "addiction-lite" but the only thing I would disagree about is something like weed being a "reasoned want." I think it definitely starts off as a reasoned want, but quickly becomes habitual and negative over the course of maybe 2 weeks so it's difficult to notice (subjective timeframe), especially if you don't know what you're looking for. But yea, that's my very tiny cherrypick. I think falling into a weed dependence is somewhat of an unconscious process that starts off with conscious usage. Addiction is very interesting and it's actually very useful to think about and to try to undermine the problems, because it's so prevalent today. It's such an important thing to think about. Also, I don't mean to be rude at all when I say this but maybe you should think outside of the textbook, because are you completely sure the common consensus is that coffee isn't addictive? I remember Michael Pollan's story about quitting caffeine for the first time, and he talked about how struggling it was, and when he finally had a cup of coffee again, it was the strongest cup of coffee ever, he described it as "almost psychedelic." Pollan details his experiences well in his books. He has a whole book about caffeine. But idk, maybe caffeine is just as addictive as sugary foods, meaning basically nothing as most Americans eat sugary foods. I can see why someone would say coffee and sugary foods aren't addictive, because they seem like the "norm" for today's society, but I'm not sure if we should be so accepting of that. It doesn't seem healthy? Sorry for ranting.
This stream is about a month old so I doubt this will ever get any traction, but regarding ~@27:00 with the "what is considered heavy usage" and "rigged questions" topic I believe @HealthyGamerGG Dr. K could be misunderstanding the question. A few years ago I was required to detox from marijuana for a government job and during all of my research about how long I'd need to detox, article after article would provide useless metrics like "light marijuana users can detox in 2 weeks or less" or "heavy marijuana users may take several months to detox". I tried and tried and tried to find the answer to "what is considered heavy marijuana usage" as I was taking it in distillate form as a ~30mg pill 1-2 times a week for anxiety. Nothing. Nobody had an answer as to where these metrics of "light" vs "heavy" usage come from or how much the people were actually using, their BMI, etc.. For me, taking marijuana orally 1-2 times a week for a couple years required 3 months to detox enough to pass a drug test as a 300lb male. As I try to keep up with the development of marijuana legalization these terms of "light" vs "heavy" usage keep coming up and to this day I have no idea what metric is ever being used.
Tell it!! 😂 The first time I smoked cannabis was when I turned 40, as a means to treat fibromyalgia. I became addicted and my brain changed along with my weight and overall appearance. I'm now 45 years old and have had enough! It is difficult to cut once youre addicted. And yes, you will find ways to justify usage by "short quitting", but will got back in harder than before just because you quit for 2 weeks. This guy knows what hes talking about. Wish me luck!
i dont really like the gateway drug argument, as it heavily relates to the legality of weed. if its legal you are getting it in a dispensary, if its not legal youre getting it either from another state and risking whatever that entails, or youre buying from a plug, who is more likey to have easy access to those harder drugs associated with where "gateway drugs" lead you.
1:23:31 This is something I think I can never thank enough. Over the last years this channel has helped me to analyze myself and understand myself as I never could have dreamed about. It has been painful as fuck. Rigorously putting all my insufficiencies under a magnifying glass to read them has made me go though such personal hell I needed to smoke weed daily to just be able to live normally. But hopefully it can give me a faint hope to ever have a life that is worth living. I don't know if Dr K (or people involved in managing the channel) would se this comment under hundreds of them. But I want to sincerely thank them all. This channel could potentially have saved my life.
@@ctheconnectshun2246 Everything in this crap of a world is boring and uninteresting. I don't have hopes to ever have a better job, or a good quality of life because I can't study or be productive, and I don't even have on what to. I can barely even hold conversations with my own friends. I don't have the slightest hope for a relationship, let alone the idea to create a family. I hate waking every day. I hate having to go through each of them. What's worth about this?
The mind and body can be stained by habits, but they can be cleansed by inverting said habits. One may enjoy weed or alcohol without getting dependant on them, however since we all lack self-awareness and -control, we never notice how we're building a new habit until said habit gets interrupted and we realize we're already dependant. It is not the substance that makes people addicted, it is always a lack of self-control and self-awareness that causes us to develop (bad) habits. All of life is the enactment of habits. All breaking-out of habits is only possible when one is aware of their habits and able to consciously counteract them. Which is made hard because we're on autopilot 99% of the time acting out habits. So again, it is a lack of self-awareness and self-control which hinders our recognition of said habits and thus any possible conscious attempt to act any differently. To be aware of oneself as a sequence of repetitive patterns means to gain control over the enactment of said patterns. Only through realization can one take responsibility and thus take control. Same goes for emotions. Allow them, take responsibility aka don't blame, and you'll start gaining control. Best next step is to watch more of Dr. K
I have a relationship with weed where I get 20 grams and smoke daily. 3 to 4 weeks later I'm done and quit for at least that time or much longer. Both sober and smoking have unique benefits. Starting to smoke boosts my lifestyle and going off pushes me in a different way too. Pros and cons for both situations. I hate staying in one lane too long the switching back and forth puts wings into my sails and benefits my life greatly without long term negatives. I'm happy with my approach and I have no problem with discipline in my use. Once you've figured out a healthy middle ground it can be a great influence in your life.
I was a weed smoker for about 5 years, ultimately what drove me to quit, even though it did help me in some ways, was that I couldn't draw enough differences between my alcoholic mom waking up and having a drink and myself waking up and having a toke.
I really liked when you talked about the housing first. I think it falls into Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs nicely, where if people don't have the stuff on the bottom of the pyramid (food, shelter) they won't be able to thrive in self actualization and healthy relationships with others
This came at a pretty good time in my life. Having been on the journey of discovering cPTSD just last week, after 36 years on this earth. It's a very good time for me to taper off weed for the near future as I map my triggers and pitfalls. Earlier therapists probably misdiagnosed as ADD/PDD-NOS. And I am very eager to see the research in cannabis based medicine advance and hope for specific use medicine in the future.
Amazing, Dr.K. Thank u and ongoing blessings to u and your listeners. ' For those who have ears and the ❤ to hear, let us hear and heal.' Thank u Xr.K.
Once upon a time Dr. K's videos made me feel like he was in my brain. Now I'm just intimately aware of how many similarities we all share that a general description can be applicable to so many.
The only way for me to become motivated quit weed was wanting to lose weight and realizing there’s no way to control/stop binge eating while while high.
What a great video. I'm just at beginning of journey. I've been smoking for 10 years or so almost daily. It helped me in ways nothing else could, until it became a problem in itself
As someone who used to smoke daily for years and years, I fully relate to all of this. I thought that pot helped with my anxiety, even though I would regularly induce panic attacks from smoking too much. It took me a long time to realize it was actually bad for my mental health (Bipolar disorder and anxiety). For some, it can be a great medicinal tool, or a largely innocuous recreational drug. But this idea that it doesn't have downsides for people is a very silly pseudo-scientific perspective some people in the marijuana community still vehemently hold onto.
I think we need to stop protecting ourselves from stoner defensiveness with the seemingly mandatory "but for some people it's fine." Very few people have a legitimate medicinal need for the plant and for very few does it not become a dependency, especially if you start young.
Dr. K has a way of pulling me in and getting my attention because he's right and preaching the right things. How can we trust anything if the world around us isn't trustworthy? I hope change comes soon and we can all understand each other and how our minds work, I feel hopeful when someone can articulate themselves to convey the message.
I get that everyone is different, but I've had an entirely different experience and as important as it is to talk about this, I feel the way you talked about this could also give people who don't have a problem anxiety about their use even if it is actually beneficial for them to be using it the way they do. I'm autistic, have ADHD, OCD, GAD, MDD, and struggle with dissociation. Up until the age of 21 I only had smoked a handful of times and just socially. I was in therapy for years and also on medication, but still, all I could do was go to school then come home and lay down because that's all I had in me. Then once I graduated from high school, all I could do was go to work then come home and lay down for the rest of the day because I literally could not do anything else. I started college and did well academically, but it was much of the same--wake up, do nothing until school, then come home and lay down, then force myself to do homework, sleep, repeat. Any days off were spent laying down because I just could not do anything else. I couldn't sleep, I was hardly eating, and was ALWAYS dissociating because I was constantly overstimulated or anxious or whatever else. Then I turned 21 I was able to get weed legally and fast forward to now: I moved out of my parents house, am working and still in school working towards a BFA, and I can actually do shit. I smoke every single day because my issues don't stop. I NEVER use weed to escape my problems, it allows my brain to slow down enough for me to process my day or work through some shit. It allows me to see things from different perspectives and I'm able to see the things I need to work on clearly. I also use it just to relax because without it I literally cannot relieve tension--no amount of deep breathing, yoga, exercise, etc. has ever been enough. Like I can feel my anxiety all over my body and in my bones (the only way I know how to describe it), and weed is the only thing that gives any sort of relief. I still struggle with dissociation, but weed actually helps with that, and being high feels entirely different so I honestly don't understand how it could trigger it in some people but it just shows how differently it can affect someone. I've struggled with it since way before I ever smoked weed so I know it's not from that, plus I've taken a good 6 months off just to make sure it wasn't making it worse and the dissociation actually got worse because I no longer had anything to help with anxiety, overstimulation, and intrusive thoughts. I know not everyone has this experience, but considering my productivity and level of functioning before, I can't see any good reason to stop the daily use. It doesn't get in the way of me living my life and has improved it a lot. I can't imagine going back to the way I was before.
It sounds like it’s an escape. You say it’s not an escape but cant imagine being without it. A small T-break isnt enough time to decide if it actually helps or not. That enough time for a little bit of withdraw to start working
@@muffinboi4134 A few things you're misunderstanding---first, your intention when using substances matter. I'm using it for therapeutic properties, so I treat it like a medicine and don't just use it to use it. 6 months off is enough time, plus like I said, I had my first 21 years without and there's a drastic difference in my functioning. So yea, I can tell that it helps and can't imagine having to go without only because I know how I was functioning before. I'm always looking for alternatives because I don't like that if I smoke I can't go anywhere unless someone takes me. I'm in therapy still trying to find things that work, but until then I'm using weed so I can actually be productive and not just stuck in bed all day unable to move. I've talked to my therapist about my use quite extensively and am constantly re-evaluating its effectiveness/how positive it is for me. Trust me, it's not an escape--my problems don't go away when I smoke, they're just easier to see and work through because I'm not tense, overwhelmed, overstimulated, etc. I still feel the feelings, but I can actually work through them. There's a huge difference between an escape and how I'm using it. Idk I just feel like while it's important to talk about how this drug could be a negative, it's also important to note that for some people it is a really positive thing and daily or almost daily use doesn't always mean there's a problem.
We just happened to stop and use up the last of our cannabis when you dropped this. Great confirmation that we're making the right choice going sober. Thank you
for chronic weed smokers like me, I recommend taking a good week or two off if you haven't in a long time. it takes a while to start seeing positive effects from quitting for me at least; i've seen too many friends get discouraged because they feel like shit the first few days, but that phase doesn't last too long (in my experience)
It can, especially if you’ve been smoking for a year or more. I’ve gone 40 days without it and although I felt amazing, I still had occasional anger and irritability episodes. After 6 months it was as if I had never gotten high in my entire life
@@hitomukawakami7124 yeah for me I start feeling my awareness open up within just a few days of stopping smoking, but that doesn't necessarily feel good on its own. What feels good is that as my awareness opens up, I feel naturally motivated to address the issues that have been causing my anxiety in the first place. And once those things are tackled and no longer weighing on my mind (and I start convincing myself that I actually am equipped to deal with my issues as they arise), my anxiety starts to drop and I just feel way better at life in general. Glad that you're feeling good and making positive changes! 💪
Thank you for presenting this topic, Dr K So far I've decided not to stop because it has less side effects than conventional anxiety/sleeping medication, but I have done trials off of it which have brought a lot of clarity too
That’s the biggest dilemma I have with it. I’ve struggled with severe insomnia for years and the only thing I’ve found that allows me to get a good nights sleep is taking a low dose edible once a night. I don’t want to be dependent on it, but the alternatives just seem so much worse. I’ve heard horror stories from family members who are prescribed heavy sleep pills and I seriously don’t want to deal with any of those awful side effects they do. So I’m kinda just stuck continuing to do it because nothing else really works for me.
![Lil Uzi Vert - We Good [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DrSfBULAsek/mqdefault.jpg)
I just want to say I think you made the right choice in quitting your clinical practice for the path you're on Dr. K. For people like me who don't have the resources or who's problems aren't "severe" enough to justify the cost of therapy, you've given such a powerful tool to help us work through our own problems. You've literally changed my life, and all I can say is thank you.
Can’t agree more. I deal with a lot of mild mental health issues. Things im positive i can overcome alone and his content/ education just helps a lot. Everything from understanding my mind to why I do things to how I could change them. It’s really powerful stuff no cap
America healthcare system is Bs
@@林二郎-k5h we have great healthcare actually lol. Best doctors come to USA
To be fair that's literally what therapy is for anyway. Therapist itself does not solve your problems for you - they merely highlight what you could be struggling with but the hard work needs to be put in by you and only you. Dr. K's advice is quite generic and one size fits all so it is still worth seeking therapy if there's lots of comorbidities and more than just 1 thing going on as they will be able to adjust therapy to your needs exactly.
@@scrubfive9239 But there is a difference between good quality healthcare and a good healthcare system.
Topics Discussed on Weed
9:00 Why do people say weed isn't addictive, even when someone has an obvious dependency?
22:02 What is considered heavy marijuana use for you guys?
28:29 How does the addictive mind work
30:15 Marijuana and Productivity: Experience with cannabis coupled with a productive energetic mind
40:37 Fellow ADHDrs who use weed for concentration
52:04 Does cannabis help with chronic pain?
53:54 Can you explain weed induced psychosis?
1:08:08 Story of a Patient who was actually being followed by the FBI; Believing in Patients; Mental Illnesses, Male Suicides, Thoughts about Therapy and Mental Health Crises
1:14:56 "Hey, I'm not quitting weed" 1:15:48 "I feel that people were born to poor families have an insane disadvantage because of that we're all saying not to be materialistic but materialistic things help us so much.." Materialism. Security = Foundation of Mental Health.
1:25:01 Healthy weed used in moderation?
1:27:45 Pressure, Anxiety, Worries
1:32:07 Patients who have turned their lives around by joining the military
1:33:15 Opinion on using Cannabis treatment for autism symptoms
1:34:58 Heavy marijuana use and Rebound syndrome; Cyclic vomiting syndrome
1:38:58 "Didi I break my brain development because I smoked weed 20-30 times between the ages of 12 and 17?"
1:42:40 "I don't use cannabis anymore[...] decision to quit [...] it seemed to degrade my ability and willingness to speak and articulate clearly[...]"
1:44:56 Marijuana relationship with Anxiety, Depression
1:49:04 Dr. K defines Chronic Use
1:49:47 Closing message
Thank you!!
This comment needs more likes. Thank you
Dr. K, on off chance you see this-can you pin OP's comment? :)
much appreciated
Source: trust me bro
quitting today i'm so sick of needing to nap everyday, lying to myself, not being able to make music cause im stoned. so tired of having a "bad" day just because i didn't smoke. dr.k you've helped us more than you know i needed someone to tell me i'm not okay. weed was fine the first two years but after five its causing the adhd and anxiety to be worse. wishing anyone who sees this luck with whatever goal your striving towards.
How you doin?
just wanted to say that i also struggle badly with making music, high or not. it's really my biggest factor in contemplating quitting. i just want to be back into making music too. i hope youre doing well
It's incredible the parallels to my life. Hope everyone the best
Stream starts at 8:58 :)
appreciate it
thank u
Bless you, friend
i love you
Legend
Hey, Dr. K I'm a psychologist from Latin America and I really enjoy your content. It's quite formative and different from the sort of education I got at university. Definitely 100% relevant.
@@nataliep6385 hahaha lol
@@TheRussianGenius look who it is 😂
Thank you for wanting to help people, and doing it!
Man I won’t lie when I first saw Dr Ks videos I thought he was a conceited guy who didn’t rlly know shit. Well now hes helped me a lot and I don’t think its a coincidence that a lot of my favorite youtubers were people I initially thought had no use/connection to me. Very humbling and makes me want to be way more open to what people have to share. Respect to this guy.
rs
Fr, self help and mental health stuff online is so full of charming grifters that it's basically impossible to tell if someone is qualified at the first glance (or ever)
Kind of is tho… I mean why do people have this crappy stigma against opioids/pain medicine? For some people such as myself they are literally miracle drugs, I was severely underweight, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sit down properly cause of my back
The doctors tried everything to help me, all the standard stuff, then weed (which didnt help very much), then I finally relented and tried opioids and WOW for the first time in my entire life I was able to go through a day without pain! I was finally able to start having a normal life!
Then all these druggies came along and now my prescription is very strict and I have to live my life week by week and fight to not have them take me off of them so please don’t demonize opioids they are really needed by some people
@Practicalinvestments Some addicts are villains, but many of them started off much like you except options were actually not what they needed. The drug companies pushed opiods at people like candy for 20+ years.
You needed opioid meds; some folks need daily or hourly authentic affection and appreciation. You had a busted back; they have wounded souls. I hope in time you can see the stigma against addicts and the drugs they use are basically the same thing and both only make the individual and societal problems worse.
I started smoking pot when I was 17, just on the weekends and with friends. Fast forward to when I was 22, my girlfriend at the time died of cancer and I started smoking every day to escape reality because my reality sucked. Now I'm 30 and I still smoke every day but in larger amounts. I never graduated college, I'm unemployed, my physical and mental health is at rock bottom, I've lost friends and I'm my family is worried about me (and rightfully so).
Something I think is worth mentioning is that when you smoke every day for so long, being high becomes the default state and you're rarely sober (it only happens when you run out of weed and can't get more right away). And it's weird, but I've gotten to a point where being high gives me a clear mind and being sober clouds it. Let me explain: when I'm in my room smoking my third joint of the day, I suddenly look around, see how messy my room is, how neglected my hygiene andmy looks are, how weak my body has become, and I say to myself, "What the hell am I doing?" and I quit for the day and go to bed. The next day I wake up, the high wears off, what do I do? I roll one, and as soon as I take the first puff, I say to myself again, "What the hell am I doing?". So I go cold turkey (which leads to extreme constipation and irritability for the first few days, but it gets better). Then, after the period of sobriety is over, I think, "That wasn't so hard, let's buy some weed to celebrate/reward me." I contact my dealer, and honestly the whole process of meeting with him, buying the product, coming home, rolling one and lighting it up is the highest dopamine rush I get. Then I get high and I think "What the hell am I doing?".
It's weird, but I feel like when I'm sober I forget all the bad things weed has done and is still doing to my life, and I only fully remember it when I'm high. It is very hard for me to break this cycle, but I am still trying, and Dr. K, your help is greatly appreciated. I thank you for choosing this path.
Are you me?
Same exact experience. I haven't found it myself but I think the only way to break this cycle is to find something more fulfilling/celebratory than weed (shit's hard to compete with though)
Comment 2.0: When I quit weed about a month ago I honestly didn’t really want to stop smoking, but the lessons I’ve taken away from dr k’s content really helped me to view myself and my “potential” as a competing interest.
I became less interested in the fun things I could do or think about while high and more interested in living a life I’ve never given myself the chance to pursue before. I want to learn, go to school, create, experience- and yeah for sure I miss getting high sometimes, but I’m finally at a point in my personal journey where I truly feel ready to give myself a chance and to pick me over escape.
So for anyone else who doesn’t feel ready yet, it really will be ok.
“for anyone else who doesn’t feel ready it really will be ok” got tears rolling down my cheeks. thank you
I hope that you are succeeding in your quest to conquer smoking! I too am questing for sobriety!
Your first sentence really stuck out to me because I've been reading a fantastic book about maximizing your heroic potential and one of the early concepts is exactly what you described. I felt inspired by your comment and I hope you don't mind me sharing the title and author: Aretè by Brian Johnson
(Shameless plug note: it's on sale on Audible for $7.99 for a while longer)
Best of luck to you in your endeavors!
You gave me hope I want to do this for myself and my siblings
I used to be a cannabis addict and I'm so glad I quit. When I started, a shared a house with a few other smokers, it was just normal. When I moved into my next house, with some other friends, all women btw, they didn't smoke, and I started feeling so isolated. They didn't shame me, but I didn't feel comfortable being around them when I was high because we all knew I was addicted, so I literally and metaphorically hid in my room so they didn't see me high. It affected my focus too. And I became lonely. I'd be stoned in the middle of the day on the weekend when I could've been exercising, doing art, walking, climbing, surfing, anything.
If you're considering quiting, then do it, I'd say. I've got so much agency back. I feel confident in myself. It's brought a lot of benefits to my life.
Maybe the problem had more to do with you being isolated than the weed itself.
@@KingOfShenanigan it’s the weed stop making excuses for it
@@KingOfShenanigan nope same thing happened to me. I knew i had a problem and hid from others because of it.
@@Things606why are you being so combative, both could be true
@@KingOfShenanigan no it's the weed. It downregulates your dopamine and endocannabinoid system. So you don't seek new novel experiences. It's such a trap.
I started watching this video so I'd have something to stimulate me while cleaning and now crying on my floor. I would consider myself someone who has a strong sense of consciousness about my own mental state. I was lucky enough to be diagnosed with adhd at an early age, but even with this knowledge my family never really had the resources to help me. I also believe both my parents are neuordiverant as well so we all struggled with the lack of resources. Now that I'm becoming an adult and I have the ability to understand more about myself it has become increasingly clear that I have mental health issues, but I still lack the full range of resources I need. For years now I've felt like a failure for knowing I needed help, seeking out help, and still feeling the same way. Some part of me always knew that my environment and lack of resources was negatively effecting mentally, but hearing Dr.K put it so plainly really made me realize that I'm not a failure. That in fact, the opposite is true because despite still living in the same place and despite still lacking resources I've been able to improve. I feel that I might one day be close enough mentally to give myself the life my brain needs. And that it's not my fault that life is hard. I was not and am not the problem. I am the result. This both brings me pain and comfort. And to think I was just gonna go smoke after this 😂
Videos like these from you allowed me to lower my marijuana usage, quit medical school and pursue coding which has been great so far, and develop better relationships. TY DR K
What would you consider lowered and have sustained this ?
Gotta say Dr. K, this came at an awesome time. I've been smoking for 15 years (since I was very young) and have started taking occasional breaks over the past few years. It's hard to admit, but once I'm sober for a week or two, my life transforms with almost no effort on my part besides the effort it takes to stay off the weed. All of a sudden I start filling the time I spent smoking weed with exercise, reading, practicing music, and all sorts of other wholesome activities. I also naturally start eating better and cutting back on other bad habits because I can all of a sudden feel how negative the effects of all these things are. Plus I've been struggling at my software job hard for a while, but all of a sudden I'm able to perform super well since being sober.
I'm still very attached to weed, but I can't deny that using it every day has been very detrimental to my life in many ways. I'd like to be able to use it in moderation one day, but recognize that if it's all or nothing, the best choice would be none at all. Thanks for laying out some hard to hear stuff; I'll try to keep listening with an open mind 🙂
You should try scheduling your hits it’s helped me out with smoking less and I enjoy it more since I have something look forward to at the end of the day
I'm in a similar situation as you. Best of luck to you, friend!
@@Christian-ij7ue I've tried that, didn't work out for me. I'd just sit around anticipating the weed all day. It takes a few days for the brain fog to lift for me too. Ideally I'll be able to smoke like once every one or two weeks eventually though, I still undeniably enjoy it lol
@@mako4313 we're in it together homie! 💪
@@jomalomal I enjoy it as well . I found that filling up my time with other stuff helps. Such as the gym and doing chores that need to get done. (At the gym rn and high)
I also want to agree about Housing first. I'm a formerly homeless person. Long back story here. In the end I had to reach out and ask for help and keep asking and just quit trying to do it all by myself, and that's when i got myself into official consideration for housing assistance. I had to jump through many hoops and I had a certain amount of privlege. But I was on meth before, and now i'm not and i'm not homeless and i'm in therapy and i watch these psychoeducational channels as my special interest. I have a lot of support around me and i'm not ready to quit the weed yet. When I was homeless, sometimes other homeless people would give gifts of weed when they saw me having panic attacks and PTSD episodes in the shelters. This in a culture where two people will fist fight over a cigarette or a drink. It was a really meaningful moment when that happened and restored some faith in humanity.
I've been a longterm smoker for ages, and the whole "it makes you okay with being bored" has been very true for me. As soon as I sober up, all the tasks I've put off rush back into my working memory, stressing me out... and making me reach for the lettuce. Did some journalling the other day after Dr K's vid on anger, and turns out I have such a shit self-perception that I self-sabotage because I believe I don't deserve to get better? Also... makes me feel better about "how much time I've wasted", some sunk cost fallacy stuff, and the shame of "if I had started earlier, imagine how much farther I'd be". I can start at any time... but only when I'm sober, so... I hope this video can help me figure out how to cut down on the beep beep cabbage :/
Sometimes their is no cutting down for many people. It’s either all or nothing and accepting that can be the first step toward quitting. Everybody wants to just do it on Saturday night or every other Saturday night only but hardly nobody does.
Bro sometimes I can’t get sober for this same reason. All the clarity of what I could be right now and all the wasted potential comes back to me.
It’s really hard to break the cycle
I've had a very different experience, marijuana helped me overcome agoraphobia & helps me when I feel like staying in bed all day. I smoked this morning and have checked 8 of the 10 things off my list already for the day, and I still have 6hrs before bedtime.
I understand this is my experience and not everybody's, I just wanted to share mine, as I am listening while actively high and gardening so I feel I am coming from a very different perspective than most other commenters here.
Damn, for me, weed *seemingly* GAVE me agoraphobia! hahaha
You should speak up about positive experiences because people get really fucking up themselves calling it an addiction or talking about how others are dependent. Frankly, they shouldn't be talking about anyone but themselves. I'm glad you're having a helpful experience.
I'm curious as to how long you have been smoking for?
I found it helped me understand a lot of thing about me that weed really helped me to bring to the surface 5 years ago. But now I find a lot of those benefits have started to slip away over time and more and more use over time as well. Yes a lot of how much I use is on me but I have found that over time I became more dependent on how much it would up my mood. I love what weed has done for me but I'm thinking I need to take a break for a while after watching this video. I'm sure my base line is all kinds of out of whack because of how much I now smoke.
@@magicfairycome I’ve noticed if I smoke alone or with a large group and then try to enter a social situation, I get anxious and quiet. If I’m around friends when I smoke, I’m fine. So for me it can give me temporary agoraphobia
@@Dustlite I mean people can and do get addicted to weed. There are people I know who use it every day and can’t function without it similar to caffeine. That’s when I consider it an addiction because you’re that reliant on it.
Been waiting for Dr.K to talk weed specifically. I became quite a stoner over the past 8 months and definitely have lowered the amount I have in the previous weeks. Just the reinforcement I need to make sure I don’t fall back into it again 🙏🏻
He talked about it a year ago in a video "The Problem With Weed" but that was only 8.5 minutes long. This looks like it will be a more through discussion though.
Been wake and bake with concentrates for about 4 years now. I def feel its time to quit. I like being sober but i dont feel like myself at all. I feel more high sober than i do stoned.
@@Shannendetro dude that is bonkers. I like to smoke as well but i only ever smoked the actual flower, or hash. I like smoking a lot sometimes, but i couldn't do what you're describing, doing a bowl daily i have done in the past but how does your kinda high even feel after such a long time without real breaks?
@@nerfmoze8590 It doesnt feel like a high anymore. Nicotine is MUCH more effective on me if i want a "high" but i dont do many other drugs often. Ive noticed my journey has changed a lot and its become much more negative in the recent months. I used pot to help me lose about 100 pounds when i started. Now it just kinda numbs me. I the highs and lows of life now seem overwhelming without pot tbh.
@h̵e̵a̶v̴y̴h̸e̷a̷d̴2̴k̵1̸ well stated btw. I have a similar experience. I can relate strongly to "wanting to get out of that in-between state where you cant find anything interesting or worthwhile"" If i dont smoke at the start of the day, by midday this feeling is non existent and i feel great, but with even one dab in the morning and this is where i find myself all day when not stoned.
So I was a chronic (all day, every day) user for over a decade starting in about the 7th grade. I recently quit and over the past few months I've noticed an dramatic increase in the quality of several areas in my life. Including my relationships, my mood, productivity, etc. A lot of what you said in this video really resonated with me and Im really glad you made it. Thanks Dr. K
Oh god 7th grade? Please, do you have any tips for me as a mom as to how to prevent my kid to not start smoking especially that early..
@@katherinep708 Be open about what drugs are, don't demonize them and explain and educate your child properly. Understanding comes from knowledge. If I knew about most drugs what I know now I sure would have taken some more time before I tried them, if at all. The unknown and forbidden part is the alluring thing, especially for teens... Education is everything.
weed made me realize that I do in fact have emotions and none of them felt "bad" I cry, yet feel happy, I'm angry, yet cathartic, I'm fearful, yet euphoric. I haven't smoked in a month but it's made me realize I'm a person lol
that's so cute 🥰
you play teemo buddy your not. IT was all the weed.
News for you. The weed increases your estrogen levels and that is what is leading to all the emotional stuff lol The weed is not helping you it is literally messing up your hormone balance and what you're experiencing is the results
@@nyxx7813 lol
Somewhat similar. The most psychoactive thing I had until 32 was tea levels of caffeine, and I was pretty quietly desperate with childhood trauma without recognizing it. After 5 years of SSRIs not doing well, trying THC for the first time blasted open repressed memories and stitched my continuity of self back together within a year.
Dr K. I have to thank you for your hard desicion on giving up to help only a hand of people. I have watched so many videos of yours over the last weeks/months and I learned so much about myself, my ADHD, my addiction to weed and why I used to smoke instead of taking care of my life. I think one of your last videos about ADHD/Weed correlation you said "you have to get sober" and this quote gave me the kick in the ass to finally make the desicion to become a sober person! I love your content and you are having a very big, very positive influence on my life. Thanks for being my AOE Healer! Please continue with your work! ♥
i got addicted to weed despite not even liking it, i just convinced myself i did. it was fun at first, but then it became a catalyst of anxiety and sleep deprivation and quickly took over my life.
i quit all my hobbies, didn't want to work, didn't want to attend school, and i cut off all meaningful relationships. all i wanted to do was get high all day. for years i regressed into my room and developed behavioral disorders that have been very challenging to remiss and everything i've built since 'quitting' is treading on a fine line of relapse into heavy use again.
its permanently changed my brain and personality in ways i cant explain; ways that aren't taken seriously.
Very common- thank you for your honesty
Same. Except that I really f*cking liked it.
Totally identify with this, thank you for sharing. Finally quit less than 2 months ago and attempting to rebuild my life little by little.
@@possibleproblem479 thank you for sharing, I had a very similar experience and thought I was the only one. It started off as being both fun and anxiety provoking, music and movies felt more immersive and interesting but anything from socialising to even going outside became awkward and scary. I developed extreme introversion and avoidance and isolated myself so that I had many evenings where the only thing to do was smoke weed. I'm clean 6 months now but still experiencing social anxiety, yet to a lesser degree, thinking the next step is to quit alcohol and coffee, as they also ramp up my anxiety.
You might have adhd cause I feel the same way and struggle even after being sober for such a long time. ADHD makes you feel like you “need” even if you never do/did and the experience was bad. Only the pleasure was semigood but it was more numbing than anything.
Was a heavy marijuana user for almost 10 years, since I was 15 (along with other substances for a while in there, been off those for years though). Been completely sober for about 2 months now and am honestly enjoying it a lot. I fucking care about things again. My attention has gotten better and am reading more again. I dont get so distracted whenI'm drawing/painting. I'm currently recording my 7th album, and this is my first one sober. It's some of my best material yet. I used weed as a massive cope for years. "Oh, it helps my depression, it helps my muscle/back pain." "Oh, it makes me more creative." "Oh, it helps me get to sleep." I was scared to get sober for these reasons, but I've learned that those just weren't true. It did not help my insomnia. I'm creative on my own, and I know there are other treatments for my depression/chronic pain. Pot was making me comfortable with not seeking out that help. Looking forward to continue my sobriety journey and finally go to therapy and get what I need instead of hiding behind pot. Hoping to next quit my nicotine and tobacco usage, but one addiction at a time
I feel that so much! All the best to you! I believe in you and you can do it! Doing the same, 25yo as well, been smoking both nicotine and weed for 11 years, but trying to quit weed and nicotine at the same time(but I just reduced it from 10-12 cigarettes a day , to 3, and today decided to quit for good), which might be a bad idea but seeing black stuff come out every morning is very depressing.
@Danny Bee hell yeah brother! It takes time but you've got this. Don't get discouraged if you end up lighting another cigarette, just forgive yourself and keep pushing on. We'll be clean one day at a time man 🙏
@DannyB kudos and courage to you for your effort to uplift your life. I think you have much unseen supportive energy coming your way thru Dr. K., all those listening
to him and anyone who cares about your wellbeing. Stay
awesome and strong on your
healing path.❤
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Does anyone know any good source to get them? I put so much on my plate and it definitely affects my stress and anxiety levels, would love to give shrooms a try.
Yes, dr.sporesss
Is he on instagram?
Yes he is. dr.sporesss
DMT was definitely the best trip I ever had. It was amazing!
A few weeks ago, I made the decision to quit smoking weed because I realized it was causing a lot of cognitive fog in my brain. Unfortunately, during the last six months of using, I lost interest in my relationship with my girlfriend. Now that I have quit completely, she has ended things between us, and I am feeling pretty lost.
Despite the difficult situation, I am proud of myself for making the decision to quit and prioritize my health and well-being. Although it's tough to lose a relationship, I am trying to focus on the positives and use this experience as an opportunity for personal growth and self-improvement. I know that with time and effort, I can move forward and find happiness again. Maybe she realized that things can get better and will come back soon. ❤
thats fucking great bro you are on the right path. i feel what you mean with the slow internal loss of attachment to things that you value while you continually numb yourself with weed. its kind of a feedback loop as well where you are more willing to continue the degradation cycle than return to reality and deal with lifes highs and lows with a clear perspective. its great that you took that accumulated punch as an awakening to really better yourself tho so just build those values back up bro i wish you the best
Im so happy for you, keep it going!
lol she will most likely not come back. The most important thing is that you dont relapse because of that but focus on future relationships.
That is almost exactly what happened to me, only the other way around. I broke things off with her because i got bored/didn't feel anything towards her anymore. Quit about 3 weeks ago. :)
She wasn’t all that anyways bro prolly added to your stress. Keep going forward
You’ve helped me more than any of the MANY counselors and psychologists I’ve seen over the years. The past 6 months or so I’ve showed up to my appointments with a whole presentation created in my head from watching your videos ahaha. As someone who struggled to articulate what was going in in my head, thank you for doing it for me, you have quite literally saved my life.
He’s no better than most clinicians. I think it’s easier to help you from the comfort of your home on a RUclips video with hours of content then you coming into a clinic face to face though
@@southpoor5716He appears to better than most simply by the fact that he genuinely seems to care. This is not the case for most.
Weed is 100% addictive. Back in the fall, I started my first year coaching football simultaneous with my freshman year of college. It was a lot to handle and I picked up smoking right before. Later on in the semester, my social anxiety was off the charts and I was smoking constantly in between classes and coaching. I was constantly chasing the next high, just to feel that relaxation for a bit and then go to sleep. Heading into my spring semester, I obviously knew that it was a problem. I would be irritable and lazy. I didn't quit cold turkey, and still smoke, but I started limiting when I would be "allowed" to smoke. Now, I will only smoke at nights. Never before my workouts or classes. That way, I wasn't depending on weed to get me through my day, but rather as a way to unwind if I feel like it will help. Once you're able to say "nah I don't wanna smoke right now," you start to build a healthier relationship with using.
I started out trying weed when I was 16, like a few puffs every two weeks or so with a small gang after work. Around my 18-20th I started doing it more, learned how to roll up, doing it every other weekend which increasingly got more regular. From my 26th till my 30th I started smoking at home on a daily basis. This turned into 1-3 joints every evening or during the day when I didn't have to work. I was fine with it, I managed to live a normal life next to it with a 32hr dayjob. But now that I completely quit cold turkey over 2 months ago, after which I've had a few puffs on two seperate instances, I can safely say:
I am so glad I quit.
It makes such a difference in what I thought was a life unaffected by it. I am so much more energetic, I sleep much better and wake up way more well rested. I already dreamed a lot but now I do every night. I can concentrate a bit better, although my adhd hits me like a truck after all this time being pretty much chronically influenced by weed. I never saw myself as addicted, and seeing how easily I managed to quit and never having felt a need to use it again I am still convinced I never was actually addicted in a problematic sense, but the difference in using and not using at all is immense, although the effects of quitting take some time to be noticable in the longer run.
Those two instances in which I did smoke, I got actually stoned which I hadn't really been anymore since I started smoking daily, which was fun. But I immediately noticed the bad effects of it, such as sleeping really badly.
Once again: I am so glad I quit. It's really no good for anything to smoke weed that often. Just quit, or at least heavily moderate how often you use weed.
I was a daily smoker for 10 years and I was absolutely physically and psychologically addicted. I developed a paranoid personality. Became extremely distrustful of anything and anyone, even myself. Wasnt sleeping. I also needed weed even to eat. I quit last february. First week off, couldnt eat, even the smell of food gave me nausea. 3 months clean, im sleeping better, having hella dreams. Still struggling with paranoia, but mind is starting to become more clear. I forgot what its like to feel sober. I still dont feel like I did before i started smoking. Before weed I was open and social and during the 10 year smoke sesh i became a shut in. Hope i can get better. Just my experience.
Keep going, it takes longer than 3 months. I've never made it past 3 months. daily smoker for almost 15 yrs.
Hell yeah, keep it up. Sometimes recovery requires trying out new things instead of waiting to return to how you were. You generally can't go back, instead making a new you is the goal :)
Good luck. Proud of you.
Hey brother congrats on stepping out of the 10 year smoke sesh. I was also addicted for 10 years and am 2 months sober, experiencing some of the same things you are. Hope you're continuing to do well, we got this man 💪
How are you now? I’m six months since last relapse and feel terrible
@@christopherlebo460 Making progress. Better than I was 3 months ago. Sometimes I feel good sometimes not so good. Still a little paranoid about certain things but that feeling is less frequent. If you're feeling terrible I can suggest a few things you may not have tried. If you where a hardcore smoker like I was, simply not smoking will leave you with a hole in your life. You need to fill that hole with something healthy. In my case it's physical activity like weight lifting and jogging. I try to see that as my new "vice". I've gained good weight in 3 months and have been told i look better and healthier. I've been reading into some studies. Firstly found out thc interrupts REM cycles, meaning dreams, which are extremely important for mental health. So you need to get your sleep back on track and make sure you are getting enough of it. I've found out cannabis modifies your neurology in some ways, it resembles fundamental neurotransmitters made by your body such as Anandamide. As a result
drugging myself for a decade conditioned my brain to function with unnatural levels of said neurotransmitters. Now that we have taken the artificial intake away, we gotta give our brains time to get used to functioning without thc and increased levels of key natural chemicals. It is expected that our brains are going to be unstable for a period of time, but there's no telling how long it will be. 6 months is not enough. Anxiety and bad feelings are going to be in our lives for a while but i suggest not making a big deal out of it. We are strong. Just power through the bad episodes and try not to make your whole life about not smoking. Instead make your life about consistently doing things that are good for you. Ours is not an easy journey, but for this reason we will be all the more strong when we come out the other end. Best regards.
This is the way I've always thought about weed being a gateway drug:
Everyone always tells you that drugs are bad. You go through school and drugs are demonized at every turn. All the horror stories you get told, the 'definite' negative consequences, etc. Then you smoke weed and realize that there aren't always negative side effects (at least immediately), not every drug is fuel for horror stories, and in fact it's actually a great way to relax from the stress of your life, just like having a beer.
Suddenly you realize that all the adults in your life have been lying all along. What other drugs might they have lied about? I bet other drugs aren't as bad as they've always told me either!
That's how it happened for me, anyway. Parents, educate your children properly. Abstinence strategies are basically like inviting your child to use without your knowledge, which is far more dangerous.
In the US, the remnants of Reagan's corrupt political agenda and D.A.R.E. personally had this effect on me. They told us as fourth/fifth graders that cannabis was just as dangerous as heroin and meth. This sick misinformation undermined my trust in authority in general, and certainly contributes to the gateway phenomenon, at least in those who were "educated" by such agendas.
I'd say amen but I'm an atheist
Amen (atheistly)
Yeah thats a good point, but thats mostly because of demonization and criminalization, teens should be educated on weed, they should properly be informed about long term effects and actual negative effects, if it was properly regulated too it would allow people to try it without breaking the „illegality line“, once thats broken a lot of people wont find other substances that bad
I love that you understand weed, and accept that people will use. I think there are weed smokers out there that are looking for information like this and it is such a blessing
Dr. K, don't regret your decision to help more people but with less impact. You've inspired me in many very impactful ways... For example, I'm down 40 lbs since I found your content.
Less impact??
@@kevinbissinger I tend to word things oddly... Anyways, my point is that he's actually having more impact now overall even if he doesn't see it as much as he did when working with patients on a 1-on-1 basis
@@kevinbissinger Dr K's own words :)
Time: 1:23:37
@@kevinbissingerhe has less impact on each individual for sure this way. Nothing compares to face to face therapy
Im about to go smoke but I know the damage that I am doing to myself now better. I didn't use hard drugs until I was 18, to find out that I am still developing my brain and inhibiting is a sad reality, but everyday I feel more in control (I am on sertaline but oh well..). I want to smoke weed now because I like the short effects, that's just the truth. But I do want to stop, and I have gone from abusing to moderately using more and more so. Thank you Dr.k.
Bro you're helping millions in a little way, the informations you are giving are INVALUABLE, because of emotional connection with you. One could read thousands of books and stuff that say "everything is ok" without any definite synthetic usable opinions. But here you give us the map to understand the landmarks, and that's just amazing. Thank you!!!
Thank you for discussing a major but not so obvious contributor to psychological and physiological distress. I aspire to be a psychiatrist and help people cope and heal but we desperately need systemic and cultural changes to increase prevention of certain disorders and support for those in need.
ironically, my mother has had CVS (cyclic vomiting syndrome) since she was 9 years old. She was obviously not smoking at the time, but one of the biggest reasons she started smoking was to ease the symptoms that came with it. My whole life, if my mom was sick- she needed to go to the hospital for fluids and meds to stop the episode. Now when she goes in for it, they really try to chalk it up to the fact that she smokes regularly. But it's never been that. p frustrating
My brother and I have this as well but he ends up in the ER. I’ve had mine since I was six and it went away with my pregnancies and came back a year later after each one. I hate this mystery illness.
Cannabinoid Hypermesis Syndrome can affect those who chronically consume cannabis. Slightly more prevalent in women but also affects men. (55% of sufferers are female, 45% male, according to some studies.) I've had many ER visits for fluids and pain medication due to 24 - 48 hours of continuous vomiting. It used to be common to prescribe opioids (Dilaudid) to calm the stomach. Now the more common treatment is Droperidol or Haloperidol, which are dopamine agonists, along with capsaicin cream applied topically to the stomach. The number one "symptom" that defines CHS is a compulsion to take extremely hot showers in order to relieve the pain and nausea. I realize your mom may not suffer from CHS, but it's likely the reason that doctors have linked your mom's CVS to cannabis use.
@@brodello9249 it sounds terrible to experience and i’m so grateful that i don’t suffer with it. i’m happy yours went away, my mom also pretty much doesn’t experience it anymore, maybe once in a great while in the last 7 years. i remember being little and having to ride with her to the hospital while she was getting sick because i couldn’t drive her and i couldn’t be left home alone yet. it was awful
@@davidinwashington yeah that’s basically what i was getting at. its frustrating because its soo the opposite of that, the very LAST thing she ever wants during that is a hot shower and typically the only way she could hold off going to the ER immediately was by smoking. since CHS has gotten so common, especially apparently with older people¿ (my mom is 50) they don’t want to believe her that it’s not that, despite having the diagnosis since she was literally 9 lol CHS is real and a terrible thing i also wouldn’t wish on anybody- i’ve known a few people who have had it- it’s just annoying that the drs are like “mmmm no. you smoke so it can’t be your lifelong diagnosis and must be that you smoke cannabis”
I used to have super bad panic attacks, that wouldn't stop- even after therapy. I also smoked weed, lots in the beginning as a teenager and later in life only on rare occasions once in a while (6-10 times per year). I told my therapist at that time that I smoke, but only once every 1-2 months. She told me that it might be the reason for my panic and anxiety and that I should try not to smoke for at least 6-12 months and see if my mental state gets better. it actually did. My anxiety & panic was for my feeling 80% less severe and occurred only on very rare occasions since then. I am sad, that I can't enjoy smoking anymore, but it's for a reason.
Thank you for your honesty specially in the final sentence. Too many people out there quitting and basically saying it's easy
Yes this is the thing people don’t get I’ve had panic attacks from it too usually if I’m not in the right mindset and already anxious or if I take too much. I take a very small bit of edible if I need it like once a month usually more in the winter to help with seasonal depression and sleep issues. But I’m not addicted to it and don’t need it, I just take it to help ease life sometimes. I didn’t start using it until adulthood either. Never touched it as a kid bc a lot of the stoners in school were using other shit I didn’t want and I didn’t trust them.
I also had a big problem with panic attacks and anxiety in the end of 2020. They have started shortly after I started smoking again after 3-4 month long break. I also started having unbearable ectopic heartbeats (although 3 doctors said that my heart is healthy). What's weird - weed was the only thing that made my ectopic heartbeats disappear. But only for like 5hours. I have decided to quit doing it in a month or two, because I thought weed might be the reason. Now I am almost 2 years clean..And I still have ectopic heartbeats and panic attacks from time to time.. I wish it would all end with quitting weed. Antidepressants were really helping me for like a year, but my doc advised me to stop taking them as soon as my mental state is better..
I had a similar experience, I didn't really ever have much anxiety before smoking weed, sure I would get scared or a bit anxious at the appropriate moments in life but nothing like I have felt in the past 5 or so years. I stop entirely because I would have a panic attack pretty much every time I smoked without fail, this is after somewhat heavy daily use. I don't think I can just blame the drug itself entirely as I have had many stressful and saddening events take place for me over this time period, but I also think it played a large role in my current and past anxiety, even after quitting. Some out there don't want to accept that there can be problems that arise from smoking weed and I know my story is not uncommon from talking to other friends and people that have gone through similar things. When I was smoking every day I was convinced that I would never stop smoking, but now that I am out of the fog of daily smoking I can see all the ways it hurt me, lack of motivation, anxiety, detachment from myself, unreasonable or delusional thought processes, memory problems, and the list goes on. I wish I could tell my younger self to be more cautious with weed, and that it can effect who you are and how you feel long term. I'm not trying to totally demonize weed here, I had some great times with it and on it, met great people, had great experiences, but I didn't need weed for all that, it may have made me enjoy the moment more strongly, but now I just wish I could remember all of them more clearly.
I developed schizoaffective disorder from weed. I do believe I was predisposed to it though. I had psycothic symptoms growing up, but when I was 14, I started smoking weed pretty often. I quit when I was 16 but started again when I was 17. After I started up again, I smoked way too much in one sitting and became psychotic. I was a mess for about 8 years, but I am now able to manage it with years of therapy and antipsychotics. The funny thing is schizophrenia doesn't run in my family or at least Im not aware of it if it does. So if you're under 25, I wouldnt touch the stuff. The risk may be small, but it will mess up your life entirely. My cognition is still fried and I doubt it will get better. Also, I go to a clinic for psychotic disorders, and I have done a lot of groups. I'd say more than half the people there have had similar experiences with weed. Also, if you have a psychotic disorder, don't smoke weed. I promise you it does not help you.
Try the ketogenic diet for you mental health. I even know a guy whose Schizophrenia went away after he went on a zero sugar and carbohydrate diet.
Although I did not develop schizoaffective disorder, I had 2 bad trips on weed which sent me into full blown panick attacks which lasted for hours and after I had depersonalization/derealization for a few days after. During the panick attacks I was hallucinating, strong delusional thoughts, thinking every one was conspiring against me, I was convinced I was having a heart attack and if I did not die I was damaged and wouldn’t be able to function properly anymore, etc.
I have never had a panick attack or anything like it before in my life, never suffered from depression or any mental health disorder, but weed made me suffer so many mental health symptoms for weeks if not months after use.
I have decided to stay away from weed entirely because I do fear developing a myriad of long term mental health issues from it. It’s really not for everyone, I’m not anti-weed but people should be at least be educated on these terrible negative effects that no one warned me about. Every time I bring up my negative experience with weed, there’s an army of potheads telling me I was “predisposed”, I don’t buy it.
There is absolutely no history of schizophrenia or other similar mental health disorders in my family, as far back as I know.
I’m a veteran who has been diagnosed with anxiety and c-ptsd, and while I was in the army I drank heavily to cope with that, and since I’ve got out I started smoking when I feel the need, and almost immediately I quit drinking, and could finally go to sleep at night without waking up in terror. It’s definitely not for everyone and like alcohol it needs to be self-regulated, but it definitely has the potential to help a lot of people. I do also have friends who have addictions to it and while they won’t admit it, the rest of their friends know it’s a huge problem for them, so everyone should be careful, as with anything and especially with medications!
I have CPTSD too (not a veteran) and it's also very beneficial for me
Based
finally watched this video after feeling guilty i purposefully avoided it. nice to get a reminder that i have goals to reduce harm and i deserve to work on them!!! Weed might have helped me cope in the past and present but there are other skills i want to explore properly.
The hardest thing about weed addiction is when it barely affects your life and its consequences. My main reminder has been the thought of my lungs, and that they should be treated better.
Hey man when you said build a life that's worth living that sparked a light in me. Like something finally clicked, I'm severely depressed and everyday has been the same for months bad sleep wake up smoke then play video games then eat and smoke then go back to sleep. I have a lot of suicidal thoughts like even when something small inconveicne happens its "I want to die" but in reality its the strong desire to live, live the way I truly want. and when you said build a life that's worth living I realized shouldn't wait for things to get better I should build slowly and compassionately the life that I want to live so bad that I rather die than not live it.
1:23:38 That is...I'm not sure I have the vocabulary express my thoughts exactly, but it felt...noble almost? I felt...appreciation for that decision. I started watching your videos a few months ago, and while things are far from perfect, and I have a lot of growing to do, you've definitely helped me start to think about where I am, what my situation is, and be more in tune with my own emotions, and helped me learn to see my emotions as valid and to trust what I'm feeling. I'm only 20, and have so SO much to learn, but you've definitely helped put me on a path to a deeper understanding of myself and the people I'm close with. I like to think you've sown the seed of my mental health journey, now I just need to water and take care of that seed, so I can then grow in a positive way. I'm thinking I might go to therapy soon, something I didn't think I needed until I started watching your videos. Thanks Dr.K
I'm addicted to weed. I wish I never started but it is what it is. I wake and bake in the morning. I eat an edible once i get to work (Co worker makes edibles) I hit the vape from my other co worker, while I'm passing the weed filled bowl, and I end the day with a drinkable edible that I personally make and smoke from my bowl. I'll usually make my cannabutter and put the cannabutter on my toast, eggs and such.
I use far to much weed.
Biggest thing that helped me out was cutting out bongs and replacing it with dabs/ joints/edibles those things gave me the worst brain fog and things feel so much more manageable now that I’ve cut it out
Hey man take baby steps by lowering your usage. I was psychologically addicted and what helped me was sticking to one method of getting high, which was joints.
Smoking weed vs vaping or edibles (store-bought) put more barriers in my life. It was less appealing. I would stink, I could only smoke in certain areas, it wasn’t discreet, I had to roll everything myself etc etc.
Another method I used was simply buying less weed and changing the times I would smoke which was only before bed. Everytime I had an urge, I began asking myself why I was doing it. What happened before that led me to this decision? How do I feel in the moment? What other methods are there to decompress or have fun?
Smoking with other people will be the biggest challenge. Practicing saying no or completely removing yourself from the situation is rough but you don’t have to completely cut out weed just be mindful of your intentions and the real effects it’s having on your life.
I completely agree with the comments here. Carts are dangerously easy to use and I wouldn’t advise them unless you’re suffering from chronic pain. It’s probably safer for your lungs to vape but you’re playing with addictive fire. I hate the taste of edibles so they’re fairly safe for me. Bongs and joints are a lot more work, so if that’s all I have then I’m less likely to get high unless I really want it, rather than getting high because I can
Drinkable edible? Wouldn’t it just be called a “drinkable”?
I'm a daily user for chronic pain, depression, anxiety and it probably saved my life during the pandemic and since. You just have to keep in mind the respect it deserves. It has diminishing returns when you don't.
Said every addict ever.
I eat an edible once or twice a week. It keeps the stress of quitting alcohol manageable. If people think weed is addicting, I have to ask if they ever drank heavy? Weed isn't harmless, but compared to booze it's pretty danged benign. This has been my experience so far anyway. I've known people that have gotten in trouble with it. But booze for me was an escape from my problems. Weed makes me think about my issues, not really fun if you wish to forget. It allows me to laugh at myself and life. But have no desire to increase my use. I could drink all day everyday and I wanted more. Plus coming off booze needed IV Ativan to keep my heart rate below 100. That's what you call physical addiction. If weed is addictive I will take it over booze anytime.
@@theboyisnotright6312
“Other addictions are worse” isn’t a good way to say you ain’t addicted.
@@LFanimes333 I didn't say other addictions are worse. I'm saying this is my experience.
1:09:00 - 1:14:31 was such an incredible segue and validating thing to hear. I was talking with my therapist the other week and brought this up. Paraphrased, "I'm really don't think I'm depressed, I've been there before. I'm familiar with depression -- but damn if it isn't a huge challenge to be hopeful about the future right now." Society man, I haven't liked the direction it's been heading since like 2013 & it's been exponentially getting worse in my option.
1:15:43 - 1:19:43 was really good too. Thank you for sharing your personal experience.
1:19:44 - 1:22:44 was also good to hear. What a beneficial stream.
For things like therapeutic/mental benefits, I'd say that it is a good starting point or launching pad, but not exactly the actual solution itself. Like with treating anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc., it can help greatly to start you on your recovery, but it won't get you to the finish line for sure.
For me, it helps with these by giving me motivation and a mood boost, as well as a different perspective on life, etc.
This is good because it gets me out of bed, makes me do things like socialize, clean, etc. However, while it does help me work, it means that I am not working at 100% like Dr. K mentioned. It may raise your baseline, but it also lowers your maximum potential. If you're always running at 15%, it may help you get to 50, but will prevent 100.
I may be more productive in that I go to the store for groceries, but it will nerf me by making me forget half the stuff on my list as an example.
I needed this video. Thank you Dr K. I wish you and your family continuous happiness & fulfillment.
You help so much Dr. K. I love and appreciate you.
Definitely a heavy user and definitely an addict by your definition. The issue I have is that I have a really bad case of childhood ptsd that has resulted in a pretty severe avoidant personality disorder. I've been trying to resolve it with psychotherapy for nearly a decade in a half now, but it has proven to be incredibly resilient to treatment. What psychotherapy has done is helped me a great deal in coping, so I can stay productive and superficially socially connected but that operates solely on discipline and willpower, which is exhausting and unsustainable. Once the day's work is done, though I'll basically just shut down, with a mix of fatigue, loneliness and despair that has nowhere to go but around and around and around. Until I can find a way to resolve my cptsd, this is likely going to continue to be the case.
I also know that I get addicted to things to cope. When I was a kid, I was addicted to junk food, which I would gorge on in secret, steeling myself for the inevitable return home to a narcissistic father and a bipolar mother. When I was in college, I was addicted to sex, finding some solace in the faux-affection of sex workers and the gratification of orgasm. Once Covid forced me to go cold turkey on that, I seem to have transitioned to Marijuana, with the euphoria providing some relief for the grinding misery of working on meaningless tasks for the sake of pure survival while the world falls apart around us.
I'm still in therapy. I still try every day to overcome my past. But to be honest, it hasn't been enough. I still feel as isolated and incapable of connection as when I started, only now more capable of working around it. To give up marijuana, to me, sound like to choose to sink back into that abyss of dispair which I have not been not strong enough to swim out of, or else threaten becoming addicted to something even less benign.
Feel the same way mate, I'd rather be high and living than sober and dead.
It's a pretty fucking bleak outlook for sure, but maybe we can crawl our way out, good luck brother ❤🩹
@@orbis17 i believe in u guys :)
I've been in therapy for over a decade too, it does get better, very very very slowly but it does get better
Until then just hang in there ❤
Thank you very much for this. I recently started watching you, the things I've learned have been immensely helpful. I am 26 years old and started smoking weed at 14. I only smoked every once in a while with friends until I was about 17, and at that point, it became a daily thing. I smoked every single day from that point on until about 2 weeks ago. Sadly, the thing that finally motivated me to quit was finances, but after a couple of days of being clean, even with insomnia and stress, everything became easier all of a sudden! (Aside from sleeping) I have so much more energy, and my mind is so much clearer now. Once I realized the improvements I was seeing, I came to your videos about weed dependencies and the negatives/positives weed can bring, and I finally can see how bad I was making things for myself. I had myself stuck in a permanent fog. At this point I have seen many improvements, and my sleep schedule is slowly getting better and better as the days go by. I hope anyone else dealing with the same issues I was also find their solutions. Thanks again and good luck to all!
I’m also 26 and started smoking weed at 14! Haha
How and what helped you quit smoking?
I also want to quit or at least lower my consumption. I just find it difficult because I use it to help with my depression, anxiety and adhd.
@Danny Leggo the 2 things that initially motivated me to stop were the money I was spending on it seemed excessive, and I was convinced I had smoked for so long that I wasn't using my brain to its full capacity. I also leaned on weed for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Quitting was very difficult at first, it definitely takes a desire to stop to do it. It's really hard to quit a habit/dependency if you don't WANT to quit. Once I had decided enough was enough and wanted to stop, I cut it cold turkey. The first 5-7 days were pretty tough. Trouble falling asleep, loss of appetite, and lack of patience. After a week it got easier but it didn't truly get easy until around week 3. By then it's out of your system and you'll feel normal again. Once I had gotten back to normal, my sleep was good, and I felt good. My mind definitely feels sharper now days, and I'm better at having professional conversations at work. (I'm in sales) So for me it's been really great.
TLDR: it's hard for a couple weeks but worth it. It makes you feel better in ways you wouldn't assume as a stoner.
This is pretty nice im right now in a personal smokebreak because im heavily overcoping my life with weed and try to mute my life entirely like im 5k in debt,lost my job lately cuz im default depressed and can't even break the habit to be depressed as i logically think my situation isn't unmanageable but i feel like a 25 year old traumatized dysfunctional child that gets overwhelmed to keep track of my life , everything feels like a brickwall in my face and i dont even get the power i need to get up and fix shit up but on the other end i kinda feel like bro you aint depressed,you aint cry a lot,u aint feel that much in any direction but i clearly know as its diagnosed that im heavily depressed but always feel like lazy and undisciplined
Depression isn't laziness ! Don't think of yourself that way. Don't guilt yourself for the lack of drive and emotion you feel. The fact that you're trying to do something about it is HUGE. As someone who was in a similar situation, I'm hoping the best for you. I assure you it can get better !
@@chloevaillant9430 thanks for your uplifting word's i just gotta figure out how i can find a reasoning and drive for life I guess some goal but it feels all so meaningless to me and i can't figure out how. Do you have some tips after going through something similar emotional ?
@@theRobson0908 If you have a good feeling about the person who diagnosed you stay in touch. If you go that road, beware that medication can really worsen the situation at first. Don't go through that alone if possible. I stopped quickly because I didn't recognize myself anymore, but it has proven usefull to some so it's up to you.
I've felt such helplessness for such a long time that I couldn't believe where I'm at right now. Nothing fancy but I finally remember that joy is a thing and life has meaning even when I'm down, which happens quite rarely. But I won't lie, thoughts patterns are really hard to break and can reappear depending on the context.
Be kind to yourself, I can't stress this enough. This really took me years to learn. Show yourself the kindness and respect you would to a dear friend. Sometimes we are the first to judge and treat ourselves unfairly. Avoid people who do so because it tends to normalize something that shouldn't.
It can be hard to feel like we deserve anything when we haven't been raised that way or when we don't "perform" well in society, but truth is you have value whatever your current circonstances may be.
Do you value people based on their success / beauty / money ? We may envy such people but we don't value people we love based on such trivial things. We don't despise them at the first sign of weakness either. If you value fairness and kindness you shouldn't treat yourself any different than you'll do another.
Be patient and understanding with yourself, try to stay in touch with what and who you love, just one day at a time.
sometimes being depressed is the busiest job.
Go check out some videos about Marcus Aurelius meditations. As myself someone who struggles with mental health, I found comfort in his words useful or not. Wishing you all the best fellow human!
For me, weed is beneficial if I use it with good intentions but it is harmful if I use it with negative intentions. What I mean by good intentions is that I make a ritual out of it - I actively decide "I'm going to go smoke a joint and look at the stars and listen to music on my back verandah" and I let my mind wander, I stop when the joint stops being enjoyable even if it isn't completely finished, I allow myself to feel and process emotions, then I take a shower and go to bed. When I use it with negative intentions, I just think to myself "today sucks, I'm bored, I just want to feel different" and I use weed as a cope for my own dissatisfaction. I usually spend the whole time scrolling social media while I smoke, I'm not mindful, I binge eat, and I usually end up wanting more to regain the high as it starts to wear off. sometimes I even start getting panic attacks because l become
hyper-aware of body sensations and I have health anxiety. So for me, developing a healthy relationship with weed has meant paying attention to my motivation for use before I actually decide to use, and deciding not to use if my mindset is one of just wanting to get high and forget my day. I also reflect on my experience the next day to evaluate how well I assessed my own motivations and how my decision worked out for me. The disclaimer here is I have it medically prescribed for insomnia and chronic pain. It doesn't necessarily reduce my pain but it sure as hell increases my ability to tolerate my pain. And yoga/ stretching while high feels extra good. But also I don't use it for productivity- I use it to give myself permission to stop being productive for the day. I always do my chores and uni work sober and then only get high at the end of the day. But I believe I may fit into that minority category Dr K referred to where I also do yoga and meditation and the marijuana adds an additional spiritual and creative component to my life. Certainly not for everyone though and I have seen many people abuse marijuana and become dependent and stagnant because of it.
I used to smoke weed recreationally, explicitly but over time as I got older and things happened in my life and I became depressed and anxious it became an escape from reality. That's where my "addiction" to it comes in. I'll just smoke weed and bury myself in a video game for hours and hours and completely suppress whatever it is that's going on in my life to an unhealthy degree and ill do it repeatedly, and when the time comes that for whatever reason I cannot get weed, I become severely anxious because I don't have the buffer between me and reality. That's as far as the "withdraws" go though, there's no actual withdraw, there's no stealing money or something from friends and family to buy more, none of the typical things an "addict" might do but this is just as destructive to me as that would be because I become way too comfortable with completely ignoring real life and when you do this for a long period of time, you disassociate completely to the point of of being completely disconnected from everything and everyone. It becomes the norm for me and I'm basically just anxiously awaiting the next time I have weed so I can cope with life and I just repeat it over and over. I hate it but I don't want any other way because Id rather be numb than deal with my issues.
You hit the nail on the head. Pretty much how I felt when I was smoking. It comes down to whether you’re ready to take that step and start feeling again.
Or continue numbing yourself with weed
Dr k mentioned in another talk about weed when you smoke to stop feelings these feelings they build up and start ruining your high, he mentioned our bad emotions are our most powerful and promote positive change in our lives, you stay stagnant with weed, I smoked on and off for like 8 months and I’m two weeks clean, sometimes I want to smoke but I’m trying to stay strong
Im not so sure the "withdrawl" ends there, at least for everyone. For me, after extended periods of heavy use, I experience pretty bad insomnia for up to two weeks. It is also known that high amounts of THC will downregulate cb1 receptor expression. So, after stopping, your endocannabinoids are less effective at carrying out their function. As such, until your body regulates cb1 expression after cessation, you definitely will experience some deviation from you baseline physiology for a while whether youre tuned into it or not. Now, Im talking with HEAVY use, and different people respond differently to these things, so im not trying to speak for everyone -- just that its clear some level of a "true" withdrawl is possible.
Weed has done nothing but help me. I was depressed for many years until I started using weed. I take so much better care of myself. My chores get done, I exercise, I eat right, and I've lost 70 lbs in 7 months and am still losing.
Wow, how old are you when began using it?
@@larrytate1657 31 haven't used it before then
Do you plan to one point go weedless with these activities? I mean once you get into a healthy routine, able to organise your life, loose the weight you'd like to loose, etc, would you try lower the intake or completely quit? I'm genuinely interested, it reminded me Dr K talking about the healthy changes in life and the lowered need for drugs.
@Rebeka Nagy eventually yes I would like to move it to a more recreational/social use as it is now a daily use. I'm currently in therapy and working on getting an official ADHD diagnosis, and hopefully, I will get medication. I do need something 😩. I just hit 75lbs lost, which is the halfway point for my realistic goal. My ultimate goal is 175 lbs lost. At that point, I'll weigh 173 lbs and will have lost more than I weigh. I will have killed a man and disposed of his body.
@@nahfhey2766 thanks for your reply! I wish the best for you mate, sounds like you're making good progress
Life is a gateway drug
well said
Statistically, 100% of people who use drugs were alive at one time.
Brilliant
And weed is life
I'm a medical marijuana patient from the EU and I've been smoking weed every day once or twice before going to bed for more than 8 months now. It helps me get to sleep almost instantly whereas before I had a lot of trouble falling asleep. I've tried a plethora of things like completely dark room, no blue lights, meditation, breathing exercises, going to bed at the same time every day, sun exposure, cold showers, etc. I workout regularly, I am on a balanced diet, have a good family and work life. And yet sometimes I would lay in my bed for 1-3 hours before falling asleep. I'm using a 100% indica flower in a ball vape. My tolerance has gone up significantly though, so I am going to take a break very soon. I know it won't be easy, but hopefully I will emerge much stronger :P
Anyway the only negative effect I've noticed is indeed worse short-term memory, which does suck. But still I'll take take over random sleep times any day.
This conversation on material and lifestyle conditions affecting the ability to have a life worth living is huge. I normally don't care about the new year reset mentality, but I'm coming out of a hard year (I mean, who isn't, I've had a lot of hard years in a row) and decided to make my life qirth living and spend more energy on trying to build a lifestyle I find value in. I spend so much of my life cleaning, gaming, and stressing, and I live in one of the most beautiful, accessible cities to enjoy the outdoors in in the state, probably in the US. My rent and finances are worse than theyve ever been, but Im trying to invest in skills like cooking and sewing and get outside and exercise ans enjoy the world more. I turned 25 in December and I've spent a lot of time in the last year feeling like I'm getting nowhere and Im already half dead. My partner got the opportunity to buy a house and its structure is in good condition for what a careless owner it had for 50 years. It's a very small house, but the yard is the size of the house, so I'm seizing the chance to learn about gardening and developing what we have into something we love while I have it.
My point is, what he said about having a safety net being the ultimate priviledge above money is right. I've had at least some sense of a safety net my whole adult life, even though as a kid I was living in the living rooms of family friends multiple years. I want to be able to offer that stability to other people like my younger sibling, and I have to take my privilege seriously if thats ever going to happen
I was very psychologically dependent on weed for almost two years. I've had severe GAD my whole life, and smoking for the first time was so unreal. It felt like the missing puzzle piece to my life, all my anxiety completely vanished when I was high. All was good until weed turned on me and actually started giving me anxiety, though. I became lazy, my grades dropped, I was sleeping all the time and I was severely depressed. It was only when I got on antidepressants and quit weed altogether did I see some improvement. Drugs effect everyone differently, and although I know weed has been a positive factor in many peoples lives, it was not for me. I'd go as far to say it ruined those two years of my life, as I was in college and was supposed to be going out and making friends.
I can't think right on weed personally, any type of stress that happens when i'm in that state makes me feel awful. I have to be in a non-stressed almost meditative place both physically and mentally in order for it to do me any good. The times that i was in that zone have given me great insight on my life and identity. All barriers melt away and i realize that these labels we've made are just an illusion, a facade. There is nothing that i have chosen for myself. My name is not truly mine, it was given to me by others. I deconstructed myself and i realized that i could choose a different path, a new name, a different outlook on life, i realized in that moment what i truly crave is the freedom to shape my personality and body free from the expectation and corruption of others. We are born shapeless and full of potential but as we age we are caged and corrupted, poisoned even though we can not see it.
For me it's a self medication thing. I'm actually working on getting a diagnosis and I think one of the biggest problems with weed is you delay real treatment because it makes life somewhat manageable when really even with weed you should be getting help.
Literally same - I just got diagnosed with ADHD and started meds. Good luck buddy
I've been a daily smoker for around 13 years, and while I might seem successful on the outside with a full-time job as a computer scientist and working on my 3rd degree, I struggle with my addictive tendencies. One of the issues is that weed has also enabled my gaming addiction, making it even more challenging to break the cycle. Despite being able to manage my life while being high, I know deep down that I want to make a change.
Living in an expensive city like Reykjavík, Iceland, I realize how much money I could have saved if I hadn't been smoking - maybe even enough to buy a house by now. I also miss having a more active social life and being more productive in general.
What really concerns me is my past with harder drugs. I've seen friends who were sober for years suddenly overdose, and it's been incredibly tough to witness. There's always this lingering fear that I could fall back into that trap if I don't get my act together. I just want to share my experience and encourage others to stay away from drugs - the initial appeal is never worth the long-term consequences. Stay strong, everyone.
I have severe PTSD from military service as a combat medic in the Army, and problematic enough adult ADHD to require medication.
For years I listened to my psychiatrist, who frankly stated the literature shows marijuana makes the symptoms worse.
I used to get high a lot as a teenager and young adult.
I started taking THC through dosed edibles and my quality of life significantly improved. I hadn't left my own home for almost 7 years and within 2 months I was in a healthy relationship and going out every weekend.
I've often wondered if this is because of the drug itself, or because I conditioned myself to think this is how normal is at a younger age. Either way, in my case, it's been a life saver. It helped me resolve a lot of issues I had internalized without having harshly negative criticism of myself when going over traumatic experiences. It helped me learn to forgive myself, come to terms with what has happened and move on.
It is definitely not addicting, to me, in the same sense as something intensely physical addictive like coccaine or nicotine. But, I've noticed my symptoms return if I take a few weeks off from it and so it can definitely be something you gain dependence on by virtue of improving quality of life - which I don't believe is such a bad thing when considering the alternative of not taking it at all. I do think I conditioned my mind by over using at a younger age to believe it is a better state of being, to be high, but at this point it's clearly helping more than it's hurting. For me the largest negative impact it has on my life is that it costs me a small amount of my monthly income.
If I had a choice between giving up THC or giving up the symptoms I take it for, I'd give up THC without a second thought. Unfortunately we don't get to choose our baggage in life, and this is the solution I've found.
Try Jesus
I'm a smoker of 3 years but gone sober due to my financial situation. I had one bong with tobacco, non cigarette smoker. And I was hooked for three years. Definitely addicted. Everytime it came time to quit with multiple relapses I'd cry a lot as my trauma came rushing back. I was dependent to feel any joy in my life. I'm now sober but just not as happy as I was while using weed but I don't feel as depressed because when I smoked I'd realise how dire my situation is but it made it okay but I needed more weed to keep at bay and go on with my life. But now I can't afford it at all and I'm just not as anything. I mostly stay in bed practically paralyzed by life. N where I am it isn't legal. So I've started drinking more but trying to cut down which I'm succeeding at. I guess I have to find some sort of purpose to just get by through my life. But anxiety makes it painful to the point it feels like I'm passing out but still awake and standing and weed helped me a lot but sadly with a child in a illegal country I can't. Weed brought me so much joy and with a true friend that also smoked at the time we had the funnest chillest times of our life but I guess it's time to move on. But I don't feel joy in any sense anymore the only thing that makes me slightly happier and present is good food. Otherwise I'm withdrawing from life. But I'm sober and I guess that's good because it's also caused me damage with psychosis which to me was just a series of ultimate spiritual awakenings with meditation and meditation doesn't hit the same as it does high for me. But man I was on top of the universe of ultimate realization and how beautiful and amazing it is to be alive in this universe, in this galaxy, in this solar system, on this planet which evolved life and to be human. But when I'm sober I'm just nihilistic, I don't see meaning in our purpose of being alive. Ah well anyway. Good luck to everyone trying to cut back or quit. It is possible I've done it four times successfully. It can be hard, all that really helped me was trying to eat and resting and watching RUclips and video games with friends if you can. I'm still early in recovery so hopefully things go back to normal and should get better.
you got this!
man i feel this so much, only time i can get myself to do something is cook some food or go buy liquor. im so fucking miserable, i hope we somehow pull through this my dude
@@lilthreadd me too bro I'm the same, just sold my car for like 350 dollars I'm gonna have to get a job and start fresh but man I'm in bad as shape physically and mentally to do so. I hope for the best for us bro we'll surely get there with some time
How do you feel now? Six months clean and feel like garbage
@@christopherlebo460 Hmm good question. Honestly I've relapsed but I'm smoking once a week. I feel like shit too. I try to do my best to keep busy. So I've been bmxing and walking and doing gardening and chores. I also have my own kid to take care of. But in a world like this where I don't see much positives with all the bad happening i seem to need a vice weather its a cold one every Friday or one tiny hit when its bedtime. I vape like a chimney because i used to smoke ciggies and miss tobacco heaps but can't afford it. So it's definitely up n down. I've also been trying to think forward to the future to see what path I can take. So I thought if i quit I could get a new iPhone then a 165hz screen then get my drivers license then start looking for a job and sort out my house and misses and daughter then save for a cheap get around car and then my dream car which is a skyline 370gt coupe (infiniti g37) which would all take up my time for years. But honestly I don't see my self letting go of weed permanently. I used to smoke all day every day big hits non stop, but now it's strictly once a week in the weekends at night. But don't let me make you relapse it's not what I want for you. There must be good sides to not smoking such as money saved, and no black luggies, maybe you could get something or work towards something that will make you feel more complete or at least keep busy. I find some days ill feel extremely anxious or uneasy and all that really helps me is beating the shit out of my bmx so maybe even exercise is key but everyone is different. I guess another thing is being mindful of thoughts and feelings and finding a real solution that truly helps without resorting to drugs. I have a feeling you need a break like a nice as holiday away from the usual, i need one bad. I lost a lot to weed all my hobbies and joys in life and natural happiness and all this time and I'm only starting to rekindle my love for things like PC gaming which i couldn't even do high because i just wanted to sit somewhere in silence and be high and feel it. So for the last 4 years I've practically done nothing but meditate high. I traded my whole life to feel high which has damaged a lot and I've only just taken responsibility in the last two weeks to make amends. People say it does get better over time but we just have to find our way and find out for ourselves.
6 months is no joke man, you're damn strong for pulling so far, I hope you find a way to feel better man and I hope you keep pulling through. Weed addiction can be pure torture and a burden on our lives.
Funny enough weed has been a very positive effect on my life. It has made me work out more,gives a new positive outlook on life.And I don’t use substances much I only do weed and basically hate alcohol. Now I will say I understand how weed can negatively impact people because many will react differently to weed. For me it really chills me out and helps me think and process things. Now I can do all these things without weed,but I would be lying if I said it didn’t help and improve these already existing qualities as well help with relaxation. So in my opinion I think weed is overall good and helpful tool, but people should do research on and make a educated decision on use in moderation.
Yeah I started pole dance fitness not long after I got my first prescription for medical marijuana and started near daily use (before the medical stuff, I would buy a bunch of it, smoke it until it's gone, then to cold turkey for months before i bought it again because it was too expensive). Since I started using the medical stuff daily, I've also maintained a regular exercise routine at the pole studio for the first time in years, had all around better mental health, and generally better eating habits. I'm losing weight slowly but surely, and at a healthy rate (about 1kg a month - doesn't sound like much but I'm also putting on muscle and am only mildly overweight in terms of BMI). Basically my life is overall better since I started using nearly every day but I have also had negative effects from it if I'm not careful with how much I consume. But important to note I do take occasional breaks from it and do not experience withdrawals from it. But I certainly don't think it is good for everyone and wouldn't at all claim that it's entirely safe and has no potential for abuse.
It slows me down as well and helps me to process things. I also hate alcohol, but I get why people like weed. That’s not to say though it can’t be addictive to people, I know some who NEED it every day. I don’t need it every day. It’s once in a while and only on the weekends to just chill out for a bit. I get what you mean though about the life outlook the days following after I’ve come down and am sober I’m more content with stuff and just okay even if things go bad. It helps me sleep really well too.
It should be taken in moderation and I have to use a very small amount or it can make me so anxious.
@@mrs.quills7061 you’re lucky in that reguard, I feel a feeling of discontentment after I use weed for the following days. Feels like a dopamine deficit. I become more edgy and feel as though normal activities I enjoy are not as fun for a couple weeks or so.
That’s why I stopped completely, even just occasional use did that to me. But I did used to use it a lot at one time so maybe that is the reason in my situation. Like someone with scar tissue cuts easier than someone without.
thank you so much for this long form, in depth, educational content - its so valuble and important to have an open talk about this
Dr K, I hope you understand that this talk was exactly what I needed to hear right now. It was a perfect balance of educational, empathetic, understanding, and motivational, all as one big reality check (for me, at least). Thank you for your insight, and don't sell yourself short on what you're accomplishing here. I think out of the millions of people who have seen your content, some are bound to have genuinely been impacted enormously by your words alone.
Also, I love how this was like an hour and a half of professional presentation, and then like four F-bombs out of nowhere. They were very well-employed and really emphasized your point. And it was hilarious.
Hey dr K!!
Longtime viewer first time commenting.
I’ve worked in the cannabis industry in WA for a few years and have been grappling w/ my relationship w/ weed.
This lecture was spot on RE what I’ve been able to find and what I’ve seen after 2 years in the industry.
One note. The term marijuana is super dated and is rooted in racism. It is actually a word that was invented to SOUND like it came from Mexico to perpetuate/ justify the war on drugs.
Marijuana is a term that is no longer used in the industry. Now, we use terms like cannabis, weed, pot, etc.
Love your content! Thanks for all the work you put into this community.
i'm bipolar, have ADHD, CPTSD, and chronic pain. I am highly creative, and have been smoking weed for 11 years.
It has helped stabilize my mood, curb both depressive and manic episodes, reduce suicide ideations and attempts (both with and without other medications involved), increased creativity, productivity, and even improved my motivation in academics and career.
weed doesn't work for everyone. it can be helpful to those who deal with a certain set of issues. and with those it truly helps, the benefits are unlike anything else. Aside maybe psyclobin or ketamine.
I've tried all 3 and found the weed has consistent benefits for PTSD symptoms, treating them at the source and healing trauma wounds. where as ketamine requires more planning for it to be therapeutic in the same manner. And psyclobin is very helpful with depression and PTSD, but a tad dangerous for me, the bipolar boy. triggers manic episodes if i take too much. so can sativa strains.
hybrid doesnt trigger mania though. i recommend hybrid for anyone with anxiety issues or mania/psychosis.
Thank you for this! I’ve been trying and failing to quit smoking for the past several years. I genuinely want to quit, but I keep talking myself into getting more when I run out…
Been there, man.
I’m right there rn
I'm 29. I own a cannabis farm in Oklahoma. I'm drowned by ADHD. The weed makes my ADHD worse. And my ADHD causes impulse control problems. And I constantly have weed laying around. So I can't control my impulses. So I smoke more weed. And I lose more control of my impulses. Soooo I'm doing great
I have ADHD myself. Have you talked to a psychiatrist about this? I am not trying to convince you of trying medication, but if you haven't, I would consider it. For me, it lowers impulsivity and impulse control significantly.
On this beautiful Sunday I'll still smoke up though :)
I'm on my way to quitting a half life long weed addiction and you really have helped my mindset and motivation to persist while honouring and understanding my needs, and not punishing myself for not having overcome it yet. I'm well on my way. "Stability is the absolute foundation" spoke to me strongly. Thank you so much for your advice and wisdom Dr. K!
Thank you for the information about how anxiety manifests in men. I am currently feeling a lot of "pressure" from many directions. I will try to internalize that I have anxiety and will consult therapist on addressing this.
You gave two definitions of Addiction, But it seems like you left out what I would call "actual addiction" The things you described are things I would describe as "dependence" and "coping/use disorder" respectively. But there is a big difference between either of those, and the way drugs like cocaine or heroin highjack the reward system of your brain to become an intrinsic desire in itself. From my understanding, cocaine addicts aren't just trying to stave off withdrawal symptoms, or cope with some underlying issue in their life/behavior. The drug has it's own extreme reinforcement effect to the extent that you can remove dependence, and remove those underlying issues, and you would still want the cocaine just because it feels so good. Addiction is about *CRAVING*. not a reasoned want, (bad or good reasoning) but a CRAVING. What you say would indicate that coffee addiction is extremely common. I think like almost half of caffeine users would be addicts on the basis of physiological dependence. But It seems to me like researchers do not consider caffeine an addictive substance. There's even a section in my psychopharmacology textbook from college citing research that evaluates whether caffeine can be considered an addictive substance, and they come to the conclusion that it cannot, and that is what the textbook teaches.
I am interested in educated discussion on this.
Definitely I felt like I was too dependent on coffee, enough so that I decided to switch to tea and then even faded out daily tea. And it wasn't easy. Not nearly as hard as quitting cigarettes tho.
I love this comment pointing out the difference between actual brain hardwired addiction and "addiction-lite" but the only thing I would disagree about is something like weed being a "reasoned want." I think it definitely starts off as a reasoned want, but quickly becomes habitual and negative over the course of maybe 2 weeks so it's difficult to notice (subjective timeframe), especially if you don't know what you're looking for. But yea, that's my very tiny cherrypick. I think falling into a weed dependence is somewhat of an unconscious process that starts off with conscious usage. Addiction is very interesting and it's actually very useful to think about and to try to undermine the problems, because it's so prevalent today. It's such an important thing to think about. Also, I don't mean to be rude at all when I say this but maybe you should think outside of the textbook, because are you completely sure the common consensus is that coffee isn't addictive? I remember Michael Pollan's story about quitting caffeine for the first time, and he talked about how struggling it was, and when he finally had a cup of coffee again, it was the strongest cup of coffee ever, he described it as "almost psychedelic." Pollan details his experiences well in his books. He has a whole book about caffeine. But idk, maybe caffeine is just as addictive as sugary foods, meaning basically nothing as most Americans eat sugary foods. I can see why someone would say coffee and sugary foods aren't addictive, because they seem like the "norm" for today's society, but I'm not sure if we should be so accepting of that. It doesn't seem healthy? Sorry for ranting.
This stream is about a month old so I doubt this will ever get any traction, but regarding ~@27:00 with the "what is considered heavy usage" and "rigged questions" topic I believe @HealthyGamerGG Dr. K could be misunderstanding the question. A few years ago I was required to detox from marijuana for a government job and during all of my research about how long I'd need to detox, article after article would provide useless metrics like "light marijuana users can detox in 2 weeks or less" or "heavy marijuana users may take several months to detox". I tried and tried and tried to find the answer to "what is considered heavy marijuana usage" as I was taking it in distillate form as a ~30mg pill 1-2 times a week for anxiety. Nothing. Nobody had an answer as to where these metrics of "light" vs "heavy" usage come from or how much the people were actually using, their BMI, etc.. For me, taking marijuana orally 1-2 times a week for a couple years required 3 months to detox enough to pass a drug test as a 300lb male. As I try to keep up with the development of marijuana legalization these terms of "light" vs "heavy" usage keep coming up and to this day I have no idea what metric is ever being used.
Weed addiction is definitely real. I quit after 2 years of daily smoking, it destroyed me for weeks.. took 1 month for me to feel normal again
Tell it!! 😂
The first time I smoked cannabis was when I turned 40, as a means to treat fibromyalgia. I became addicted and my brain changed along with my weight and overall appearance. I'm now 45 years old and have had enough! It is difficult to cut once youre addicted. And yes, you will find ways to justify usage by "short quitting", but will got back in harder than before just because you quit for 2 weeks. This guy knows what hes talking about. Wish me luck!
i dont really like the gateway drug argument, as it heavily relates to the legality of weed. if its legal you are getting it in a dispensary, if its not legal youre getting it either from another state and risking whatever that entails, or youre buying from a plug, who is more likey to have easy access to those harder drugs associated with where "gateway drugs" lead you.
1:23:31 This is something I think I can never thank enough.
Over the last years this channel has helped me to analyze myself and understand myself as I never could have dreamed about. It has been painful as fuck. Rigorously putting all my insufficiencies under a magnifying glass to read them has made me go though such personal hell I needed to smoke weed daily to just be able to live normally. But hopefully it can give me a faint hope to ever have a life that is worth living. I don't know if Dr K (or people involved in managing the channel) would se this comment under hundreds of them. But I want to sincerely thank them all. This channel could potentially have saved my life.
If you aren't deliberately hurting anyone, you are living a life worth living
@@ctheconnectshun2246 Everything in this crap of a world is boring and uninteresting. I don't have hopes to ever have a better job, or a good quality of life because I can't study or be productive, and I don't even have on what to. I can barely even hold conversations with my own friends. I don't have the slightest hope for a relationship, let alone the idea to create a family.
I hate waking every day. I hate having to go through each of them.
What's worth about this?
The mind and body can be stained by habits, but they can be cleansed by inverting said habits.
One may enjoy weed or alcohol without getting dependant on them, however since we all lack self-awareness and -control, we never notice how we're building a new habit until said habit gets interrupted and we realize we're already dependant.
It is not the substance that makes people addicted, it is always a lack of self-control and self-awareness that causes us to develop (bad) habits.
All of life is the enactment of habits.
All breaking-out of habits is only possible when one is aware of their habits and able to consciously counteract them.
Which is made hard because we're on autopilot 99% of the time acting out habits. So again, it is a lack of self-awareness and self-control which hinders our recognition of said habits and thus any possible conscious attempt to act any differently.
To be aware of oneself as a sequence of repetitive patterns means to gain control over the enactment of said patterns.
Only through realization can one take responsibility and thus take control.
Same goes for emotions.
Allow them, take responsibility aka don't blame, and you'll start gaining control.
Best next step is to watch more of Dr. K
I have a relationship with weed where I get 20 grams and smoke daily.
3 to 4 weeks later I'm done and quit for at least that time or much longer.
Both sober and smoking have unique benefits.
Starting to smoke boosts my lifestyle and going off pushes me in a different way too.
Pros and cons for both situations.
I hate staying in one lane too long the switching back and forth puts wings into my sails and benefits my life greatly without long term negatives.
I'm happy with my approach and I have no problem with discipline in my use. Once you've figured out a healthy middle ground it can be a great influence in your life.
I was a weed smoker for about 5 years, ultimately what drove me to quit, even though it did help me in some ways, was that I couldn't draw enough differences between my alcoholic mom waking up and having a drink and myself waking up and having a toke.
I’m a psychologist and I can vouch for the factual accuracy of this video. It is fantastic to hear an accurate, balanced take on weed!
Weed good or bad?
@@-Chrome- bad overall. Slows your brain down.
@@-Chrome- what a dumb question. Watch the whole thing bruh...
@@-Chrome- Weed bad.
@@krazoe6258 Thank you.
Awesome information. Your videos are life savers for me and so many others!! Thank you!!!!
Dude, you've helped more with your streams than 20 years of 1 on 1 therapy
I really liked when you talked about the housing first. I think it falls into Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs nicely, where if people don't have the stuff on the bottom of the pyramid (food, shelter) they won't be able to thrive in self actualization and healthy relationships with others
This came at a pretty good time in my life. Having been on the journey of discovering cPTSD just last week, after 36 years on this earth. It's a very good time for me to taper off weed for the near future as I map my triggers and pitfalls. Earlier therapists probably misdiagnosed as ADD/PDD-NOS.
And I am very eager to see the research in cannabis based medicine advance and hope for specific use medicine in the future.
Amazing, Dr.K. Thank u and ongoing blessings to u and your
listeners. '
For those who have ears and the ❤ to hear, let us hear and heal.'
Thank u Xr.K.
Once upon a time Dr. K's videos made me feel like he was in my brain. Now I'm just intimately aware of how many similarities we all share that a general description can be applicable to so many.
The only way for me to become motivated quit weed was wanting to lose weight and realizing there’s no way to control/stop binge eating while while high.
Actually fckin true
False, i'm kind of athletic and been doing it for 4 years now. It is not related, beside you ability to just don't eat anything
@@valentinaUwU17 my bad on not qualifying I was talking about myself specifically, congrats on your superiority tho
I'm not justifying weed or saying I shouldn't stop, but tbh if you've been smoking long enough the munchies go away lol
What a great video. I'm just at beginning of journey. I've been smoking for 10 years or so almost daily. It helped me in ways nothing else could, until it became a problem in itself
As someone who used to smoke daily for years and years, I fully relate to all of this. I thought that pot helped with my anxiety, even though I would regularly induce panic attacks from smoking too much. It took me a long time to realize it was actually bad for my mental health (Bipolar disorder and anxiety). For some, it can be a great medicinal tool, or a largely innocuous recreational drug. But this idea that it doesn't have downsides for people is a very silly pseudo-scientific perspective some people in the marijuana community still vehemently hold onto.
I think we need to stop protecting ourselves from stoner defensiveness with the seemingly mandatory "but for some people it's fine."
Very few people have a legitimate medicinal need for the plant and for very few does it not become a dependency, especially if you start young.
Your help does make a difference. Thank you.
I do think you are actually trying to help people and I appreciate it.
Thanks, Dr. K. I have been struggling. Too many people talk it up like a miracle drug.
just bought 3 carts
happy 4/20
Dr. K has a way of pulling me in and getting my attention because he's right and preaching the right things. How can we trust anything if the world around us isn't trustworthy? I hope change comes soon and we can all understand each other and how our minds work, I feel hopeful when someone can articulate themselves to convey the message.
Video starts at 4:20
Hahahaha no way it actually does
I get that everyone is different, but I've had an entirely different experience and as important as it is to talk about this, I feel the way you talked about this could also give people who don't have a problem anxiety about their use even if it is actually beneficial for them to be using it the way they do. I'm autistic, have ADHD, OCD, GAD, MDD, and struggle with dissociation. Up until the age of 21 I only had smoked a handful of times and just socially. I was in therapy for years and also on medication, but still, all I could do was go to school then come home and lay down because that's all I had in me. Then once I graduated from high school, all I could do was go to work then come home and lay down for the rest of the day because I literally could not do anything else. I started college and did well academically, but it was much of the same--wake up, do nothing until school, then come home and lay down, then force myself to do homework, sleep, repeat. Any days off were spent laying down because I just could not do anything else. I couldn't sleep, I was hardly eating, and was ALWAYS dissociating because I was constantly overstimulated or anxious or whatever else.
Then I turned 21 I was able to get weed legally and fast forward to now:
I moved out of my parents house, am working and still in school working towards a BFA, and I can actually do shit. I smoke every single day because my issues don't stop. I NEVER use weed to escape my problems, it allows my brain to slow down enough for me to process my day or work through some shit. It allows me to see things from different perspectives and I'm able to see the things I need to work on clearly. I also use it just to relax because without it I literally cannot relieve tension--no amount of deep breathing, yoga, exercise, etc. has ever been enough. Like I can feel my anxiety all over my body and in my bones (the only way I know how to describe it), and weed is the only thing that gives any sort of relief. I still struggle with dissociation, but weed actually helps with that, and being high feels entirely different so I honestly don't understand how it could trigger it in some people but it just shows how differently it can affect someone. I've struggled with it since way before I ever smoked weed so I know it's not from that, plus I've taken a good 6 months off just to make sure it wasn't making it worse and the dissociation actually got worse because I no longer had anything to help with anxiety, overstimulation, and intrusive thoughts. I know not everyone has this experience, but considering my productivity and level of functioning before, I can't see any good reason to stop the daily use. It doesn't get in the way of me living my life and has improved it a lot. I can't imagine going back to the way I was before.
It sounds like it’s an escape. You say it’s not an escape but cant imagine being without it. A small T-break isnt enough time to decide if it actually helps or not. That enough time for a little bit of withdraw to start working
@@muffinboi4134 A few things you're misunderstanding---first, your intention when using substances matter. I'm using it for therapeutic properties, so I treat it like a medicine and don't just use it to use it. 6 months off is enough time, plus like I said, I had my first 21 years without and there's a drastic difference in my functioning. So yea, I can tell that it helps and can't imagine having to go without only because I know how I was functioning before. I'm always looking for alternatives because I don't like that if I smoke I can't go anywhere unless someone takes me. I'm in therapy still trying to find things that work, but until then I'm using weed so I can actually be productive and not just stuck in bed all day unable to move. I've talked to my therapist about my use quite extensively and am constantly re-evaluating its effectiveness/how positive it is for me. Trust me, it's not an escape--my problems don't go away when I smoke, they're just easier to see and work through because I'm not tense, overwhelmed, overstimulated, etc. I still feel the feelings, but I can actually work through them. There's a huge difference between an escape and how I'm using it. Idk I just feel like while it's important to talk about how this drug could be a negative, it's also important to note that for some people it is a really positive thing and daily or almost daily use doesn't always mean there's a problem.
I like this guy, he's legit trying to help.
We just happened to stop and use up the last of our cannabis when you dropped this. Great confirmation that we're making the right choice going sober. Thank you
for chronic weed smokers like me, I recommend taking a good week or two off if you haven't in a long time. it takes a while to start seeing positive effects from quitting for me at least; i've seen too many friends get discouraged because they feel like shit the first few days, but that phase doesn't last too long (in my experience)
It can, especially if you’ve been smoking for a year or more. I’ve gone 40 days without it and although I felt amazing, I still had occasional anger and irritability episodes. After 6 months it was as if I had never gotten high in my entire life
@@hitomukawakami7124 yeah for me I start feeling my awareness open up within just a few days of stopping smoking, but that doesn't necessarily feel good on its own. What feels good is that as my awareness opens up, I feel naturally motivated to address the issues that have been causing my anxiety in the first place. And once those things are tackled and no longer weighing on my mind (and I start convincing myself that I actually am equipped to deal with my issues as they arise), my anxiety starts to drop and I just feel way better at life in general. Glad that you're feeling good and making positive changes! 💪
2 weeks isn't nearly enough imo if you are a chronic user
Need at least a month , when I take breaks I go for 1-2 months
Thank you for presenting this topic, Dr K
So far I've decided not to stop because it has less side effects than conventional anxiety/sleeping medication, but I have done trials off of it which have brought a lot of clarity too
That’s the biggest dilemma I have with it. I’ve struggled with severe insomnia for years and the only thing I’ve found that allows me to get a good nights sleep is taking a low dose edible once a night. I don’t want to be dependent on it, but the alternatives just seem so much worse. I’ve heard horror stories from family members who are prescribed heavy sleep pills and I seriously don’t want to deal with any of those awful side effects they do. So I’m kinda just stuck continuing to do it because nothing else really works for me.