Dude your story is so similar to mine. Im 30+ years old from socal, started as a teen, etc. The biggest danger with weed is that it makes you content with everything. It robs you of your motivation. I started at 16 and next thing I know, I'm 33 and I havent done anything productive with my life. It's scary to think how much time Ive wasted just getting high. This video is really inspiring me to quit. Thanks for sharing, man.
I feel like quitting habits is just something you do in your 30's. Thats something im facing at 32. I quit drinking last year, and i used weed & kratom to substitute. Now a year later the old drugs i used to love just make me feel like crap. Weed gives me hella anxiety now, like that bad feeling youre talking about. videos like this help and motivate people that are struggling. Ive suffered addiction my whole life and knowing im not alone helps alot. Thanks for opening up and congratulations!
He said he's 37...and I get the sickness from smoking and it's called the chs... Look into it... I throw up ALLLL the time...even when I'm not going to smoking it can last up for several weeks called cyclic virus something like that look into it...
You are totally taking words out of my mouth, everything you said about that awesome weed and tocacco feeling, using it all the time as a reward, not remembering full blown trips, feeling guilty all the time, finally dreaming again. You made my day thanks for your honesty.
Dowdy my man it's crazy how the universe works sometimes. I'm 32 and have been smoking since I was 16, been seriously battling with some negative feelings about the habit lately. You said it perfectly, you're trying to quit something that you love, but that you wish you DIDN'T love. Between how much money I'd save, how much more energy I know I'd have, and how much more motivated I'd be to keep up with the small stuff, it's starting to feel like it's time for some big changes. I needed to see this video today.
I quit smoking cold turkey after 3 years of being high all day every day. In a lot of ways it was for the same reasons. I felt like i was detaching from real life after a while and it made me miserable. I realized that my ability to enjoy the things i love mattered more than suppressing the things i hated. Videos games stopped being fun and skating, mtb and working on cars became my source of joy again. My dreams came back as nightmares for the first month but I’m mostly back to being normal. If anything, smoking made me realize in a short time how awful it feels to be dumb and high all the time. I missed so much of my childhood because of it and i never want to go back.
Gosh dang it I can’t wait to get through this last quarter I bought & finally quit Thank you for this comment. I want my childhood back & I feel younger than ever lately. My body feels great & the only thing that holds me back is my addiction to weed / tobacco.
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable s0urce here in Australia. Really need!
Yes, kayes_tripz. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.
Great video bro. You sound to me like you're doing EXTREMELY well, so good on you. Well done and thanks for letting us into your life on a personal level. I'm sure your entire audience is behind you and supportive. Your videos are fantastic, because we get YOU straight up. Big support and stoke for you from Australia, 53 year old rolling again after way to long off a skateboard 👍👍👍
I quit 4 months ago after smoking daily for around 15 years. I went through the same issues with sleeping and dreaming. For the first month, I would have the craziest dreams and wake up sweating every night. Now I sleep better then I did when smoking. I commend you for making this video. I wish I heard opinions like this years ago from people who smoked and quit.
I spent 17 years skateboarding and enjoyed having that activity and passion for something in my life but also smoked weed for 20yrs in copious amounts daily,not at first but the activity quickly escalated.When I skated and then smoked weed everything skill wise would change,my balance and drive would become off.while I did smoke so often I still felt guilty for what I was doing to my mind and I knew that one day I would quit but just didn’t know when.Then I had an opportunity to get a high paying job but found out that they’d drug test regularly..so I said that day may8th 2021 this was the day and haven’t smoked since.i didn’t get that job but also didn’t go back to smoking pot and don’t regret it one bit and like you said ‘I have no desire too’ even when it’s around me because I like who I am without it.I never discredit those who choose to have it in their lives,and I still love the smell of freshly busted buds.
Im rippin my bong as i watch this vid 😂 All good Dowdy! To each there own and never had issues with people who dont smoke. Hell, my gf doesnt even smoke 😂 i just watch for the great content and skating!
@@mr.mcmagpie6606 very smart!!!! I actually quit 4 + months ago after a trip to Thailand and still don't exactly know why my body is doing what it's doing. Smoked weed for 45 years . When in Thailand I was really sick for about a week and on the trip home. First day back I was taking a bong rip and all of a sudden the lights were going out so I dialed 911 . Come to find out at the E R that my blood pressure was extremely high. I know that I was always living with high blood pressure but now it's really high and weed isn't working well with it. I have to take sleeping aide to sleep still. Hoping my trip to Thailand in Feb reverses what happened last trip. Peace out and enjoy those bong rips because I miss it honestly....
just keep your use in moderation bro i had an infinite supply of weed myself and thats when my tolerance became so high that i actually lost all interest in weed. the only reason i kept smoking it is to stay away from the brutal withdrawal symptoms which i inevitably had to suffer through. if you keep your tolerance in check you should be able to enjoy this substance for a very long time. i was using my own cartridges that i made and i was puffing them all day every day. actual flower is no way near as harmful
I’ve heard you mention that you have adhd in earlier videos. People with adhd, especially when undiagnosed/untreated have a very high probability of developing a substance abuse disorder (80% according to statistics). Might be worth looking into getting some CBT therapy for adhd and or medication if you’re still struggling at all. I went through a similar thing except I ultimately ended up on harder drugs. Super glad to hear that you were able to grit your teeth and get through it! Some things that helped me move past that were lifting weights (highly recommend to literally everybody), staying active, I still use cbd for sleep, and trying to make friends who also are sober and understand what you’ve been through. Some people get a lot of benefit from AA or NA meetings although I didn’t do that. Anyway, I enjoyed hearing your story and it was really cool to hear that you successfully quit and stuck with it. It’s not easy and you should feel proud!
I found your channel about 6/8 months ago. I’m not really into skating much anymore but work in construction and all manor of things like that and find your videos relaxing and fun to watch how you do you ramp builds etc. As someone in his 30s with ADHD, anxiety , ptsd and depression. Oh and I’m highly addicted to weed , hash and enjoy drinking a bit too much this video speaks to me. I’ve been trying to get motivated to go to therapy for years to sort out my head and try be a more understanding and present father. You mentioned you’d just finished a therapy sesh in one of the first videos I watched of yours a few months ago and I like to think that was another push to just book one. I’ve been in therapy at least once a week since April and am dealing with ALOT and still have some weak moments of anger etc but I like to think I’m getting better and better everyday. I’ve been struggling with the weed addiction for so long and have had the bad feels about it for years. I hope soon I can also kick the habit and be better. I’ve tried before and managed a few months but slipped back in. Here’s to trying again 🎉 thanks so much for all your videos dude. No ego, pleasant music and the main character is a hero. You’re on the right path my dude. Love and luck from Ireland bro 🇮🇪 ❤️ 🍀
Thank you for this comment Owen! Congrats on starting the work, it's not easy... but it's often the hard things that come with the best rewards. Much love to you, happy to hear the videos have brought you joy.
@@ZackDowdy Thanks dude, they certainly do bring me joy. I hope that your journey is still the direction you want, and if not tomorrow is another day and we can do it! 🦅❤️🔥❤️🔥
Listening to your story, It felt like the story of my life. I smoked it since I was 13. Now I am 54. Wish I would have quit sooner. My brain works sooooo much better now. 4 years off of it and it feels so wonderful. I have dreams all the time now. Every thing you mentioned I felt the same exact way. I can deal with stress way better now. Peace out man.
Powerful stuff bro. I’m 27 now and I’m two or so months into giving it up and I’m happy about it. The way you said it felt disabling is uncanny bc my biggest con was in my own words “it just feels like I’m handicapping myself”. I like how you put it better😂 In all honesty it really made me feel like I was just hiding behind a habit and wasting my potential. It always just made me so feels so lazy, unintelligent & unambitious. It was the perfect way to hide from putting myself out there and achieving the things I was scared to get out there and try. This is really only the beginning for me so I can’t imagine how much more growth will come from this choice. Thanks for sharing💪🏿
The story is very similar to mine, I stopped about year and half ago and now I'm 32. The reward system was so spot on and I remember the last time I bought weed I felt guilty. The memory loss is a real thing, I forgot conversations, and details in my life. After 3 months of not smoking I was with someone I use to skate with and they had a pen.i ended up hitting it only once and I couldn't wait for it it to be over. That was the last time I smoked, iv moved on and I'm hardly ever in a environment where it doesn't even come around.
Quit smoking cigs 10+ years ago, never stopping smoking weed. As far as dreaming goes for a while i didn't dream very often but for the last couple years i have been having crazy cool dreams almost every night so im not sure there is a connection. Weed does affect everyone differently and its interesting to hear other peoples experiences with quitting.
Everything you said resonates with me. I’m in the same boat but a decade older than you. It’s time. It was fun while it lasted but all the joy has been stripped away, just like with alcohol. Everything you said is wise and true. Be in the moment; don’t escape it. I love it bro. Your whole life is still ahead of you. 🤘🏻
Thanks for sharing your experiences Zack. I think many people go through this and the big take away from your video I took is that you found something else to substitute the habit that you had developed so strongly over the years. There's a lot of other great information you included and I'm sure you will have an impact on others with bringing up real talks and the comments will show as well with people sharing their own challenges.
Yea Guy! I was a full tilt stoner , advocate for weed in every way and eventually a full blown hopeless addict. I picked up 17 yrs clean and serene on 7/18. I love living clean! Its the best. With all of lifes ups and downs . Life on lifes terms is a journey best experiencd with a clear mind,.. for me anyways..My skating got more fun and i am present. And that is one of the greatest gifts of living clean. Your testamony is inspiring. Thank you ! More will continue to be revealed,.. blue skies and.. Onward on the journey~
Love this. Thanks for sharing, Zack. I've been skating for a while, clean and sober from everything for a while, and also am completing a grad degree in neuroscience - and I agree that cannabis addiction is real. In fact, our brains have cannabinoid receptors specifically ONLY for cannabis! I also experienced the intense dreams (still do), had to get to a place where the thought of smoking (and what it represented) just disgusted me, and love being free from drugs/drinking (although don't care or judge what anyone else does), so I really relate with your stance on that. Well done on 3 months. What park were you filming at (where you're mostly sitting and talking)? Thanks again so much, always love the perspectives from other sober skaters! 🤟
I'll be 32 next month and I think there is something about your 30's that makes you change the way you feel about a lot of things? I'm a month and a half without weed and smoked daily for 12 years.. you're spot on with the things you talked about! I will never have anything against weed, however I was going through some deep mental stuff and is ultimately what got me to stop (not to mention I was strictly dabbing pretty heavy) the dreams are the biggest thing I've noticed since quitting, some are good and some not so much.. also tons of sweating in my sleep? The first week was tough with the urges and very little sleep but after that I don't even think of it much and getting more and more sleep everyday. I know it's only been about 2 months but I have no thoughts or plans on getting high again and feel so proud of myself! Love the content new subscriber btw
no. people keep saying that but no not at all. You'll get the same feelings coming off hard drugs at any age so weed is the same at a much more mild level. 30s has nothing to do with it most of the time.
Thanks for sharing. As a SoCal skatehead I can only imagine the amount of people calling you crazy. But you stood your ground and did it anyway good for you man!!!
I've gone a year plus without alcohol and weed. Avoiding temptation gets easier, and interest in it diminishes over time! The clarity that you gain makes it WAY worth it. Counseling/therapy, meditation, routine, and a healthy circadian rhythm have helped me immensely as well! I do see how cannabis may be beneficial for some individuals, but it can become a less than healthy coping mechanism if abused. To be honest, it still smells pleasant, but for me, it's a matter of principle now. Although, a vice I've held on to is caffeine, and I definitely gotta keep that in check! Keep it up, man!! 💯
❤ this, congrats man. I have the same problems when I have a tolerance break. I’m 37 been smoking since 14. Getting to sleep is so hard. I start to have dreams, vivid ones where I wake up sweating. I used to smoke everyday as much as I could. What started my change of my smoking schedule was being more in the moment with my kids and remembering it properly. I’d rather spend £50 on a day out with my kids rather than smoke a quarter oz in a few days.
Cannabis can absolutely be addictive. It's unfortunate that the idea of it not being a deal exists. I started going to 12 steps because of it just over 9 months ago.
because its not physically addictive. Its not like meth where you have a physical reaction. Just about everything he said negative was mental and no one ever denied that you can get mentally addicted. Try coming down off a heroin high whilst licking the windows in a drug rehab place for 30 days while nurses watch you, that's a real physical addiction. no 12 step program will take you seriously, just so you know. ESPECIALLY NA.
I been smoking weed since I started college at 19. I'm 28 now. I've only taken breaks long enough to be able to pass a drug test for work purposes but besides that, i'm high everyday like DGK. Smoke and skate has been all people know me by for years. As of lately I've been wanting to cut back to get healthy and in shape but quiting is tough because I actually enjoy it. Your is extremely helpful in making me feel like I'm not alone, thank you for sharing your story. This is very helpful motivation for me wanting to cut back on the amount I take in and motivation for me to keep skating when I get into my 30s.
Stoked for you man! I quit about a year ago, though I took a different approach. I had tried cold turkey a few times and it had never really stuck. Eventually I bought a vaporiser and slowly reduced my dose over the course of weeks. At some point I just kind of stopped and the withdrawals really weren’t too bad and I managed to sleep fine after a day or two. Just another way to go for anyone looking to quit. Another option if you can find it is to switch to cbd only strains. Getting in some cannabinoids but avoiding the thc can be a little bit more gentle and can help with the sleep issues a bit. And after a while cbd is much easier to just stop. Peace legend!
I was a full blown alcoholic. When I went into rehab and quit, I had crazy vivid dreams. This is a good sign that your natural dopamine levels are balancing out. With alcohol being a depressant, your brain produces a natural stimulant to counter balance it. The brain continues to produce this stimulant after you abstain and it causes insomnia. After a couple of weeks I was able to sleep normally. This may be the case with THC also.
I really enjoyed this segment. I still use it, strategically but only at those times. I really don't smoke enough of it. I see where you are and yes it takes a lot to make a video like this. I love this, this is positive. This is real. Keep it up!
Proud of you!!! Brave to open up. Helped some people for sure. Smoking period is not Cool. So unhealthy. Weed can be very helpful but like anything too much is not good.
I quit because it stopped feeling good, and started giving me chronic anxiety and paranoia. So much so that it would last for days even when I wasn't stoned. It was like a switch was hit in my brain and it become just not enjoyable any more ..... and actually really unenjoyable. To be honest I envy people who can still enjoy partaking, but I know where it takes me now and I just can't any more.
I’m in the same boat. I used to enjoy smoking weed and used it as a medicine. At least that’s what I would tell myself. It helped me focus and be content in the moment. Like you said a switch went off and I now get crazy anxiety if I smoke or eat thc. Anxiety so bad it’s not worth doing it which is fine because it saves me $$$.
Thanks for making this vid. Very strong. I tried over and over to quit. Once my son was born and I noticed me getting mad when he would be looking for me and find me in the garage doing my thing I knew it was time. I'd get mad and say Ill be in in just a second. He didn't deserve that treatment. It was my own guilt that caused my anger. But I could not quit on my own. The longest was 19 days and I was miserable. Weed was my god. It came before all else. When my paycheck came the first money spent was on it. I knew I was addicted bc I couldn't sleep without it. I would have night sweats that were horrible. I'd have to change sheets, clothes, take a shower and hope i could sleep. Finally I asked God to take it from me. I had my last bit, about an 1/8 and I held it up to the sky and said God please take this from me. I flushed it down the toilet. Never had a craving or a night sweat after that. Shortly after i did the same with alcohol. 8 years later I'm sober but that was just the beginning of what God wanted to fix. But those substances were the barrier to everything else.
I'm 47, started skating before I can remember as a 70s baby, but became conscuously a skater and a part of counter culture at 11 when it was banned. I never really got into herb until adulthood and already addicted to smoking cigs. Now after years of abuse on my body from car accidents and getting diagnosed with a disabilty or three, (after being forced to work injured without healthcare or bennefits for over two decades or face homelessness during the most challeging time in the US economy since the great depression, on top of union busting and abusive right to work laws) cannabis is becoming mandatory to avoid insomnia and chronic body pain these days, or even think about still skating thru it all. It affects my dreams too, but the overpolicing and tendencies for the local law to treat it like alcohol is why I'm wanting to distance myself even as an advocate for medicinal purposes. I have already given up alcohol, caffiene and cigs after cannabis prohibition ended in my state and policing for profit became evident. Alcohol and cigarettes have no medical value to me and was just making me feel sick and restricted instead of having fun, also because of over policing in a policing for profit state that arrests people on scooters, skateboards and bikes for OUIs to make money. It seems Michigan is heading in that direction towards cannabis use as well, over policing for profits. As skateboarders we already get profiled and stereotyped by the law and I don't need more excuses to be prey for some podunk PD that only cares about profits and their paycheck over actual justice. Theres a reason they push us out of the park we like skating at for over 40 years then built a big expensive bowl down the road at the park nobody wants to be at, surrounded by cameras with taunting signs the police dispatcher watches, and it isnt to support skateboarding as my area is gentrified around it, right after legalization and artwashing began locally to flip houses and fill the big new jail with the poor that cant afford to leave or pay for good defense. It makes my life less miserable due to body pain and insomnia and I'm not happy the state itself is behaving this way. I would prefer to not be preyed on for profit anymore than we already are for real estate bumps in bad neighborhoods for gentrification profiteering and displacing the poor and creating new homeless. I probably won't skate much without the help from it's anti inflammatory and mood benefits as someone with chronic nerve, body, and joint pain. With that said, I think it's good to take breaks and challenge yourself to keep chain free if you use cannabis often, just a few days between use here and there often makes a big difference on tolerance and sleep/dreaming issues due to chronic use. Also, my Neurologist says the stuff about memory loss is old wives tales and propaganda, that there is no link between memory loss and cannabis tests have shown. I'm not sure if abandoning our long fought for right for legal cannabis is good for long term cannabis laws and enforcement and am curious why you feel guilty over using it. It must be a parenting thing besides the other reasons given. Just a guess.
The guilt I was feeling was more about the dependency on any type of substance. I don't want to "need" anything, besides food, friends, and skateboarding - if that makes sense. Thanks for sharing your experience!
@ZackDowdy Thanks for the response, I really appreciate you and your channels content. That's how I felt about dependencies as well, but didn't feel guilty about it, just restricted mostly when I value my independence. Serious question tho, have you ever felt addicted to skateboarding the same way? Like you couldn't quit even with health trouble? This conversation has made me wonder if it's a possibility for anyone including myself to be addicted to skateboarding. I'm sick of feeling exploited, and right now I feel old skaters are kinda targeted after the market has ballooned too big for its britches too fast like I saw in the 80s before it died down, and kids dont seem as interested in learning as they thought they would be during the ballooning. I'm just sick of feeling exploited for other peoples profits be it cannabis, skating, being a musician, artist etc. and that's a good reason to quit anything. Right now it feels like tentacles from the cannabis industry as well as churches and culty social media types are appropriating our culture while skewing and exploiting it intentionally for profit, and that isn't good at all. Most skate pages get blasted from the above groups and its annoying AF. If you talk about cultural appropriation or the difference between supporting and exploiting, people ( and hordes of bots ) wanna blast you for activism when skateboarders I've known for 40+ years are typically diy and activist minded from the start.
This is something I've been trying to do for years, I'm 43 now lol. . My will power isn't very strong tho. I went Sunday and today without it but got home from work this arvo wanting some so bad. I gave up alcohol so easily years ago but weed, man that's hard! Good video man and I hope to be able to follow in your footsteps in the not too distant future.
Congrats man. I often wonder why we are looking to get out of ourselves. Why can’t I just enjoy what I do. I struggled with ( things ) I feel like everyone struggles in their own way. Better to be straight from my experience.
Huge fan and I think it's cool you opened up the conversation. One book that blew my mind recently is called "Wanting: the Power of Mimetic Desire". It helped me realize why I made a lot decisions as a teenager and as an adult.
great zack! You have to have courage to come out and talk about this topic. even more so in the world of skateboarding that only shows substance abuse (as you also showed in one of your videos )Living in the present is the best thing you can do. Much love❤
The sincronicity here is out of the roof😂! Just turned 36, been smoking since I was 15 ( tobacco mixed with weed or ashish). It's been couple of years now that I'm trying to leave this habit behind. Just have to keep pushing... Infinite thanks for your share❤
Good on you for discussing what was once a taboo talking point in skating. Health and mental health matter and skating has more to its image than substance use. Enjoyed your viewpoint.
yeah man, not enough people talk about cannabis addictions and dependency and it's negative effects. sure it's not like other intense drugs but it can 10000% be a negative influence on your life regardless. heck an addiction to coca cola can be bad just like anything else. good on you for quitting.
very honest video which gives a lot inside, I can 100% approve what you say, here in germany it is normal to mix weed with tabacco. which makes quitting extra hard, thats a fact! I totally confirm the sleeping problems and the remembrance of things, stoned we tend to forget so many things, or better said " its not written down to the harddrive " while we are high. if you get the picture. for me, it was difficult but life is a lot clearer since I completly stopped using, plus I got kids now, and those need my full and unhinderd attention, thats really true. I am really glad you shared your eperiance, in my youth my attitute towards cannabis was " its only weed!! " but nowadays I really do regard it as a drug, and I think to a degree its dangerous to forget the harms that come with it. thank you again and best of luck, M from bavaria in southern germany
For sure there are more immediately damaging things to be addicted to than weed but it’s great to hear more and more people talking about the dark side of habitual cannabis use. I smoked pretty much daily for 19 years, quit 5 years ago and my life is so much better now. Also became a father and I can’t imagine doing a good job of that as stoned me.
At 4:00 when you mentioned the tobacco & weed after Highschool it made me realize I’m truly not the only one that is stuck in this double addiction type cycle. I’m 27 (I just had to pause your video to type this) & I am excited to watch the rest. But I mention my age because I feel like I’m at the stage you mentioned in the beginning of the video where I’m realizing it’s just a constant “necessity” type thing. & I make it so much a part of my daily routine that it’s getting in the way of every other aspect of my life. I’m hoping this video will give me some sort of guidance, cause I’m feeling so lost. & anyone I talk to about quitting weed looks at me kinda crazy because I live in Portland / right across the bridge in Vancouver WA. Which EVERYONE - & I mean like everyone smokes weed or does other drugs or drinks all the time lol. So I feel like the odd one out trying to be sober, but it helps that my mom, & dad & sister are sober & I’m currently still living with them. I’m also writing this comment just to mainly say thank you for this video in advance cause I’ve been contemplating putting weed down for a little while & it’s not a coincidence this popped up on my FYP when I’m not even subscribed. (I’m gonna subscribe now) + this makes me feel not so alone in my battles. I think people that feel like us can greatly benefit from this video & introduction alone because you make it feel so relatable. I can’t wait to watch the rest of the video, but I have been watching some of your DIY endeavors lately & I enjoy it. Keep shredding & being a dope soul. Much love 🎉🛹
Thank you, man. I am relating to 100% of what you're saying. I am trying to quit right now. It's been a way of life since I was 14. Now I'm almost 40 and well basically just every single point you made- I echo.
Started smoking at 18, when it became medical. Now i am 22 and i am going to try stoping for sober October. I dont know if I can but I am do my best. This gave me push i needed. Thanks 🙏❤
This video came at a very coincidental time in my life; I just quit smoking cannabis and nicotine as well. I found myself relying heavily on them. And that’s not to say those things are intrinsically bad, but my relationship with them was. I thought I needed them to have a good time. I’m turning 30 this year and I haven’t felt this amount of mental clarity since I was 14. If anyone is reading this and wondering if it’s worth it let me say this; it absolutely is. But only if you want it to be. I smoked for most of my adult life and at some point it was like I would smoke to feel “normal” again. I hope in the future I can have a healthy relationship with cannabis, but as of right now I’m more than content finding myself in this new normal.
Quitting was the best decision I made, I quit 10 months ago.. Been smoking daily from 16 to 22 yeard old. Rn I have 0 desire to smoke again. I feel better then ever.. Thank you for sharing this video with the world! :)
13:19 totally true. I still enjoy oils and gummies but I m 47 and still have never ever had a single drink 🍹 it’s definitely something I m proud about and know I never will. I personally would like to quit ganja soon and have been thinking of a full stop for a while. 15:43 I’m just over it. Time has come for sure. Best of luck with it.
3 years clean going on 4 this year and had the exact same feelings as you did job brother it gets easier the more you walk away from it your emotions and memory does come back but with me atleast try not to focus on it alot just enjoy life and move forward and when you do remeber things that come back to you it will shock you and you will be more appreciative about it good luck brother proud of you ❤
I have been trying the same thing. I feel like I have actually more anxiety now, but being aware that I do and knowing what it is even helps confront it, but I have things that cause it unwarranted, that I can't help, so it's like a social review everytime I compare when I'm not stoned to when I am stoned. I've even caught myself socializing not stoned compared to stoned, and I am more involved in fun rather than worry out anxiety when I'm not. I just feel it's hard to get, and I don't know how to grow it right, but I personally enjoy it, and think it allows myself to do things without constantly fighting nerves I always have, and almost I feel the struggle without smoking is worse on my mind and body compared to with it, only benefit I've seen with socializing whether on it or not, is how I can accept physical activities better when I'm stoned, compared to feeling my nerves fight the pain of it, where it's good in both instances, but how the mind interprets it compared to what is seen are both opposites in my social anxiety, and it's always been a strange thing to be aware of, not sure. I just think I'm the end marijuana assists the mind and body allow you to feel that person you are trying to be positively more than the concerned struggling person within. There's my personal experience
Thanks for this video really inciteful, we are pretty much the same age, im from rural England but now a Londoner (pretty much all weed is smoked with tobacco here) got into MTB trails riding on my own and if i was nervous about a manoeuvre/trick id alway smoke before to 'settle' my nerves then as i was stoned messed it up and hurt myself id smoke another for the pain. Ive tried hard at time to give up but my dreams are really really wild
Couldn’t agree more. I smoked for about 25 years everyday, and I have never felt more motivated and happier these last few weeks. I’m sure many will agree with that if they actually go through with it.
A week out from 3 years of daily use; my mood and depression were the worst I’ve felt in years the first 4 days. Stayed over a friend’s’ house for the weekend and simply ignored the blunts in their ashtray that I would have sparked up immediately in the past.
Addiction is normal human nature. Most people who successfully quit an addiction actually substitute that addiction for something else. Not necessarily another drug but something that gives them a similar satisfaction. Get addicted and stay addicted to skateboarding ❤
thanks for sharing this. it’s something I consider a lot …. I started at 14 and am about to be 44. Pros and Cons to it and I definitely consider what I COULD get done without it
Very nice, honest and sympathic video. You shouldn't be afraid of preaching, because you did something to be proud of and so many people need to get their eyes opened to see that possibility for their live. Now try to just not substitute it with other stuff like microdosing, caffeine sugar or anything and You should be fine. Also keeping track on how long you are sober makes it really easier not to fall back into bad habits and gives you something growing to be more and more proud off. Also showing people just the positive effect and the easiness makes them even jealous and change their opinion on it without telling them "it's bad what you are doing, I do better then you". Stay sober! look at what Caruso achieved 💪
Relate to the dreaming thing. My dreams are always way more vivid when I'm on a break. Even when I don't smoke before bed, which I used to do all the time, but lately it's been so hot I don't want to go outside to smoke so I just go to bed. And even then I will have dreams, even if I smoked earlier that day.
Dude your story is so similar to mine. Im 30+ years old from socal, started as a teen, etc. The biggest danger with weed is that it makes you content with everything. It robs you of your motivation. I started at 16 and next thing I know, I'm 33 and I havent done anything productive with my life. It's scary to think how much time Ive wasted just getting high. This video is really inspiring me to quit. Thanks for sharing, man.
I feel like quitting habits is just something you do in your 30's. Thats something im facing at 32. I quit drinking last year, and i used weed & kratom to substitute. Now a year later the old drugs i used to love just make me feel like crap. Weed gives me hella anxiety now, like that bad feeling youre talking about. videos like this help and motivate people that are struggling. Ive suffered addiction my whole life and knowing im not alone helps alot. Thanks for opening up and congratulations!
You're definitely not alone, it's not easy but it's possible!
He said he's 37...and I get the sickness from smoking and it's called the chs... Look into it... I throw up ALLLL the time...even when I'm not going to smoking it can last up for several weeks called cyclic virus something like that look into it...
Be careful with kratom. The wd after long term use is similar to opiod wd
I’m 32 too man trying to quit kratom after using it for many years. It’s extremely hard.
@ZackDowdy still clean from a guy in the uk quitting thus week nt looking forward 2 the bi polar mood swings lol
You are totally taking words out of my mouth, everything you said about that awesome weed and tocacco feeling, using it all the time as a reward, not remembering full blown trips, feeling guilty all the time, finally dreaming again. You made my day thanks for your honesty.
This hit so close to home. Man I have work to do. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. You just reinforced what I already know I have to do.
Dowdy my man it's crazy how the universe works sometimes. I'm 32 and have been smoking since I was 16, been seriously battling with some negative feelings about the habit lately. You said it perfectly, you're trying to quit something that you love, but that you wish you DIDN'T love. Between how much money I'd save, how much more energy I know I'd have, and how much more motivated I'd be to keep up with the small stuff, it's starting to feel like it's time for some big changes. I needed to see this video today.
Small steps into the direction you want to be in, you got this!
@@ZackDowdy Much love bro you're an inspiration on multiple levels 💪
@Dragonmastersservant I feel the same !
@@saboSK We can do it bro. You got this, much love friend 💪💜
@@Dragonmastersservant power to the fam ❤️
I quit smoking cold turkey after 3 years of being high all day every day. In a lot of ways it was for the same reasons. I felt like i was detaching from real life after a while and it made me miserable. I realized that my ability to enjoy the things i love mattered more than suppressing the things i hated. Videos games stopped being fun and skating, mtb and working on cars became my source of joy again. My dreams came back as nightmares for the first month but I’m mostly back to being normal. If anything, smoking made me realize in a short time how awful it feels to be dumb and high all the time. I missed so much of my childhood because of it and i never want to go back.
I feel that man 💯
I can relate brotha!
Gosh dang it I can’t wait to get through this last quarter I bought & finally quit
Thank you for this comment. I want my childhood back & I feel younger than ever lately. My body feels great & the only thing that holds me back is my addiction to weed / tobacco.
IF games stop being fun when you QUIT smoking weed , its maybe because you realized you sux at it not because of weed .
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable s0urce here in Australia. Really need!
Yes, kayes_tripz. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.
Is he on instagram?
Yes he is. Kayes_tripz
Microdosing helped me get out of the pit of my worst depressive episode, a three year long episode, enough to start working on my mental health.
mad respect for making this video man
Respect! Strong decision. Head up and go on.
Great video bro. You sound to me like you're doing EXTREMELY well, so good on you. Well done and thanks for letting us into your life on a personal level. I'm sure your entire audience is behind you and supportive. Your videos are fantastic, because we get YOU straight up.
Big support and stoke for you from Australia, 53 year old rolling again after way to long off a skateboard 👍👍👍
I quit 4 months ago after smoking daily for around 15 years. I went through the same issues with sleeping and dreaming. For the first month, I would have the craziest dreams and wake up sweating every night. Now I sleep better then I did when smoking. I commend you for making this video. I wish I heard opinions like this years ago from people who smoked and quit.
I spent 17 years skateboarding and enjoyed having that activity and passion for something in my life but also smoked weed for 20yrs in copious amounts daily,not at first but the activity quickly escalated.When I skated and then smoked weed everything skill wise would change,my balance and drive would become off.while I did smoke so often I still felt guilty for what I was doing to my mind and I knew that one day I would quit but just didn’t know when.Then I had an opportunity to get a high paying job but found out that they’d drug test regularly..so I said that day may8th 2021 this was the day and haven’t smoked since.i didn’t get that job but also didn’t go back to smoking pot and don’t regret it one bit and like you said ‘I have no desire too’ even when it’s around me because I like who I am without it.I never discredit those who choose to have it in their lives,and I still love the smell of freshly busted buds.
Weed was fun as a bored youth with few responsibilities. As an adult with more at stake it just gave me anxiety
Well said
Im rippin my bong as i watch this vid 😂 All good Dowdy! To each there own and never had issues with people who dont smoke. Hell, my gf doesnt even smoke 😂 i just watch for the great content and skating!
I love weed but did you hear about the lab tests done for all the weed supposedly checked already ? Wasn't good I'll just say that
@@GeFarr that's why I grow my own, since it's legal...
@@mr.mcmagpie6606 very smart!!!! I actually quit 4 + months ago after a trip to Thailand and still don't exactly know why my body is doing what it's doing. Smoked weed for 45 years . When in Thailand I was really sick for about a week and on the trip home. First day back I was taking a bong rip and all of a sudden the lights were going out so I dialed 911 . Come to find out at the E R that my blood pressure was extremely high. I know that I was always living with high blood pressure but now it's really high and weed isn't working well with it. I have to take sleeping aide to sleep still. Hoping my trip to Thailand in Feb reverses what happened last trip. Peace out and enjoy those bong rips because I miss it honestly....
just keep your use in moderation bro i had an infinite supply of weed myself and thats when my tolerance became so high that i actually lost all interest in weed. the only reason i kept smoking it is to stay away from the brutal withdrawal symptoms which i inevitably had to suffer through. if you keep your tolerance in check you should be able to enjoy this substance for a very long time.
i was using my own cartridges that i made and i was puffing them all day every day. actual flower is no way near as harmful
Stop being pansies and roll up a joint
rad insight bro! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Sean!
I’ve heard you mention that you have adhd in earlier videos. People with adhd, especially when undiagnosed/untreated have a very high probability of developing a substance abuse disorder (80% according to statistics). Might be worth looking into getting some CBT therapy for adhd and or medication if you’re still struggling at all. I went through a similar thing except I ultimately ended up on harder drugs. Super glad to hear that you were able to grit your teeth and get through it! Some things that helped me move past that were lifting weights (highly recommend to literally everybody), staying active, I still use cbd for sleep, and trying to make friends who also are sober and understand what you’ve been through. Some people get a lot of benefit from AA or NA meetings although I didn’t do that. Anyway, I enjoyed hearing your story and it was really cool to hear that you successfully quit and stuck with it. It’s not easy and you should feel proud!
Appreciate that insight!
Good shit bro. Glad to see you found your zen.
I found your channel about 6/8 months ago. I’m not really into skating much anymore but work in construction and all manor of things like that and find your videos relaxing and fun to watch how you do you ramp builds etc. As someone in his 30s with ADHD, anxiety , ptsd and depression. Oh and I’m highly addicted to weed , hash and enjoy drinking a bit too much this video speaks to me. I’ve been trying to get motivated to go to therapy for years to sort out my head and try be a more understanding and present father. You mentioned you’d just finished a therapy sesh in one of the first videos I watched of yours a few months ago and I like to think that was another push to just book one. I’ve been in therapy at least once a week since April and am dealing with ALOT and still have some weak moments of anger etc but I like to think I’m getting better and better everyday. I’ve been struggling with the weed addiction for so long and have had the bad feels about it for years. I hope soon I can also kick the habit and be better. I’ve tried before and managed a few months but slipped back in. Here’s to trying again 🎉 thanks so much for all your videos dude. No ego, pleasant music and the main character is a hero. You’re on the right path my dude. Love and luck from Ireland bro 🇮🇪 ❤️ 🍀
Thank you for this comment Owen! Congrats on starting the work, it's not easy... but it's often the hard things that come with the best rewards. Much love to you, happy to hear the videos have brought you joy.
@@ZackDowdy Thanks dude, they certainly do bring me joy. I hope that your journey is still the direction you want, and if not tomorrow is another day and we can do it! 🦅❤️🔥❤️🔥
I quit weed and alcohol when I was 16 now I'm 43 best decision I ever made.Skateboarding gives you all the dopamine you could ever need.
lol you "quit when you were 16" ok buddy
Yea but smoking a blizzy n bombing a hill or cruising through a new city with mates is peak
@@Andrew-kx1sq it's pretty cool. They smoked and drank when they were a teenager and were able to stop and enjoy adult life. What's wrong with that?
Stupidest comment I’ve seen all day
@@Andrew-kx1sq haahahha true wtf this dude didn't even begin xD
Listening to your story, It felt like the story of my life. I smoked it since I was 13. Now I am 54. Wish I would have quit sooner. My brain works sooooo much better now. 4 years off of it and it feels so wonderful. I have dreams all the time now. Every thing you mentioned I felt the same exact way. I can deal with stress way better now. Peace out man.
Powerful stuff bro. I’m 27 now and I’m two or so months into giving it up and I’m happy about it. The way you said it felt disabling is uncanny bc my biggest con was in my own words “it just feels like I’m handicapping myself”. I like how you put it better😂 In all honesty it really made me feel like I was just hiding behind a habit and wasting my potential. It always just made me so feels so lazy, unintelligent & unambitious. It was the perfect way to hide from putting myself out there and achieving the things I was scared to get out there and try. This is really only the beginning for me so I can’t imagine how much more growth will come from this choice. Thanks for sharing💪🏿
The story is very similar to mine, I stopped about year and half ago and now I'm 32. The reward system was so spot on and I remember the last time I bought weed I felt guilty. The memory loss is a real thing, I forgot conversations, and details in my life. After 3 months of not smoking I was with someone I use to skate with and they had a pen.i ended up hitting it only once and I couldn't wait for it it to be over. That was the last time I smoked, iv moved on and I'm hardly ever in a environment where it doesn't even come around.
Quit smoking cigs 10+ years ago, never stopping smoking weed. As far as dreaming goes for a while i didn't dream very often but for the last couple years i have been having crazy cool dreams almost every night so im not sure there is a connection. Weed does affect everyone differently and its interesting to hear other peoples experiences with quitting.
what he said is pretty universal with quitting i think even when you do dream still quitting makes dreams that much more intense
Weed stops dreams . 😂 4 sure
thanks for sharing! I feel it is really important to talk about these things and your take on it is very insightful. much love.
Everything you said resonates with me. I’m in the same boat but a decade older than you. It’s time. It was fun while it lasted but all the joy has been stripped away, just like with alcohol. Everything you said is wise and true. Be in the moment; don’t escape it. I love it bro. Your whole life is still ahead of you. 🤘🏻
Thanks for sharing your experiences Zack. I think many people go through this and the big take away from your video I took is that you found something else to substitute the habit that you had developed so strongly over the years.
There's a lot of other great information you included and I'm sure you will have an impact on others with bringing up real talks and the comments will show as well with people sharing their own challenges.
Yea Guy! I was a full tilt stoner , advocate for weed in every way and eventually a full blown hopeless addict. I picked up 17 yrs clean and serene on 7/18. I love living clean! Its the best. With all of lifes ups and downs . Life on lifes terms is a journey best experiencd with a clear mind,.. for me anyways..My skating got more fun and i am present. And that is one of the greatest gifts of living clean. Your testamony is inspiring. Thank you ! More will continue to be revealed,.. blue skies and.. Onward on the journey~
Love this. Thanks for sharing, Zack. I've been skating for a while, clean and sober from everything for a while, and also am completing a grad degree in neuroscience - and I agree that cannabis addiction is real. In fact, our brains have cannabinoid receptors specifically ONLY for cannabis! I also experienced the intense dreams (still do), had to get to a place where the thought of smoking (and what it represented) just disgusted me, and love being free from drugs/drinking (although don't care or judge what anyone else does), so I really relate with your stance on that. Well done on 3 months. What park were you filming at (where you're mostly sitting and talking)? Thanks again so much, always love the perspectives from other sober skaters! 🤟
I'll be 32 next month and I think there is something about your 30's that makes you change the way you feel about a lot of things? I'm a month and a half without weed and smoked daily for 12 years.. you're spot on with the things you talked about! I will never have anything against weed, however I was going through some deep mental stuff and is ultimately what got me to stop (not to mention I was strictly dabbing pretty heavy) the dreams are the biggest thing I've noticed since quitting, some are good and some not so much.. also tons of sweating in my sleep? The first week was tough with the urges and very little sleep but after that I don't even think of it much and getting more and more sleep everyday. I know it's only been about 2 months but I have no thoughts or plans on getting high again and feel so proud of myself! Love the content new subscriber btw
no. people keep saying that but no not at all. You'll get the same feelings coming off hard drugs at any age so weed is the same at a much more mild level. 30s has nothing to do with it most of the time.
Thanks for sharing. As a SoCal skatehead I can only imagine the amount of people calling you crazy. But you stood your ground and did it anyway good for you man!!!
I've gone a year plus without alcohol and weed. Avoiding temptation gets easier, and interest in it diminishes over time! The clarity that you gain makes it WAY worth it. Counseling/therapy, meditation, routine, and a healthy circadian rhythm have helped me immensely as well! I do see how cannabis may be beneficial for some individuals, but it can become a less than healthy coping mechanism if abused. To be honest, it still smells pleasant, but for me, it's a matter of principle now. Although, a vice I've held on to is caffeine, and I definitely gotta keep that in check! Keep it up, man!! 💯
❤ this, congrats man. I have the same problems when I have a tolerance break. I’m 37 been smoking since 14. Getting to sleep is so hard. I start to have dreams, vivid ones where I wake up sweating. I used to smoke everyday as much as I could. What started my change of my smoking schedule was being more in the moment with my kids and remembering it properly. I’d rather spend £50 on a day out with my kids rather than smoke a quarter oz in a few days.
Cannabis can absolutely be addictive. It's unfortunate that the idea of it not being a deal exists. I started going to 12 steps because of it just over 9 months ago.
because its not physically addictive. Its not like meth where you have a physical reaction. Just about everything he said negative was mental and no one ever denied that you can get mentally addicted. Try coming down off a heroin high whilst licking the windows in a drug rehab place for 30 days while nurses watch you, that's a real physical addiction.
no 12 step program will take you seriously, just so you know. ESPECIALLY NA.
Just quit 5days ago after 20years, 42y old, you're totally correct, even more active ❤❤❤
Go on Zach, proud of you! Nothing easy about the journey you're on, all the best for the future
I been smoking weed since I started college at 19. I'm 28 now. I've only taken breaks long enough to be able to pass a drug test for work purposes but besides that, i'm high everyday like DGK. Smoke and skate has been all people know me by for years. As of lately I've been wanting to cut back to get healthy and in shape but quiting is tough because I actually enjoy it. Your is extremely helpful in making me feel like I'm not alone, thank you for sharing your story. This is very helpful motivation for me wanting to cut back on the amount I take in and motivation for me to keep skating when I get into my 30s.
Stoked for you man! I quit about a year ago, though I took a different approach. I had tried cold turkey a few times and it had never really stuck. Eventually I bought a vaporiser and slowly reduced my dose over the course of weeks. At some point I just kind of stopped and the withdrawals really weren’t too bad and I managed to sleep fine after a day or two. Just another way to go for anyone looking to quit. Another option if you can find it is to switch to cbd only strains. Getting in some cannabinoids but avoiding the thc can be a little bit more gentle and can help with the sleep issues a bit. And after a while cbd is much easier to just stop. Peace legend!
Thank you, i really needed this.
I was a full blown alcoholic. When I went into rehab and quit, I had crazy vivid dreams. This is a good sign that your natural dopamine levels are balancing out. With alcohol being a depressant, your brain produces a natural stimulant to counter balance it. The brain continues to produce this stimulant after you abstain and it causes insomnia. After a couple of weeks I was able to sleep normally. This may be the case with THC also.
I really enjoyed this segment. I still use it, strategically but only at those times. I really don't smoke enough of it. I see where you are and yes it takes a lot to make a video like this. I love this, this is positive. This is real. Keep it up!
Speaking from experience, the difference between sleeping hi and sleeping sober is when your hi you don’t fall asleep, you pass out.
Proud of you!!! Brave to open up. Helped some people for sure. Smoking period is not Cool. So unhealthy. Weed can be very helpful but like anything too much is not good.
Good job man, I'm on a 30 day detox from alcohol and I'm feeling much better. Skating helps keep the noise a little bit quieter in my head.
Thanks for your honesty. Struggling with the same. Stay awesome brotato!
I quit because it stopped feeling good, and started giving me chronic anxiety and paranoia.
So much so that it would last for days even when I wasn't stoned.
It was like a switch was hit in my brain and it become just not enjoyable any more ..... and actually really unenjoyable.
To be honest I envy people who can still enjoy partaking, but I know where it takes me now and I just can't any more.
I’m in the same boat. I used to enjoy smoking weed and used it as a medicine. At least that’s what I would tell myself. It helped me focus and be content in the moment. Like you said a switch went off and I now get crazy anxiety if I smoke or eat thc. Anxiety so bad it’s not worth doing it which is fine because it saves me $$$.
Thanks for making this vid. Very strong. I tried over and over to quit. Once my son was born and I noticed me getting mad when he would be looking for me and find me in the garage doing my thing I knew it was time. I'd get mad and say Ill be in in just a second. He didn't deserve that treatment. It was my own guilt that caused my anger. But I could not quit on my own. The longest was 19 days and I was miserable. Weed was my god. It came before all else. When my paycheck came the first money spent was on it. I knew I was addicted bc I couldn't sleep without it. I would have night sweats that were horrible. I'd have to change sheets, clothes, take a shower and hope i could sleep. Finally I asked God to take it from me. I had my last bit, about an 1/8 and I held it up to the sky and said God please take this from me. I flushed it down the toilet. Never had a craving or a night sweat after that. Shortly after i did the same with alcohol. 8 years later I'm sober but that was just the beginning of what God wanted to fix. But those substances were the barrier to everything else.
thanks for sharing bro and really glad to hear you are in a better place.
Quitting things with really strong social components is very, very difficult - congrats to you!
I'm 47, started skating before I can remember as a 70s baby, but became conscuously a skater and a part of counter culture at 11 when it was banned. I never really got into herb until adulthood and already addicted to smoking cigs. Now after years of abuse on my body from car accidents and getting diagnosed with a disabilty or three, (after being forced to work injured without healthcare or bennefits for over two decades or face homelessness during the most challeging time in the US economy since the great depression, on top of union busting and abusive right to work laws) cannabis is becoming mandatory to avoid insomnia and chronic body pain these days, or even think about still skating thru it all.
It affects my dreams too, but the overpolicing and tendencies for the local law to treat it like alcohol is why I'm wanting to distance myself even as an advocate for medicinal purposes. I have already given up alcohol, caffiene and cigs after cannabis prohibition ended in my state and policing for profit became evident. Alcohol and cigarettes have no medical value to me and was just making me feel sick and restricted instead of having fun, also because of over policing in a policing for profit state that arrests people on scooters, skateboards and bikes for OUIs to make money. It seems Michigan is heading in that direction towards cannabis use as well, over policing for profits.
As skateboarders we already get profiled and stereotyped by the law and I don't need more excuses to be prey for some podunk PD that only cares about profits and their paycheck over actual justice. Theres a reason they push us out of the park we like skating at for over 40 years then built a big expensive bowl down the road at the park nobody wants to be at, surrounded by cameras with taunting signs the police dispatcher watches, and it isnt to support skateboarding as my area is gentrified around it, right after legalization and artwashing began locally to flip houses and fill the big new jail with the poor that cant afford to leave or pay for good defense.
It makes my life less miserable due to body pain and insomnia and I'm not happy the state itself is behaving this way. I would prefer to not be preyed on for profit anymore than we already are for real estate bumps in bad neighborhoods for gentrification profiteering and displacing the poor and creating new homeless.
I probably won't skate much without the help from it's anti inflammatory and mood benefits as someone with chronic nerve, body, and joint pain.
With that said, I think it's good to take breaks and challenge yourself to keep chain free if you use cannabis often, just a few days between use here and there often makes a big difference on tolerance and sleep/dreaming issues due to chronic use.
Also, my Neurologist says the stuff about memory loss is old wives tales and propaganda, that there is no link between memory loss and cannabis tests have shown.
I'm not sure if abandoning our long fought for right for legal cannabis is good for long term cannabis laws and enforcement and am curious why you feel guilty over using it. It must be a parenting thing besides the other reasons given. Just a guess.
The guilt I was feeling was more about the dependency on any type of substance. I don't want to "need" anything, besides food, friends, and skateboarding - if that makes sense. Thanks for sharing your experience!
@ZackDowdy Thanks for the response, I really appreciate you and your channels content. That's how I felt about dependencies as well, but didn't feel guilty about it, just restricted mostly when I value my independence.
Serious question tho, have you ever felt addicted to skateboarding the same way? Like you couldn't quit even with health trouble? This conversation has made me wonder if it's a possibility for anyone including myself to be addicted to skateboarding. I'm sick of feeling exploited, and right now I feel old skaters are kinda targeted after the market has ballooned too big for its britches too fast like I saw in the 80s before it died down, and kids dont seem as interested in learning as they thought they would be during the ballooning. I'm just sick of feeling exploited for other peoples profits be it cannabis, skating, being a musician, artist etc. and that's a good reason to quit anything.
Right now it feels like tentacles from the cannabis industry as well as churches and culty social media types are appropriating our culture while skewing and exploiting it intentionally for profit, and that isn't good at all. Most skate pages get blasted from the above groups and its annoying AF. If you talk about cultural appropriation or the difference between supporting and exploiting, people ( and hordes of bots ) wanna blast you for activism when skateboarders I've known for 40+ years are typically diy and activist minded from the start.
You’re talking to so many people out there . Thanks for sharing this
Thanks for sharing bro, respect from New Zealand
I smoked just as long Zach omg. I quit 2 years ago and my life is so much better.
Thanks man im in the process! ❤
Thanks for sharing, stay strong
trying to quit now. i feel like shit
Keep going. Better days ahead
@@ghostingalong 5 days in , i think im feeling a little bit better 🙏
@@yungsavic bro how long until its better 5 days? im on day 2
This is something I've been trying to do for years, I'm 43 now lol. . My will power isn't very strong tho. I went Sunday and today without it but got home from work this arvo wanting some so bad. I gave up alcohol so easily years ago but weed, man that's hard! Good video man and I hope to be able to follow in your footsteps in the not too distant future.
If you don't want to have to go thru the whole quitting thing again don't even think of touching it again ever, it's easy to go back to our old ways.
Congrats man. I often wonder why we are looking to get out of ourselves. Why can’t I just enjoy what I do. I struggled with ( things ) I feel like everyone struggles in their own way. Better to be straight from my experience.
Huge fan and I think it's cool you opened up the conversation. One book that blew my mind recently is called "Wanting: the Power of Mimetic Desire". It helped me realize why I made a lot decisions as a teenager and as an adult.
great zack! You have to have courage to come out and talk about this topic. even more so in the world of skateboarding that only shows substance abuse (as you also showed in one of your videos )Living in the present is the best thing you can do. Much love❤
The sincronicity here is out of the roof😂! Just turned 36, been smoking since I was 15 ( tobacco mixed with weed or ashish). It's been couple of years now that I'm trying to leave this habit behind. Just have to keep pushing... Infinite thanks for your share❤
always taste need to hear this. he got broke for buying weed. 12 kids and all the money spending in weed is serious issue.
I relate so heavily to what you said and I agree 100%
Good on you for discussing what was once a taboo talking point in skating. Health and mental health matter and skating has more to its image than substance use. Enjoyed your viewpoint.
yeah man, not enough people talk about cannabis addictions and dependency and it's negative effects. sure it's not like other intense drugs but it can 10000% be a negative influence on your life regardless. heck an addiction to coca cola can be bad just like anything else.
good on you for quitting.
Super strong story man, glad you overcame it
Thanks for sharing. Awesome perspective. ❤
Congrats Zack. Good on ya
very honest video which gives a lot inside, I can 100% approve what you say, here in germany it is normal to mix weed with tabacco. which makes quitting extra hard, thats a fact! I totally confirm the sleeping problems and the remembrance of things, stoned we tend to forget so many things, or better said " its not written down to the harddrive " while we are high. if you get the picture. for me, it was difficult but life is a lot clearer since I completly stopped using, plus I got kids now, and those need my full and unhinderd attention, thats really true.
I am really glad you shared your eperiance, in my youth my attitute towards cannabis was " its only weed!! " but nowadays I really do regard it as a drug, and I think to a degree its dangerous to forget the harms that come with it. thank you again and best of luck, M from bavaria in southern germany
Thanks Zack! This hit the spot.
10:45 “remember how cool life is” damn ,on point .
God is proud! Turn to him. Meditate on his word and talk to him daily. I’m proud of you brotha!
For sure there are more immediately damaging things to be addicted to than weed but it’s great to hear more and more people talking about the dark side of habitual cannabis use.
I smoked pretty much daily for 19 years, quit 5 years ago and my life is so much better now. Also became a father and I can’t imagine doing a good job of that as stoned me.
At 4:00 when you mentioned the tobacco & weed after Highschool it made me realize I’m truly not the only one that is stuck in this double addiction type cycle. I’m 27 (I just had to pause your video to type this) & I am excited to watch the rest.
But I mention my age because I feel like I’m at the stage you mentioned in the beginning of the video where I’m realizing it’s just a constant “necessity” type thing. & I make it so much a part of my daily routine that it’s getting in the way of every other aspect of my life.
I’m hoping this video will give me some sort of guidance, cause I’m feeling so lost. & anyone I talk to about quitting weed looks at me kinda crazy because I live in Portland / right across the bridge in Vancouver WA.
Which EVERYONE - & I mean like everyone smokes weed or does other drugs or drinks all the time lol. So I feel like the odd one out trying to be sober, but it helps that my mom, & dad & sister are sober & I’m currently still living with them.
I’m also writing this comment just to mainly say thank you for this video in advance cause I’ve been contemplating putting weed down for a little while & it’s not a coincidence this popped up on my FYP when I’m not even subscribed. (I’m gonna subscribe now) + this makes me feel not so alone in my battles. I think people that feel like us can greatly benefit from this video & introduction alone because you make it feel so relatable. I can’t wait to watch the rest of the video, but I have been watching some of your DIY endeavors lately & I enjoy it. Keep shredding & being a dope soul. Much love 🎉🛹
Thank you, man. I am relating to 100% of what you're saying. I am trying to quit right now. It's been a way of life since I was 14. Now I'm almost 40 and well basically just every single point you made- I echo.
Kudos man. It ain’t easy
Started smoking at 18, when it became medical. Now i am 22 and i am going to try stoping for sober October. I dont know if I can but I am do my best. This gave me push i needed. Thanks 🙏❤
This is sick man! Cheers to you! 🛹🤙
This video came at a very coincidental time in my life; I just quit smoking cannabis and nicotine as well. I found myself relying heavily on them. And that’s not to say those things are intrinsically bad, but my relationship with them was. I thought I needed them to have a good time. I’m turning 30 this year and I haven’t felt this amount of mental clarity since I was 14. If anyone is reading this and wondering if it’s worth it let me say this; it absolutely is. But only if you want it to be. I smoked for most of my adult life and at some point it was like I would smoke to feel “normal” again. I hope in the future I can have a healthy relationship with cannabis, but as of right now I’m more than content finding myself in this new normal.
Quitting was the best decision I made, I quit 10 months ago..
Been smoking daily from 16 to 22 yeard old. Rn I have 0 desire to smoke again. I feel better then ever..
Thank you for sharing this video with the world! :)
Keep it green!! Just my personal experience tobacco really ignites the addiction side of weed
13:19 totally true. I still enjoy oils and gummies but I m 47 and still have never ever had a single drink 🍹 it’s definitely something I m proud about and know I never will. I personally would like to quit ganja soon and have been thinking of a full stop for a while. 15:43 I’m just over it. Time has come for sure. Best of luck with it.
3 years clean going on 4 this year and had the exact same feelings as you did job brother it gets easier the more you walk away from it your emotions and memory does come back but with me atleast try not to focus on it alot just enjoy life and move forward and when you do remeber things that come back to you it will shock you and you will be more appreciative about it good luck brother proud of you ❤
I appreciate that! Much love Jman
@ZackDowdy anytime man positivity and motivation ate key
Inspiring man!
I have been trying the same thing. I feel like I have actually more anxiety now, but being aware that I do and knowing what it is even helps confront it, but I have things that cause it unwarranted, that I can't help, so it's like a social review everytime I compare when I'm not stoned to when I am stoned. I've even caught myself socializing not stoned compared to stoned, and I am more involved in fun rather than worry out anxiety when I'm not. I just feel it's hard to get, and I don't know how to grow it right, but I personally enjoy it, and think it allows myself to do things without constantly fighting nerves I always have, and almost I feel the struggle without smoking is worse on my mind and body compared to with it, only benefit I've seen with socializing whether on it or not, is how I can accept physical activities better when I'm stoned, compared to feeling my nerves fight the pain of it, where it's good in both instances, but how the mind interprets it compared to what is seen are both opposites in my social anxiety, and it's always been a strange thing to be aware of, not sure. I just think I'm the end marijuana assists the mind and body allow you to feel that person you are trying to be positively more than the concerned struggling person within. There's my personal experience
Thanks for this video really inciteful, we are pretty much the same age, im from rural England but now a Londoner (pretty much all weed is smoked with tobacco here) got into MTB trails riding on my own and if i was nervous about a manoeuvre/trick id alway smoke before to 'settle' my nerves then as i was stoned messed it up and hurt myself id smoke another for the pain. Ive tried hard at time to give up but my dreams are really really wild
Real Talk homie 🤙🏾
Couldn’t agree more. I smoked for about 25 years everyday, and I have never felt more motivated and happier these last few weeks. I’m sure many will agree with that if they actually go through with it.
A week out from 3 years of daily use; my mood and depression were the worst I’ve felt in years the first 4 days. Stayed over a friend’s’ house for the weekend and simply ignored the blunts in their ashtray that I would have sparked up immediately in the past.
If I could lose 150lbs and give up Taco Bell giving up weed is light work is what I keep telling myself
Happy for you Zack. But the thumbnail on this video is hilarious 😂
Addiction is normal human nature. Most people who successfully quit an addiction actually substitute that addiction for something else. Not necessarily another drug but something that gives them a similar satisfaction. Get addicted and stay addicted to skateboarding ❤
Facts!
weed and tobacco is a gnarly combo my friend introduced me to, it seems like a lot of people fall into that
Thanks for sharing, very similar situation I’ve been experiencing.
do tell
@@rektdev5397 16-38 and it’s pathetic
thanks for sharing this.
it’s something I consider a lot …. I started at 14 and am about to be 44. Pros and Cons to it and I definitely consider what I COULD get done without it
which skatepark is this , looks beautiful, great video none the less
Very nice, honest and sympathic video. You shouldn't be afraid of preaching, because you did something to be proud of and so many people need to get their eyes opened to see that possibility for their live. Now try to just not substitute it with other stuff like microdosing, caffeine sugar or anything and You should be fine. Also keeping track on how long you are sober makes it really easier not to fall back into bad habits and gives you something growing to be more and more proud off. Also showing people just the positive effect and the easiness makes them even jealous and change their opinion on it without telling them "it's bad what you are doing, I do better then you".
Stay sober! look at what Caruso achieved 💪
Caruso rules, big inspiration.
love your story man!
Good for you. Glad you got it out. Stay strong! NAA
Relate to the dreaming thing. My dreams are always way more vivid when I'm on a break. Even when I don't smoke before bed, which I used to do all the time, but lately it's been so hot I don't want to go outside to smoke so I just go to bed. And even then I will have dreams, even if I smoked earlier that day.
Ironically I stated smoke so that I would not have dreams as they were often scary, great post. I am sure your therapy help a lot.