A Sober Subject

[Marylou]

I came upon cannabis late in life (36 to be precise), having always been programmed and inclined to get pissed at every opportunity instead.  That insidious and destructive dance with alcohol ended.  I am now sober 15 months, after an epiphany listening to Orion by Metallica, of all things!  

 

My question is more of a statement and I just wanted any thoughts from people.

 

For the first 6 or so months into sobriety, I (obviously) had no alcohol and it just happened that we had no cannabis.  The no cannabis was more about lack of supply. During those 6 months I worked on untangling my brain neural pathways in complete sobriety. Now we grow our own plants and supply is steady, my interest in the uses of cannabis is gaining momentum and increasing day by day. I am competent baking, cooking, infusing cooking oils etc.   I’m now looking into making CBD salves.   

 

Before becoming sober I used to enjoy a spliff at a gig with a boatload of booze, but never cannabis on its own.  My husband and I were only occasional smokers in the past but since growing our own (a crazy “Yes Man” moment in lockdown), gaining a better understanding about the plant, ditching the tobacco and playing around with edibles; which I find is a game changer to getting benefit from cannabis without any adverse health risks.  I find myself wanting to incorporate into my daily life more. 

 

Becoming sober and doing the work there has meant my whole way of thinking about life, my body, eating, sleeping.. basically everything has shifted to a more positive and natural way of looking at things.  I feel and look healthy, exercise regularly and feel great, and, I personally feel that cannabis is now further helping me with my sobriety, by actually feeling more balanced both mentally and physically… homeostasis is the word I think!   

 

Anyway, I suppose I wanted to ask if I’m effectively replacing one unhealthy addiction with another addiction?

Edited December 7, 2021 by Marylou

[Hir]

Cannabis is only psychologically addictive, not physically like say tobacco or heroin. You want it every day because you enjoy the way it makes you feel.  But you don't suffer if you don't get your daily cannabis, it doesn't 'hook' you up. 2p

[Boojum]

I think weed is totally different to booze, for the reason Hir says (booze is physically addictive, weed can be psychologically habit forming cos it's nice to be stoned). Congratulations on the 15 months sober (I'm afraid I'm an alcoholic, never really been able to kick it but it means I do kinda understand even if I'm not really strong enough to become a sober alcoholic - cos there's no ex-alcoholic IMHO, there's just sober ones and ones who still drink). I've never had the compulsion to use cannabis like I have for booze, it just operates on a different level (for me at least), I like a toke but I never NEED one. And to be honest even if it is just replacing one thing with another (which I don't think it is, but even so) it's replacing a harmful drug that not only fucks up your body but can also fuck up your life with a much more benign one, so even if it is replacing one thing with another (which I reiterate I don't think it is), it's a far less damaging one, both in terms of physical and mental health and in terms of negative impact on your life.

[Chairman O The Bored]

I guess this had crossed my mind, but what constitutes an addiction rather than habitual, compared to a "healthy interest"?

 

I drank 3 bottles of wine and a couple of chasers... every night, for over 10 years, literally couldn't help myself... that clucking feeling at 5 o'clock or whatever, ordering 2 drinks for myself while getting a round in, planning a few days ahead to make sure my supplies were in.... done it all.

 

Like you, now don't touch the stuff now and its so much better.... 

 

Was I an alcoholic? I have no idea what level gives you that label, all I know is that what @Boojum and @Hir say above, it isnt physically addictive, so you may fancy a spliff when you are in a place where you cant just blaze one up, you will just think it would be nice to have a smoke.... not the panic you feel when you find out there isnt a bar there!

 

Chair.

Edited December 7, 2021 by Chairman O The Bored
SP

[Marylou]

Thank you Hir and Boojum.   You’ve both hit the nail on the head regarding the addictive elements in each drug.  I never need cannabis, it’s just nice, but boy did I NEED alcohol, and how I feel towards alcohol now is pure hatred whereas with cannabis it’s a warm fuzzy hug. 

 

Boojum - I could never have imagined I could kick the booze, and for a woman, I drank a lot and every night.  So it is possible.  I think the main thought for me regarding sobriety is reframing your attitude as to why you drink and what you think it ‘gives’ you.  Read William Porter’s ‘Alcohol Explained’.. That was a game changer and helped me so much when I decided to get sober. 

[monkeypig]

The most dangerous link to habitual cannabis use is IMO mixing it with tobacco. This year I have gone from over 30 years of heavy use(all day every day mostly) to currently just smoking weekend evenings when the youngest goes to bed. I gave up tobacco 6 years ago but it only occurred to me this year that I didn't actually have to smoke daily and what a revelation it has been. I get such a great feeling from a joint now that I hadn't had since I was a kid. It's well worth keeping that tolerance down.

[Marylou]

Chairman - I like that term “healthy interest”.  I’ll use that as that is exactly what I feel it is.  Because I  don’t smoke it, it feels healthier.. I mean, I even put the fan leaves in my morning smoothie!! Haha.

Well done on kicking the booze.  The term alcoholic doesn’t sit with me well though as it implies destitution, poverty, on a park bench somewhere.. I don’t relate to that.. but if I’d have carried on drinking.. who knows where it would have ended up.  Personally I think alcohol is an addictive drug that changes the neural pathways in your brain and keeps you in a cycle of high stress and anxiety, which in turn makes you think you need it to ‘relax’ you.   

[mrrichiet]

The issue I have found with many years use of cannabis is the fact you're getting an artificial dopamine fix. That eventually has consequences IME. Regular use leads to a need to get high just to feel 'normal' i.e. give you that fix of dopamine most people get from more mundane things. I recommend having regular tolerance breaks and not consuming for more than 3 days in a row. Apart from that, it's quite a benign drug so I don't think you're replacing one ill for another. 

[Boojum]

9 minutes ago, Marylou said:

Thank you Hir and Boojum.   You’ve both hit the nail on the head regarding the addictive elements in each drug.  I never need cannabis, it’s just nice, but boy did I NEED alcohol, and how I feel towards alcohol now is pure hatred whereas with cannabis it’s a warm fuzzy hug. 

 

Boojum - I could never have imagined I could kick the booze, and for a woman, I drank a lot and every night.  So it is possible.  I think the main thought for me regarding sobriety is reframing your attitude as to why you drink and what you think it ‘gives’ you.  Read William Porter’s ‘Alcohol Explained’.. That was a game changer and helped me so much when I decided to get sober. 

 

 

I did give up for a year a couple of decades ago (I'm 47 now and I've been drinking since I was about 14 ) but bad stuff happened in my life I foolishly had a few drinks cos I thought I could 'handle it' and fell back into it (hence my comment about no ex-alcoholics). I've kinda worked out a relationship with it now that kinda allows me to limit the damage (only alowing myself to drink once or twice a week and not allowing myself to go a full-on bender), but as with everything I think whatever works for you works for you, may not work for everyone else, the secret is finding what works for you Regarding what it 'gives' you (and expanding from there to your motivation for drinking, or smoking weed, or doing anything that makes you feel good), I think that's the difference between drug use and drug abuse, why you're doing it in the first place. I don't think it's good to do too much of anything just to avoid stuff, block reality, 'escape' from the real world too much, that can lead to psychological dependence even if something isn't physically addictive (and if it is physically addictive, like alcohol, that's like a double whammy ). E2A Do stuff just cos you enjoy it

Edited December 7, 2021 by Boojum

[botanics]

31 minutes ago, Marylou said:

Anyway, I suppose I wanted to ask if I’m effectively replacing one unhealthy addiction with another addiction?

 

Addiction is very much like relationship.  If you find that relationship to be destructive which is therefore unhealthy to you physically and psychologically then it's effectively a co dependency and toxic. 

 

If you find positives in what you decide to engage with however and do not find there is a 'need' context contained within, that is has become a necessity in order to maintain a sense of fulfilment, then there is no issue.  

 

The power of choice etc.  

[ratdog]

i've had problems with every drug going almost but weed never was an issue, i vape now so my intake is even less than it was so i don't think it's even harming my lungs any more

 

but is it damaging?, not in my experience.

 

well done on the sobriety, i'll have ago at that again one day

[Marylou]

Thanks all for your valid replies. Botanics.. You are correct..  I’m finding more positives to occasionally imbibing with cannabis than there are negatives.  My list for alcohol would be the other way around!  Actually there are no negatives apart from ‘trimming’ time, when the house stinks!

Edited December 7, 2021 by Marylou

[botanics]

@Marylou

 

Just be wary of long term usage and always be in the driving seat.  @mrrichiet mentioned regular breaks and that's good advice as it helps reset the system (our brains really do love to get those hormones and will drive our behaviours and cognition in such way as to ensure we find it very difficult to notice that's what's going on).

 

[Hir]

If you want a constant buzz try to vary the strain you use.  Your body builds up resistance to one strain quite quickly maybe 7 to 10 days, but switch strain and you will get a full buzz again.

[twigs]

you know it’s non toxic?  it’s allll good!  

 

you want to smoke that shit morning noon and night, you’ll live longer! (about 8 years iirr) be smarter (increases brain cell production)

Every time you have a joint or ingest it, your giving yourself a tune up which (up) regulates your entire system

 

you can’t actually reach your full potential unless you use hemp/cannabis  

 

we’re meant to use it   

 

fill your boots! use as much as your body is telling you to use