What are the things i can do to pass time or help me stop smoking?
I've been smoking pot since i was 13 but i didn't really get into until i was 15. I'm 23 now. I try and stop so many times but yet keep going back and it is now affecting my health.
My main problem is when i stop i don't know what to do, and my friends smoke it too which makes it harder for me to stop. Everyone says to stop smoking is to stop hanging with the people who do it but im not going to stop seeing my mates cause they do it.
Sometimes when i stop i can't eat at all no matter how much i try, i can't sleep and i get really stressed easily and just snap. I used to play sports a lot and had a lot of pride and competitiveness in me which is now all gone. All that is left is this numbing feeling of nothing. I just get stoned to pass the time and sleep cause i've got nothing left i feel i wanna do anymore.
What should i do? What are the things i can do to pass time or help me stop smoking?
Hi there, one sign that cannabis is becoming a problem is that it changes the way you think, feel or act, and from your question, cannabis is causing you several problems. Your health is suffering as your sleep and eating are affected, you've lost motivation to do things, even things you used to really enjoy like sport, and you say you feel numb. Sounds like a good time to try some new strategies and maybe to enlist some help to get them happening.
It can be hard to stop when others around you are smoking but there are things you can do to try and change your use. Start by setting a limit—to cut down the amount you smoke with friends or to limit the time you spend with friends. (And don't switch to alcohol or other drugs because that won't help.) Plan to spend time with your friends in smoke-free places such as at the movies, or in cafes or clubs.
If you find it hard to cut down or change on your own it might be helpful to see a professional, such as a GP or the local drug service. They can help by teaching you skills to "say no" and still remain friends. They can also help you develop skills to sleep better, and will build a program just for you that will help you to pass the time and to work toward your goals.
From your question I think it's important to check on your mental health too because it sounds like the cannabis might be having an effect there—you mentioned getting stressed easily and snapping. While these can happen as a result of being dependent on or cutting down from cannabis, they can also be signs of other problems so it might be a good time to talk to your doctor or a local mental health service about how you're feeling.