"I have been feeding, clothing and subsidising my son all his adult life, paying for flats and contents which he then systematically sells for drugs. Cannabis has ruined an otherwise, funny, intelligent, good looking human being."

Alec

• Decide to make a change

  For many people struggling with addiction, the biggest and toughest step toward recovery is deciding to make a change. It’s normal to...
  For many people struggling with addiction, the biggest and toughest step toward recovery is deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel conflicted about giving up your drug of choice, even when you realize it’s causing problems in your life. Committing to sobriety involves changing many things, including the way you deal with stress, who you allow in your life, what you do in your free time and how you think about yourself.
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• Keep triggers and cravings in check

  While getting sober from drugs is an important first step, it’s only the beginning of the recovery process. Once sober, the brain nee...
  While getting sober from drugs is an important first step, it’s only the beginning of the recovery process. Once sober, the brain needs time to recover and rebuild connections that have changed while addicted. During this time, drug cravings can be intense. You can support your continued sobriety by making a conscious effort to avoid people, places, and situations that trigger the urge to use.
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• Don’t let relapse keep you down

  Relapse is a common part of the recovery process from drug addiction. While relapse is understandably frustrating and discouraging, it ...
  Relapse is a common part of the recovery process from drug addiction. While relapse is understandably frustrating and discouraging, it can also be an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and correct your treatment course.
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• Make a life change

  The first step to fighting addiction is to make a decision that it is time to make a life change. That life change will reflect your de...
  The first step to fighting addiction is to make a decision that it is time to make a life change. That life change will reflect your desire to quit your addiction. Your life change may require one or many changes be made to accomplish your goal.
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• No more secrets

  It’s time to clean out the closet and take inventory. No hiding because of shame. No hiding because of fear. You are not alone in you...
  It’s time to clean out the closet and take inventory. No hiding because of shame. No hiding because of fear. You are not alone in your addiction. Thousands of others have fought the same battle. Now is the time to list your good qualities, the things you like about yourself, and want to keep. It is also the time to list your bad qualities, your habits and addictions you wish to overcome. Writing is a powerful tool for the brain. Writing the inventory list will help your brain to help you overcome your addiction. You will be more attune to your strengths and weaknesses and better able to use your strengths to overcome your weakness.
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A Good Attitude Helps

Having a good attitude or at least being open minded about what you may or may not learn while in treatment can significantly improve b...

Having a good attitude or at least being open minded about what you may or may not learn while in treatment can significantly improve both the quality of your experience and your success when you go home.

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Drink Lots of Water

It sounds facile, but lots of water will help you to flush the toxins out of your system and make you feel better after you stop smokin...

It sounds facile, but lots of water will help you to flush the toxins out of your system and make you feel better after you stop smoking marijuana.

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Packing for Rehab

Don’t waste your time or the time of others trying to smuggle in contraband items. Instead, pay attention to what is allowed and maxi...

Don’t waste your time or the time of others trying to smuggle in contraband items. Instead, pay attention to what is allowed and maximize the personal items you can bring so that you are as comfortable as possible during treatment.

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Your Rehab Journal

Rehab is a huge time for you. You are completely changing your life. Keeping a journal will help you work through some of the (often co...

Rehab is a huge time for you. You are completely changing your life. Keeping a journal will help you work through some of the (often conflicting) thoughts and feelings you will experience during addiction treatment.

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Prepare Your Family and Friends

Before you go to rehab, you should let a few key people in on where you are headed and how long you will be gone. You don’t need to g...

Before you go to rehab, you should let a few key people in on where you are headed and how long you will be gone. You don’t need to get too intimate with the details if you don’t want to, but make sure at least that you handle a few basic things, so that you don’t return to a host of unexpected surprises after rehab.

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Be Honest

Be honest with yourself, with your therapist, with your counsellors, with your doctors. If you hate rehab and just want to go home, tel...

Be honest with yourself, with your therapist, with your counsellors, with your doctors. If you hate rehab and just want to go home, tell your counsellors. If you find even the smallest thing that speaks to you in treatment or makes rehab more interesting, tell them that, too. Honesty and communication are the best ways to get the most out of treatment.

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Ask Questions

Marijuana rehab is not a passive experience. You are not expected to clone yourself and simply absorb the dictates of the rehab regime....

Marijuana rehab is not a passive experience. You are not expected to clone yourself and simply absorb the dictates of the rehab regime. Those who get the most out of marijuana rehab ask questions. Asking questions is the only way to learn and grow in your recovery.

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Choose Aftercare Services

Whether you attend 12 step meetings, go to therapy or continue on in a sober living facility, the most effective marijuana rehab treatm...

Whether you attend 12 step meetings, go to therapy or continue on in a sober living facility, the most effective marijuana rehab treatment is followed up by some sort of structured, supportive aftercare services.

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Have a Plan

You need to follow a plan. We've all heard it before but, "those who fail to plan...plan to fail". This is true when trying to break fr...

You need to follow a plan. We've all heard it before but, "those who fail to plan...plan to fail". This is true when trying to break free of an addiction. Quitting anything that has become a habit isn't easy and marijuana is no different. It will be a psychological battle and those that have an action plan or program to follow will ultimately be more successful because they were prepared for battle.

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Keep Busy

It sounds simple and do you know what? It is. Do something. Anything. Focus on hobbies or projects, build a dog house, organize all you...

It sounds simple and do you know what? It is. Do something. Anything. Focus on hobbies or projects, build a dog house, organize all your business and tax files, organize all the files on your computer, exercise, go hiking, play basketball, you get he idea. Just stay busy. Anything is better than going and getting stoned.

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Hang Out With Non-Smokers

I'm sure we all have friends that don't smoke marijuana. So, why not try hanging with your friends that don't smoke? If you must contin...

I'm sure we all have friends that don't smoke marijuana. So, why not try hanging with your friends that don't smoke? If you must continue hanging out with your pot smoking friends why not try doing so in public places where laws are enforced. You hang out with these friends where they can't smoke pot.

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Reward Yourself

Potheads get high as a reward for accomplishing normal everyday tasks. Try rewarding yourself with something nice once in awhile. Order...

Potheads get high as a reward for accomplishing normal everyday tasks. Try rewarding yourself with something nice once in awhile. Order a PPV movie, go out for ice cream, make something special for dinner. Something simple but effective.

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Find something to replace your addiction

This does not mean find another drug! It does however mean that while you try to quit pot you need to develop some coping mechanisms wh...

This does not mean find another drug! It does however mean that while you try to quit pot you need to develop some coping mechanisms when you feel the need to use pot again. Finding something creative and fulfilling to fill that void can often lead to great things.

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Understand your addiction

The first thing you must do is realize what your addiction actually is. You see, unlike cigarettes which contain nicotine which causes ...

The first thing you must do is realize what your addiction actually is. You see, unlike cigarettes which contain nicotine which causes a chemical addiction in your body that gives you physical cravings for a smoke pot has no such chemicals. The addiction most pot smokers have is what is labeled a mental addiction. This means that there is no chemical or physical need to go an smoke some Marijuana, it is instead simply something you have come to believe you need because it is comfortable and the high you get feels good and you do not want to let it go; this is a psychological need.

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Develop your will to quit

As was said, Marijuana is not chemically addictive so quitting comes down to willpower. Now this does not mean that if you feel the nee...

As was said, Marijuana is not chemically addictive so quitting comes down to willpower. Now this does not mean that if you feel the need to use pot again you have weak willpower as psychological addiction can be very strong in people especially those who have used weed for many years. It does however mean that it will come down to what you do and the support the people around you offer, there are no pot "patches".

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Write down your reasons to quit

Write down the reasons for quitting marijuana in a piece of paper and read the reasons whenever you have time to read them....

Write down the reasons for quitting marijuana in a piece of paper and read the reasons whenever you have time to read them.

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Throw it out

Get rid of all your weed. Flush it down the toilet so you can’t just pull it out of the bin later, and destroy all your supplies. The...

Get rid of all your weed. Flush it down the toilet so you can’t just pull it out of the bin later, and destroy all your supplies. The more obstacles between you experiencing a craving, and actually sparking up, the easier it’ll be to quit.

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Tell people

Tell your friends and your family that you’re giving up. If they have no idea about your plans then they may just continue to smoke i...

Tell your friends and your family that you’re giving up. If they have no idea about your plans then they may just continue to smoke it around you, oblivious to the misery it causes you.

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Withdrawal – it’ll happen

Withdrawal is temporary but still not particularly pleasant. When quitting cold turkey, it normally starts a day after you last smoked ...

Withdrawal is temporary but still not particularly pleasant. When quitting cold turkey, it normally starts a day after you last smoked and peaks after two or three days. Within the fortnight you should no longer be craving a joint.

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Withdrawal

you’ll likely have trouble sleeping, so avoid caffeine where possible. Your mood will probably be all over the place too, so make all...

you’ll likely have trouble sleeping, so avoid caffeine where possible. Your mood will probably be all over the place too, so make allowances and let everybody know what you’re going through so they’ll understand. You may also feel anxious and out of sorts – don’t let yourself get convinced that a joint will fix it!

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Persist

Just stick with it! Within three weeks your habit should be well and truly broken, and you should be able to carry on with a healthy an...

Just stick with it! Within three weeks your habit should be well and truly broken, and you should be able to carry on with a healthy and productive, cannabis-free life.

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Diet and Exercise

Stay fit and healthy, and you’ll feel better without the need for weed. Exercising also means you have less empty time to fill by smo...

Stay fit and healthy, and you’ll feel better without the need for weed. Exercising also means you have less empty time to fill by smoking.

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Understand your psychological need

Once you can accept that your addiction stems from a psychological need you can move to understand that need. Is smoking an escape from...

Once you can accept that your addiction stems from a psychological need you can move to understand that need. Is smoking an escape from a harsh reality? Is it simply a symptom of boredom? Is it because all your friends use pot too? The reasons we develop addictions are many and varied but understanding the core of it can allow you to set yourself free.

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Get Rid of Some Stuff

Always remove all the addiction-inducing products such as cigarettes and alcohol around you; that will remind you of using marijuana....

Always remove all the addiction-inducing products such as cigarettes and alcohol around you; that will remind you of using marijuana.

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Breathing Exercises

You can start practicing deep breathing and you can do some breathing workouts such as pranayama and kriya....

You can start practicing deep breathing and you can do some breathing workouts such as pranayama and kriya.

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Maintain a Good Diet and Exercise

It is super important to maintain a good diet and exercise while trying to quit. This will make you feel good, keep you motivated, and ...

It is super important to maintain a good diet and exercise while trying to quit. This will make you feel good, keep you motivated, and keep your mind clear and focused towards your goal. Exercise also relieves anxiety, a psychological symptom you may experience while trying to quit. Having a proper diet and exercise will also give you better sleep, which is a huge factor in helping you to quit weed.

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Distract Your Mind with a New Hobby

You are going to crave weed. You’re going to want it, desire it, feel like you even need it. But this is untrue, and you know it. The...

You are going to crave weed. You’re going to want it, desire it, feel like you even need it. But this is untrue, and you know it. The best thing to do when having these cravings is to divert your attention. Pick up a hobby, read a book, do anything that will distract your mind from weed. The more productive you are, the more you will accomplish, and the easier it will be to quit. After you do this for a couple of days, you won’t even be thinking about or desiring weed!

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Do NOT Replace One Bad Habit with Another

A piece of advice I have heard from smokers to other smokers who want to quit is to replace weed with cigarettes. This is a terrible id...

A piece of advice I have heard from smokers to other smokers who want to quit is to replace weed with cigarettes. This is a terrible idea and will not fix anything. All you’re doing is replacing one bad habit with another. This is just dumb. If you’re going to replace a habit, replace it with something constructive.

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