Anyone who has smoked weed knows that it can be a very enjoyable habit, certainly for a while anyway. Usually when a person starts to smoke, they don’t like it very much but tend to progress anyway, maybe because they are moving within a social circle where it is commonplace. The habit is then formed, it becomes enjoyable and then for many, very difficult to quit. Those who do quit often describe it as a go to habit which they dip in and out of through life when their circumstances are difficult. Those who started weed as a way to escape their problems often find that they will dip back and forth as problems appear in their lives and those who associate it with social activities often struggle in social situations.

You may ask, how do I stop smoking weed for good? There is no quick fix to this and patience is they key as well as perseverance.

In order to quit any habit, you first of all have to want to do it for yourself, not because someone else is exerting pressure and not because you feel that you have to but because you want to. It is also important to examine whether or not this has become an addiction and if so, admit that to yourself. Suddenly stopping works for some people but often there will have to be behavioral changes in order that it can be maintained.

Why do you smoke weed?

Is it because you move in a friendship circle where that happens? If this is the case and you want to stop for good, this circle of friends will have to change otherwise temptation will continue to be a feature and habits that you had when smoking will have to change. Join a club, take up a new hobby and try to meet some new and interesting people.

Is it because you found life’s struggles difficult to cope with and weed was your go to stress reliever? If that is the case, then you will have to learn to face your problems and devise some strategies in order to deal with life’s issues. Life is full of ups and downs and no matter how hard you try, it can never be totally smooth, yes we can minimize our issues but we can never be totally rid of them. There are a number of great books on the market and there is a lot of online material available, have a search and see what suits you best and arm yourself with some coping strategies that work for you.

Is it because you lack in self-esteem or confidence? What is the root of the issue? Self-esteem can be worked on through a variety of techniques. Surround yourself with positive people, do things that you enjoy and can obtain a sense of fulfillment from, volunteer, help others. All of these things encourage us to feel better about ourselves and that is the key to raising our self-esteem.

Above all, you have to be entirely honest with yourself if you are hoping to quit weed for good.

Steps on How to Stop Smoking Weed

There will be times of the day or night that you would usually smoke more than others and it is important to replace this activity with something else. Break your old habits and adopt some lifestyle changes.  Perhaps smoking caused you to put on weight? This can make you feel sluggish and tired. Start walking, move around and go from there, not too much too soon or you could find yourself very quickly disillusioned. Small achievable steps. When you reach a milestone, remember to reward yourself, this is very important.

Make sure that you throw away any pipes or paraphernalia associated with smoking as this very easily can lead to temptation again, especially in a moment of weakness. Tidy up around you, it’s amazing what a nice tidy room or house can do for your mind. Above all, you must move away from your usual routines and habits.

Give yourself a purpose each day, throw yourself into work or if you are not working make sure you fill your time. Develop routines, the mind loves routines and to begin with have certain things that you do at certain times throughout the day and stick to it. Motivation can often be difficult when quitting weed, that is why routines are very important.

Ask your family and friends for encouragement, often family members can be difficult to bring back on side but when they see that you are really serious about turning your life around, it is amazing how helpful and supportive they can be.

Keep a calendar, score off each day that you manage to be free of the habit, keep a diary and record all of your positive thoughts and ideas for the future. Often people find it helpful to record their negative thoughts as well. A really useful method of doing this is to write them all on a large sheet of paper and when finished, burn or shred the evidence. It is a great mind clearing technique.

Save the money that you would normally have spent on weed and watch it collect, use this money for a real treat. It is amazing how quickly it can collect and even offer the possibility of a holiday or major purchase that you can look forward to or enjoy every day. It really makes it seem worthwhile.

Banish negative thoughts, they will come but don’t allow yourself to dwell, move quickly through them and back into the present. As you practice, you will become good at this.

Get Support to Stop Smoking Weed

Remember, this is not an easy process and will require constant vigilance, take each day at a time and don’t fall back into old habits or routines. Just because you have managed to stop for a month doesn’t mean that the habit won’t or can’t creep back, it can and you may have to continue to be watchful for quite some time.

Above all, don’t give up, summon all willpower and go for it, you CAN do it. 

Solutions 4 Recovery offers residential addiction and dual diagnosis treatment programs, for more information on how to stop smoking weed about how to get help in a comprehensive treatment program, call our helpline at (888) 417-1874.

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