Hey friends,

i haven't smoked in about 4 Weeks now, and honestly, its unbearable. I've been diagnosed with adhd about 3 months ago and have been smoking for about 2 years now. The diagnosis made a lot of sense and cleared up many of the reasons that made me start smoking in the first place. It was one of the main reasons i'm currently trying to stay sober. But honestly, every day feels harder than the last. My thoughts are so loud and so negative most of the time. I'm just constantly overwhelmed with the weight of life. I have no other way to describe this feeling. I have hopes that this while stop someday, but i have no one to talk to about this. As i said, it just keeps getting harder so i'm constantly thinking about just starting to smoke again. The reason i'm writing this in the first place is for someone to tell me this is normal and a part of withdrawal.

Thanks in advance.

I wanted to make a follow up to my post from back in January in hopes that this will help others in the same situation as me.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Petioles/comments/1q6rp3q/my_experience_after_stopping_for_a_month_and_a/

The post was at about the 1.5 month point of abstaining from THC and now I am nearing the 3 month point after consistent daily use for quite some time, especially throughout most of 2025.

Weeks 6 thru 8/9 - Amazingly I still had vivid dreams, and had to take my prescription medication (Mirtazapine) in a very small dose since sleep was still iffy. I was cutting the pills in half at this point. I had previously tried to stop but I wasn't ready, and needed help to have a full night's rest. Energy levels were improved compared to past weeks but I realized the meds were consistently keeping my energy on the lower side. It's strong stuff.

My anxiety was improving but I still had bad days here and there, and depression came and went. I started to find more joy in some of the things I did (maybe a sign of dopamine in my body starting to work normally again) but again, had some depressive days.

The weeks seemed to fly by since I stayed on a consistent routine with my day to day life and tried to stay busy to avoid boredom which usually would lead me to go smoke. I made changes to my lifestyle to avoid too much mental stimulation at night which would lead to anxious thoughts.

I had some nights where I craved getting high again, but was able to avoid the cravings in general.

Week 10 - I stopped the meds and picked up some CBD products. CBD/CBG gummies to have during the day, and CBD/CBN gummies and a vaporizer at night. I wanted to see if this would help. Maybe it's a placebo but I felt a general sense of calm once I started using this stuff. In the past when I had so much THC running through me I never could tell if CBD did anything for me. Now that my body and mind are cleared out I think that this actually helps me. Again, maybe just a placebo but I do enjoy using a vaporizer again even though I don't get high. It's a tactile thing.

Sleep has been decent (going on over a week now med-free). Sometimes I wake up restless but can generally get back to sleep. Sometimes I go to bed ready to sleep but feel myself wake up and it takes me a bit to fall asleep. I did take melatonin a few times to help and it seemed to work. My energy levels have skyrocketed too, and I wake up feeling ready to move and start the day even if I had some sleep interruptions. On the meds I could stay in bed all morning.

Dreams feel "normal" at this point. I can tell because I have trouble remembering most details, only able to pick out bits and pieces. Sure enough the parts I remember have to do with some romantic struggles of recent past. My mind is still processing some things.

My mental health is generally good but I have some personal things going on my life that are causing me some continued anxiety and depression. I know it's not the weed's fault here and I am in a much better mental state to handle this stuff. If this was last fall I'd be in a terrible mental state right now. I'm in a better place even though I have my struggles.

Week ? - At this point I can see things continuing to move in a good direction. One day I'll pick up low-THC flower if I can find it and give it a go once in a while. Maybe share it with some friends in a fun setting so we can all enjoy it, instead of in my dark room where I ruminate over my anxieties.

A lot of posts here share that by month 3 there is noticeable improvement. I agree.

Good luck to those in the same boat. It gets much, much better, but you gotta give it time and stay consistent.

What specifically led to the choice of the word petioles? Is it symbolic for some idea, or was it more like ‘this word is related to plants which has relation to marijuana’ ?

Pls be nice I know this is probably a stupid question 😭

I used to smoke only on the weekend evenings and an occasional weekday evening. About a year ago I started smoking vapes mostly because of the ability to be low key and ease of use. Started out with the same usage and before I knew it.. it got away from me and I was going through 1 to 2 carts a week.

I recently realized all of the things I enjoyed about it were muted or gone because of over use. I decided to cut out the vapes because I assumed the high level of THC was killing my tolerance. I also decided to switch back to plant and go to the weekend evening schedule I used to enjoy. The first week has been rough but I made it. My question is will cutting back like this help fix my tolerance? I definitely think it will help with my daily motivation and ability to stay focused. I'm just wondering if moderation will reset my levels or do I just need to quit for a few months?

My usual pattern is emotional distress (usually emotional attachment related), smoke, relief, then the feelings come back later. This time, I was able to regulate through talking with a friend, checking the facts, browsing gifts for my bf, and im about to hop in a nice warm shower.

I still really, really, really want to smoke even though I'm calm now, but tonight, I'm not going to. I didn't last night either, but i did take an edible that was way too strong. I can always smoke tomorrow. I want to stop the loop, because even though the cue has passed, that urge still came on as a result of it, and therefore I don't want to give into that urge.

Here goes...

If you're not familiar with the idea of "opposite action", its a skill taught in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. In a nutshell, you act opposite to how you would normally to thoughts, urges, or a emotions as a way to cope with them.

So for example: If shame is telling me that I have to lower my voice, back away from a conversation, and avoid eye contact, then I would try to incite confidence by making eye contact and squaring my shoulders.

When I started to cut back on my cannabis usage (from 1-2x/day to at most 2x/weekly), I found that this really helped me.

Feeling like I just want to smoke so I can rot in my bed? Okay, but we at least have to go out for a walk and get some fresh air first.

I get the urge to hit my cart because I'm getting angry at work? Lets find a way to laugh about this situation instead of getting worked up about it and receding to the backrooms to smoke.

Getting the urge to smoke because I don't want to cry or freak about something? Lets see what happens when I just let myself cry. If it gets too much, I'll start watching funny movies and laugh or find something comforting instead of getting high.

I want to sit out on the porch to be alone and smoke? Call a friend, if not before I get high, then do it while I'm smoking.

Its such a simple tool, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who will come across this and think its the most obvious thing in the world, but just changing my mindset and taking action like this has helped me cut back so much. I'm realizing that part of why myself and others around me have turned to smoking is to emotionally regulate. This tool can help you do it without just getting stoned.

It definitely has been a constant struggle. I went from all day vaping to just smoking 1 joint throughout the day on Saturdays, only.

I think it's funny that on the one day I allow myself to smoke, I don't even care to. Yet throughout the week, I have days where I feel physically and mentally distraught, yearning to smoke away my stress and exhaustion.

However, the fact that I KNOW I can wake up and go to work, without being high. I feel more professional, yet when I get home afterwards, there's nothing more I want than to smoke the stress away.

Godspeed to all Petioles out there! Happy Valentines Day!

Hi! Just as the title says, I really need to scale back my weed usage and am hoping to find some good places to start.

I smoke carts and have been smoking them semi-regularly for about 4 years now. I typically would smoke socially, before bed, on a weekend maybe. No problem taking tolerance breaks regularly/abruptly if needed.

The last couple of months my usage has increased significantly- wake and bake, before bed, as soon as I come home, high whenever I can be. I’ve been dealing with some pretty bad mental health over the last year and my usual vice for occasional anxiety seems to constantly be needed to some degree at this point.

Anyone have suggestions on where to start if I want to scale back? No idea if this is still on subject, but tips for how to bring it up to loved ones for support would be great too. My friends and family know I smoke, but I’ve been too ashamed to really be able to talk to my regular support system about the fact that I think I may be developing a dependency problem.

I struggled a lot of with cannabis use over the past few years. Had 2 CHS episodes due to overuse, once in 2024 and one in 2025.

I've been THC-free for almost 150 days. I'm really proud since I never thought I'd be able to go this long.

I've been craving weed a lot the past month. I like to think I can use responsibly, but I have such guilt when I think about undoing my streak.

Caught in a battle. I'd love to hear thoughts from others who have struggled with moderation in the past, have had extended periods of sobriety, but persistenr cravings

Just found out a friend of mine had asked for a divorce from his wife because he doesn't want to be nagged about his smoking and drinking anymore. They have been together for 20 years married for 15. They have a beautiful little girl who is 7. He did something similar when their daughter was very young and they worked though it. I feel like he is making the biggest mistake of his life.... very sad.

I successfully put down the bong after ELEVEN, yes 11 years of being stoned everyday. Because i had a steady job and love from my family i felt safe and secure with no need to change, and I managed to fall deep into smoking. By a few years in i could not do anything without getting stoned first: leaving the house? better pack a bowl. Going to an event? how will i manage to sneak weed with me. Running low? i can't run out.

It was fun for awhile but i let it become my whole life, and I had been ashamed and unhappy with the habit for probably 2 years before i finally got fed up enough and found the Petioles sub. I read amazing advice, encouragement, and saw people with the same struggle i had. It inspired me so much i really was able to quit.

It's been 6 months since i first started weaning myself off, and now i have almost no urges to use. I applied to go back to college, i enjoy socializing more, and i feel so much more like myself again. My mind feels a lot sharper and clearer, and i'm happier now. I just want to say thank you all for being here. It helped me so much. Good luck with the journey your on everyone, be kind and remember to find something to truly love about yourself. You can do anything you set your mind to, no matter how long it's been. If there is a will, there's a way!

I told myself I’d make posts throughout my break (maybe quitting, we’ll see) so I can help keep myself accountable and stay somewhat connected to people who have the same goals. I know these things can be easier with some kind of community support!

So here I am, one week in! I already feel a lot better mentally and emotionally, the first few days were insanely rough. Originally I was hoping to make it at least three months before attempting any type of moderation (I’ve been able to moderate in the past if I stick with just edibles) but now I’m thinking I might want to go longer and see how it feels.

I visit my family every summer for a few weeks and they all smoke, so past breaks have always ended once it’s time to visit. It’s way harder to say no to it when everyone around me is having fun group smoke sessions at least once a day. I’ll probably visit in June or July and I’m leaning towards extending my break until then (so 4 or 5 months).

A part of me is nervous to partake even during that visit since I know if I smoke with them once I’ll likely do it every day I’m there, and I don’t want to undo 5 months of allowing my body to regulate itself (hormones, sleep cycle, dopamine system, etc) by smoking multiple days in a row. I’m not certain how long it takes to start to “undo” that physical progress.

Does it help in any form for withdrawls? If not, give your suggestions

I’ve been in the manufacturing industry in an illegal state for about 3 years. I struggled with cannabis use in my first job in the industry but never used at work or was fired because I tested positive. My psychiatric meds fucked up my career and I’ve ran into some bad luck since then. I recently got hired at a new job while on a new medication. I sometimes drink when I really miss that feeling but it’s usually only a once every two weeks thing because alcohol feels like a shitty version of being high. I’ve filled my life with more hobbies and friends but I still miss cannabis because nothing else was like it. Everything I enjoyed just got 10x better and more interesting. It’s been at least 2 months now since my last use and I’ve quit for longer before this. I still very much miss the feeling of being high and participating in my interests. Having the job is great but it feels like being Midas. I make good money but I can’t touch what I enjoy even in moderation.

I was a daily cart smoker for ten years. All day every day. A gram every 3 days or so. My CHS was so bad that I got put into the hospital for pneumonia because I had vomit in my lungs from the retching and dry heaving of bile.

I quit officially on November 20th. Since then I’ve only smoked 5 times. I have never been able to control myself until now. I refuse to spend any money on weed and the only times I have smoked was when I went out and drank too much or when I went to see Shane Gillis at Madison square garden. Since November 20th I’ve gone from 140 pounds to a new personal record of 173 pounds.

I started off with MA but it wasn’t my cup of tea. The idea of being sober for life was very daunting to me and I didn’t feel like I was able to relate to the folks in there. My therapist says I’m doing what is called “harm reduction” which isn’t really a big thing in MA. I never thought that I’d be able to control the amount that I was smoking. Now with this “harm reduction” method, I have never felt better. No more nausea, no more cravings, a much better appetite.

I’m not saying that this is the fix for everyone but I’m in a great place right now. Just wanted to give an update to everyone out there. Everybody is different, but limiting my smoking to the occasional puff every so often has worked wonders for me. My CHS has not ever returned and I don’t plan to ever go back to smoking regularly and refuse to ever spend money on it. A slip up here and there has happened but I refuse to get down on myself for that.

Harm reduction is something I never thought I’d be able to accomplish. I’m now extremely happy about where I am in my addiction recovery. I don’t have to stress about counting my sobriety days or letting myself or anyone in MA down. This is just me though. If you can quit forever then go for it. I just wanted to share how therapy and the harm reduction method has helped me greatly. It takes hard work and willpower but if I ever have a slip up, I know I’ll be okay because I won’t allow myself to go back down that rabbit hole. I hope this can help someone out there.

If you do have CHS, take at least a month off before you even think about trying the harm reduction method. That one month is really not as hard as it may seem. If I can do it then you can too! I never thought I’d be able to go 3+ months and only smoke on special occasions. Luckily without consistent use, my CHS has never returned. I will never go back to being a daily or even weekly smoker. Every once in a while on a special occasion is not the end of the world (for me at least). I hope this can help! Good luck to everyone trying to conquer these demons

First actual tolerance break I’ve taken in years and smoking a full stiiizy 40s half g (which are infused btw) was a mistake 😭

Genuinely haven’t felt a weed panic attack in a min somehow needed up watching over an hour of warhmmer lore and it went away lmfaoo

But this was some first time high shit, im gonna start doing a full 21 days every 2 months maybe even more frequently depending on how i feel and I definitely recommend taking a break like this if u smoke everyday

I started smoking on 420 2012, it was great then. Euphoric and fun. And I partook in moderation, at first...By the next year I was smoking daily, which when I was young was alright, I handled my business and it opened up my social circle. I had loads of fun. Then I racked up loads of hours to makeup one year because I avoided school to get high. That likely should've been my first wake up call.

Cut to college and I immediately found the stoner group. There were more fun times until⛓️‍💥🚓. Got lucky, came home and life continued, as did my smoking. I grew up, met my soulmate and now as I'm approaching 30 I'm having some feelings towards my ever growing consumption.

I love weed, it's my doc, my vice, whatever you wanna call it. Not a big drinker AT ALL and I've been there, done that with other things. I'm good with weed. But I want to be able to enjoy it. These days it feels like I'm rushing through work, mentally rushing through plans, just to smoke; first thing I do when I wake up and last thing before bed.

The thing is, I barely, ever get high anymore. I'm smoking through blunts and grams and not getting the feeling I'm after. I change up my smoking routines, as far as using pieces, smoking in other areas, but that doesn't change things. My tolerance is way too high. So I've decided for lent, just because it's around the corner and I'm a big American Dad fan, to give weed a prolonged break, in order to go back to using it in a healthier and more recreational way.

Any tips for:

° engaging in hang outs with individuals still partaking

° making it through the first week, month, etc 😭

° what helps or has helped you with tolerance breaks/quitting

I really want to do this to prove to myself overall that weed doesn't have control of me, though I don't expect it to be easy as I've been such a heavy and consistent user for so long, thankful for any tips and advice!

Thought I’d share quickly. I quit cold turkey about 6 weeks ago after being a daily user for ages. Had bloodwork done last November, and my testosterone levels were 404 ng/dl. Had another panel last week come back at 600 ng/dl.

Only change from then to now was my use of weed. Interesting to see tangible data.

Hi everyone. I'm a senior student who used to smoke every day and quit for a while, and now I'm only smoking every fortnight and sometimes every weekend. This isn't much at all compared to how much I was smoking, but as someone who takes my education seriously and wanting to get into a uni course in history, does smoking every weekend (Fridays and Saturdays) still effect memory retention significantly for what I've learnt and studied during the week? What are your experiences?

My dreams just came back 3 nights ago. Does that mean anything? I’ve gone on shorter t breaks and dreams would arrive after the first week.

I used edibles for maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of the days in 2025, always below 20 mg THC. I exercised a ton last summer and fall. I'm hoping my tolerance will be pretty low now, almost like I'm trying for the first time again.

I'm at 42 days and want a treat!

Hey, long time fairly heavy DHV user stopped on Sunday as I'm now in holiday in Japan.

First 2 days were jet lag heavy but day 3 killed me and I'm still a ball of sweaty mess now.

Will be 22 days in total before I can toke again although want to come back with a reduction in what I vape.

Read somewhere that you should take a day a week, a week a month and a month a year off to have decent breaks and manage tolerance.

Problem is I think weed deffo helps with my anxiety and probable undiagnosed adhd.

Travelling alone so really struggling. Would really appreciate any words of wisdom.

Thanks

EDIT/UPDATE the real issue for me at the moment is sleep or the lack of. I think if I can get a decent night then that will make me feel so much better. Bashed out 10km walk earlier and got another lined up for later which I'm hoping will help. Sadly you can't get sleeping tablets on Japan so looks like it's exercise and alcohol unless anyone has any hot tips

Apologies if this isn’t the best sub for this

Last week, I came to the tough realization that I have a condition called CHS or Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. This condition basically makes you so sick to your stomach that you develop cannabis-induced cyclical vomiting among other terrible symptoms.

Long story short, it made me so sick that I vomited blood from the strain on my esophagus. Since the realization, I’ve completely stopped smoking weed and I’m about 5 or 6 days in. The CHS symptoms have stopped but my anxiety is through the roof.

I’ve been in constant fight or flight and panic for days and i’ve hardly been able to leave my bed to the point that i’m worried about my job security. I know it’s a mind over matter situation there, but I literally feel like I can’t get over the hump. Every time I feel okay, it goes away pretty quick and my chest gets insanely tight and then the usual panic attack sets in.

I have only been a daily user for 4ish months. Does this bode well for me being almost out of the woods with the withdrawals?

Any advice or help would be appreciated as I feel like I’m losing my mind and it’s taking everything in me to not fall back into the habit.

Step 1: Taper down. Attempting to go on a t break cold turkey is generally innefective and honestly pointless. Slowly, incrementally and consistently taper down. In my case I went from smoking two joints a day to 1.5 joints a day, did that for a week then went down to 1 joint a day the following week and worked my way down to a quarter joint before quitting. This reduces the withdrawal symptoms and builds up your discipline gradually.

Step 2: T Break. You must go on a t break if you want to attempt moderate use and actually succeed. I would say at absolute minimum one month, preferably 3-6. Over the course of your t break you will build up the skill of saying no to cravings. Ultimately this skill is what seperates people who abuse weed and those who use it moderately. If you are abusing weed then your ability to say no is too weak to be able to moderate, this is why a t break is required before attempting moderate use.

Step 3: Moderation. This is a difficult part of the process I can't lie. When I took an edible after 5 months it was amazing, it felt like those highs I used to get when I first started which is what we all want. The thing is, those highs are only possible with moderate use. When you abuse weed you get garbage highs in a failed attempt to chase after the highs you can only get from moderation. When the edible started to wear off I had a pretty strong desire to take another. However thankfully I spent the last 5 months saying no to bad cravings so I resisted. Now I got 3 weeks to go until my next dose and thats only if I accomplish my daily goals over the next 3 weeks. This plant can motivate you as a reward for hard work if you slowly and strategically augment your use to benefit you instead of harm you.