How long do marijuana withdrawal symptoms last

[Unregistered]

For the past 20 years I've always followed a month on/month off approach.
I smoke daily for a month (an ounce a week), then I take a month off *completely* to recover physically, mentally and attend to things that I might have neglected while I was stoned everyday!

Every single time when I stop smoking, I experience cannabis withdrawal symptoms; insomnia, sweating/night sweats, vivid dreams/nightmares, loss of appetite, irritability, anger, depression/crying/suicidal ideation.
Usually, these symptoms last around a week for me and then I feel back to normal. The severity of the symptoms seems to vary, but for whatever reason the duration seems to be about the same.
It definitely sucks, but it's a reality of life, just like getting a hangover when you've had too much to drink. I find it hard to believe anyone who can say they experience no withdrawal symptoms at all - I'm a living testament to the fact that the withdrawal is very real and I've been through it so many times it's like clockwork, and I know plenty of other people who have experience the same.

So here's my tips for dealing with the withdrawal symptoms:

- Speak to your doctor and get some Valium. This is kinda a dangerous one because this drug is definitely addictive, so I usually get my doctor to prescribe me only 5 tablets (yep exactly 5). I take them for the first 5 nights after quitting and that helps deal with the sleep issues including the night sweats - and having a good night's sleep tends to also stabilize your mood during the day.



- Drink LOTS of water all day. It's the only reliable way to flush out your system.

- Eat low fat/healthy options. I find that it's the foods high in fat (that you'd probably eat in abundance while stoned) like pizza, burgers, candy etc that makes me feel really sick during the withdrawal period. I find lots of fresh fruits, nuts, dry crackers, soup etc. goes down a lot better until my appetite returns.

- Surround yourself with (non cannabis using) friends/family and do stuff you enjoy and stay busy. I find the emotional/mental symptoms get much worse when I dwell on it. If you find yourself in that place, get up and do something; go for a walk, watch a movie, call a friend, DISTRACT YOURSELF!

Smoking pot is NOT a way to cope with all this shit and feel normal again, even though your brain keeps trying to convince you otherwise. I never start smoking pot again unless I feel 100% normal and have my life totally and utterly under control.

The good news is that the withdrawal symptoms will ease, and I actually find it exciting to return to reality and "feel" things again. But I like life both ways: i enjoy the month I'm stoned, and I enjoy the month I'm not.

[ridextreme]

Hi there,

How long did your PAW withdrawal symptoms last for you? I think I'm starting to get them. My anxiety is back and I'm having little panic attacks...at work (ffffffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu).

Best,

Sam

I am 6.5 months clean and I have had the PAWS after the second or third month, in the very beginning (after 45 days clean) they lasted a few days (but not as bad as my initial withdrawal) and after that, I had it after 4 months (maybe 5) but it only lasted from an hour to a few hours, and once or twice it was hard to sleep for an hour after waking up in the middle of the night. But if you are only 30 days clean, they can last for up to a week.

I haven't had anything like that after the 5th month, but it is said to possible come for up to a year or two, depending on where you read it.

[Swim]

Day 51. Overall ok-ish .

Sleep quality bad. Sunday night I've slept bad so yesterday I've felt like shit. I was waking up from hour to hour with my heart beating really fast and palpitating (I have a small arrhythmia, so no heart problems overall). I did not became anxious about it as I can control it and just say to myself: "It’s only the f***ing withdrawals”. Last night I’ve slept ok from 12, only wake up once at around 6 but went immediately back to sleep. I’m still waking up heavy with my face swollen, so the sleep is still broken anyway. I’m taking one valerian + one l-theanine before sleep, sometimes it helps, sometimes no.

I’m wondering why isn’t my sleep coming back. After 51 days (and 7 months of smoking not that much) I’m probably detoxed. I’ve lost 10 kg, eating healthy and taking vitamins.

Should I go to the doctor or should I wait more?

ridextreme, you said you took inositol and something else to help you sleep good? I’m taking daily Vitamin B6 + Multivitamins + Omega 3 + zinc (one/two days), but I've read (maybe in your posts?) that inositol is vitamin B6, I don't want to double... By the way, thanks man for all your help around here, you really are great doing this.

[robinl555]

Dear Viadimirc,
People take supplements and have no idea what they actually need. The only way to tell is to have bloodwork done. You could be doing yourself more harm then good. A balanced diet and a multivitiman is all most people need. This was told to me by my Dr., it's not my opinion.
Please go get checked out because (this is my opinion) you should be sleeping well by now. I know everyone is different, but most ppl return to normal sleeping habits within a couple of weeks...
Please keep us posted and take care...

[Swim]

Hello robinl555,

Thanks for your fast and helpful reply, I was just checking the forum. I don't know where to do bloodwork, what kind of doctor should I see first, hormone doctor? Also I would not like to tell the doctor I have smoked as I'm not living in a weed embracing country, here only usage is punished with prison (it is an EU country).

I've noticed that there are more people for which sleeping problems tend to last longer. Also a study ( http://uams.edu/psych/car/pdf%20file...urse-JAP03.pdf ) that lasted 50 days (45 days cesation) shows that at the end most people got rid of all the symptoms except some who still had strange dreams and variance in sleep problems.

Also, there are people with high anxiety or DP/DR after two-three months, for me it's only the sleep as I see.

I'm thinking to wait at least two more weeks and after that take a decision regarding going to doctor.

To anticipate any questions that some might raise, I don't have any sleeping disorder.

[ridextreme]

Day 51. Overall ok-ish .

Sleep quality bad. Sunday night I've slept bad so yesterday I've felt like shit. I was waking up from hour to hour with my heart beating really fast and palpitating (I have a small arrhythmia, so no heart problems overall). I did not became anxious about it as I can control it and just say to myself: "It’s only the f***ing withdrawals”. Last night I’ve slept ok from 12, only wake up once at around 6 but went immediately back to sleep. I’m still waking up heavy with my face swollen, so the sleep is still broken anyway. I’m taking one valerian + one l-theanine before sleep, sometimes it helps, sometimes no.

I’m wondering why isn’t my sleep coming back. After 51 days (and 7 months of smoking not that much) I’m probably detoxed. I’ve lost 10 kg, eating healthy and taking vitamins.

Should I go to the doctor or should I wait more?

ridextreme, you said you took inositol and something else to help you sleep good? I’m taking daily Vitamin B6 + Multivitamins + Omega 3 + zinc (one/two days), but I've read (maybe in your posts?) that inositol is vitamin B6, I don't want to double... By the way, thanks man for all your help around here, you really are great doing this.

Inositol is sometimes classified as vitamin B8, it is a sugar alcholol so it's more of a nutrient. If you have any, take a teaspoon before bed and see if it helps. I used it more during the day for anxiety and not as much for sleep.

If you are taking the B6 with other vitamins at night, the other ones might be giving you too much energy, so if you can isolate the B6 for at night it should work better.

My favorite sleep aid was something I bought in a health food store called Quietude. Here is what it looks like http://www.ehealthland.com/Quietude.asp

You melt two pills in your mouth before bed, or two in the evening and two before bed and it is what worked for me. I also used melatonin but it gave me vivid dreams, and if you take too much it has the opposite effect.

I also drank strong camamile tea before bed and I tried valerian as well but my problem was I kept trying so many things so it was hard to tell what worked and what didn't but the quietude is what I settled on. I stopped using it after about 90 days.

From what hear from most people is the insomnia is usually the last symptom people have to battle. If you wana ask your doctor about sleep help, ask him about Trazadone. that is what my doctor gave me (I used it maybe twice) but you will be a little tired in the morning. It's the oldest antidepressant but today it's mostly used to help people sleep. but that is up to you and your doctor as I don't have too much experience with it. I suggest give it a couple more weeks becaue the worst should be over for you. I took seroquel which knocked me out and I wanted to sleep all day the next day but those were the first couple weeks when I couldn't handle the anxiety.

good luck and keep us posted!!!

[Swim]

Hello and thanks!

I'm never taking vitamins at night. In the morning only, and B6 + Zinc I'm taking one/two days.

Valerian pills I'm taking max two, but most of the time one, sometimes skipping a night or two when I feel really tired.

Chamomile tea of course, it's good for many other things anyway. Also food with garlic helps everything. I really think that garlic, driving the car and swimming daily in the sea made everything better for me.

I tried only 5-HTP twice and it did not had a good effect, contrary it seemed to keep me sleep, but as you say maybe I should take it daily to have a good effect.

Melatonin I don't want to take as I think that my brain needs to produce it by itself in time, I'm afraid this will delay the process.

I don't really want to take sleeping pills from drug class. I don't sleep that bad, last two nights I just woke up once around 6 PM and went back to sleep in 2 min, but I wake up feeling really 'heavy' and tired.

I will give it a couple of more weeks. Insomnia is nothing compared with anxiety after all, as eventually you sleep if you are too tired. The only thing is that the insomnia is really bad (how it is from time to time) next day I feel really, really bad.

When I will be one week fine I will be so drunk how I was not in years.

Thank you again, this forum is one of the best and useful things I've found in the last years.

[Swim]

Hello and thanks!

I'm never taking vitamins at night. In the morning only, and B6 + Zinc I'm taking one/two days.

Valerian pills I'm taking max two, but most of the time one, sometimes skipping a night or two when I feel really tired.

Chamomile tea of course, it's good for many other things anyway. Also food with garlic helps everything. I really think that garlic, driving the car and swimming daily in the sea made everything better for me.

I tried only 5-HTP twice and it did not had a good effect, contrary it seemed to keep me up, but as you say maybe I should take it daily to have a good effect.

Melatonin I don't want to take as I think that my brain needs to produce it by itself in time, I'm afraid this will delay the process.

I don't really want to take sleeping pills from SS* class. I don't sleep that bad, last two nights I just woke up once around 6 PM and went back to sleep in 2 min, but I wake up feeling really 'heavy' and tired.

I will give it a couple of more weeks. Insomnia is nothing compared with other stuff, as eventually you sleep if you are too tired. The only thing is that the insomnia is really bad (how it is from time to time) next day I feel pretty bad.

When I will be two weeks fine with everything I will be so drunk how I was not in years (I don’t drink alcohol, maybe I will start as a new hobby ... joking)

Thank you again, this forum is one of the best and useful things I've found in the last years.

[Unregistered]

Hello,

Have any of you people experienced shortness of breaths, like...you don't have enough air in your lungs and need to take a deep breath, but can't really get it all the way.

This has started to happen to me lately and it's getting annoying and worrisome, I was at the doctors recently and told her about my anxiety and shit said that that would be a part of it. It doesn't happen all the time, just sometimes. I wish these withdrawal symptoms would just leave already.

Sam

[BFB]

Yes I agree with the Doc it could well be part of the anxiety thing, anxiety can indeed manifest it’s self in many different symptoms and the anxiety that withdrawing from marijuana can cause can be quite significant but the good news is any effects related to withdrawal will pass in time, just hang in there and things will get better.

All the best,