Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Stop overnight
• Method 2 of 3: Seek professional help
• Method 3 of 3: Taper off slowly
• Tips
• Warnings

Cannabis addiction can be very annoying and affect your entire life. Hashish and weed have become much stronger in recent years, at least stronger than the name "soft drug" suggests. If you feel like smoking is controlling your life and you want to get rid of it, read the tips in this article.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Stop overnight

1. Throw away all your weed or hash, as well as any associated items such as rolling papers and pipes. When all that is gone, you will be less likely to crave a joint. Here's what to do:
   • Discard any lighters, roach clips, pipes or containers. Empty all your pockets to make sure you haven't missed anything.
   • If you flush weed down the toilet, you can be sure that you are not going to throw the trash upside down to find your weed.
   • Destroy anything related to cannabis use. And if you can't break it, throw it in an underground bin. Tidy up your entire room and shake out all the pockets so that you don't miss anything.
   • Get rid of anything that makes you want to smoke. That could be your favorite computer game or a particular poster in your room. This may sound like an exaggeration, but throwing away the things that trigger smoking can make it much easier to change your habits.
   • If you often walk or cycle past your regular coffee shop, change your route.
2. Make it clear to everyone around you that you have stopped. Tell your friends and family that you are no longer smoking cannabis and ask for their support. You will likely find that most people are happy that you quit.
   • This is especially important if you want to remain good friends with friends who also smoke. Tell them that you don't mean to get them to quit, but that you would appreciate it if they didn't try to persuade you to have a nice smoke. If you notice that someone doesn't respect your decision and that he or she is constantly trying to get you to smoke again, ask yourself if this "friend" deserves a place in your life. Remember: a good friend should respect your choice.
   • Perhaps it is better to avoid the friends who do smoke for a while. If your entire social life is built around smoking together, it is good to find a new group of friends. That may sound harsh, but it helps the best.
3. Prepare for withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, the withdrawal symptoms are usually not that severe when you stop smoking marijuana: it starts one day after you quit, it is worst after 2 or 3 days and after 1 or 2 weeks you will not notice much more. people have one or more symptoms that normally accompany quitting smoking, so it is always a good idea to think about how to deal with them in advance. Here are some common symptoms:
   • Insomnia: Try to avoid caffeine for the first few days. Go to bed nice and early.
   • Loss of appetite: You may feel nauseous. Eat foods that are not violent and not heavy on the stomach. For example, try bananas, brown rice, biscuits and apples.
   • Irritability: It is common for people to experience mood swings after they stop smoking. You may get annoyed or cry all the time. Think about this in advance so you are prepared when it actually happens. Then you may realize that it is part of the game and that you have to sit it out.
   • Anxiety: You probably won't feel comfortable for a while, but you can also get anxious. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remember it's only temporary.
   • Increased body temperature: You may be warmer than usual and sweat from time to time.
4. Find something else to do. You will notice that you suddenly have a lot of time to spare. Instead of hanging in front of the TV, it is a good idea to spend time on a hobby or sport. It must be accessible, for example, play the guitar or go jogging. Every time you actually want to smoke a joint, you pick up the guitar or go for a run on the street. Here are some things you can try:
   • Take a long walk
   • Calling a friend you haven't spoken to in a long time
   • Swimming
   • Cook
   • Reading the newspaper
5. Change your routines. In addition to finding new hobbies, you should change your routine so that you don't miss smoking at times when you were normally stoned. Here's what you can do:
   • Change your morning routine. Get up earlier or later than you were used to, eat something different for your breakfast or take a shower at a different time.
   • Change your school or work routine. Cycle to school via a different route, sit in a different place in the classroom or in the office if possible, and eat something different for lunch.
   • Change your study routine. If you normally studied in your bedroom (which made you smoke), you can now sit in a cafe or the library.
   • However, don't eat less to change your routine. You may be less hungry than before, but you should try to eat enough to stay healthy.
6. Resist the urge to smoke. You will likely feel very eager to smoke weed many times, so knowing how to respond if you have that urge is important. Here are some things you can do to avoid giving in to the temptation to smoke:
   • Avoid places that increase the temptation. Don't go to places where you want to smoke, whether that's your friend's room or the bicycle shed behind your school.
   • Get out of the tempting situation. Wherever you are when you are tempted, get away from it as soon as possible. By quickly changing environments you can control yourself better.
   • Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath through your mouth and hold your breath for 5-7 seconds until you are calmed. Exhale with your lips pursed and repeat until the worst tendency is over.
   • Put something else in your mouth. Having a cannabis substitute - as long as it's not cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs - will help you resist the urge.
   • Drinking water. When you are well hydrated you stay healthier and you can resist the temptation better.
7. Hold on. The worst withdrawal symptoms will be over in a week or two. After a month you are probably in the "safe zone". A month may seem like a long time if you just got rid of it, but try to realize that it really isn't that bad.
   • Make plans for a small party the day you quit for a month. Then you have something to look forward to and it is immediately a good excuse to reward yourself with a night out or a gift.

Method 2 of 3: Seek professional help

1. See your doctor. If you are unable to stop independently, it may be good to seek professional help. Your doctor can refer you to an addiction doctor if necessary.
   • Make sure you want to quit before seeking professional help.
2. Get therapy. Often there are factors that can explain why you use cannabis. You may be depressed or have anxiety attacks. Therapy can then help and cause you to stop on its own. Talk to your doctor first.
   • Look at different modalities. There are several modalities, or types of therapy, that may be suitable for cannabis addiction. Talk therapy is the most common type, but you can also research cognitive behavioral therapy.
3. Join a support group. If you're not getting enough support from family and friends, consider joining a support group where you can talk to people who are also struggling to get rid of cannabis.
   • Narcotics Anonymous is also active in the Netherlands. It offers free membership and meetings. Search online for contact information.
4. At the Jellinek you can be admitted to be treated for cannabis addiction. If nothing else works, that might be for you. It concerns an 8-week admission according to the American Minnesota model, the most widely used addiction treatment in the world.
   • Always try all other options first, if really nothing works you can have yourself recorded.
   • Fortunately, it is fully reimbursed by your health insurance, but check your policy to be sure.

Method 3 of 3: Taper off slowly

1. Decide when you want to stop completely. Set a date between 2 weeks and a month from today to stop completely. Then it is close enough to keep an eye on the goal, but long enough to be able to gradually reduce it. If you think that's unrealistic, give yourself a few months to quit altogether. When cannabis has become a huge fix in your life, it will be difficult to give up in a few weeks.
2. Make a phase-out plan. Calculate how much you will smoke between now and the quit date. Make sure it is a linear process, in other words: you should smoke half as much as you do now.
   • Put the plan on the calendar, add how much you can smoke each day and stick to it. Hang the calendar where you often see it, for example next to the bathroom mirror or on the refrigerator.
3. Measure the correct amount of weed for each day in advance. Don't think that you can honestly measure how much weed you can smoke on that day. Prepare the daily portions in advance, so you don't have to think about it anymore.
4. Look for distraction. You will spend less and less time smoking weed, so it is important that you start doing something right after you smoke. Get to work with a hobby or sport, then you may not notice the difference.
   • Take a good look at your schedule and try to fill it with as many appointments and activities as possible, without it becoming too much for you, of course.
5. Stay motivated. If you really want to stop, you have to keep in mind what you will gain with it. Remind yourself why you want to quit, be it improving your health, a better social life or a better perspective on life, and stay focused on the goal. Write it down and stick it above your desk, put a note in your wallet so you can see it a few times a day, or hang it on the fridge so you can look at it whenever you lose sight of your goal.
   • Whenever you have a moment of weakness, think about all the things you can do once you stop. You become much more active, get more energy and are more motivated to tackle anything and everything.

Tips

• You have to want stop before you can stop. Think carefully about the benefits of quitting.
• Write down what you can do with the money you save because you don't have to buy cannabis anymore.
• Exercise every day works well when you are in rehab.
• Get a good night's sleep during drug withdrawal.
• Check out the Jellinek website for more information about cannabis addiction. Read some experiences of others on various forums.
• Stopping in one go works best.
• If all of your friends are smoking dope, don't meet up with them. Otherwise you will be tempted to light a joint yourself.
• Talk to other smokers about quitting, they might have good ideas.
• Try auto suggestion. Constantly think the words "I'm going to quit smoking".
• An exercise program is a good, motivational and structured system to keep you on track and help produce endocannabinoids that your body is used to getting from smoking.
• Think about someone you love and every time the desire is too strong, bring out his or her image and say repeatedly that you will beat it.
• Think about how much healthier your body, mind, and the rest will be after you quit.

Warnings

• Try to avoid associating with people who still use cannabis, even if they are your friends. You will be much more likely to start smoking again if the people around you consider it completely normal.