Hello all and welcome to recovery!!!
I've been recovering from this terrible drug for about three weeks now, although it feels like muh longer. although everyone's experience will be different, here's my withdrawal experience thus far;
After two years of using, which mostly was smoking a few bowls at night and binge smoking on weekends, with an occasional week or two of hard-core use, here's how it's gone so far:
First three to four days was hell. Extreme stomach cramps, nausea, irritability, anxiety and stress. Could not eat solids at all.
After four days I felt I was through the worst of it; the NEED feeling greatly subsided. I got the typical "recovery high" where being sober felt great, books and movies held a depth they never did when I was high.
The next week was when the drudgery of reality kicked back in. Responsibilities, work, family, bills, all that hit HARD. Felt very fragile, emotionally unstable. Nauseous in the mornings, but that subsided in the afternoons. I could eat solids normally for dinner, and a light lunch.
This week has been stressful but much more stable. I no longer feel panicky or worried over small things. Everyday I feel a little more normal.
Praise your successes, cut your losses and quit this demon. I fell prey just like you all, I HAVE to pass drug tests and I was duped into believing he was the "wonder drug", untraceable weed. Instead I found myself extremely addicted to this stuff, and didn't even remotely enjoy it by the tail end just like you all. I used just to feel normal.
In short, it does get better! Read my older posts, you can see my highs and lows. Many nights of crying myself to sleep over sadness that wasn't real; it's your brain chemistry getting back to normal. Realize it and fight through it. We are all here to help each other. Good luck and keep posting!
Thanks, Josh. I really appreciated your withdrawal survival kit; I'll now be getting a lot of things at the grocery store I hadn't thought of otherwise.
I have just a pinch of this crap left that I am going to save for tomorrow to make any withdrawals easier, and then I will be done with this demon. I really believe you when you say that it is terrible and absolutely devastating; I've never encountered a substance this inherently "bad" for me before.
That might sound simplistic, but being able to say it and see those words in front of me now helps me to realize the fact that it's really true for me.
I have just a pinch of this crap left that I am going to save for tomorrow to make any withdrawals easier, and then I will be done with this demon. I really believe you when you say that it is terrible and absolutely devastating; I've never encountered a substance this inherently "bad" for me before.
That might sound simplistic, but being able to say it and see those words in front of me now helps me to realize the fact that it's really true for me.
I will absolutely not buy any more of this substance. I am promising myself that for good...I mean for ever...and at least a few months without trying anything else to replace it, even supposedly gentler "herbs" etc., like blue lotus. I am addiction-prone and even a less poisonous substance would get abused by me now.
Okay, I just smoked the last bit of it and I am done, going cold turkey. Let this post be testament to how harsh this addiction is. I will post on my progress during whatever withdrawls.
The fact that I absolutely couldn't control my use of what remained in the house is testament to just how addiction this stuff is. And/or the deep sort of weakness I personally have toward it...
I'm not sure which, but it really doesn't matter.
I'm not sure which, but it really doesn't matter.
Quote from Thirst:
The fact that I absolutely couldn't control my use of what remained in the house is testament to just how addiction this stuff is. And/or the deep sort of weakness I personally have toward it...
I'm not sure which, but it really doesn't matter.
It's the drug that's so addictive, I'm certain of it. It's a man-made substance created for profit. If I was the chemist who came up with it I would certainly add addictive properties to keep customers coming back, just like cigarettes.
Thirst, I was just like you; I couldn't have any of it in my house or I would use it. There was no saving or rationing. If I had it I became a fiend and couldn't stop. What a terrible drug this is.
Good luck and stay strong, posting my withdrawal symptoms on here really helped me out through the worst of it. I've been extremely busy this weekend and feel completely normal again!! I'm sure I'll get stressed out again during the work week, but that's just life. Comedy and entertainment get me through the day. In the end I think most of modern society is "escapist", we all need movies, tv and books to lose ourselves in.
Keep writing Thirst and I'm here to support you through it!
The fact that I absolutely couldn't control my use of what remained in the house is testament to just how addiction this stuff is. And/or the deep sort of weakness I personally have toward it...
I'm not sure which, but it really doesn't matter.
It's the drug that's so addictive, I'm certain of it. It's a man-made substance created for profit. If I was the chemist who came up with it I would certainly add addictive properties to keep customers coming back, just like cigarettes.
Thirst, I was just like you; I couldn't have any of it in my house or I would use it. There was no saving or rationing. If I had it I became a fiend and couldn't stop. What a terrible drug this is.
Good luck and stay strong, posting my withdrawal symptoms on here really helped me out through the worst of it. I've been extremely busy this weekend and feel completely normal again!! I'm sure I'll get stressed out again during the work week, but that's just life. Comedy and entertainment get me through the day. In the end I think most of modern society is "escapist", we all need movies, tv and books to lose ourselves in.
Keep writing Thirst and I'm here to support you through it!
Marko,
That sounds terrible!! I would get obliterated high if I just smoked 1 bowl... You smoked 5 and a joint; Yikes!!
I wish I knew more but sadly no one knows much about what chemists put in it. Once States began banning the most common strains of synthetics (JWH and a few others) the chemists would further alter the canniboid strains to technically be "legal". There is no quality control, no FDA inspections or anything done to test how bad these chemicals are or what they do in long term. We have all been playing with fire...
I seriously hope you haven't been burned, my friend. 8 months and your still feeling messed up; it's time to see a doctor bro. We can help each other quit, but luckily your way past all of us on that one. Great job too! I can't wait to be 8 months sober!!
But your lingering symptoms seriously need to be checked out by a professional. I can say that after 3 weeks I do not feel like that at all; but I also smoked in much smaller quantities.
I feel for you man. Please see a medical professional, I think it's gotten to that point, ad please let us know what they say!!!
Good luck ad hopefully you'll snap out of it!
That sounds terrible!! I would get obliterated high if I just smoked 1 bowl... You smoked 5 and a joint; Yikes!!
I wish I knew more but sadly no one knows much about what chemists put in it. Once States began banning the most common strains of synthetics (JWH and a few others) the chemists would further alter the canniboid strains to technically be "legal". There is no quality control, no FDA inspections or anything done to test how bad these chemicals are or what they do in long term. We have all been playing with fire...
I seriously hope you haven't been burned, my friend. 8 months and your still feeling messed up; it's time to see a doctor bro. We can help each other quit, but luckily your way past all of us on that one. Great job too! I can't wait to be 8 months sober!!
But your lingering symptoms seriously need to be checked out by a professional. I can say that after 3 weeks I do not feel like that at all; but I also smoked in much smaller quantities.
I feel for you man. Please see a medical professional, I think it's gotten to that point, ad please let us know what they say!!!
Good luck ad hopefully you'll snap out of it!
I like everyone else has posted here experianced the worst addiction of my life with this stuff. Im 46 yrs old and basically it all started as what i thought would be a weekend break from the stresses of life. at the time i started i was in the best shape of my life working full time and going to the gym like a mad man training for a triathelon....running swimming biking weight lifting for arond 2 yrs. I felt great on top of the world better shape than most 20 yr olds. Too say the least i thought i needed a quick break i thought... id been drug free for years. I had actually heard this stuff advertised on the radio were i live..wow imagine that drugs advertised.
Actually i wanted weed though like discused here i have drug tests at work..So i thought how bad can this stuff be i veiwed it kinda as a joke when i went to buy it like yea this is really gonna be something i bet I dont even get high...Well needless to say after 18 months one arrest for driving high outta my mind. (never in my life been arrested for anything)completlly stopped the gym.. several i feel near death experiances were i thought i was gonna die of heart attack and begging god to let me live....to only come down and imeadiately smoke it again..It was daily for 18 months..non stop. i Managed to keep my job...but destroyed a wonderful relationship with the best women id ever been with in my life...
In november of 2011 i began going to Narcotics anonyomous meetings everyday for 3 months. I felt like a junkie....Id lost weight id sweat then be so cold was angry all the time.....but i keep goin...everyday. One minuate one hr one day at a time i made it.. That was Nov 2011 i now have 8 months clean....i feel better way better ...but yet to feel the energy i once had,,and am lil worried about my lungs.
I now spend vacation time with my daughter traveling...thank god for her she stayed with me my first few weeks i was getting clean. Id prettyy much shut the world out her included. She helped me just being there. This stuff is evil..Its not weed never believe that. It may be humbeling experiance and hard to ask for help or admit you need it....But narcotics anonymous helped me..I went thru the thinking at first..well im not a crack addict im not a herion addict this is legal.. ill look foolish in narcotics anonymous meeting..but i went anyhow.one min..one hr one day at a time..dont be ashamed get help if i can you can.It isnt easy But you wont regret it.......peace
So, I'm drinking rum now to help with the cravings...certainly not ideal, but I've never had a problem with alcoholism and the small amount of alcohol seems to help with general desire to run out and buy more ASAP. I may use it for a short amount of time just to encourage me to stay away from something worse.
I think you're right that this stuff is just really addictive in and of itself, Josh. I have used a vareity of substances to self-medicate before, and have never felt or been this "out of control" with my use of any of them. I may have had a legitimate problem at certain points with other substances, but never this full-blown, mindless NEED. This is new and frightening for me and I wasn't prepared for it. I feel like a crack-head or at least something comparable.
I will never touch synthetic cannibinoids again, and I am saying that with full knowledge that the cravings/withdrawal may feel unbearable for the next few days. I am willing to use substitutes if it comes to that. I know certain real herbs can have subtle mind-altering effects, and may pick up something from that category. I once successfully went five months without any "Spice" use by smoking a bowl of mugwort and scullcap once a week or so. It didn't get me really high or anything, but had a subtle sedative effect and seemed to fill that craving to just smoke something in a pipe...ideally MJ but I have never found good access to marijuana and would be better off not wasting my money on that, either.
The mugwort/scullcap herbal smoking blend was only about $4 for a considerable amount and also included wild lettuce, wormwood, and catnip. It tasted/smelled like many of the plant material they use in spice blends with the chemical, but without the chemicals it was simply a pleasant-tasting smoke that relaxed me slightly. But, it's still harsh on the lungs and not ideal as mugwort and wormwood can have some fairly troubling side effects and are not ideal for regular use.
I suppose the best answer is to just stop smoking altogether and get the idea out of my head that I can smoke anything safely. Bottom line: lighting crap on fire and inhaling the smoke is never a good idea health-wise. It doesn't matter what you're smoking, how "pure" the ingredients are, it's still smoking and you will suffer the consequences later. How much worse is that reality when included in your smoking material you have random unknown lab-created chemicals sprayed on it and only god-knows what sorts of contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, etc. It has to be one of the worst things to smoke or get a "high" from.
I think you're right that this stuff is just really addictive in and of itself, Josh. I have used a vareity of substances to self-medicate before, and have never felt or been this "out of control" with my use of any of them. I may have had a legitimate problem at certain points with other substances, but never this full-blown, mindless NEED. This is new and frightening for me and I wasn't prepared for it. I feel like a crack-head or at least something comparable.
I will never touch synthetic cannibinoids again, and I am saying that with full knowledge that the cravings/withdrawal may feel unbearable for the next few days. I am willing to use substitutes if it comes to that. I know certain real herbs can have subtle mind-altering effects, and may pick up something from that category. I once successfully went five months without any "Spice" use by smoking a bowl of mugwort and scullcap once a week or so. It didn't get me really high or anything, but had a subtle sedative effect and seemed to fill that craving to just smoke something in a pipe...ideally MJ but I have never found good access to marijuana and would be better off not wasting my money on that, either.
The mugwort/scullcap herbal smoking blend was only about $4 for a considerable amount and also included wild lettuce, wormwood, and catnip. It tasted/smelled like many of the plant material they use in spice blends with the chemical, but without the chemicals it was simply a pleasant-tasting smoke that relaxed me slightly. But, it's still harsh on the lungs and not ideal as mugwort and wormwood can have some fairly troubling side effects and are not ideal for regular use.
I suppose the best answer is to just stop smoking altogether and get the idea out of my head that I can smoke anything safely. Bottom line: lighting crap on fire and inhaling the smoke is never a good idea health-wise. It doesn't matter what you're smoking, how "pure" the ingredients are, it's still smoking and you will suffer the consequences later. How much worse is that reality when included in your smoking material you have random unknown lab-created chemicals sprayed on it and only god-knows what sorts of contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, etc. It has to be one of the worst things to smoke or get a "high" from.
I feel mild nausea, but mostly just loss of appetite. I am very worried about how much I consumed in such a short time (9g in just one week), though I have heard reports of much heavier use. I think I am lucky in the fact that the worst effect of the particular brand I smoked was intense, sudden cravings...no crazy near-death experiences on it. I am hoping that's an indication I didn't do great damage to myself, but only time will tell.
Thirst,
It sounds like your completely dedicated to getting rid of this monster for good, great job! Just go easy on the liquor as you said, or you could cross-addict into something else.
Just like you I've tried a few other substances and heavily used MJ back in my younger years, even smoked cigarettes during finals week, etc. I NEVER felt addicted to anything. I could just quit cold turkey and never look back. There is definitely some addictive chemicals in synthetics.
Just like you said, I felt like a crack addict. It's a shame this is advertised like MJ, I think we were all originally seeking a legal, mild substitute for MJ when we started (at least I did).
Great job and keep up the good work! Im glad to hear nausea hasnt gotten to you yet, I think it might be caused by starvation though because it's almost impossible to eat. I survived off of chicken noodle soup broth during that phase.
I also forgot to mention the cold sweats as others have mentioned. I would wake up in damp sheets every morning for about a week or so, and my body temperature was extremely sensitive. Keep a sweatshirt handy, I took mine on and off probably 100 times a day that first week.
I've also read that The cold sweats are actually the way your body expunges these chemicals. Some posters on other sites have said they could smell the chemicals seeping out of their pores. There hasn't been any clinical studies so this is all hearsay, but it could definitely be a possibility.
All my symptoms are pretty much gone. Even here on a Monday I'm not feeling stressed or emotional. I'm feeling normal again!!
It sounds like your completely dedicated to getting rid of this monster for good, great job! Just go easy on the liquor as you said, or you could cross-addict into something else.
Just like you I've tried a few other substances and heavily used MJ back in my younger years, even smoked cigarettes during finals week, etc. I NEVER felt addicted to anything. I could just quit cold turkey and never look back. There is definitely some addictive chemicals in synthetics.
Just like you said, I felt like a crack addict. It's a shame this is advertised like MJ, I think we were all originally seeking a legal, mild substitute for MJ when we started (at least I did).
Great job and keep up the good work! Im glad to hear nausea hasnt gotten to you yet, I think it might be caused by starvation though because it's almost impossible to eat. I survived off of chicken noodle soup broth during that phase.
I also forgot to mention the cold sweats as others have mentioned. I would wake up in damp sheets every morning for about a week or so, and my body temperature was extremely sensitive. Keep a sweatshirt handy, I took mine on and off probably 100 times a day that first week.
I've also read that The cold sweats are actually the way your body expunges these chemicals. Some posters on other sites have said they could smell the chemicals seeping out of their pores. There hasn't been any clinical studies so this is all hearsay, but it could definitely be a possibility.
All my symptoms are pretty much gone. Even here on a Monday I'm not feeling stressed or emotional. I'm feeling normal again!!
Well, I'm glad I found this site - everyone seems to match my situation perfectly! I've been smoking the fake stuff for awhile now (I'd say at least 5-6 months). I have an insatiable urge to buy more the second I'm getting low or anytime I drive by somewhere that I know carries some type of synth. stuff. Whenever I quit temporarily (couple days at a time usually), I have no appetite and I dont' want to get out of bed really. I listen to audio books when I'm driving or smoking or whatever and these seem to be the only thing i enjoy doing when I smoke or am trying to quit. It makes no sense really, all I want to do is just sit there and listen. I have tons of video games a brand new TV and technology out the wazoo to play with (I'm a bit of a geek), but I have lost my desire to do any of these things. Now if I want to play a game I wish I could smoke first. I have not been able to buy what I usually get lately, so now I have resorted to smoking res from the synthetic stuff - which is basically black tar of something that is already terrible for you, but I can't help myself. Once I smoke the res I have left, then I'll quit cold turkey.
Hello again everyone!
Just as an update to my recovery thus far:
I'm on week 3 of recovery, not a single slip up or relapse. It was hard, but I feel great!!
Week two I found myself anxious at work and agonized over small tasks, they held an unrealistic weight and gravity to them. I was continually stressed.
This week I have been a MACHINE at work. I got more done on Monday than I usually did all week high. My productivity levels, optimism, energy levels and enthusiasm are skyrocketing!
I think part of this is because I can FINALLY eat breakfast again!! I wake up to two eggs and juice in the mornings now, and have no problem stomaching them. I've found that when I eat breakfast coffee isnt an "essential" as it once was. I'm also not a morning person at all, never had been, but I'm just feeling really good and wanted to share a positive message that you CAN recover. I've had all the symptoms you all have posted, and they DO go away in time, at least for me.
Marko: any word on your condition? I know your situation was unique; would like to hear from you.
How are you holding up Thirst?
Just as an update to my recovery thus far:
I'm on week 3 of recovery, not a single slip up or relapse. It was hard, but I feel great!!
Week two I found myself anxious at work and agonized over small tasks, they held an unrealistic weight and gravity to them. I was continually stressed.
This week I have been a MACHINE at work. I got more done on Monday than I usually did all week high. My productivity levels, optimism, energy levels and enthusiasm are skyrocketing!
I think part of this is because I can FINALLY eat breakfast again!! I wake up to two eggs and juice in the mornings now, and have no problem stomaching them. I've found that when I eat breakfast coffee isnt an "essential" as it once was. I'm also not a morning person at all, never had been, but I'm just feeling really good and wanted to share a positive message that you CAN recover. I've had all the symptoms you all have posted, and they DO go away in time, at least for me.
Marko: any word on your condition? I know your situation was unique; would like to hear from you.
How are you holding up Thirst?
James,
Welcome to the forum! Keep us posted on your recovery!
Welcome to the forum! Keep us posted on your recovery!
my partner and i were big smokers. because of the nature of our work we smoked synthetic weed (the legal stuff) and weed only occasionally. i guess our addiction brought us together, thats all we really use to do. we also have a wide group of friends who get into the same sort of thing. after a while i began to noticed the rapid changes of people around me who would smoke it. how fast they would become addicted, reliant on it. thats when i realised how much of my life it had consumed. i made countless efforts to kick the habbit, yet always found myself back on it.
not so long ago i fell pregnant. since then i have embraced a healthy, new, drug-free life style. im really loving having a clear head and looking forward to the arrival of my little one.
my partner however seems to still be on the cronic train and i dont know how to get him off. he was completely off it for a month but it doesnt take long until he falls back into old habbit. he says he is trying, that he will get help, that he has cut down, dont worry ill be off it by the time the baby gets here..but so far i havnt seen any improvment. he goes up and down..and at the moment he is at an all time low. he wakes up in the middle of the night several times to feed his addiction, and i think he even does it on his lunch breaks. he wont talk about it with me anymore. he spends money that we need for bills/savings/prep for baby. ive suggested that he see a councillor and he says he will. but i feel like he just agrees to what i say to shut me up. i have been thinking about seeing a councillor myself because i dont know what else to do. im heavily pregnant now and i dont know how to deal with this. i try not to stress about it but i feel if i do nothing this is going to continue. i dont want a drug addict raising my baby, i dont want my baby not to have a father, and i definatly dont want to slip into old habbits again which i fear will happen if im under so much stress, or influenced by him.
i know how hard it is to give up, but i havnt touched it since i found out i was pregnant. why isnt it enough for him to stop? he wants to be with me, and he is excited about the baby, so why cant he do this for us? i did.
not so long ago i fell pregnant. since then i have embraced a healthy, new, drug-free life style. im really loving having a clear head and looking forward to the arrival of my little one.
my partner however seems to still be on the cronic train and i dont know how to get him off. he was completely off it for a month but it doesnt take long until he falls back into old habbit. he says he is trying, that he will get help, that he has cut down, dont worry ill be off it by the time the baby gets here..but so far i havnt seen any improvment. he goes up and down..and at the moment he is at an all time low. he wakes up in the middle of the night several times to feed his addiction, and i think he even does it on his lunch breaks. he wont talk about it with me anymore. he spends money that we need for bills/savings/prep for baby. ive suggested that he see a councillor and he says he will. but i feel like he just agrees to what i say to shut me up. i have been thinking about seeing a councillor myself because i dont know what else to do. im heavily pregnant now and i dont know how to deal with this. i try not to stress about it but i feel if i do nothing this is going to continue. i dont want a drug addict raising my baby, i dont want my baby not to have a father, and i definatly dont want to slip into old habbits again which i fear will happen if im under so much stress, or influenced by him.
i know how hard it is to give up, but i havnt touched it since i found out i was pregnant. why isnt it enough for him to stop? he wants to be with me, and he is excited about the baby, so why cant he do this for us? i did.
My husband has been smoking this for over a year now and it's destroying him and our marriage. I have tried everything I know to help him and offer him full support but I can't live with the lies he tells now and the fact he pretends it's not a problem. I have 5 children to look after and short of a miracle nothing is going to help. We live in Australia and it's so easily accessible here. I wish these people selling it knew how many lives are being destroyed because of this. Turns out it doesn't matter how much you love someone. I'm completely destroyed by what this 'legal' drug has done to us.
So far, so good. It's almost been a week and I'm starting to feel so much more clear-headed.
I won't ever be pursuing the synthetic poison again.
I won't ever be pursuing the synthetic poison again.
Marco and all,
I ran across an article on synthetic weed the other day, and in the hundred or so comments I saw a couple other people mention smoking synthetic weed and then for months afterward feeling like being "in a dream." So there are other people out there having this same experience. None of them have reported back to see the feeling has gone away yet (that doesn't mean it won't) but at least you are not the only one.
here is the article, and please scroll down to read the comments. near death experiences, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, numbness, crazy levels of craving, are some of the more common effects mentioned by posters: http://drug.addictionblog.org/does-...ed-cause-death/
I ran across an article on synthetic weed the other day, and in the hundred or so comments I saw a couple other people mention smoking synthetic weed and then for months afterward feeling like being "in a dream." So there are other people out there having this same experience. None of them have reported back to see the feeling has gone away yet (that doesn't mean it won't) but at least you are not the only one.
here is the article, and please scroll down to read the comments. near death experiences, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, numbness, crazy levels of craving, are some of the more common effects mentioned by posters: http://drug.addictionblog.org/does-...ed-cause-death/
you couldnt beleive how releived i am to find this site and more important this topic.Ive been smoking synth now for over 6 months and im heavily addicted.Its starting to tear up my life and ruin my relatonship,if it hasnt already.Im empoyed fulltime by the federal govt. thats if i stil have a job ive missed almost 3 weeks worth of work to date.I was a regular pot smoker then due to legal problems quit,and was happy enough with that for a year.Then i was introduced to spice it started out innocent enough occasionally smoking some on my days off but it slowly built up to where im at now 10-15 grams a day.Its really cheap here where im at and the store around the corner from me carries it.And im now to the point where i feel as though i have to have it.ive read the other posts and im suffering very similar symptoms, cant eat without it,cant sleep without it,have almost no desire to do anything at all.Im also suffering from stomach pain and headaches in the back of my head.Yet i cant seem to make myself quit.Its embarrasing i got to the store almost daily to buy it.I know the people who work there must think im crazy especially when im there first thing when they open to buy it.I can only imagine what this stuff is doing to my health.ive got to stop...
Its 9am ive been out of spice since about 9pm yesterday,i havnt gone to get more yet but the thought is almost overwhelming.This is the first morning in awhile that i havnt smoked first thing i woke up.Thinking of trying to ween myself down maybe to 5grams a day.I hate that i have to even think about this wish they would just ban the stuff so i couldnt get it.Feeling generally lousy and anxious.
