If you were a frequent marijuana user, a large portion of your day may have been spent smoking weed. And without marijuana, your days may now feel somewhat empty. You’re not alone. Many people cite boredom as one of the hardest things to combat during attempts at quitting.
Boredom, though, really stems from a lack of fulfillment. Maybe you already have hobbies you know you love, but it’s not uncommon to have a hard time coming up with ways to meaningfully fill your time.
Being high may have obscured what was truly fulfilling to you. You can use this time now to find activities you really love. Variety is good, especially in the beginning. If you can find something from which can derive internal pleasure—whether it’s a solitary activity or spending time with friends—that will go a long way in keeping you away from marijuana.
Leah Zuroff, M.D., M.S.
Contributing Author
Dr. Zuroff completed medical school at the Perelman School of Medicine, where she concurrently received a Master of Science in Translational Research.
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Weedless.org is a free, web-based resource and community created by a team of healthcare professionals and researchers. We distill the facts about marijuana use and its effects into practical guidance for interested persons or for those who are thinking about or struggling to quit weed. Finding reliable, easy to understand information about marijuana should never be a struggle—that is why our core mission is to provide the most up to date information about marijuana use, abuse, addiction, and withdrawal. While we seek to empower individuals to have control over their use, we are not “anti-weed” and we support efforts to legalize adult marijuana use and study.
i feel very empty bored and living in reality sucks i hate the world am depressed sleep all day playing guitar and writing songs have improved but it will never be a dream that comes true so i have preetyy much abandoned it music depresses me i clean my room till theres nothing left to do i try stay away from internet and the news with so much unhelpful things to read i think about reading a book but how boring would that be iv preety much watched everything you can think off movie wise and series (gordan ramsey walking dead lost vikings masterchef soo on) im starting a course in counciling but cant really help myself soo dont really think il pass the introduction course to that since my own life id soo challenging im on 98 days today with out weed and addiction iv had since i was 14 im 27 now was heavy user and everything now seems so dark specially the way the world is today id love to change the world but cant anxiety depression lack of inspiration looking to micro dose mushrooms looking for answers meditation is good until you come out off trance back into the dark everything to me seems soo long getting help for depression getting help to look for a job il act stay in rather then rely on benifits which honestly i hate just cant work in a bar or even lift heavy things due to a inbical hernia soo 27 year old man who cant even workout or do the hard jobs because i cant lift things i feel like theres a brick wall il never get past suicide is everyday thoughts at first i saw the benifits of quitting but now i feel my emotions and feel like a empty vessel heading for nowhwere but more disapointment in life failed realtionships no relationships with friends girls yeer right im not even bad looking guy just no confidence no nothing at least weed got me past the brick wall at times im proud to say i still wont go back to weed but not proud to say that i kinda wish i could be put to sleep in a hospital bed and give my life to someone who needs it who would live there life to the fullest i would but i just dont know where to begin now that im back to being 14 years old with past emotions and deppression that didnt get resolved until i found weed that made life seem more worth living i have great family and i have food and a roof over my head but still cant shake the suicide not sure where my journey will take me but i hope it either takes me to my grave or takes me further to beleaf the getting off weed was worth it because right now i dont feel its done anything but put me into a even darker place a place i feel just so very empty and lost in a world that doesent make any sense to me
I feel like this too sometimes…How have you been simce you wrote this @CallumHawkins
This is the exact feeling I have now. Except I have a girlfriend and can work out, there’s no point to it for me. I have a job and enough money to buy whatever I need (not want) I’m studying at university but nothing can fill the emptiness I feel.
When I smoked I felt as if time went by so quickly because I’d get home from work and smoke and then *poof* 3 hours went by. Now I feel as if I’m just waiting to die, if I had more money it wouldn’t make me happy, if I had what I wanted they would just be material things, I miss weed and I have no desire for any other form of drugs or substances.
My room’s clean, my body’s clean but my mind is a mess. I used to play video games non stop because it felt like I was accomplishing something, now I’m just empty. If anyone has advice lemme know I’ll be back in a week.
I used to play videogames fairly often, now those don’t really interest me now.
I make a ton of music, but well, that gets tiring sometimes. I do work out, I go to university. I got a girlfriend.
And still. I feel like I lost something over the pandemic.
When I smoke, I feel better.
Same bro, I feel better when I smoke, and without it I feel bored and empty, and then ask myself the usual, what can I do to make my life more fulfiling and better, but I feel like the truth is I really just rather be smoking weed because it uplifts me and inspires creativity, I have a youtube channel with 2k subs that I was happy with, but Now i want to expand more and do more! I know there is always something more to do, be happy! And go with God my friends! Find out what God means to you, doesnt mean you have to join a church or group, just find out what God and the universe means to you, what makes you happy, whats fun for you? I was at the gym last night and threw my wax pen out the window, and my vapes away. Now Im debating to go pickup regular flower weed because again I feel bored and unfulfilled. Sometimes I think maybe Boredom is a sin, or even an insult to God, because this life is supposed to be so beautiful, I know right now especially things can feel tough, but I truly believe and have faith that soon it wont be like this! Have faith, Stay positive, Stay strong, and always do your absolute best!
Greetings and Salutations,
I am not high now. It is day one, taking a week break from Cannabis/weed. Been using it since 16 and now nearly 50. Moderation seems to be trick however that is not me, got high tolerance and the reason why I take breaks. Now I got 28 grams of sativa, 14 grams hybrid, and 7 grams indica. Yes, it is legal in my state. the hardest part is not smoking/vaping when you have it. One thing I noticed is not for everyone. you may even develop an allergy to it. ONE THING for sure it does deplete my energy. Work day stars at 7am and ends at 5pm. I am tired at end of day. The days I don’t smoke/vape I have energy to spare.
I noticed that friends and acquaintances could not do academics/school while being high. Got two degrees and multiple technical certifications all while being high. I work from home in highly technical field with my desktop vaporizer next to me.
Fortunately, I got hobbies and interest outside cannabis, and can enjoy doing these without weed.
Some of you may enjoy Jose silva method for a change. Look it up at your library or search engine. If you don’t like your path now, maybe time for a new perspective.
On another point. For some people cigarrets, sugar, or coffee is their substance of choice for self regulation. One of my tools is cannabis saliva!
Now nearly 50, what would I tell my younger self? Moderation with weed, eat, vape, smoke less, and do more exercise for those natural endorphins and buy more bitcoin at 0.50 cents.
Best wishes everone!
As a former Ohio State basketball and NBA player, it saddens me deeply to read about young men who have so much promise but struggle to find a sense of purpose. I’m a father of two, husband of 26 years, and mentor to hundreds of youth as well as young adults searching (without ever understanding what it is) for their life’s calling. I hold an MBA, am a certified financial planner (CFP), and have authored five books. I operate a nonprofit organization with my wife and we help vulnerable individuals find (and fund) their marketable value proposition. We’ve worked with more than 30,000 individuals across the country over the past 25 years. I release the father’s blessing over you and others who have never had a paternal representative speak life over them, regardless of race, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. I work with drug addicts to Fortune 500 executives on what it takes to be the best version of themselves. Let me share my groundbreaking study with you, which is also my intellectual property, on this theory: that the antidote to breaking free from a weed addiction is to embrace a life of purpose. Why? Because weed and purpose both impact the endocannabinoid system. And as you can see, the word “cannabis” is right in the middle of endocannabinoid. That’s not a coincidence because every drug (legal or illegal) has a similar chemical structure with a particular neurotransmitter in the human body! I define purpose as the assignment you were placed on this earth to accomplish for the benefit and betterment of others, and for those who share my faith conviction, to give glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ. Feel free to reach out to me by email and enjoy the comparison between marijuana and purpose …
Marijuana vs. Purpose
Makes you feel “high” Transports you higher in life (while leveling up)
Plays a manipulative role on the Has a transformative impact within
the neurotransmitter system the neurotransmitter system
Produces a false sense of balance Transforms every area of life in
and harmony (faux homeostasis) a synergistic and symbiotic fashion
Causes you to lose track of time Allows you to maximize your time
Creates feelings of euphoria Always feel like you’re on Cloud 9
due to the effects of THC while fulfilling the purpose call
Uses exogenous or outside sources Uses endogenous or inside
to produce an unnatural high sources to produce a natural high
Can alleviate pain and cause Can mitigate the effects of a
discomfort at the same time (such painful life through hopeful
as anxiety, irritability, etc.) attitudes and helpful behaviors
In 1 of 10 users, weed can lead Purposeful people are fixated on
to addiction (smoking, vaping, or substantive remedies that liberate
consuming Cannabis products) others first and themselves second
Weed is the gateway drug into Purpose is the symphony conductor
more harmful and addictive that acts as a life-flow coordinator
substances that trap users and legacy-continuity generator
Sought by many daily users to Without purpose, a life can’t truly
function (or feel normal) in life be lived and will feel meaningless
Cannabis use can distort Purpose clarifies your dreams and
reality and impair coordination fine-tunes your internal GPS system
May lead to paranoia and May protect the brain from
cognitive decline (with heavy use) depression and cognitive challenges
Stimulates appetite that can lead Excites your aspiration palate and
to “the munchies” fulfills your hunger cravings for success
Motivation may not diminish, but Keeps you highly motivated to be the
can keep you feeling stuck in a rut best version of your “free” self
When weed is absent, heavy users When purpose is present, weed isn’t
can feel bored (given the body’s needed (given the holistic benefits of
dependence on the drug) a life assignment)
Purpose is a holistic endeavor, not a single-minded focus.
And it’s not a coincidence that I typed “why boredom happens to weed addicts” in the internet search engine. This website was one of the links that popped up.
im drowning. Every day i wake up, and am instantly hit with that feeling of crippling boredom. I used to be depressed, but i started smoking weed to cope with that and it helped a lot. I finally felt like i could live a life that i wanted. Everything is going good. but i want to smoke. i wanna smoke so bad. i feel every second passing. I count every breath i take, every move i make because i have nothing else. I dont have a significant other, i dont have the supportive friend group i wish i did. Someone to share my insecurities with. for me, thats weed. its jus something that makes me feel more at home in my own skin. i dont want to do other drugs, heroin, coke, meth that stuff doesnt interest me. the only thing i want is weed. because it helps me not drive myself insane.
Cannabis was making you weak. The things you are enduring now are making you strong. Just keep pushing through it. It takes time, for me it took several months before I started to feel better. Enjoy living life without crippling anxiety <3 go outside and feel the sunshine. Breath deep because your lungs are not being destroyed by heat and particulate matter. Im proud of you man.
I don’t know a single person that smokes weed and calls it cannabis (an authoritarian term), and the idea that all of life’s troubles can be so easily remedied is naive at best. Now you are suggesting that should Callum start smoking again he has given in to weakness. How is that helpful? Idealistic notions like yours sound great on paper, but not in practice and to be honest we can find this pop psychology assessment anywhere on the internet. I want someone with real insight and a deep introspection into the existentialism of life’s woes. Cos when there are wars waging, sex trafficking, major injustices every day, I just don’t see how quitting weed can solve that sense of anxiety. More pertinently I tried it and failed, When I was at Uni, my marks were 20% higher when I was smoking compared to when I wasn’t. You just cannot tar everyone with the same brush.
Exactly bro, this guy doesnt know what hes talking about, just another generic bs comment! You can be a successful anything and still smoke weed! At least regular flower, yes there is a difference between a crutch vs something that actually makes you feel better, uplifts your mood and puts you in a creative,ambitious and badass mindset! Dont listen to other people, listen to how you feel! Dont overthink! Just feel, feel any sensations in your stomach, or anywhere in your body and listen to it, be calm, be happy! Go with God, connect with your higher self and live to your fullest potential, always strive for better! If you find weed is truly making you more happy and inspires you then do it moderately! Dont overdo it and dont try to kill yourself not doing it! These are just my experiences that I have had!
Hey everyone!
Similar sentiments myself. I have smoked for almost 20 years on and off, it does get to the stage I feel perma-stoned a lot of the time, so I try to take breaks from Weed just to prove that I am not dependent and also to always know that I easily can.
However, not one single time has quitting weed improved my life. With serious ADHD I just pace around my house, can’t concentrate, I even quit for 4 months last summer, long enough to pass symptoms of withdrawal, yet I only observed negative effects and the ADHD got worse and my attention span was non-existent. Sure my house was super clean, I was working out more, but to what end? Video gaming, TV, even bloody sports weren’t as fun. I am not lazy on weed, nor do I let it stop me doing anything, but it is the fact I am 34 now and so I don’t have the social group to make smoking feel like a fun thing to do with mates. The same people who quit and were able to move on are now the most judgmental of my smoking, they are so high and mighty (excuse the pun) because they are suddenly transformed by quitting, they need validation that life is better because what else? They have to confront the fact that life isn’t better and hard truths are hard to face. The same people who would implore me to stop and find something else are the same people that would turn their back if I needed help in trying to do so. Their help is limited to obtuse observations about my misgivings, rarely backed by any action. I am not saying they have the obligation, but they could shut up and be supportive in different ways if their help is only limited to words. People who do smoke as much as I do usually have the negative behavioral issues, ie smoking to them qualifies as enough to satisfy them, so I am not sure I would indulge them anyway.
I am now into my second month of quitting and the anxiety is so bad, I never get anxious on weed, like ever. It makes me feel warm all over and it never changes me, nobody can tell when I am high, I genuinely believe it makes me a nicer more tolerant person.
So supposed experts who have quit, what do you think I should do? I have quit for long enough periods that this basic and limited advice is not applicable. 8 billion people on this planet, just because something works for one person, it is no guarantee it can work for another. How about some insightful or enlightening advice? What you got?
Hi what ended up happening to you? Im a college student and I feel exactly the same way that when im not smoking I get very bored, but it never stops me from doing anything, but when I don’t smoke I get this anxiety? when I smoke it makes me feel warm and safe inside, but it never stops me from doing what I need to get done? Did you end up quitting weed? If so how was that for you and did the anxiety go away??
I have wanted to quit off and on for a long time now. Honestly though, I went to college and flunked out. Tried again, flunked out. Found weed, went back to college a third time and ended up with a 3.5gpa and at one time was asked to apply for Rhodes Scholar candidacy. I have military service with many awards and medals for my actions on 9/11. I have 3 college degrees. And have even been on a (lame and crappy) short lived tv show about obese kids at a weight loss facility with a school. I do better on weed overall. But alas, the man says I’m a worthless druggie if I can’t pass a test for a middling, middle class job. So I quit. 10 days now. Off and on I want a bowl or two in the evening. Not like I sit around all day high doing nothing. I clean, I make most of my food from scratch, etc. I do my laundry every week no prob. Dishes, vacuum. I keep a good home and my finances are secure. I always hated the “dude where’s my car” stoner trope. It never fit me or my friends. We’re all overachievers. But even with all that weed related success, with my true joy at lighting up on a Saturday evening and playing an awesome video game or watching a movie and chilling, any addiction comes down to “Can I muster the resolve to break free of this seductive and fun thing in my life.” The answer for everyone of us is “yes!” If you relapse, that’s not a failure, at least as long as you try again. As an amazing rap artist in the 90’s said, it’s all in your head. Toss everything weed related. Don’t hang out with weed friends. Change up your daily activities. If possible, whenever you get the urge, go for a brisk walk and get those lungs working. You’ll appreciate the change in your body. I have quit a few times for multiple years in order to get done with what needed to get done, like 5 years in the military. I wish all of you luck and know that if an ignorant ole hillbilly like me, who owes weed so much for my successes (it allowed me to concentrate and focus clearly on things), then anybody can do it. Hang in there and kick ass my bros!!!! Get done what you need to get done. Then maybe one day, when you have all your ducks in a row and nothing is riding on it, smoke a damn bowl and reflect on what a badass motherfucker you are.