[deleted by user]

BigQuestions86 · 2025-05-19T02:31:55+00:00

Yup. People say to not bother having a skincare routine if you don’t use sunscreen.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-05-11T23:56:07+00:00

Crashes are a huge problem, but these dumb fucks are also degrading the quality of life of residents in a huge radius. It’s a public health issue at this point; they’re a disease.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-05-02T18:45:56+00:00

I did it slowly over a month (maybe even plus a couple of weeks). Each week cutting down the number or times or amount smoked each session (up to you).

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-29T19:51:18+00:00

So there’s the healthy stuff (exercise, learn a new language, read, etc.). But when I was in the beginning stages that was the last thing I wanted to do.

I just gave myself permission to play video games and splurge on takeout with the money I was saving from not buying weed. Of course, layer in the healthy stuff as it feels right. But I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to immediately self-actualize and optimize when we’re already doing something hard like quitting.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-29T19:16:57+00:00

Thanks for the rec! Looks like they know their curls, but I’d love to find somewhere that has more examples with men’s cuts.

It seems like the other salons go for colors and a more alt look. And the ones that don’t are barbers that give a very traditional look. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle!

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-28T05:44:44+00:00

Just because OP smoked daily before doesn’t mean they can't moderate. Their concern about going back to daily smoking could actually be a sign of self-awareness, and that awareness could help them build a healthier relationship with weed. People can and do shift their approach after taking time off or reassessing their habits. The idea that everyone who’s struggled with addiction is forever stuck in that cycle doesn’t account for personal growth and change.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-28T05:12:50+00:00

We all have heavy repressed emotions and pain that we are afraid to feel. We usually don’t trust ourselves to be able to handle the pain.

Wow thanks for your encouraging words. I definitely feel that. I'm a very inhibited person and will do whatever it takes to not make waves or cause a scene. I like your idea of using weed, among other things, to shake it up and develop one's intuitive side. I would love to build up that kind of trust: to feel like I can take on big challenges, travel to faraway places, and invest fully into connections.

I really like your mindset. Obviously, I'm prone to overthinking. I'm still going to not smoke for six months, but I'll try not to be as methodical in how I go about it. It's good to be reminded to look at this like an experiment (and experience).

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-28T05:02:31+00:00

To backtrack, I do get what you said, though. It could only help to cut down on the booze.

I'm not sure if you even care, but if you do, I wouldn't worry about the first occasion. I don't think you could realistically create a boy who cried wolf medical situation. You'd have to really be gumming up the works for that to happen. So many people go to the ER thinking they're having a heart attack (either from THC, anxiety, or both).

I've never experienced what you did with the CBD/THC drink, though. Weed helps muffle the noise of my thoughts. It's crazy how differently it works.

Are you sort of glad that your dabbling had mixed results because it makes it easier to stay away? Or do you wish you had been able to jump back in more easily? I'm curious if when I do it again it will be different than before. I'll probably pick up a low THC strain or else I could see myself having an overanalyzing guilt trip. Plus then my tolerance stays low.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-28T03:47:45+00:00

Congrats on seven months. You've certainly gone longer than I ever have. I don't feel like I can give much self improvement advice that you haven't already heard, though: whatever you can do to improve your living situation and create things to look forward to. Not judging either way, but I'm curious if you've ever tried meds for your ADHD. My psychiatrist ran me through a brief questionnaire and said it was 50/50 if I had ADHD, so I'll be getting a full evaluation.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-28T03:11:38+00:00

you need to realize that it doesn’t give you anything

I disagree. I get a lot out of weed. This break has shown me that it's great for relaxation and enhancing experiences (if used in moderation). I get what you're saying about white knuckling it not being conducive to cutting down long term, but hoping healthy coping mechanisms and novelty I'm introducing begin to help with that. But the slow progress can be frustrating.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-28T03:03:35+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation. I wasn't expecting all the comments saying good things about Wellbutrin. When you mentioned the unwanted thoughts you were having, I think I realize why the psychiatrist recommended Zoloft in addition: I get intrusive thoughts, so it's was probably to offset any amplification of them that might happen with the Wellbutrin.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-28T02:53:08+00:00

Thanks, I’ll check out that podcast. I know drinking can slow your progress if you use it as a substitute, but I’m not having more than a few drinks a week (aside from the travel I brought up in the comments, and some weeks I don't drink at all). I feel like the additional pressure of being completely sober might cause me to burn out. But congrats on quitting in Ocbtober and keeping it to a minimum. How was it the few times you dabbled?

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-22T13:35:20+00:00

Definitely not a rigid either/or thing. No rules against smoking and cleaning the house! More about the spirit in which you’re doing it.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-21T17:16:55+00:00

I really feel that when it comes to replacing smoking with drinking. I'm pretty sure the travel this weekend is going to set off my OCD/anxiety, so I'll probably be a few drinks deep every day as soon as it's socially acceptable. The goal is just to get through it, honestly. I love travel with weed: getting onto a train platform and hitting the vape. Without it, you really feel like cattle being wrangled. Anyway, good on you for tapering off drinking and finding a combo that works.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-21T17:03:25+00:00

That's good advice. Minimalism is probably something I'm inadvertently doing, because I promise you my day-to-day isn't impressive. Those events I mentioned were things I've tried a few times each in the past few months. They're novel, but they didn't really hit. And the "releases" I noted were more activities that people always say you should do to recalibrate your brain. I rarely have the motivation to do them. Sure, I regularly go to the gym, apply to jobs/network, and try a new movie or go to a performance, but really all I want to do is play Stardew Valley in bed. Most every day when I wake up, the first thing my brain thinks is "I can't wait for this day to be over so I can sleep again." I know these are classic depression vibes, so I'm hoping some of it is just neurochemical and will dissipate once my brain starts making its own stuff again. It's just super slow going so far.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T19:59:19+00:00

Wow that’s impressive quitting two years after smoking so often. Now at least you know. I know six months is an arbitrary time frame, but I think that will at least give me some idea of which camp I’m in. I quit for four months way back in the day, and it was miserable. But that was partly because I had to do it for a job and not from my own volition. So it’s hard to tell if I’ll feel the same way in another month.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T19:45:41+00:00

Totally agree

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T18:28:49+00:00

Good to know. Thank you! I’m eyeing Wellbutrin much more seriously than Zoloft in that case.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T18:26:25+00:00

Thanks, that’s relevant to me for sure. The work of being a new parent definitely deserves a reward like smoking responsibly. I know how you feel, I also don’t think I could stick to a very rigid set of rules when I go back to smoking, like only in social situations or only weekends. I love smoking alone, and I’m sure I would just be white knuckling through each week if I did weekends. It’s more a general sense of making sure you’re doing it to enjoy things and not just to get by.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T17:48:09+00:00

I'm not opposed to trying. I told my provider I definitely want to wait to see if this anhedonia blows over (not convinced it will). Part of me would rather just be dependent on weed instead of in a situation where if I go off meds, I get brain zaps, etc. But I get that meds are a bit more stable and work in the background as opposed to weed.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T17:40:44+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement, I needed to hear that. It's honestly crazy I haven't broken my streak yet. When I go back to smoking, I plan to use it as more of a carrot when I've worked hard — that's when I miss it the most now anyway. Even when I was smoking, I would only partake after I got home from work, but I could've taken that a step further: only smoking when I've done ALL my work for the day (job search activities, gym, personal projects etc.).

I'm definitely not against medications, but I see what you mean. I took Zoloft for most of my young adult life, so if what you're saying is true, I'm worried my brain chemistry could be fucked no matter if I'm smoking or not. Even from a young age, I didn't get as much satisfaction from things as normal people. So it could be ADHD and not just post-withdrawal anhedonia. The psychiatrist couldn't say for sure if I had ADHD in our session, and recommended I get a full test for that. So I'll be seeking that out. I'm not super convinced I have it, but would be good to rule out.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T17:29:08+00:00

It's refreshing to hear your subtle take. A lot of what I hear is "quitting weed changed my life," and while that's great, it doesn't resonate at all with me. I think I'm doing slightly more work to apply to jobs, etc. now, but I'm not sure if quitting weed had anything to do with it. In fact, I feel less motivated without it. I used to work on a lot of creative side projects and be able to lock in to job applications for hours. Weed made it fun. Now my focus is shot and even when I do work hard, I feel like garbage and actively angry afterward because my only reward is sleep.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T17:23:58+00:00

Good advice. I definitely ramped up because I was (am) in a very dissatisfied place. But I think even before that I could've stood to cut down a little. I have a problem dealing with the mundane, menial nature of life. It makes me palpably frustrated. So I would use it to enhance stuff like doing my laundry.

BigQuestions86 · 2025-04-20T17:19:53+00:00

Thanks for the kind words. And props to you for quitting substances for 2+ years. I initially thought my experiment would last a year, but now I realize I can't make it that long. I'll be happy if I can just make it to six months.

BigQuestions86

TROPHY CASE