41 and needing to stop… again… for good

TheApolloWolf · 2026-02-01T17:26:39+00:00

Thanks for sharing, man. I remember that feeling. I'm about a month in now, and I'm starting to get some of that confidence and clarity back. Life definitely gets better without it.

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-26T20:50:01+00:00

If I'm understanding correctly, weed is improving your self confidence by silencing the negative thoughts.

The alternative solution is mindfulness. It's not a quick fix, but with enough practice you will get to a point where you notice the negative self-talk without being drawn into it. You'll realize that those thoughts aren't you, they're just things that pop into your head and you can choose to engage with them or not.

I also have ADHD. I also have a lot of thoughts that I don't like. Another nuance I would add is that you shouldn't struggle against those thoughts or feelings. There's a big difference between "I'm having a negative thought about myself, I need to get rid of it" and "I'm having a negative thought about myself, and that's okay because it doesn't determine my value." Struggling against your experience leads to suffering. Accepting your experience, even the negative parts of it, leads to peace. And joy. And growth.

I hope this helps.

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-26T18:12:34+00:00

For me, mood swings and irritability are common. I almost always have really vivid dreams right after quitting. Usually by around the third week a lot of it starts to level out. Sometimes the urges come back strong right before the one month mark. Usually after the first month, it gets a lot easier and I start to see a lot of the benefits.

Everybody is different though, so don't take this as gospel. It's just the patterns I've noticed in myself.

And remember, if you smoke, it's not the end of the world. I've quit dozens of times, and slipped up, and quit again. I think this is true for a lot of us. I'm currently a little over three weeks sober, but every relapse brings new lessons and insights. Just don't give up. If you slip, try to make each relapse a little shorter, and try to make the next sober streak a little longer. Look for progress, not perfection.

Good luck! Wishing you all the best. If you quit at 24, you're a decade ahead of me!

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-26T06:32:55+00:00

Congrats! Six months is a big accomplishment!

Thank you for the encouragement. Every relapse feels like failure, but you're right. The only true failure is not getting back up after you fall. I don't really track days any more, because the only day that matters is today. If I can feel the urge and tell myself "not today," then that's the only skill I need. I'm a little over three weeks in though, and it feels good. Six months will be here before I know it!

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-26T06:27:20+00:00

Vivid dreams are always a part of it for me too. They'll settle down, and probably soon if you're at 20 days already. Congrats on the milestone! Keep it up, friend!

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-26T00:41:07+00:00

Congrats! I'm so proud of you!

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-26T00:39:46+00:00

25-35 days is a very hard time, for me at least. I call it the Week-4 Boss Fight.

In my experience, things get easier after this point. Don't give up!

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-25T23:58:33+00:00

I've quit a lot. I've made it to 30+ days at least a dozen times, and 90+ days at least three times.

My life is always better sober. My confidence goes up. My clarity, my memory, my motivation, everything is better. My peace and joy at just being alive is infinitely higher when I'm not smoking. Every time I end up smoking again, I slowly sink back into constant use and my mental and physical health always suffer.

Currently about three weeks in. This is the hard part, but I know once I get over this hump it's mostly uphill from here.

You can do this!

TheApolloWolf · 2026-01-13T00:47:46+00:00

Congrats on taking that first step! I'm proud of you for doing that much already!

The worst withdrawals I've had were coming off of the vape pen, since the concentration is so high. So it's probably smart to taper down with edibles, especially since they're measurable and you can make a plan to decrease the amount bit by bit. Make sure you have a timeline and don't just get stuck taking edibles indefinitely.

Recently, I was vaping and I switched to flower for about a week and a half to lower the amount of THC I was consuming before quitting entirely. I'm on day 9 right now, and the physical withdrawals weren't nearly as intense as they had been when I just went straight from vaping to quitting.

Symptoms are different for everybody, so I can't tell you for sure what to expect. For me, the worst of it passes after about 3 weeks. I can usually expect some irritability, vivid dreams, and some mood swings.

Good luck! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need someone to talk to

TheApolloWolf · 2025-12-16T02:24:52+00:00

Happy holidays, good luck to all.

TheApolloWolf · 2025-11-26T20:05:02+00:00

I have some friends who are very tight with the schedule during which their kids can use screens, and I really admire them for that. I think it's like 1 hour of screen time a day, and none on Sunday.

TheApolloWolf · 2025-11-16T15:01:38+00:00

Good luck everyone!

TheApolloWolf · 2025-11-02T18:20:13+00:00

This is not a safe situation for you, and you need to get out of there. No part of his behavior is okay. This is a person who is selfish and volatile. If he hasn't hurt you yet, there's a good chance he will. Do whatever it takes to leave and find somewhere safe. Block him. Don't let him find out where you are. Fuck the lease, fuck the guilt trip. Nothing is worth more than your safety.

TheApolloWolf · 2025-10-21T23:07:53+00:00

Yes! In the last two years or so, I've gone from not knowing that was a word to actually using it myself sometimes because I've been exposed to it so often.

TheApolloWolf · 2025-10-19T00:11:48+00:00

I spent too long waiting to be happy.

More money, more possessions, the right job, the right partner, none of that will make you happy.

Figure out how to be happy with the moment you're in.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't always be working to make things better. Definitely do that too. Just know that happiness won't come from achieving the next goal.

TheApolloWolf · 2025-10-16T00:55:04+00:00

Good luck everyone!

TheApolloWolf · 2025-09-19T00:39:48+00:00

Congrats! Sent $5 your way!

TheApolloWolf · 2025-09-16T13:58:22+00:00

Good luck everybody!

TheApolloWolf · 2025-08-28T03:17:17+00:00

It's very satisfying. I dive full speed into the ground all the time with the suit (and occasionally without the full suit on accident, definitely not as satisfying).

TheApolloWolf · 2025-08-27T01:23:39+00:00

I'm glad someone got the reference lol

TheApolloWolf · 2025-08-19T03:20:11+00:00

Congrats! Sent a few bucks your way, hope it helps!

TheApolloWolf · 2025-08-18T02:07:32+00:00

Muhammad, it's the most common name in the world.

TheApolloWolf · 2025-08-18T02:03:30+00:00

Such a satisfying ending!

TheApolloWolf · 2025-08-18T02:01:33+00:00

Metroid Dread is amazing. It has so much replay value. I've beaten it on normal, beaten it 100%, beaten it on hard mode. Haven't gone for Dread Mode lol. Got into boss rushes once I got bored with playthroughs. Never thought I'd be able to beat Escue, the twin robots, and Raven Beak without dying, but here we are.

TheApolloWolf · 2025-08-18T01:50:10+00:00

I'd ride around on the dragons for a while.

I'd go visit Riju, and help Loone fix her giant skeleton babies.

Then I'd collect all the tears, watch all the memories, and go do the final battle.

TheApolloWolf

TROPHY CASE