Chaplain Joe Herzanek, Addiction Counselor
ASK JOE:
Q.
If someone has been smoking pot for 40 yrs. and every time they try to quit, every day gets worse. They get more depressed and can barely go 3 months until they have to start smoking again. The depression gets too bad after quitting pot.
My question is – how long do you think it would take before they feel normal again, or will that not be possible because of how long they have been smoking pot? Will their body ever be able to function normally without pot?
A:
Yes, it can. Quitting pot and going back to living life without substances will take several months. Especially considering the 40 years of using.
Since you are asking the question I have to assume that smoking pot is causing some problems for the user. There is a lot I don’t know from your short note.
Quitting pot and then working on recovery will require some support. We have many resources listed on our page “Resource Links for Families of Addicts and Alcoholics.”
Regards,  Joe
RESOURCES:
Addiction Recovery Resources for Families of Substance Abusers, Addicts and Alcoholics
Why Don’t They Just Quit? What families and friends need to know about addiction and recovery.
> Audio Book CD, MP3 (NEW!)
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> Audible Audio Download  (LISTEN TO 4 MIN. SAMPLE)
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quitting pot quitting pot quitting pot
A great resource to help mothers of addicted children is http://www.addictsmom.com. To answer the question of quitting marjiuana use. The body gets so used to chemicals that it takes several months of cleansing to relieve the dependency. It takes a strong will to stop and stay away. The answer comes from within when you realize your divinity and that anything that interfers with that needs to be eliminated you will begin yur healing process.
Dear Laurie,
Concerning Maritox I suggest you talk to your Dr. about the pros and cons of using this drug. Marijuana is not that difficult to get off of– especially when you compare it to other drugs. If you use one drug to get off another drug then where does it stop?
My suggestion is to go to some support groups where you will find encouragement to maintain your sobriety. If it is still very difficult then consult a treatment provider. There is so much I don’t know about your use to give crystal clear guidance. Have you been using for days, weeks, months, years, decades?? How much do you use? How often do you use on a daily basis? Do you smoke morning, noon and night? How potent is the weed you smoke?
One thing I do know for sure is that you can quit. Another thing is that you are asking for help.
This is a good start! (-:
~Joe
Please tell me where I can get maritox. Looking forward to your reply
I have been smoking since the early 70’s and found it very difficult to quit. The irritability was so bad that I felt I was coming out of my skin, no matter what I did I ended up smoking again. I started the Maritox 5 days ago and I can’t believe how good I feel, yes I have a full support system with my children and friends, but my heart is not racing, I don’t feel so anxious that I want to kill, I haven’t raided the fridge. I can’t believe that it took a couple in Amsterdam to let me know there was something in my own country to help me feel so much better. I look forward to tomorrow