Intro
I have nothing against cannabis. Millions of people worldwide gain a vast variety of benefits from it. From easing pain to helping people sleep, I’m aware of the positive properties it holds. And I used to feel like it benefitted me too. However, through years of heavy use, the negatives began to outweigh the positives, and I made the decision to quit. In this blog post, I’m going to share how quitting weed has benefitted my life.
6 benefits of quitting weed
1. Better short term memory
I think a lot of stoners will relate to this – you’ve smoked all day, and your mouth is dryer than the desert. You remember you bought yourself a drink that’s chilling in the fridge. You head to the kitchen to grab it. Only, when you get there, you completely forget the reason you went. This is one of many examples I have of weed affecting my short-term memory, I used to space out a lot!
I’ve found quitting weed has improved my short-term memory. I find it easier to recall what I did yesterday and rarely forget what I went to the kitchen for. In a lot of ways my head feels a lot clearer.
2. More productive
Don’t get me wrong, you can still be productive, and smoke weed. Plenty of people do so. And I have been on several occasions. However, often I’d say, ‘I’ll just have a quick smoke, then get this done’. Only to forget what I was going to do. Or put it off to another day, as chilling out sounded more appealing.
I still have lazy days without weed but overall find I’m more productive without it. Motivation is easier to come by and I’ve also found its easier to keep the promises I make to myself.
3. A clearer mind
A heavy night ripping bongs or hitting dabs, made getting up in the mornings harder. I could have slept for 10 hours, but I’d wake up feeling lethargic with my brain all scrambled. Often, I’d find it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand for the first few hours of the day, while I got over the ‘stone over’.
Nowadays, I regularly wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. I’ve found it easier to concentrate and get shit done right away. Rather than having to let my brain warm up for a few hours first.
4. Less social anxiety
As I started to struggle more with anxiety, I would smoke weed to ease it. And while this worked while I was by myself. It made social interactions a lot harder. At times, it felt like I was hyper vigilante to what I was saying and what other people were saying. I would come away from social interactions, overthinking what had happened. Anxiety levels would increase as I was worried, I’d made a fool of myself, or the other person was judging me negatively.
While I can’t say I’m anxiety free. I do find social interactions a lot easier to manage and much more enjoyable now that I’m not always stoned. It’s also made it feel like socialising is easier, as I’m able to hold conversations without spacing out.
5. More money
Plenty of people can enjoy cannabis occasionally. I was not one of those people. I would smoke every single day. On average, I consumed a gram a day, and in the UK that would set you back roughly $10. That would equate to $3650 spent on weed each year, and that is just a rough estimate. While cannabis is less expensive that other substances, a regular habit can cost a lot!
Now that I am not smoking every day, I have found it a lot easier to save part of my pay cheque each month. I am also able to put my money towards things I find more value in. Like experiences and traveling.
6. More enjoyment from food
Getting the munchies and chowing down, was one of my favourite things about weed. And yeah, food does taste great when you’re baked. But it killed the enjoyment of food when I wasn’t stoned. I would eat something delicious and be thinking about how it would be better if I was baked. Or I wouldn’t have an appetite until I was high.
For me, a huge benefit of quitting weed was the enjoyment I now always get from food. I can appreciate the flavours and textures without thinking how it could be better with the munchies. It’s also made sustaining a heathier diet more sustainable as I’m not craving sugary snacks all the time.
Conclusion
While I can appreciate the positive effects and medical benefits millions of people worldwide get from weed. For me, the negatives started outweighing the positives, so I gave it up. From feeling more productive and having a clearer mind, I won’t be smoking again anytime soon. With that being said, I’m not telling you to quit. Not unless you want to. I just wanted to give people an insight into some of the benefits of quitting weed. And I hope this blog post has achieved that. Please leave a comment letting me know what you think!