3 Changes You Will Notice When You Quit Smoking Weed

Popular media has essentially cemented the idea that smoking weed is harmless to the human body and brain. While cannabis does not seem to be as harmful as other illicit drugs, this notion is spoken almost like fact when the body of evidence is scarce.

There is emerging evidence that suggests that there are plenty of detrimental effects of consuming marijuana, including some alarming findings about potential long-term effects on the brains of younger individuals who consume cannabis. The idea that weed cannot be addictive is a lie.

Many individuals will be able to recreationally consume cannabis with minimal effect, much like alcohol. However, chronic and dependent users won’t be so lucky.

If you can find it in yourself to stop, I encourage you to take a break from weed for a few weeks. If you frequently use or compulsively seek cannabis, here are 3 changes you will notice when you quit smoking weed.

Improved Motivation

It is well established that dopamine is the chemical of motivation. While evidence is mixed, marijuana use alters the physiology of dopamine in a way that blunts motivation.

Here’s the quick lowdown on dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical that motivates us towards action of seeking something outside of ourselves. This motivation can be purely for survival instincts such as seeking food, sex, and safety. In the modern world, this seeking behavior can be towards advancing careers, relationships, goals, and, yes, sex. When dopamine is naturally elevated, motivation is high. When dopamine levels are depressed, motivation is low. When dopamine levels suddenly spike to unusually high levels (due to various causes such as happy and exciting moments, large rewards, and, unfortunately, drugs) there will be an inevitable crash to very low levels.

Cannabis has been shown to spike dopamine levels during use. This will lead to the inevitable crash afterwards. Weed isn’t the only substance that does this. Alcohol and illicit drugs will do the same. Chronic use of cannabis has been shown to blunt dopamine activity, meaning long term use will cause reduced dopamine release. With less dopamine comes less motivation.

I don’t believe in the caricature of the lazy stoner, but I have seen many friends go through a noticeable transformation where they become more focused, motivation, and resilient to stress when they quit smoking weed. It’s hard to say if the cessation of cannabis alone directly caused these improvements or if it was a battery of behavioral changes, but if quitting was the impetus for self-improvement, I am fine with that. It’s also possible that these positive changes were due to improvements in other factors such as improved sleep, which brings me to my next point.

Improved Sleep

I have previous addressed the effects of cannabis on sleep in this article.

Many individuals use cannabis as a sleep aid. The ironic part is that weed actually hurts sleep quality.

Two ways that weed hurts your sleep are that it suppresses REM sleep and prevents normal sleep duration.

REM sleep is associated with dreaming and is important for learning, memory, creativity, and processing emotionally turbulent events from the previous day. Cannabis users will dream much less during use, even if it seems like the dreams are more vivid. Disrupting REM sleep will negatively impact our mental acuity and well being.

Cannabis will also prevent normal sleep durations. Adults typically need 7-9 hours of sleep. Cannabis users will typically diverge to sleeping less than 6 hours or more than 10, both of which are associated with poor health outcomes.

When you quit smoking cannabis, your sleep improves. When your sleep improves, everything improves. You will notice that you have more energy throughout the day, less brain fog, less anxiety, and are more adept at dealing with stress.

Less Anxiety

This is a tough one. Many individuals use weed to help with their anxiety. The evidence is hard to sift through, but the emerging picture is becoming more clear.

THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis that’s associate with getting high, seems to have an anxiogenic effect, meaning it increases and worsens anxiety, especially at higher doses.

CBD on the other hand, appears to have an anxiolytic effect at all doses, meaning it helps reduce anxiety.

Given that most recreational cannabis users tend to consume marijuana for THC and its psychoactive effects, it’s likely that they are doing no favors for their anxiety. This is in stark contrast with the general established notion that weed is an effective treatment for anxiety. The truth is more complicated than that.

If you are going to use cannabis for anxiety, CBD is the only one that has shown to be effective.

When you stop smoking THC, you will be surprised at how much better your anxiety is controlled. Give yourself a few weeks to get used to this, as the act of stopping may temporarily increase anxiety due to either withdrawal or fear of anxiety.

Give Yourself A Chance To Improve

I should state that I have nothing against cannabis use. I view it in similar light to alcohol as a recreational substance and find it ridiculous that it’s still a Schedule 1 drug. More research needs to be done on cannabis so we can fully understand its medical applications and effects of recreational use.

However, if you find yourself compulsively using or seeking cannabis on a frequent basis, I am going to encourage you to take a break and see what it can do for your physical and mental health. You will notice that you sleep better, are more focused, have less brain fog, and are more resilient to stress.