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What Happens To Your Brain When You Stop Smoking Weed
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TLDR (Too Long Didn’t Read)
Quitting Weed Resets Your Brain: When you quit smoking weed, your brain starts to repair and reset itself, leading to improved mood, cognition, and overall mental health.
The Negative Effects of Weed: Chronic marijuana use can lower your IQ, increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and psychosis, and cause dependence and respiratory problems.
The Benefits of Quitting Weed: Quitting weed improves cognitive functions, mood, sleep quality, and financial savings, with cognitive performance beginning to improve within just one week.
The Withdrawal Phase and Tips to Quit Easier: The withdrawal phase can include mood swings, insomnia, and decreased appetite, but maintaining a regular schedule, staying busy, and exercising can help ease these symptoms.
The Hidden Consequence of Weed: Smoking too much weed can lead to a cycle of inactivity and wasted potential, stealing time and energy, and reducing motivation and ambition.
Quitting Weed Resets Your Brain
When you quit smoking weed, your brain starts to repair and reset itself.
The withdrawal period might suck at first, but trust me, the long term benefits to your brain are absolutely worth it.
Quitting or reducing your marijuana intake will greatly improve your mood, cognition, and overall mental health.
I’ll reveal the hidden consequence of smoking weed most guys don’t know about as well as tips on making quitting easier.
The Negative Effects of Weed
Weed might feel like a way to unwind, but the reality isn't so mellow.
Chronic marijuana use can mess you up in ways you might not expect.
First off, let’s talk about your brain. Heavy marijuana use can lower your IQ by up to 8 points, especially if you started young.
THC, the active compound in weed, hits the brain regions responsible for memory, learning, and attention hard.
Mental health? Yeah, weed messes with that too. Regular users are more likely to deal with anxiety, depression, and even psychosis.
Daily use can actually 3x your risk of developing psychotic disorders. That's not just a scare tactic that's straight from research published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
Dependence is another beast. About 9% of marijuana users become addicted, and if you started young or use daily, those odds jump to between 17% and 50%.
Let's not forget the physical side. Smoking weed can lead to chronic bronchitis and other respiratory problems. Your lungs aren’t meant to handle regular smoke, and over time, you’ll feel it.
The Benefits of Quitting Weed
Now, let's flip the script and talk about the positives…what happens when you quit smoking weed.
The benefits are massive, and backed by solid stats and research.
First up, your brain starts to bounce back.
Studies show that cognitive functions like memory and learning significantly improve after quitting.
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that cognitive performance can begin to improve within just 1 week of quitting, and continues to get better over time.
Mood and mental health get a major boost too. Without THC messing with your brain chemistry, anxiety and depression levels start to drop.
A study from the University of Montreal revealed that people who quit weed experienced significant reductions in depressive symptoms and improvements in overall mood.
Sleep is another big winner. Once you quit, your sleep patterns normalize, leading to better quality rest. And quality sleep improves every aspect of your health.
Financially, quitting weed can save you a ton of cash.
The average marijuana smoker who smokes daily will spend anywhere from $300 to $600 per month on weed.
Imagine investing the $1,000s you’ve spent over the years on weed into business and your career instead? You’d probably already be the new CEO of Apple or some sh*t at this point.
The Withdrawal Phase and Tips to Quit Easier
Alright, quitting weed isn’t a walk in the park. The withdrawal phase can be rough, but knowing what to expect and how to handle it can make a huge difference.
When you stop smoking weed, your brain starts to rebalance its chemistry, leading to mood swings and irritability.
It’s common to feel more on edge than usual. But remember, this is temporary. Your brain is just adjusting to the new normal.
Insomnia and vivid dreams can be a part of the withdrawal package. THC affects your sleep cycle, and without it, your body needs time to reset.
You might find yourself tossing and turning at night, but this will pass. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine in the evenings, and creating a calming bedtime routine can help ease these symptoms.
Another common symptom is a drop in appetite.
THC can increase hunger, so without it, you might not feel as hungry. Focus on eating balanced meals at regular intervals to keep your energy levels stable.
Having a concrete plan can give you the structure you need to follow through. Set a quit date and stick to it.
Keep yourself occupied to take your mind off cravings. Pick up a new hobby, start a project, or get involved in activities you enjoy.
The busier you are, the less you’ll think about smoking weed. Physical activity can reduce stress and improve your mood. Plus, it gives you a natural high that can replace the feeling you got from weed.
Identify and avoid situations or people that trigger your urge to smoke weed. If certain places or activities make you want to light up, steer clear of them for a while.
Withdrawal symptoms won’t last forever. Be patient with yourself and recognize that each day without weed is a step towards better health.
Let's get real about the bigger issue with weed.
it’s not just about the health effects, it’s about how it impacts your life.
Smoking too much weed can turn you into a couch potato, trapping you in a cycle of inactivity and wasted potential.
Weed might feel like a quick escape, a way to chill out after a long day. But when it becomes a daily habit, it can steal your time and energy.
Instead of being productive, you find yourself glued to the couch, binging on TV shows, and letting opportunities pass you by.
The problem isn’t just the hours you lose…it’s the motivation and ambition that slip away with them.
The BMM Takeaway
Think about the dreams and goals you have.
Maybe it's getting fit, starting a business, or learning a new skill.
Weed can dull that drive, making it easier to settle for less. You might tell yourself you’ll get to it tomorrow, but tomorrow keeps getting pushed back.
Days turn into weeks, and before you know it, you’re stuck in a rut, wondering where all the time went.
So in my opinion, quitting smoking is actually most beneficial in THIS aspect.
Sure, your lung health gets better, your eating gets better…but your productivity will go through the roof when you quit or significantly cut back.
Try it for 2 weeks and see what happens. And don’t be surprised if you start writing business ideas and new goals all over your wall as a result.