Chapter 25 - Substitutes

One of the most common yet detrimental mistakes made by marijuana addicts is turning to so-called "substitutes" as crutches when trying to quit, such as:

• Only smoking low-THC strains

• Only smoking weed on weekends

• Saving smoking for special occasions

• Setting an arbitrary smoking budget or limit per day

It cannot be emphasized enough: Do NOT rely on any of these substitution strategies or "moderation" approaches. They will only make quitting far harder, not easier.

What substitutes and moderation actually accomplish is needlessly prolonging the withdrawal pangs and mental attachments. It sends the subtle but critical message deep in your psyche that you fundamentally NEED marijuana available to help fill some void or serve some purpose.

This is tantamount to finally giving in and surrendering complete control to your addiction after putting up a superficial fight. It's akin to paying a ransom to a hijacker or giving in to appease a child throwing a temper tantrum - it just ensures more demands keep coming. The dependence is further entrenched, not eased.

In the moment a substitution seems to briefly relieve the urge or craving, but it merely serves to keep the cycle of addiction alive. Your mind stays fixated on marijuana and preoccupied with scheming your next dose. Remember:

• There is NO genuine substitute for marijuana whatsoever. Other activities, substances, or behaviors do not fill the same function or provide the "benefits" that years of accumulated brainwashing has falsely taught.

• You do not need ANY marijuana in your life, low-THC strains included. Do not confuse quitting an addictive poison for giving up essential nutrition.

• Marijuana does not fill any inner void or missing piece within you. It only creates false hollowness through the addictive process. The sooner you fully detach, the freer you will feel whole and complete.

Also be wary of situations like trying to be sober while your friends smoke around you. Avoid anything that closely resembles previous rituals around getting high or triggers strong temptation or nostalgia. You may also want to avoid music, movies, and TV that reminds you of it.

This advice isn't about becoming permanently closed-minded or avoiding all reminders of marijuana - music, culture, and memories can be beautiful. In time, discernment and wisdom will come naturally about what to embrace from your past and what still fuels addiction's illusions. But early in withdrawal, total abstinence is key.

Now you may be aware of some marijuana smokers who successfully quit and swear that their strategy of tapering with weaker strains or implementing firm moderation guidelines is what finally allowed them to quit or control use. They may adamantly attribute their present success to such substitution techniques.

But look deeper: the truth is those same users succeeded in spite of those approaches, not because of them. For the vast majority, substitutions and moderation serve only to prolong addiction's influence rather than terminating it. So why do these misguided recommendations persist and refuse to die?

It comes down to not fully understanding the true nature of marijuana addiction and the mechanics of withdrawal. To the uninformed, substitutions sound like an extremely logical, sensible way to "wean" yourself off gradually:

• First, tackle the powerful enemy of your engrained smoking habits and routines by allowing yourself controlled, limited marijuana intake in lower doses or frequencies.

• Later, once you've slain that first beast, you can start to remove the remaining marijuana itself and confront the second monster of unbearable physical and mental withdrawal pains.

On the surface, this seems like intelligent, strategic thinking. Take on one menacing enemy at a time instead of both simultaneously, right?

The fatal flaw is that this entire approach is built upon myths and outdated beliefs about the nature of addiction itself:

First, marijuana use in the addicted is not a mere "habit" - it's a full-on physical and neurological addiction. The psychology runs far deeper than just ingrained routines, even as the physical aspect is far subtler than believed.

Second, withdrawal pains are primarily emotional and mental, not intense physical agony. The suffering is almost entirely optional, based on outlook.

Substitutions and moderation approaches only serve to keep the illusions and mythology of marijuana alive and present in your mind. They prevent you from fully breaking the trauma bonding and codependent relationship.

Remember - the most potent "drug" in marijuana addiction is your brain on it. Reinforce at every turn that you need absolutely nothing outside yourself to feel whole and complete. Let go of false crutches.

Do heroin addicts need sugar pills or "replacement rituals" to fully recover once withdrawing? Do you need a substitute for the flu once the illness has passed and you're healed? Of course not - you're just relieved it's over.

By saying you need a temporary substitute or replacement for marijuana, whether it's lighter strains or limiting yourself to weekends, what you're actually implying is that quitting requires great personal sacrifice, suffering, and deprivation. This very mindset almost guarantees relapse back to regular use.

The key is recognizing that the perceived "void" is just the fading echoes of addiction, like phantom limb pain after losing a leg. There's nothing enjoyed or gained from smoking that needs to be substituted externally. Let this confidence carry you through the adjustment period as your mind returns to balance. Any difficult symptoms or urges are simply healing in action.

You see, you never actually enjoyed getting high itself; the only "pleasure" came from temporarily relieving the anxiety, depression, boredom, and emptiness that marijuana caused in the first place. That's why nothing can ever truly substitute for it. Like a painkiller addict, you're treating the very disease you're perpetuating. All shortcuts just prolong withdrawal and suffering or lead to full relapse.

Stay the course - your natural mental clarity will quickly make this obvious. What you'll soon consider a true mystery is how marijuana ever fooled you at all...