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Posted: January 25, 2013, 10:22 PM
Iknowthatfeelbro: I am so happy for you!!!! Keep taking it one day at a time. I hope you are feeling better - the physical withdrawals are real! I watched my son and it broke my heart in to. So glad you have chosen to do the right thing for yourself. Keep posting and encourage others. God has answered your prayer my friend - take care and take it one day at a time. I will keep praying for you and your sobriety <3
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Posted: January 30, 2013, 2:01 PM
I've been addicted to "spice" now for a good couple of years. I am highly addicted to it, and can't seem to stop. I disregard all the warnings because I just don't care and I want to be high. Now I don't really want to be that is just how my mind is reacting. I am scared, I experience very very bad cold sweats starting 3 hours after I smoke and they don't stop until I smoke again. Also I can't sleep unless i smoke or eat. When I don't eat, i am constantly on the toilet because of this stuff. I know I shouldn't be smoking it. My mind is very weak and it's like I can't stop buying and smoking it. It is starting to affect my relationship, because all i do is buy spice, so i never have money to do anything else. I'm just in a tough spot. I really do not want to go to the hospital, bc i am extremely embarrassed and I just don't like going. I just dont know what to do anymore
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Posted: January 30, 2013, 11:15 PM
Hey Robbie - welcome to the site - there are a lot of people on here that is going through the same thing you are - you are going to have to want to stop is the first thing. You came here so that is a good sign. 2nd thing is you need to go back and read all these posts from people and things they did to help them get clean. Josh really has some wonderful ideas that I used to help my son get off this stuff. The fake bake is really messing people up bad, it rips families apart, steals all our finances and for what - you are high for a little bit. The weekend is coming up. I can only encourage you to use these two days to help with withdrawals. My son stopped smoking on a Thursday and by Monday he could think again. It was hard however, very hard. Please Robbie, take this step for freedom from this killer. I will be praying for you - God still answers prayers <3
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Posted: January 31, 2013, 3:13 PM
"Mama" So glad for you and your son....Everyday will get better!!!!!! Still thanking God for removing the taste of spice!!!!!!!!! Over 2 months now and no desire to go back!!!!
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Posted: January 31, 2013, 6:42 PM
Hi there!
Notice the exclamation point because I am HAPPY! It's been 6 days since I have quit spice and I feel AMAZING! Yes, it was hard. Yes, it sucked. Yes, I was MISERABLE for about 3 days and then lo and behold it started getting better. Yes, I was still extremely irritable (taking Sam-E, an herbal supplement for this and I swear it helps) but I started being interested in life again. I actually am present for my husband and kids now. I still don't have much of an appetite but at least I'm not nauseated anymore. And I've lost weight from not eating which has motivated me to start eating healthier and excersising, can you believe it? What a change in just a week! I am a whole new person and just glad to be ALIVE. The cravings are almost non-existent now and I can think clearly. I even enrolled in a few college classes to keep me busy while the kids are at school. (I'm a stay home Mom) Trust me, if I can do it, YOU CAN DO IT! Just know that the first few days are rough but it will get better and the end results are so worth it! Please DONT GIVE UP! | ||
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Posted: January 31, 2013, 8:24 PM
HeyDeacon and CrazyDaisy: I am so happy for you both! It is so easy to get ensnared it the chemical dependency that it puts on you. My son is still clean - however he still drinks. He told me that some people are just addicted to being high - they love the feeling it brings them. The fake weed does so much damage to your body though. I've never smoked it so I truly don't know what you went thru but I can only say "Hallelujah" - God has answered your prayers (and mine too!)
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Posted: February 6, 2013, 9:52 AM
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/04/healt...288381481237582
This link is to a CNN story about a young girl who will never be the same after smoking spice. Her parents have set up a Facebook page called SAFE (synthetics awareness for Emily). There are many stories and good information on their page. This post has been edited by moderator on February 6, 2013, 8:49 PM | ||
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Posted: February 9, 2013, 10:10 AM
I founded SyntheticHigh.Org for anyone wanting to find understanding of what synthetic marijuana/drugs are, their symptoms, how there used, treatment, and Support. Having been a user/addict for almost 2 years myself, I found no place to help me get better. Thanks to the support of my wife I have a vision to turn something so bad into something so good “Synthetic High”. We hope to offer online counseling, interactive chat/support and a place for people to share there experience and comment on others experiences. We welcome any ideas, or input visitors might have as to how we can best serve the cause to fight Synthetic High’s. Please become a Member share your story and help others.
support@synthetichigh.org Please Register, Become a Member Of Synthetic High And Help Spread Awareness Today! Please Visit Emily Bauer’s Face Book And Support S.A.F.E. SyntheticHigh.Org HomePage | ||
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Posted: February 10, 2013, 10:07 PM
7 Months Sober!!!!!!!!!
Hello all and sorry for disappearing for so long, I've been busy getting my life back together. I'm extatic to see this website has helped so many people like myself that have fallen prey to this demon. Good on each of you for standing up to this monster. So here's some good news each of you can look forward to 7 months from now... First off I've been given a clean bill of health from the doctor! I had EVERYTHING checked out, liver, kidneys, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar etc. my lungs were even x-rayed. Praise God, I haven't done any permanent damage!!!! Secondly, I love my life now! When I was using Spice I constantly muttered to myself "F*** my life...". I hated myself, my life, my job, my house, my family, everything. What I did after getting over the withdrawals and getting back on the road of life was first realize that there was now a HUGE void in my life. I spent literally most of my time while I was an addict getting high, thinking about getting high, or desperately trying to find another way to get high. When that activity is now gone in your life, you need something else to fill it. I decided to change a negative habit into a positive one, so I'll give you a rundown in my next post daily routine. | ||
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Posted: February 10, 2013, 10:53 PM
Now before I get started on my new routine, I have to caveat this post with a reminder that 7 months ago I was an absolute slob. I lived in filth, my house was filled with trash because I would never clean up after myself, I continually rotated dirty laundry to wear because I wouldn't stop getting high to wash it, I never did the dishes so they piled up, which all added to the self loathing that I felt as an addict. As soon as I would step into the door and look at the hoarder mess I was looking at, all I could do was smoke it away or else I would go insane.
So how am I living now, 7 months sober? I wake up in the morning on fresh sheets hinting of lavender that I washed myself every Thursday. When i get out of bed, I put my feet in comfy house slippers and walk to the kitchen, where a perfectly blended pot of fresh, hot coffee is waiting for me. Next to the automatic coffee maker is either a container of fresh blueberry muffins I baked the night before, or if I was lazy, perhaps there are just a dozen hard boiled eggs ready to be eaten in the fridge. I walk across the freshly vacuumed carpet to my living room, watch the morning news while eating the breakfast I cooked the night before and sip my coffee, enjoying the morning. (keep in mind, I've NEVER been a morning person before or during my addiction!!) After my morning breakfast and coffee, (sometimes accompanies by the really good Dole Pine/Orange/Bananna juice) I head to my bathroom which is sparkling clean. My razor stand is set up and clean with a fresh blade, the toothpaste has the cap on it with none of that nasty residue, I brush my teeth, shave, put in my contacts, gel my hair, then go back to my bedroom where I have my wardrobe already laid out for me from the night before. All of the clothes I will wear that day are freshly cleaned, right off the hanger or drawer, and all matching to look nice for the day. I dress, spritz a little cologne on, look at myself in the mirror and smile, because I'm proud of the way I look. I'm proud of the way my house looks. I can't wait to come back home to this cozy place. I go to work, knock it out of the park. I won't go into details just to stay anonymous. When I get home I can't wait to get started on cooking something new, usually a new recipe I looked at while at work, something I've really enjoyed from a fancy restaurant the past. I've now mastered quite a few awesome dishes like Chicken Marsala, Lasagna, Nutmeg Chicken and even some Asian dishes that I was able to find ingredients for. I usually listen to good music while I'm cooking, surprisingly I've been listening to a lot of 60's music, even though I was born a few decades too late for that. It's upbeat, fun and doesn't have the dreary mood of some of the new stuff out. When I've finished a dish I'll serve myself and watch a good show I've recorded, usually a comedy but I watch some good action series too ( Walking Dead, anyone?) :) As I'm enjoying my freshly made meal my dishes are soaking in the sink. After I've had all I can eat I'll head off to my sparkling bathroom, take a relaxing hot bath with a good novel I'm reading, dry off and pick out what I'll wear the next day and lay it out on my dresser in the bedroom. I'll put on a fresh set of pajamas, then bring the laundry basket from the bathroom over to the laundry room and do one load. Only one, but every day. As that's washing I'll do the dishes, which are very minimal because they've been soaking and there weren't any waiting from the day before, put up the clean ones from yesterday and run the machine. Then I'll reset the automatic coffee pot for the next morning. I'll spray down the counter tops with lemon scented 409, wipe down, then I'll vacuum one room in the house. only one, but every day. By now it's only about 7:00, but I've eaten a homecooked meal, did the dishes, taken a bath, did a load of laundry and vacuumed a room. Keep in mind, I've been relaxed and enjoying the entire time, I don't feel like I'm working. What I've been doing is filling the void of what I used to spend doing bad habits (smoking synthetic) and now doing good habits, cleaning, cooking, organizing. I'll watch some more TV, and if there's nothing else good on I'll just read more of my book or work on my novel (Yes, I'm writing a Novel!! And no, it has nothing to do with drugs.) During some point of that I'll put my clothes in the dryer, then later fold quickly and put away or hang up. While I'm cleaning or tidying up I'm still always listening to music. Something that's always upbeat, right now 60's mixed, but sometimes Dave Matthews, etc. I go to bed at about 10:30 on still fresh linens, set the electric blanket on low (it's still cold outside! ) and read a verse in my Study Bible. I tried the KJV, it's just too many Thee's and Thou's and I didn't understand what it was saying. My Study Bible is translated in the modern speech, with pages of notes about each verse to reflect on. After reading a verse in the Bible I will pray, then read more of whatever novel I'm currently reading until I get drowsy, about 11:00- 11:30 then go to sleep. As I said before, I LOVE my daily routine! I wake up in a good mood, and by the time I'm finished with my breakfast and dressed I'm in a GREAT mood. I'm proud to be who I am now. You all can get there, I promise! We all have very different schedules and lifestyles, I just wanted to share with you all my personal transformation. I'm clean, literally and figuratively, I sleep soundly every night, wake up refreshed and maintain a healthy lifestyle now. I LOVE it!!! | ||
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Posted: February 10, 2013, 11:03 PM
Some of you may be wondering how a complete and utter slob can become habitually clean in only 7 months.... When I finally got Sober and was staring at a disaster area of a filthy house, I needed help. I didn't know where to start. It was simply overwhelming. So I did the same thing I did when I couldn't stop smoking Spice; I googled it!
Thats what brought me here, and that same action brought me to the idreamofclean website. It teaches you how to slowly, yet methodically, become a clean, tidy, organized person. I followed the websites instructions to the T, and am now a better person because of both this website and that one. Remember, fellow former Addicts: We're habitual people. Use it to your advantage! I don't feel right now unless I set the coffee maker; it's a habit. I can't go to bed unless the kitchen is clean; it's a habit. I can't go to sleep unless my clothes for tomorrow are laid out; it's a habit! | ||
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Posted: February 12, 2013, 8:31 PM
I am so happy for you Josh! This can be kicked and you are a true example of it. Thanks so much for posting in the beginning of all your struggles and what you did to help you thru withdrawals. I used some of the same techniques with my son when he was withdrawing. It is not pretty - vomiting, cold chills, can't eat - it was so sad!! God Bless you Josh and I hope your life stays fan-damn-tastic!!!!
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Posted: February 17, 2013, 4:51 AM
Hi, i'm a 22yr old female living in Australia. I have a synthetic weed addiction. Like many others, i smoked real marijuana for quite a few years, recreationally or sometimes in most afternoons. Like many others, i also never felt like i 'needed' it, i found it to be a mostly positive experience. But this stuff...it has a hold on me. I was always proud of having what i described to be a non-addictive personality. I started smoking this stuff recreationally a couple of years ago, mixing and matching with real weed. Gradually it has snowballed into a growing problem over about the last 10 months. My theory is that because certain chemicals become illegal to curtail the sale of these products which means the ingredients have to be changed here and there, they have brought out stronger blends with more addictive properties. My poisons of choice were/are: Ash inferno (taken off shelves because of illegal ingredients), black widow (taken off shelves in the last few weeks for what i suspect to be a similar reason) and a local brand called iblaze. I've also used a new blend called 'Roar' recently. Well in past quitting attempts i have used real weed in place of fake weed to geet myself away from this product but this last quitting attempt i didn't want to do that, unwilling to lengthen the cutting back process and to tar real weed with the same brush. I went for a full 7 days until my housemate suggested that we buy some. He smokes, but doesn't seem to have such a problem with it. At this stage i was doing really well and had hoped he wouldn't suggest this. However, the thin layer of self control i had built inevitably came crashing down. I went another week sober after this. The next time my housemate suggested it i had been thinking about it alot that day and was already in a limbo state about whether to go and by it. That was this week just past. On friday i blew off going into work with what i think was an obvious lie. i felt ashamed because they needed me there and i didn't even get out of bed that day. It's Sunday now, i've been thinking about it alot today. I think i'm about to go and buy some. I really don't want to smoke the whole bag. I've just been talking to an online counsellor, left a message with the local drug support group and i texted a friend asking for a couple of cones of real weed but i changed my mind, because it's embarrassing to me, asking for those kinds of favours. This is the first professional help i have sought. I've been feeling symptoms of depression and low energy levels for alot of the past year. I'm so f***ing sick of thinking about this stuff all the time. I want to own myself again. And yet here i go...off to buy some. It's like the little angel and devil on the shoulders scenario. One side is my real mind, what i really truly want for myself, as well as being the objective, common sense talking side. The other is the addiction, disguising itself as free thought, telling me i want to do these things despite my own better judgement. I hate it, i hate thinking around in circles. I'm gonna get outside help this week.
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Posted: February 17, 2013, 5:38 AM
Well i did go get some but i bought a milder blend in a smaller bag size (1g). I've only smoked my first one, which of course feels great and my mood has improved dramatically, but when do we ever have just one eh? It's getting flushed down the loo tonight whatever i don't smoke, i'm gonna start fresh on Monday. I've had this internal dialogue numerous times hahaha, but being this way for any longer isn't an option. Because this s*** is can take everything from ya, i've no doubt. SO i've got high hopes. Catcha.
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Posted: February 20, 2013, 10:42 PM
i am on the same path as all of you, i have been using K2 and illusion the synthetic stuff, i have been addicted for about 2 years . i buy one everyday, i am so ashamed of myself my partner hates that i buy it and im sure he will leave me eventually, atm he is in overdraft with his account and today i told him i wouldnt get more, i havent even finished my packet yet, but i no i will need more tonight, but i dont wana ask him because he wont be happy and will go nuts, i hate this stuff!!!! help sonmeone please
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Posted: February 21, 2013, 2:40 PM
I smoked marijuana for the first time at the age of 12, was instantly hooked, and remained a smoker until just a year or so ago, at which time I discovered synthetic mj. Since then, I decided to quit real weed because I simply couldnt handle it anymore. I would have coughing fits until I would gag and even sometimes vomit. When I first tried Kush i thought it was great because itgave me the same kind of high but didnt irritate my lungs as much. Ive also smoked Scooby Snax, Klimaxx, FlightRisk, Space Cadet, Barely Legal, Brain Wash and several others.Now Im so hooked on this stuff I do littlemore than work only as much as Ineed to buy more, Im often irritatedby the slightest things and I consistently hack up black mucous. In fact, my coughing is so persistent that I often have toexcuse myself at work out of embarrassment. I just stopped yesterday,and I actually feel pretty good, but I knowthe demon of addiction is still lurking in the back of my mind. Im 28 but I feel much older because of this habit. Iwill continue to pray selflessly for everyone who struggles with this or any other addiction(I have a younger brother who is hooked on crack) and hopefully this site will start me up on the path to change.
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Posted: February 24, 2013, 2:03 AM
Today is my 2nd day without... I also have been an off and on pot smoker for years and was a binge drinker in my early 20's as well as dabbled in cocaine and have never experienced this level of discomfort. I am having withdrawal symptoms you see characters in movies who are coming down off of heroin experience. Haven't slept in 2 days. Have eaten only half of one container of baby food bananas in 2 days. My stomach is in revolt and the thought of putting anything in my mouth makes me want to wretch. It snowed 10 inches here 3 days ago, snow is still on the ground, and it is 17 degrees out. I have my windows open and fans on and cannot stop sweating. I can't stop shaking. Or crying. The worst part of sobriety HAS to be that every awful thing, every horrible experience, everything you've ever mourned or been ashamed of that you've tried so desperately to escape comes back to haunt you all at once. And the thoughts are relentless. I can't move. I can't force myself to do menial tasks around my house like empty the dryer or even shower. I can barely finish a thought. But I can't stop thinking. All I want is to sleep, but I can't because my mind won't shut up about nothing and everything. Don't know if this helps anyone, but at least know you aren't alone in this awful experience. Just wish I knew how long it would last....
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Posted: February 24, 2013, 2:15 PM
I know where everyone is at. I never thought that I would be an addict but this stuff almost ruined my life. It was when my wife was saying that she was going to leave me one night when I saw that I had a real problem. That was three days ago and I am having withdrawal. I use to smoke pot from time to time and never really cared. I joined the military and just stopped smoking pot without any trouble. I got a room mate after about two years off of pot and he told me about this crap. I tried it and loved it. A way to get a good high and not have to worry about the drug test. Now I'm married and have a great wife that would be here for me for anything. I almost lost that because of this stuff. I am going through a hard time and getting really bad headaches and I feel like I'm on edge. I told her that I was an addict and she stayed to help me get on my feet so that the both of us can enjoy the rest of our lives together. I am lucky that my wife knows a lot about addicts and is here for me but its still hard to manage. I have tried to get off of it before by going to real weed again but I cant even feel that anymore. I just want to stop feeling this way so I found this site and the stories have helped me see that I am not the only one that feels this way. I do wish anyone trying to get off of this stuff the best of luck and that I will be be on here again to keep an eye on everyone just as I see that others doing the same. Together we all can kick this stuff.
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Posted: February 24, 2013, 7:58 PM
Hello everyone, I am 45, have smoked weed on and off since I was 17 and got into the K2 when it first became available about 2 years ago. With pot I could quit anytime i really wanted to with no real noticable signs of withdrawal. The spice - definite physical withdrawal syptoms on top of exaggerrated psychological withdrawal. I have 'quit' smoking pot and spice many, many times in my life. I have quit for extended periods (the longest 5 years) and I have quit for shorter periods (1-6mos) I know what to expect.
Because I have known I could stop cold turkey anytime I wanted I created another problem to quitting for good. This illusion of control over addiction has really been the culprit in me never putting it away for good. Because I exerted 'control' over the addiction I didnt see myself as in danger to that addiction. The problem is that I consider pot to be a perfectly natural alternative to other medications for problems such as no appetite, sleeplessness, pain. I dont consider pot evil or bad and I extended this analysis to spice as well. Big mistake. Spice is addictive and definitely changes the thinking of those who smoke it in ways that marijuana does not. I have never considered pot dangerous - spice can be depending on how its smoked. Because I have quit repeatedly and have gone throught through the withdrawal here is what to expect. Using spice to sleep was what gave me my go ahead excuse for smoking in the first place. The problem was that I couldnt sleep 'because' of the spice. So every 2 hours on the nose I would wake up and take insomnia medicine that was really making me wake up in the first place. When you quit this will increase at first along with really bad night sweats that have you waking up all wet in the middle of the night. You will not want to eat, or do anything else for that matter. I have gone as long as 5 full days with only liquids and still did not want to eat. I lost 30 lbs while smoking spice when it coincided with a busy time of my work year. People thought I was on meth. No sleep, losing weight, up at all hours...About 3 -4 days it subsides. The problem, the one that is the worst for an addict, is the void in yout life you will have to fill. If you are like me then you got high to see a movie, eat, take a shower...etc Now you need to stay busy with small tasks. Drink soft drinks - caffine helps headaches, and begin writing what you feel when going through it - this helps later. For me, the relapse point is never planned and not anticipated but it seems that at about the 2 month point I have the most problem. I have gone long enough cold turkey that I begin to believe I have the self control to control the addiction and at 2 months virtually nothing is left to remind me of daily use and its consequences, So I stop at my favorite gas station and.........it starts all over again. My major regret from using - I dont spend the time I should with the kids - I become completely insular when I am smoking spice. Because when I smoke it it is from morning til night - and all through the night - its almost like a constant high. But this time when I quit I intend to do it for good. The illusion its not dangerous or costly has been blown up - now I must grow up. | ||
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Posted: February 25, 2013, 12:21 PM
I have found this a very helpful resource in trying to figure out why I do the things I do in regards to drugs. In the last 10 years - 8 have been drug free. But when I smoke it starts when I wake up and repeats about every 20 min until I use one hitters so I can 'measure' a dose of 3-4 hits and thats all it takes to stay somewhat high all day long. I am in a seasonal business and am off for 3mos in the winter. So every year I would binge all winter and then quit in the Spring which was when I really needed to work. This worked for years when I was younger until finally I quit (what I thought was for good) for almost 7 years. But I owned the business and could do what I wanted when I wanted with no fear of drug test. Last year I tried to quit in March like I always do and expected it to be like pot - psychological cravings but nothing physical. But spice is not pot - to me, pot is harmless, its natural, and it has valid medical uses besides the recreational. Spice, however, is not harmless. It is designed to give you a greater high for a shorter amount of time while at the same time making your body 'need' it. To me it is just plain stupid that the 'safe" pot is illegal and the "legal" spice (which is 10x more destructive) can be found by anyone who really wants it. But back to last year. When I tried to quit last spring I went for 10 days (5 without eating) and was completely miserable. The 14 hour days I work in the spring are hard enough to do without having to deal with withdrawals, so I gave myself permission to use the spice through my busiest time of year since it helped me sleep and eat and in general put me in a good mood. Bad move. One of the main problems with spice is that you are not very efficient or organized. I could remove stress from my situation by working high but working high meant I wasnt getting everything done because I am simply not as productive when I am smoking. When my employees thought I wasnt working hard - they didnt work hard. Long story short - I fired all my help and quit half my business so i could have some "control' over things and get back to business. Combine that with a drought and I ended up having the worst year of my life last year. It is like I am completely starting over.
Several people have written that they are in relationships with someone who is addicted and are in a way trying to justify leaving their spouse. Each situation is different but I can tell you from experience that if there is a way to make it work - do it. Dont give up. What would you do if your spouse suddenly got sick , or handicapped, or some other debilitating condition. Would you leave them. What happened to 'til death do you part'. Spice addiction isnt that different. What I learned from my situation is that the only way I can quit and make it stick is for me to understand what makes me do it in the first place and address that. I had to figure this thing out on my own. Spice started out to me as something less than pot, but now I know better. My wife never liked me smoking it - I have never done it in front of her or the kids. But this is whats important - you cant beat an addiction without understanding it. You will have to know why you are quitting and know that the addiction is a short term hell that will ruin the marriage if it goes on indefinitely. So quit if you are using and if you are married to a user deal with it a day at a time. The times I was the most outspoken and angry was when people thought I was high and I wasnt. Get good info - people who havent smoked it have no clue what it does or how to get away from it. Its "just say no" all over again and that has never worked because it oversimplifies the problem of addiction. People use out of need - so meet the needs another way. In time, things will return to normal. The longer you use - the longer it will take. | ||
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