how to stop smoking weed

Marijuana can be highly addictive to certain types of people not because it is physically addictive like cigarettes but because many people get psychologically addicted to the substance and seek it out again and again as it becomes a habit. This habit usually starts as a way to escape from something bad in your live be it abuse, stress, or even just boredom and a lack of motivation; smoking pot becomes a way to escape the reality and zone out for relief for even just a moment. This does not stop the problems however and sometimes just makes them worse so you walk down the same old road again and again with no change becoming more dependent on the weed to survive.

How to give up weed can therefore be a difficult prospect to some people who have come to rely on its effects to get through their days. However, nothing is impossible and with the right help, advice and determination you can overcome your addiction and stop smoking marijuana forever. Here are some steps you can take right away:

* Get Rid Of Your Stash - Think of this as your first test to see if you are serious, remember there are no harsh physical cravings for weed they are only psychological you do not need marijuana to function. If you are serious about quitting smoking weed then find your stash, all of it and get rid of it. Do not smoke it, just throw it away, flush it down the toilet... anything, and just make sure there is none left in your house! If you can do this that is a good sign you have the willpower to quit, if you cannot because you think you may want a victory smoke to celebrate a week off it or "just in case" you "need it" then you may not be ready because quitting is not about cutting back it is about realizing you do not need pot in your life at all to function and enjoy life!
* Fill In Smoking Time - one thing that ex pot smokers are left with (apart from more cash in their wallets because they don't waste it on hash!) is more time. This comes from the time you used to smoke and it is a dangerous period because your habit will come back to you and you will start thinking about smoking and craving it again. To stop this you must have a plan to counter these thoughts and something other than smoking to do. Some good things to do may be:
o Exercise
o Writing
o painting
o going to the movies
o A hobby
Generally something creative or physical is recommended, something that stimulates your mind and body so your mind is not on smoking pot and you gain some sort of natural high.

* Positive Thinking - Some people think positive thinking is either some form of voodoo magic or just a hoax but the real effect of thinking positively is that it aids in motivation and stops you becoming depressed, disillusioned and can stop you falling back into addiction. Long term positive thinking can train your brain to be more positive naturally and more capable with dealing with problems but one of the amazing effects of positively is that other people respond to it and social outcomes are usually better as people respond better to positive people than negative people. Try it and you will be surprised!

* Realize Your Key Motivation - This is probably the most important thing you can do, we talked about the base causes of addiction being something negative that drives you to seek an escape, this is a powerful de-motivator and to counter it you need something that motivates you more than your problems can depress you. For some it is bettering themselves for their family, for their career, for their partner or maybe for their physical and mental health. The important thing is there must be something that every time you are tempted to smoke pot again you can remember and give you motivation when remembering how to give up weed

Source: http://goarticles.com/article/how-to-stop-smoking-weed/1139196/