Reddit mentions of Gaia Herbs Adrenal Health Daily Support, Stress Relief and Adrenal Fatigue Supplement

I’m so sorry for what you’re going through, it sucks when these things are not in our control. Another commenter mentioned doing some yoga, and I agree- there are a lot of good free classes online. You could start with some slow, even breathing ( inhale for a count of 4, exhale for 4) and then begin to extend the exhale (inhale for 4, exhale for 6)- this will activate the relaxation function in the parasympathetic nervous system.

I’ve been taking this adrenal health supplement for quite a while and I really notice a calming effect. I like tulsi tea for that as well.

The Overwhelmed Brain podcast has been a great help to me.

Also, I don’t know how cleanly you’ve scraped all your jars and bowls, but I’ve been surprised with scraps in times of need before.

You are not alone! Up until a few weeks ago I would have never turned to anyone in my life for the things I talked about online. I’ve gotten a great amount of support from strangers on Reddit, there is no shame in that. Sending you love and support!!

I wasn't overcome with an urge to explain myself at the time, I see this type of comment and hear it so often outside of reddit that it evoked a gut response. Returning to my computer after a few days and seeing a suggestion from a mod to elaborate I’ll try to do so now. Wall of text incoming:

When you first realize that something comforting you is actually holding you back and preventing you from moving out of the situation that causes you pain there is a collision of urge with reason. You’re wracked with anxiety, and the thing you’re using to meet that need of comfort, love, or stability no longer invokes the same untainted relief it once did. You now see the thoughts of meeting this need you have as craving, and when you resist it even just a little bit the craving can intensify. It feels like a positive feedback loop of fear, anxiety, physical/in-your-body discomfort, clouded thinking, action you now recognize as a bad choice, temporary relief, shame/self-loathing, then back to fear...

This can go on for years somewhat unconsciously. You may have moments of clarity that recede back into the darkness, and the same epiphanies come back around like they’re in some wide orbit. This in itself can add another layer of shame and fear, you’ll feel yourself getting older and the pain of missing out on life can reach a fever pitch.

When someone says “the cravings lessen but never go away”, to a person who is in the throws of these cravings, and who is likely seeing the physical discomfort and the obsession as one symptom, this is a life sentence. Why would I even bother to stop if this skin-crawling, hot, tense, thought-scrambling craving never goes away completely? So you’re saying that, unless I keep smoking weed I’ll never feel completely normal and clear-headed again (if you can call the high and the after glow "normal and clear-headed.")

I’m up for having a go at a thorough explanation, so first of all, let's ask “why do I feel this need to comfort myself?” We need some insight and background knowledge to make more sense of this. Chances are you’re dealing with, and bare with the idea for a second, multi-generational trauma. Every human born will experience this to some degree, even if it’s not your standard definition of ‘trauma.’ Plus you’re dealing with a current life situation that is inherently unfulfilling. Multi-generational trauma can be something as obvious as rape and degrees of molestation, non-sexual violence and verbal abuse and as subtle as pernicious patterns of co-dependency, coldness from a caregiver and subtle verbal takedowns from family members and life-long friends, or even a series of common social experiences that can be scarring when accumulated, which can leave one wondering if it’s really there at all, and you may ask yourself “why am I being so dramatic and sensitive when others have it so much worse?” Inherently unfulfilling life situations can also take on a wide-range of forms that from the outside may or may not be obvious.

There’s even more background info that is necessary to consider: We Americans (pardon my assumption) live in a capitalist democracy that, in practice, is a “meritocracy.” what it means for you is this: you feel when something good happens in your life you’re completely responsible for it (job, lover, other personal accomplishment) but when something bad happens or nothing happens you’re also responsible. This is a relatively new idea in the world, and seemed absurd to non-americans even 200 years ago. You don’t choose where you’re born, who you’re born to, what befalls you in early childhood or even adulthood, but this culture and economy, which is spreading through the species, runs on the idea that whatever you want you can get with personal hard work and vision. I’m not saying this is bad or good, it's just something to recognize, especially when we condemn ourselves for not meeting certain goals and expectations.

We want a simple answer to our problems, and there usually is one, but we need to synthesize it from a complexity of information, some of which is specific to you, and we have to avoid latching onto a pre-packaged answer floating around society. e.g. you have a disease, this is what it will be like forever, and it’s not your fault because there’s something wrong with your brain. People saying that trying to help forget just how fucking intense it is in the beginning, damning a newly-hatching mind to ultimate despair. I’ll tell you right now the beginning is the same and different for everyone. personal, highly individual pains that haven’t been felt in years will emerge, memories long forgotten will flood back in. It’s a relief (you’re no longer smothered by the plant’s effects) and it’s painful at the same time. In my personal case I needed to see a therapist for a couple months even before I quit completely to work through trauma that i didn’t even know i had, that echoed down through my life from my childhood and pre-teen years.

Okay, getting to the point. You’re going to still have cravings, lucid dreams of smoking, and moments of despair questioning your choice to stop if you’re situation and understanding of the situation that first drew you to a dependence on weed hasn’t changed much. If you’re not convinced you need to stop smoking or ingesting weed to regain the energy and emotional clarity to move out of your shitty situation then it's futile to try. I’ll post a list of reasons to quit smoking at the end of this reply (that I didn’t come up with, I saw it on a youtube video) that you can write down and carry around with you to remind yourself. You'll know you've made the decision because the cravings will have subsided substantially, and soon will all together unless triggered by acute emotional pain. If not, work on other things first, find a therapist and a good PCP, especially a DO or an MD that understands integrative medicine.

There are a lot of supplements out there that only make really expensive piss. Some good ones to research and consider buying are relora, which you can get off of Amazon, the one I take is by Pure Encapsulations, a high-end adrenal support complex like this or this, creatine, vitamin D if you live in a place or have a lifestyle that doesn’t get much sun, omega-3 if you don’t eat fish often. I doubt I need to mention drinking plenty of water, cutting out some of the bullshit food, and going for a walk once in awhile.

You may be overtaken with the idea that, because you’ve lost time you need to go full-tilt, you need to do all of it all at once and to an extreme to compensate and “catch up.” Don’t let yourself get trapped by that. You’ll burn out.

Accepting the idea that you need to say no to friends family and the internalized expectations you have shackled to you, to think of yourself and meet your needs in a direct rather than roundabout way, is easy when you realize that there are so many people that couldn’t say no and they got sick, and I mean actually sick, like cancer, heart disease, fibromyalgia, or they committed suicide. That probably won’t be you because you’ve read this far already.

Closing suggestion: think of what you loved when you were young, recall the subtle pull that you felt. Where were you being pulled? Don’t force it, and if you don’t feel it yet or feel a gut-tightening revulsion to this idea then don’t despair, just work on meeting your needs and self-parenting until you’re clear enough.

List of benefits for quitting smoking weed:

• dramatic increase in energy
  
• increased mental dexterity
  
• smoother mood transitions
  
• increased short-term memory
  
• increase in stress tolerance
  
• increase in emotional intelligence
  
• a lot less wasted time
  
• improved diet (no more munchies)
  
• dramatic increase in confidence
  
• no more fumbling with words
  
• increase in life results
  
• increase in creativity
  
• enjoying simple pleasures (not lost in thoughts)
  
• tastebuds are resensitized
  
• increase in body size
  
• increase in humility and ability to relax (no outside tools needed)
  
• ability to sleep and wake up more easily
  
• less risk of health problems
  
• more money, less impulse buying
  
• increased desire to improve
  
• develop wittiness in personality
  
• no indecision
  
• no paranoia
  
• no analysis paralysis
  
• look happier and healthier
  
• feel happier and healthier
  
• increase in presence
  
• actually be able to meditate
  
• alignment with deeper needs
  
• detection of subtle pull
  
• total self-respect
  
• increase in problem solving abilities
  
• become more persuasive and charismatic
  
• ability to attract
  
• better health, less sick often
  
• more passion and purpose
  
• more concentration
  
• become more reliable
  
• no feeling of hiding anything, lying, avoiding situations
  
• forgotten memories creep back
  
• increased sex drive and better sex
  
• improve sense of smell
  
• improve sense of hearing
  
• increased dreaming and dream recall
  
  edit: formatting
  edit 2: clarity
  edit 3: clarity

I swear by these supplements for energy and resilience. Rather than pick you up from lethargy each morning, they help you wake up feeling rested and repaired.

AdrenaVen

https://www.amazon.com/AdrenaVen-Premier-Research-Labs-60/dp/B0036L6K2W?th=1

Deep Health Medicinal Mushrooms

https://www.amazon.com/Herbs-Etc-Medicinal-Mushrooms-Softgels/dp/B001ECVEWQ

Gaia Adrenal Health

https://www.amazon.com/Gaia-Herbs-Adrenal-Support-Phyto-Caps/dp/B00F1J72HO?th=1

Paradise Adaptogens

https://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Herbs-Imperial-Adaptogen-Vegetarian/dp/B0019LTW44/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8