I only seem to feel like my best self when I’m high on thc as I quit alcohol for the time being. I just feel as happy as a kid when I’m high. I feel very bland when I’m sober. I just can’t see being completely sober from weed too.
I have ADHD and for me there is only joy or great missery
Basically the same for me except it’s great joy or worry. And it’s a lot more worth than joy.
i know that feeling…
I like growing and tending to plants, painting miniatures, and working on DnD projects. All of these also generate a physical, tangible thing which is also nice (though I really wish I could use the DnD stuff more.)
I don’t drink or weed.
joy is fleeting.
rage is eternal.
accept the rage, become the rage.
Never felt any impetus to drink, and I have a personal aversion to recreational drugs.
Without thinking too hard about it, I probably get the most joy from learning stuff, especially when it’s within a topic of interest and has any level of application to my interests or skills. Bonus points when I make the connection myself.
I see other comments mentioning ADHD, so I’ll add that I have a diagnosis for it as well.
Good question, though. It’s been a while since I asked myself this, and I’m overdue for a reassessment. Thanks.
Give consentual pets.
Alcohol only gives you empty calories which fills your belly unnecessarily. So I drink it seldom, and tbh I still not get used for that burning tasteless liquid
I mean, it definitely gives you more than just empty calories. It can be quite pleasant.
Sounds like you should be sober from weed too.
If your default state is high, you’re never sober. You’re just experiencing the hangover state between highs. Think of it as the weed version of delerium to an alchoholic. It’s not a physical hangover, so it’s not as obvious.
Stay sober for a few weeks. It’ll drag at first, but it’ll go away after a bit. You’ll even out your neurotransmitters and feel like yourself again. Then getting high on occasion will be an event, not a medication.
Anecdotally, people I’ve known who smoke everyday tend to be okay with things they shouldn’t be. The chemical joy seems to make them content with having a kind of shitty life and never actually doing anything. High activities just became their only activities when weed changed from weekends to everyday. I’m not saying this is true of everyone, but I’ve seen it happen more often than not to daily smokers.
Drugs and alcohol should be occasional modifiers to your life, not the default state. Give your chemistry a rest.
Anecdotally, people I’ve known who smoke everyday tend to be okay with things they shouldn’t be. The chemical joy seems to make them content with having a kind of shitty life and never actually doing anything.
I believe that’s a feature, not a bug.
I haven’t met anyone that got high consistently (even tobacco) this didn’t apply to. You nailed it.
The most common way for me is with music, sometimes a song hits just right and it’s amazing. Doesn’t have to be a happy song to make me feel happy, just has to be the right song.
Amen. Music is my drug. I take it frequently, and in heavy doses to get my fix. When that harmonic change hits and I get frisson along with the bass frequencies moving my body, brother, I’m in heaven. Usually goes something like 🙂🙂☺️☺️😯🫨🫨🫨🫨😄😁
I’ll echo what others have said. Try laying it off for a few weeks, then the occasional time will be more effective and special. Speaking from experience, I guarantee you that you will find clarity and discover new things that bring you happiness, if you give it a chance.
Off the top of my head, here are a few of the things that gave me joy this week…
OMG kitty!
Hey, it’s my awesome wife!
Yay, video games!
This burger tastes amazing!
Damn this chair is comfy.
Boobies!!!
I made someone smile today!
It’s a beautiful day for a bike ride!
Did I mention the kitty?
Farts are funny, I didn’t care how old I am.
I made friends with my new neighbors dog!If you aren’t getting at least a little bit of joy from life, you probably need to see someone about depression.
This list reminds me of the “reasons my wife cried” list, lol.
But seriously I love this list and think it’s great to find joy in the small things like this. And if you don’t/can’t, it’s ok to seek out help for your mental health.
Take a month off the chems and exercise regularly during that time
It’s going to get worse before it gets better. But it’s worth it.
I’m not your parent, and I don’t want to take any substance away from you without your consent.
That said, feeling like you can’t experience joy while being sober and lucid is extremely sad. And I say that as someone who has experimented with substances! Without any judgement, I think a therapist will help you far more than the effects of any drug…
Never smoked weed or had a drop of alcohol here!
Honestly, your question is somewhat unsettling, as I’m not sure it is exactly healthy to only feel joy while under the influence of chemicals, so that might be something you should ask a medical professional about.
That said, surely you experienced joy as a child before using weed/alcohol at some point in your life, right? I guess in a lot of ways, I still feel that same spark of happiness or excitement I did when I was a kid. The things that sparked it may have changed somewhat, but the same feeling is there.
Scarier when you realize there’s more like him.
Yeah…that definitely isn’t a nice thought :(
The problem with asking others how the heck they regulate without drugs is that they’re not you. They don’t have your brain or your hormones.
No solution from someone without the problem is likely to work and most people with the problem do not have a solution.
If i can find a sweet spot where i’m challenged but succeeding in an environment free of selfish unethical people, then i can get through the day without a toke. At the moment its bong-a-fucking-clock.
Brain normalizes pretty much everything. Keep the happy sources small, and sometimes really small things can give a big hit.
My most recent hit? A rosary popped out of a treadmill.
