A survey on self-managed change

[Bazza]

yeah, you actually seem to be an alright person. Or have tried harder than previous efforts to make use of this community. No doubt you expected a slightly hostile reception. I do realize that some people go through bad times in their life and need to find the cause. Society at large like to think badly of cannabis use and through the power of suggestion convince people that their smoking habits are detrimental. I dont know about you but if i read or watch too many programs about an illness or condition, I end up thinking i have it. Look up head lice and read about them, I bet your head starts itching and you start checking for nits. If you really want to help those people get them to focus on the enjoyable parts of their life and stop trying to tell them there is something wrong with them. We want you to approach this with an open mind, so i spose thats a two way street. Im off to check out this survey.

 

yeah went and did it. Mate you need more boxes for things like the positive impact cannabis had on your life, maybe then you would see why people dont really feel they should stop doing it.

 

Or if there is this growing number of people presenting themselves for treatment, ask them why they find it so hard to stop if they are experiencing bad side effects. Asking us is kinda misguided, we're all happy little vegemites.

Edited June 23, 2009 by Bazza

[bufo marinus]

Hi again,

 

Thanks for the feedback - just wanted to say a couple of things to clarify what I was intending. I used the word 'problematic' because I wanted it to be for people who thought that their use was a problem - for whatever reason and whatever 'problem' means to them - and decided to change on their own. I understand that cannabis use is not a problem for many people who use it. Also, I wanted to avoid terms like addiction or dependence (you'll see that I haven't used either of these words in the survey) because I don't think that matches most people's experiences. I know the word 'problematic' is problematic in itself - I started by using 'self-defined problematic' but thought that just doesn't make good sense. Like I said, I intended the survey to be for people who thought their use was a problem in some way - I don't think that's for me to decide. I'm not trying to argue that cannabis is a problem for all people or addictive.

 

Re my 'credentials' - no, I'm not a doctor or a scientist - I'm a counselling psychologist with a research background. I did some interview research some time ago talking to people who quit amphetamines without treatment. I found that really interesting and found evidence against the belief that drug use is a 'disease' and that if people want to change they need to get medical treatment to do so. I know cannabis is very different from amphetamine, so by doing this survey I wanted to find out how people who want to change their cannabis use do so. If I end up learning from the people who respond that they just smoke less without any difficulty, then that's a good thing, but I don't want to assume that's the case before I ask the people who have actually done it.

 

Also, when I say things like 'little is known about how people cut down or quit cannabis on their own' I mean that the research community knows little about it because they haven't spent enough time asking the people who have actually done it. You all may know, but we don't, which is why I'm asking you in this survey. I'll then report on what you tell me, and the research community will then have this information to draw from - whether or not they take note of it is another story, but my hope is that they would.

 

I hope this has clarified a bit where I'm coming from and answered your questions. Thanks again for your time,

 

Anthony

 

 

Well at least your man enough to enter into some sort of meaningful discussion Anthony, most of the researchers that come in here spam their surveys, answer nothing, and disappear faster than a fart in a fan factory.

 

When I have decided I need to cut down I have to keep myself busy, exercise works, riding my bicycle, playing guitar, gardening, doing stuff around the house. Cannabis is such a nice indulgence I have to focus on the reason I am stopping ie; stopping long enough to pass a urine test to gain employment, or needing the money to pay bills etc. The urge comes and goes, much less than a craving for tobaco. A bit of introspection is useful also, thinking about the rise and fall of the desire to have a smoke is useful, why you feel the way you do, this in itself occupies the mind enough to forget and move on.

The useless twats that whine about Cannabis 'causing' all their woes usually seem to have other issues driving their behaviour and have no balls. A good root and a green apple would be too much for most of them.

Hard work, going without, saving up for something special, self discipline, these are skills that a lot of individuals need to be shown as they have little idea.

 

That's as close as you'll get to me doing your survey.

Put up a survey at NCPIC/NDARC that asks "What benefits have you recieved from Cannabis?" with no preconcieved answer boxes and I may reconsider, so would a lot of the members here.

Your choice dude.

Do you have the necessary diplomacy skills?

Are you interested in the truth?

Go ahead then, I dare you

[Rocker]

The government doesn't have any money. It is our money they use.

 

If the honourable members here wish to debate with people from NCPIC and their ilk I suggest you go and talk to a large boulder for an hour.

Then you will know what you are up against.

[Frazz]

Anthony you are not welcome here

[67Special]

I'll do the survey

 

..if Anthony pulls a cone or 2

[mistyville]

Yeah Anthony. Pull a cone or two. It might take the miserable look off your face.

[BaronS]

Anthony,

 

I'm sorry but your approach seems to me that of a 'sheltered child'. You are not confrontational but you are basing your whole view on a limited experience.

 

'self managed change'. I decided one day to smoke less pot. I have repeatedly stated since 'smoking less, enjoying more'.

 

Going from a 'high use' habit to one less substantial took nothing more than the decision to do so. No cravings, no withdrawal.

 

Now, if only I could get the nicotine under the same control... I have a definite opinion about which of the two does me more harm. My doctor also regularly alerts me to the condition of my liver, which has been saturated by booze since well before my 18th birthday. He also knows I smoke pot but never raises it as a 'health issue'.

[mistyville]

I'm going to bed now BaronS. I hope to catch up with you in the chat room soon.... Mistyville

[BaronS]

G'day Misty,

 

glad to bump into you, should we be in chat together at some time. Not averse to making new friends and always up for a decent discussion.

 

Catch ya 'round the traps.

 

NOTE: I'm not gonna leave the last half of that beer sitting there, and I just lit a ciggy, might have a cone on top, then head to Blanket Bay m'self.

[MongyMan]

Also, when I say things like 'little is known about how people cut down or quit cannabis on their own' I mean that the research community knows little about it because they haven't spent enough time asking the people who have actually done it. You all may know, but we don't, which is why I'm asking you in this survey.

 

I presume that's the reason behind all the surveys the NCPIC do? So the media releases we see regularly demonizing cannabis from the NCPIC are nothing more than the equivalent of a freshman promoting himself to 'professor' level after doing a few surveys based on questions by someone who had little or no knowledge on the subject when they started. Can you see the problem there Anthony? Can you see the holes in the research? Do you understand why sally, you, or anyone from NCPIC and other organizations like them recive such a cold reception here? As I said to Sally in her thread...."Please understand that alot of the members here are victims of the 'war on drugs' that the organization you work for is a soldier of, making you one too. Many have been ostracized by general society simply for growing their own medicine at home and have had a gut full of the 'fake scientific' studies released by organizations such as the NCPIC that hamper genuine studies and discussion about cannabis. I hope you can understand and apreciate their frustrations."

To me it sounds like the 3million dollars is basically HECS for the workers being educated at the NCPIC except instead of paying it back it gets paid to you as 'wages'. Not a bad gig if you can sleep at night knowing the impact you have on the daily lives of many of your fellow Australians I spose. I hope it's that you don't realize Anthony or I pity you. The 'we are just trying to help people' rings loud from what has been posted by yourself and sally so far. I can assure you, you do more harm than help working for who you do. But you work there, maby you can try and change things.

 

That said back to your research...

 

As others have said, it isn't addictive so it isn't very hard for most but I understand what your reference to 'problematic' is. About the best thing I could suggest to anyone having 'trouble' reducing or quitting is to better their skills in breaking a habit much like people who suffer from OCD do for eg. The hardest thing I find when I decide to have a break, which I admit isn't often is breaking the habit of actually smoking rather than the cannabis itself being the problem. For eg. you feel a bit lost at first when the habit for the last few years has been to roll and smoke a joint after dinner everyday. It is very easy to replace that habit with another one with a little bit of effort. From my experience with cannabis over the last 30 years the people I've seen who wanted to reduce or quit and didn't were the ones who lacked the skill of habit breaking and self entertainment. if you are sitting around bored it's very easy to go back to old habits and have a smoke instead.

 

In a nutshell though it's as simple as if you want to do it you do. If you want to let excuses get in the way then you will do that instead.

 

I hope that helps a bit Anthony.

Peace MongyMan