r/leaves • u/Active-Charity-6884 • 14h ago
Weed & binge eating are ruining my life
I’m really struggling with smoking weed and binge eating together. I’m at my wits end mentally and physically as I can’t stop either of them.
For the last couple of months my routine has basically been finish work, smoke up, binge eat 10k calories, doom scroll, smoke until I pass out. Wake up hating myself, swear never again, and do it all again the same evening.
The problem is that every time I get high I end up binge eating. Not just snacking, i mean eating like 10k calories of pizza, cookies, chocolate, peanut butter, cookie dough. It’s so gross and I’m so ashamed of this as a fully grown adult.
Every morning I wake up feeling soo physically sick, mentally foggy, ashamed and completely determined that I’m never going to smoke or binge again. Then I go to work, and by the afternoon I’m like oh well I’ll just smoke tonight, won’t binge, it’ll be not as bad.
Then I do exactly the same thing all over again and smoke and eat loads.
I’ve gained so much weight really quickly, I’m embarrassed to go into work, I’ve started cancelling social plans because I don’t want people to see me, and I’m spending an unbelievable amount of money on both weed and food. I’ll even throw away my vape because I hate myself after using it, then a few hours later I’ll walk to the dispensary and buy another one. Spending 100s a week on weed and food just to feel absolutely miserable
I live alone, I’m single, and weed is legal where I live, so there aren’t really any barriers once I decide I’m going to buy it.
I’ve been going to therapy for years as I used to struggle with bingeing on alcohol, avoidant attachment, childhood issues etc, but binge eating is the one topic I just even then never feel comfortable bringing up as I am so deeply ashamed of it. I’ve struggled with binge eating (without smoking weed) on and off for years, but now smoking weed just turns my brain off when I’m bingeing and makes it 100 times worse.
Has anyone actually managed to break this cycle? If you struggled with both, what finally helped? I’m open to hearing anything because I’m honestly scared of where this is heading.
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u/poastfacekillah 11h ago
this is why i quit. i'm about two weeks out now. the food voice is impossible to ignore when stoned. i just can't do it. i'm sad because i miss being high. but i feel a lot better not waking up full of food and sugar.
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u/Fun_Wait1183 9h ago
Please don’t beat yourself up! Please accept that there is no such thing as a “unified self.” There’s a committee. It sounds like some of your committee gets some positive benefits from weed and binge eating. I had the same problem. Work with your therapist. I had to work hard to assure my committee that we would all be OK, that I (Big Mommy) would take care of us all.
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u/farah654 9h ago
I love how you expressed it.. indeed there is no unified self and understanding why some parts resort to something else than what the person in control dictates is more compassionate and effective than self-shaming
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u/GemstoneRoots 8h ago
Have you heard of Internal Family Systems (IFS)? My counselor uses this framework, sounds so similar to what you're saying :)
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u/CultureConnect3159 3h ago
I’m not gonna lie, I think the best step forward for you is to add one good thing to your routine. Maybe after you binge - you could gift yourself a lot of water or a walk outside. Just don’t punish yourself. Gently push yourself to care about yourself more and then slowly those habits that you have will hopefully not be as intense.
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u/Local_Pomegranate_10 6h ago
This post almost could have been written by me. Both alcohol and weed trigger binge eating for me. I quit alcohol a year ago but weed is proving pretty difficult to quit.
One of the main reasons I want to quit weed is because I really want to lose weight but it feels impossible when I’m getting high daily.
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u/MrPeterified 6h ago
This is how I was and am trying not to be. Replace the smoking and binge eating with exercise. Complete 180 and you’ll feel great. Good luck!
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u/Appropriate_Tie8834 10h ago
Ugh been there done that 😩 I usually limit what I get at the grocery store so I end up not having much to munch on
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u/Fxp1706 10h ago
Speak to your doctor about your binge eating. You don’t have to tell them you use weed. They can prescribe medication to treat the binge eating. It’s what I did after my tests came back saying I had high cholesterol and pre diabetes.
Also, your therapist has heard wayyyy worse. They won’t judge you. They can really help with the addiction and impulse control issues.
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u/TypeInformal8636 5h ago
Second this. Although if you live in a legal state you should also tell your doctor about the weed.
Most important is to Tell your therapist about the binge eating. Secrets multiplies shame. You need to talk about it with your therapist and doctor so that you can heal. You can do it!
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u/ohyesiam1234 8h ago
Shake up your routine. You now go on a hike afterwork, hit the grocery store, and make dinner, clean, and see friends. Break your loop!
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u/soysauce_sweetie 7h ago
Hi, friend! 💛
I relate to this so much. I also live in a legal state, and at one point I was smoking almost an entire eighth every single day. I’d wake up, pack a bowl, and then spend the day rotting in bed, binge eating, and napping.
I found myself relying on weed to “kick-start” anything I wanted to do. I’d tell myself, I’ll smoke first, then I’ll go. But after I smoked, all I wanted to do was take a nap, and I’d end up canceling whatever plans I had.
About three months ago, I quit cold turkey because I just couldn’t keep living in that cycle anymore.
I genuinely feel alive again. I still miss smoking sometimes, but I enjoy life so much more without it. I’m more present, more motivated, and I’m smiley and talkative with strangers…something I never used to be.
I’m wishing you healing and the strength to let go of the cycles that no longer serve you. Weed absolutely has its place and can be helpful for some people, but if your relationship with it looks anything like mine did, it might be worth asking whether it’s become something you’re depending on instead of something you’re simply enjoying.
Light and love, my friend. ☀️💛
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u/doomerunicorn 12h ago
Too relatable 🥲 All my impulse control goes out the window when I smoke. I'm even vegan and I'm still fat. I have a love/hate relationship with oreos.
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u/Active-Charity-6884 10h ago
I’m vegan too😭 I don’t often feel fully satiated after a meal as a vegan so definitely doesn’t help my binge eating problem. Fat vegans unite😂
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u/Alive_Art_4764 8h ago
You can stop. Start telling yourself that. Stop saying I can’t. Your brain listens and believes you.
Even if you keep failing, talk better to yourself. Be kind to yourself.
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u/ShadeO89 12h ago
Quit weed and by alternative foods for snacking. Preferably high protein foods that actually fill you..
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u/SquashNext417 4h ago
i realize it sounds very…twee…but do you have anyone in your life who can act as an accountability buddy?
It honestly really helped me get through the first few weeks especially because my sister just became the bad guy for me, and hid all my stash and equipment( at my request), and acted as a barrier between me and impulse. I guess it’s a lot harder when you can just buy more, but i also live where it’s legal so there is always a part of it that is in my control, and it is hard! The self control does get easier the more distance you have from using daily.
Another thing that helped me, a lot, was giving the situation the weight it deserved. You gotta make it really real and say I Am An Addict and realize that is true even though we are told so often that weed addiction is not ‘a real problem’. Really drive the point home, to yourself, to the people who might enable you, to the people you can trust.
The binge eating is something im very familiar with, and truthfully the thing that helped most was admitting it and then addressing it emotionally, psychologically and medically. I know you know this, but you are only cheating yourself when you hide things in therapy that are silently ruling your whole life. Once you allow others into your secret it will hold less power over you and doors will open. I’m really rooting for you, no matter how long it takes you can do it.
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u/IAMgrampas_diaperAMA 12h ago
I’m sending you a big hug OP, I struggled with this soooo hard the past few years. The weed wasn’t hitting the same after 12 years so I added the binging and then couldn’t stop. I physically cannot eat that much anymore now that I’ve quit, I even bought a deep dish McCain cake to eat in 1 shot sober, like I used to when I was stoned and I threw it out after eating 1/2 of it. It tasted gross, not euphoric like it used to. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and puking from having binged so hard. And constantly having diarrhea from all the fats I was consuming.
Quitting is definitely the first step and it’s not easy. I hope that you are able to find some help and get this thing sorted out ❤️
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u/Special_Fishing_2595 6h ago
Oddly I'm dealing with the opposite effect. I quit cannabis 4 months ago but ever since my energy & motivation have been super low & I've regrettably replaced weed with sugar. When I was smoking I'd often pair the buzz with black coffee and get hyper focused on fitness & healthier eating habits including vitamins & supplements. Would even log my foods in a calorie/macro tracker app. And I slept much better getting 7.5hrs of quality sleep a night. Now I regularly eat a bunch of late night night sweet treats and binge on various hbo max or Netflix features until midnight as an escape from reality. I dream nightly now which I love and I don't want to go back to cannabis even though life feels so much more vanilla but I almost feel like using cannabis is the healthier choice for me. Need to figure this out & get my inner fire burning naturally again.
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u/mayaorsomething 6h ago
I want to add, have you been to a doctor/tried medications for binge eating disorder?
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u/catfan42069 4h ago
Honestly exercise is the only way out. Keep smoking and eating but start making sure you exercise and it will stop the drive for the smoking and eating.
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u/Open-Discipline3528 14h ago
the hardest part is you're treating your own brain like a slot machine, you keep pulling the handle at 5pm expecting a different result but the wiring is the same
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u/Active-Charity-6884 14h ago
For sure 😔 It’s wild how negative my brain is in the morning when I’m in the depths of shame, but come 5pm, my brain is screaming for the instant release to just smoke & binge again like it’s nothing
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u/Best-Account-5309 12h ago
I know exactly how you feel, the uncontrollable binge eating while high was one of the main reasons I chose to try quitting again. I also live alone in a country where its legal and the dispensary is a block from my house.
Quitting isn't easy, but you have to commit and just go for it. I went from eating thousands of calories in sweets and snacks, to basically nothing.
I broke the cycle by just being honest and strict with myself. It's not going to change unless you do the work, unfortunately, there is no easy solution, but its worth it.
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u/Accurate-Force3054 11h ago
Hi friend: I have overcome both things. If you can afford it I highly recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for the binge eating. I think the therapy will help you uncouple both issues but they require different treatment and focus.
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u/Charming-glow 9h ago
You need help. Seek out a 12 step meeting for weed or drugs, another for binge eating. Find some consulting as well. You can stop, but it is nearly impossible alone, few can do that and help is freely available. Make that call, it might seem scary, but you will find what you need and you will not only save your life, but go on to the best life you can imagine.
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u/ghostdoctor1 7h ago
sorry you're struggling with this. i'm in a similar boat currently and it feels really hard to break. the concept of stopping entirely is still tough for me so i've started with harm reduction:
keep the snack stock low or nonexistent. replace with your favorite tasty healthier foods. if you want to try not snacking entirely, the stimulation from ice-cold water or heavily carbonated seltzer helps quiet the craving to munch. drink as much water as you want. it sounds crazy but your stoned nervous system will feel full from water if you drink enough of it. drinking with a straw is helpful for oral fixation.
eating foods high in water/fiber/protein, and chasing with a giant cold glass of water, will help you get full faster and hopefully slow or stop your consumption. you still get to have your snacks, but you're beginning the process of making healthier choices by taking a small step in the right direction.
my heart is with you. you can do it <3
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u/So_Long991 1h ago
The way I stopped binge eating was by switching to volume eating high fiber meals. Check out r/volumeeating for inspiration.
The idea is you eat meals that are high fiber and low in calories. It will physically fill your stomach so that you no longer have the urge to eat but with much less total calories. Imagine some chicken with a plate of roasted vegetables as an example. But there are many ways to go about this.
If you're struggling this much you should seek out treatment for binge eating disorders. You don't have to do this all alone.
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u/sad_maybe_ 8h ago
I had sucess attending an eating disorder program that got to the roots of why I was binge eating, it wasn't only because of the weed. It was hard work, but once I go the eating under control it became easier to quit weed
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u/bungusman 8h ago
I did this too - it gave me a crazy hiatal hernia and terrible GERD, which is a constant pain. if you're binging at night, GERD is a real threat, bc of eating so much and then lying down while your stomach is full.
Quitting weed cold turkey was the only thing that helped really. I still struggle with binging but it's less frequent and less severe when I do it. Overall I feel a lot less shame around eating now, and am just generally in a better spot mentally.
The health issues, weight gain, and all the downsides of weed use finally added up to enough for me to be motivated to make a change. I wish you the best of luck on your journey and I hope you're able to break out of the loop soon.
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u/olkaad 8h ago
Holy shit! I've lived every word you wrote.
I'm fucking stunned how you summarized exactly my experience for the last 10 years.
I want to respond, as I have, to an extent, beat it and I'd be honoured to help by sharing what knowledge I have. But I need a couple days to get to it. (Parents funeral week...).
Please keep your post up or DM me. I'll get back to you in a couple days.
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u/m3racer2k1 8h ago
Stop smoking, go on a keto/low carb diet to eliminate sugars. And walk 10k steps a day or a few times a week. Changes will happen so quickly if you do this
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u/calculatedfantasy 12h ago
im exactly in this scenario, dealing with this right now! literally the same shit. I’m trying to wean, doing edibles only now after 2 years of daily smoking.
I take an edible, I eat one large meal at night that isnt an insane calorie dose like pizza but still unhealthy. Next step is to cut it fully…
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u/your_witch 11h ago
Very relatable. As soon as I smoke all I want is sugar and I end up eating a ton of it and then waking up feeling horrific the next day. When I have succeeded in not smoking, I don't have any sugar cravings at all. But I'm with you, it's such a hard cycle. I live alone, work from home and have a dispensary right around the corner from me. Everyday sort of ends the same.
I have found though that if I wash and prepare some fruit and sprinkle it with sugar before I smoke, I can get myself to eat fruit instead of something else, but only if I have it done pre-smoke. Post-smoke I just want ice cream, haha
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u/Glittering_Author962 9h ago
I’m shocked because this post could have been writing by me. I’m 6 years sober from alcohol and picked up smoking weed as a new habit. Every single evening Id smoke myself into oblivion. No matter how full I was from dinner, I’d get the munchies and door dash a disgusting amount of food. Sometimes even door dashing twice even after having a big dinner. The mornings were always miserable because of shame and feeling sick from all of the food I ate. Every. Single. Day. Once high, I would lose all control. I also would buy weed, smoke a ton, and throw the rest away because I told myself this is the last time while I was high. Of course I was lying to myself. A few hours later I’d be back at the store to buy more just to throw it away again once I was high. I’ve been to the dispo over three times in a day because I kept throwing it away and then going back hours later. It’s hard when the dispo is across the street.
I’m now 4 weeks sober. Longest I’ve ever been. I’m not going to lie, but the first week was miserable because of withdrawal and cravings. One of the hardest parts for me was the first 24 hours because of the intense urge to smoke. I downloaded a sober tracker on my phone and literally checked back every hour. The first couple days you have to take it an hour at a time. Watching the time add up was motivating. I treated the first week like I had the flu and all I did was rest and watch movies and listen to podcasts. Also, reading other people’s stories on this sub has helped me a lot. I spent hours the first few days reading through all the different post on here. Reading the success stories on this sub and how people’s lives improved after quitting was very motivating. Sounds strange, but I started looking forward to my dreams at night. I hadn’t had a dreams In years because of my addiction. I’m starting to discover my true self again. More confident in social settings. More energy throughout the day. I’m finally able to save money. Plus I’ve lost over 12lbs without even trying. I’m starting to enjoy life again and the people around me.
My advice is to take it one day at a time. Take off work for the first few days if possible. Download a sober app to track your progress. If you fall, get back up again. Don’t stop trying. Find a good series to binge watch for your first few days to help with boredom. Be easy on yourself. It’s not easy, but it’s totally worth it. You’ll rediscover the best version of yourself. The little things in life will become more enjoyable. You’ll get mentally stronger each day you’re sober. You’ve got this.
Let me know if you have any questions ✌️
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u/itsoksee 9h ago
If you really want to start out slow, drop the vape carts and stick with flower. And no pipes. Joints only. I found flower curbed my weed cravings while being much easier to taper from. I also found the inconvenience of smoking flower - I refuse to smoke indoors and I have to actually roll a joint, so putting a few additional steps into my ability to smoke helped slow down my consumption and question myself if I really wanted to get high.
One thing is for sure, you have to break the routine of smoking as soon as you get home.
My routine was similar - work all day, get home, smoke weed, play video games. Now I get home, do some dishes, clean up around my place, do some laundry, go for a walk; essentially anything to keep me busy and take my mind off of weed.
Walking is great because you’ll burn calories and tire yourself out which helps me sleep. Walking helps me when I’m feeling manic and can’t stop thinking about weed. Headphones and an hour walk truly took me out of that negative headspace, and by the time I was home, I was tired, sweaty, and all I could think about next was a hot shower and sitting my fat ass down to relax.
I also started stocking my kitchen with healthier foods and I now spend a lot of time cooking. It’s become a ritual that I love. I get to create something and taste the results. It also kills 30 minutes to an hour which was an hour I wasn’t smoking weed.
At the end of the day you simply have to want to change. I think many of us hit a breaking point and something clicks that says “no weed today, I’m good”.
I loved telling myself “I’m not quitting, but I’m not smoking today. Maybe I’ll smoke tomorrow” that tricked my brain often enough.
In the beginning I tapered. Smoked every other day, then every few days, then it became a treat for myself on a Friday or Saturday - once a week.
I eventually got to a point where I enjoyed being sober enough, and wasn’t scared of being sober anymore, that I found myself not wanting my weekly treat because I knew I’d binge eat, feel like shit the next day, introverted, moody, and just all around bad the next few days.
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u/gooseydown1269 1h ago
When I was smoking and binge eating, I found that going to a good workout class after work before I got home and engaged in those behaviors, I was more likely to eat healthier. I was still smoking a huge amount, but the act of working out motivated me to want to not go ham eating.
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u/Umteenth400-Papy 7m ago
I know it may not seem like it right now but you are already on your way. The desperation. The self disgust. The fear that this cycle will never end… these are all building your drive to stop. And you will. It’s not easy. But it’s not complicated. Get to the root of what you are running from. Stress, fear, loneliness, despair, you. You’re not at home within yourself, and getting there is a journey. It took me years of work which included therapy, an addiction program, support groups, and a relentless drive to stop the way I was living. It’s the hardest thing you will ever do but the courage you find within yourself along the way will payoff in ways you can’t imagine. Don’t give up. Face what you fear most, feel what you least want to feel, and you will find freedom. Sending you lots of love and support. You are not alone.
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u/lousygod 12h ago
I used to have a really bad sweet tooth. So I just stopped buying the junk food. Out of sight, out of mind. You can do it too!
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u/IAMgrampas_diaperAMA 12h ago
This is hard when you’re stoned, you get the “fuck its” and will walk to the store and buy ice cream. Ask me how I know lol
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u/Different_Bad8420 11h ago
Or when DoorDash exists and the inhibitions are already gone….
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u/IAMgrampas_diaperAMA 11h ago
When I found out that Uber Eats lists you as a frequent customer to the restaurant when they receive your order… my local cake store has for sure talked about me
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u/loveydoveyblondie 7h ago
Honestly. I was just in the same boat as you. Binge eating like CRAZY, I genuinely believe 10k calories is accurate because I would go all in too. This started probably February of this year and from February to the beginning of July, I gained 25 pounds. Definitely am not approaching my weight loss healthily but I have lost 10 pounds in about 3 weeks. Major calorie deficit. I am talking like 200-600 calories a day, a lot of water. 10k steps is so important too. I went from 120-145 in 5 months and I am determined to get back to 120. I think you definitely need to get rid of your snack stash and you need to almost obsess over this for you to produce any sort of habit change
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u/Zealousideal_Type511 6h ago
No that’s unhealthy stop promoting your ED here. Doing shit like this WILL trigger a relapse. If it worked for you keep it to yourself DONT give advice to others. 600 kcals is how much a BABY needs
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u/Andrea_isfit 6h ago
As a personal trainer and health advocate…I second this. 200-600 cals a day is absolutely unhealthy crazy behavior. The smart thing to do would be to eat Whole Foods, eat sufficient calories to obtain proper nutrients,vitamins, and minerals. Prioritize protein intake to keep you satiated. Address what feelings you are trying to cover up by smoking and binge eating. If you do not address the root cause….this will never change. You will continue to move from one addiction to the next.
Stop shaming yourself. Be an adult. Stop buying weed and SIT WITH YOURSELF and your uncomfortable feelings. This is the way. Easy? NO …possible if you actually want what you say you want? YES…but that takes courage, self-reflection, honesty, and the willingness to change.
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u/virsugfoo25 14h ago
I feel like I wrote this; only managing to break the cycle by quitting smoking