"Cannabis Addiction / Dependence and Recovery"

I had been smoking a large amount of Cannabis on a daily basis since the age of 16.

I was very apprehensive to stop smoking cannabis as I suffer with insomnia and cannabis cured my insomnia however I could feel myself becoming more and more anxious over the years due to the heavy cannabis use.

I did an online self referral to Inclusion to start working on quitting weed.

Alexa (one of the recovery workers from Inclusion) called me not long after I made the referral to introduce herself and put in motion an action plan for me to achieve my goal of ending my long term cannabis use.

Immediately we discussed options and the reason’s for taking the drug and she then sent me lots of information and resources to help me understand what the long term effects of cannabis were having on my body and mind, information regarding relapsing and helpful web articles on helping quit the usage. I advised her that I would use cannabis to help with my insomnia and she not only provided me with healthy coping strategies but she actually made a referral to my doctors who have since prescribed me with a much healthier sleeping aid which has worked great for me. I have researched the long term effects of the sleeping aid that I have been provided and there aren’t any harmful effects on the body for long term use.

Smoking cannabis limited my life in many ways from taking time away from my evenings each night to physcially smoke it, the large expense of buying it, to not being able to travel abroad, limiting my driving (as of course I would never drive after I had smoked it), to making me extremely irritable and anxious when I did not have it and of course the health effects on my body from smoking it. My life has improved tenfold since quitting and that is simply down to Alexa and the level of care she has provided to me. She is an extremely kind, understanding, non judgemental and empathetic human being. She never once put me down or made me feel less than for being dependent / reliant on cannabis and she worked with me for months until I felt like I was ready to be discharged. I feel incredibly greatful and blessed that Alexa was my recovery worker and I can not praise her highly enough. Even though at points she was going through negative things in her personal life her positive attitude and kindness towards me never faltered. She always called me for our appointments when she said she would, she would not only discuss the cannabis use and provide me with help and support during our calls but she would also check in on my mental health and how I was feeling mentally.

Alexa if you are reading this I just want to say the biggest THANK-YOU! You are a beautiful human being on the inside and out and I am very lucky to have had you as my recovery worker and so is everyone else who you work with. You have a beautiful soul and please never allow the negativity that goes on in the world to change you as you are absolutely perfect the way you are. We need more Alexa’s in the world. Thank you again for everything I cannot rate you highly enough for helping me improve my life in such a significant way. Sending you positivity and good vibes always. And if any of Alexa’s seniors are reading this she definitely deserves a promotion / raise for the hardwork she puts into her work and her patients.