Anyone with BPD use weed to cope? How did you stop?
I started smoking weed in 2018. At first, I would smoke maybe once a week, but from 2019 onwards I started smoking more regularly; joints, bongs, cigarettes, etc.
Around 2024–2025, I gradually cut down. I stopped buying weed regularly and would mostly smoke if I was with friends who had some. Eventually, I went for long periods without smoking and got to the point where I might only smoke once every 2–3 months.
The problem is that whenever something really upsetting happens in my life, relationship problems, feeling emotionally abandoned by my partner, career issues, trauma-related stuff, or just feeling extremely depressed and anxious, I find myself wanting weed again.
I have BPD, and when I smoke, I feel incredibly relaxed. For a while, it feels like my brain finally goes quiet and I don’t have to think about everything that’s hurting me. That’s probably why I’ve started seeing weed as a way to relieve my anxiety and depression.
Deep down, though, I don’t really want to rely on it. It’s almost like there are two parts of my mind: one part knows I don’t want weed to become my coping mechanism, while another part desperately wants it whenever I’m struggling.
My partner also used to smoke with me, but they have ADHD and stopped in 2024 after starting medication, so I don’t really have that shared habit anymore.
I’m curious about other people’s experiences, especially anyone with BPD.
How did you stop using weed as a coping mechanism?
Did you completely quit, or do you sometimes relapse and then stop again?
Do any of you with BPD actually find cannabis helpful for managing your symptoms, or does it ultimately make things worse?
I’m not necessarily looking for judgment, I’d really like to hear from people who have been in a similar situation and what worked (or didn’t work) for them.