Hopefully by the time I leave all symptoms will have subsided or be completely gone. I just freaked out yesterday because I read they can last weeks or months.

I go to Mass every week, including when I travel. When I go to Spain, I prepare by getting a Spanish-English Mass book from a church here that has bi-lingual services. I follow the Mass with that, though it didn't really help me understand in Barcelona because the Mass at the cathedral was in Catalán. I just followed as best I could in the missal.

In other countries I just get a Mass book from a Catholic supply store. It has the Mass and the readings in English, and I follow along with that.

I usually ask my hotel for a recommendation for a beautiful church with good music. Sometimes my hotel can tell me, sometimes not.

I posted a question about a beautiful church in Vienna and was answered by one of the German-speakers who posts on this board. Per his recommendation, I went to the Augustinerkirche, which was wonderful.

The Mass is always the same, except for the sermon/homily, and of course the readings.

Good luck on the withdrawal. I went through something similar when I quit drinking. I don't recall much in the way of physical symptoms, but the sleeplessness and the craving for a drink were significant for a while.

My best advice is don't get too hungry, too tired, or too lonely.

good luck. I agree that being on a trip in a foreign environment is actually helpful when you are trying to quit an addiction of any kind (drugs, smoking, drinking, food), start a diet, anything like that. Because you have distractions and stuff to think about and new things to see and do, and a lot of addictions have to do with familiarity and habits. SO you are away from them, and maybe away from easy access to whatever your vice is, also.

Okay, I know Paris pretty well -- as for masses in English, there are several ptions.

Notre Dame has an international mass each Sunday at 11:30 am. That means some of the prayers and readings are in English. THey don't have any mass that is entirely in English.

St Joseph's in the 8th arr is an English speaking parish http://www.stjoeparis.org/

There is an English mass at 11:30 in St Patricks chapel in St Etienne du Mont church in the Latin Qtr (75005).

those are the only ones I know about but should work for you

Might depend on how much pot you use on a daily basis. I'd like to say it's all in the mind but I can see my hands literally shaking and I don't smoke anything else.>

sounds like you are using pot as a medicine for perhaps some underlying reason - much like alcoholics medicate themselves - as for headaches that is one legitimate use of medical marijuana - is prescribed to folks with migraines for example.

Anyway most here make pot sound like heroin and it ain't - like Paul McCartney said, a heavy user all his adult life - pot is one of the most misunderstood things around - Carl Sagan was said by his family to have smoked pot daily all his adult life as millions do with no such effects when they have to stop - again I know countless cases.

I feel sorry for your angst but pot ain't the villain you and others here make it out to be - through a basic misunderstanding of one of the most benign substances around - I think you may be experiencing stress at the thought of some terrible withdrawal - like the National Institute on Drug Abuse says withdraw symptons are rather mild.

You may want to look elsewhere for the reason reason you are in such a panic.

Cheers and good luck.

For people who are religious, I don't think that the language of the mass makes much difference. Generations attended mass in Latin without adverse effects.

true, but the entire mass was not in Latin because I was raised Catholic. The homily was not, nor some of the prayers and hymns. Depends what you want, if you know the ritual, I agree it doesn't matter than much but the OP appears to be Catholic and asked for English. So I think they know what they want and have been to a Catholic mass before.

Well then they will certainly be able to Google "Catholic service in English in Paris" in about 3 seconds.

icandoit - Pay no attention to PalenQ. He's the official pot-pusher on these boards. Anytime anyone mentions Amsterdam here, he always alerts everyone as to how easy it is to get it there. He's one of those old guys who thinks pot is the fountain of youth. Just pity and ignore him like we do.

anyhow, marihuana withdrawal symptoms really aren't that serious. I quit after having regularly smoked for a year during chemotherapy and it was a few days of mild discomfort and more kicking the mental habit of smoking daily. it may be that your body reacts strongly, but I really think you're dramatizing the whole thing. it's not as if you're quitting heroine. Or fentanyl: I did that and it was horrible. But I survived. So will you.

I did not say pot is bad nor do I advocate it. Pot and heroin are not in the same category that's insane. However the way I abused pot was not the way I want to live my life moving forward. Everyone uses it for different reasons and that's their prerogative. I don't judge or intend to disrespect or offend anyone with my choices. I was just talking about my symptoms and hospital availability should they worsen abroad. Everyone reacts to things differently whether it's pot, alcohol, food, gambling, sex, etc.

Thank you very much for the hospital and mass details. I'm not religious but thought it would be nice to hear mass in a famous church like Notre Dame while lighting a candle for my grandmother. Now that you mention it might actually be interesting to hear it in a different language. Never tried that before.

God created pot - pray to him/her/it for relief from it!

Wish you the best and you can laways hop over to Amsterdam for legal herb if need be to abate deleterious withdrawal symptoms which by the time you go I think will have dissipated.

Good luck!

hahaha! Cheers and thank you for the well wishes.

Also a toast to menachem's recovery.

Thanks!

God did not create pot.

Pot was cultivated by Capitalism because a Capitalist will cultivate anything that turns a profit.

And nothing turns a profit like Sin.



Thin, waving at Adam Smith

Perhaps the medicinal aspects of pot have been helping you cope with anxiety disorder these last 20 years - it may be the medicine you need so when you stop your meds you revert to an anxiety state - again I would get some Xanax or Valium to have with you in case panic attacks strike - but again it ain't IMO the pot that is the underlying problem.

don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Good for you ! Unpleasant but you should glory in the withdrawl symptoms because they mean you're getting all that junk out of your system>

this is typical of the fundamental misunderstanding of cannaboids effects on the body - there is no junk left in your body after the temporary effects of smoking or eating pot - THC the psychoactive element of a high dissipates completely after a few hours - if it did not folks would be stoned for days - the residue left in the body if any is harmless and in no way affects one's mental status.

I think the suggestion to have a few Xanax or Valium on hand is a good one. I am terrified of flying, but somehow, just having a few Xanax in my possession makes it a bit easier, knowing that I have access to them if I need to take one. Not trying to get you substitute one 'vice' for another of course, but simply a little 'bridge' to get you over the rough spots if you need it. Good luck again!

Yes again what would a hospital do - give you XanaX or Valium I would think - it will be a crutch you can rely on if angst worsens - if you've never taken any you will not know how instantly calming these drugs can be - they are for short-term use as in larger doses lose their effect after more than a few months of useage I understand.

I quit many, many years ago, without serious side effects, and believe you can too. Spending the time in Paris--away from your usual surroundings--would do wonders, as would attending Mass regularly and taking long, long walks (as I did), for which Paris is perfect.

As Menachem says, the "addiction" is psychological and after a few days, you'll be over it. FWIW, I found that quitting smoking tobacco was much more difficult than quitting marijuana.

BTW--I like hearing Mass in the local language. The liturgy is the same and preaching is not, shall we say, the forte of Roman Catholic clergy so it's easier and less guilt-inducing to ignore the homily if it's in a language I don't speak, or speak well.

Good look and bon voyage!

holy sh^t last night was bad. I was so angry at everything. Good thing I had the sense to turn off all my digital equipment and not talk to anyone or I would've regretted it. Turned on calming music, hot shower, watched inspirational TED clips. Damn the urge was so strong especially after I ordered pizza delivery. Took every ounce of me not to smoke. I wish I wasn't such an abuser so I can enjoy it moderately like some people I know but I am so it is what it is. Day 5 and still not smoking though. Wooptie. No more cramps just arm soreness but that could be from the dumbbells. Still a little heaviness in the head but that's subsided too. No heat radiating. I did experience some facial spasms especially around the orbital areas on days 3 and 4. A shot of vodka with club soda gave me a severe headache after a few sips so tossed that out. Other than that I feel better today than I did the last 4 days. So proud I didn't smoke that took every ounce of me. I think I will pass on the Xanax and Valium and tough it out. I should incorporate more meditation. I have a missing link on my itinerary. Can I take the train from Seville to Madrid to Barcelona or would it better to fly? Thansk.