“Once I realized that I had an issue with addiction, I realized that pot was as much a problem as alcohol or caffeine or nicotine.”
Good for you, in seeing your problem was NEVER the pot.
Your an addict, period, whether or not you are entertaining your current addiction(s) at the moment.
Being an addict is not the result of the substance or behavior entertained, addictively. Being an addict is having a personality type and/or obtaining a personality pattern that is prone to addictive behavior. WHICH substance or behavior is irrelevant and NOT the problem.
The “cure” is ALWAYS in deciding to no longer accept the addictive behavior. I hope you keep that lesson with always.
It’s been the ultimate lesson of my young adult life, Wuli. I’ll never forget it, because I’ve lived on the other side, remember every bad thing about it and don’t want to become that person again.