If you’ve been a cannabis consumer for some time, you’re bound to have gotten too high at one point. Whether you took one too many hits off the blunt or the edible kicked in much stronger than you expected, it’s only natural you run into this situation once in your cannabis career.
What many of us don’t realize – especially when we first try cannabis – is our body’s have limits to how much THC it can consume. These limits do change as a tolerance is built up the more you smoke.¹ However, there always remains a fine line to how much you can consume.
Once your cross that line, it can be difficult to handle the high that ensues.
Luckily, there are remedies for being too high. The purpose of this blog is to teach you these remedies and help you prevent an experience as such from happening again in the future.
Don’t Panic If You’re Too High!
It’s only natural for our brains to start panicking when we find ourselves too high. When we smoke THC, the phtyocannabinoid directly affects our amygdala. This endocannabinoid within our body is responsible for a number of attributes, including sensations of anxiety.²
People tend to feel two direct ways when it comes to THC and their amygdala:
- They feel a relief from anxiety.
- They feel their anxiety is heightened.
Some cannabis users refer to the latter as “greening out” and, for those who’ve experienced it, it can be an extremely unpleasant circumstance.
However, as unpleasant as it is, we promise you are okay! In terms of your physicality, it’s impossible to over consume cannabis and overdose. The panic is nothing that’s truly threatening you and it will pass over with enough time.
Eat and Stay Hydrated
If panic does kick in, water can be a key to relief. You may feel physically ill after you smoke cannabis. This is due to the way THC dehydrates the body.³
Whether it’s a bottle of water or a glass of juice, make sure to keep something on hand that’s going to hydrate you. We suggest:
- You avoid alcoholic beverages as they will only add to an already uncomfortable experience.
- Avoid caffeine as it many people report it to further anxiety, even without being high.⁴
Some people have also reported that eating a light snack helps with their anxiety. Though this depends on the individual, healthier foods such as fruits, nuts, or vegetables may help ease any panic caused by THC.
Take It Easy
Never forget that all you need to overcome your panic is time. Your high will not last forever and you will eventually be grounded back to reality.
With this understanding, don’t be afraid to take it easy while you’re too high. Find a quiet place to relax and take deep breathes. Turn on some calming music and let the uncomfortable wave pass over you.
You want to also try to sleep the high off. Unfortunately, this isn’t easy for everyone as panic usually causes one’s brain to become extremely active. Though you may want to take a sleeping aid (like Melatonin), it may be best to rest until you feel the ability to get up and move around again.
Take a Walk
Your environment plays a major role in anxiety. In order to ease an uncomfortable high, you may just need to move to a new location.
By taking a walk, you’re pumping your blood and breathing in fresh air. Take yourself to somewhere naturally scenic where you know you’ll have a moment to calm down.
Some people may feel a bit too light-headed to stand up. If you’re currently in this situation, you may want to lie down and take it easy instead.
Try Cannabidiol (CBD)
CBD is another cannabinoid (like THC) found within the cannabis plant. The only difference is it doesn’t get you high. In fact, researchers have found that it actually counteracts a high!
This is due to the way both THC and CBD interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
When you intake THC, your CB1 receptors (which are responsible for anxiety) are heightened. When you consume CBD, you ECS is balanced out as much as possible.⁵
Of course, not everyone has CBD lying around waiting to be used. But if you find yourself getting too high on a regular basis, you may want to consider purchasing some.
Find a Distraction
As we continually stress, the only true remedy to an intense high is time. And with that time, all you need to overcome the discomfort is a good distraction.
Some activities which may help you are:
- Getting creative (writing in a journal, sketching, etc.)
- Listening to music
- Playing video games
- Reading a good book
- Watching a good movie or TV show
If you have people around that you trust, one of the best distractions to a bad high is a good conversation. By talking with others, you’re doing more than just distracting yourself, you’re having an authentic communication with others.
Know Your Limits
If there’s anything to take away from a bad high, it’s your cannabis consumption limits. We at Let Us Be Blunt don’t believe a bad high should discourage you from consuming cannabis altogether. Rather, you should take it as a lesson of how much cannabis you can consume.
There remains so many potentials to cannabis consumption. To give up on it entirely due to one experience is a great disfavor to yourself. Take it slower next time and find your sweet spot.
Your Questions
Still have questions concerning what you should do if you become too high?
We invite you to ask them in the comments section below. If you have any advice to offer others, we’d also love to hear from you.
Reference Sources
¹ PubMed: Aspects of tolerance to and dependence on cannabis.
² Psychology Today: Cannabis Targets Receptors in the Amygdala Linked to Anxiety
³ Neurotoxicity Research: Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) Induce Neurogenesis and Improve Cognitive Performances of Male Sprague Dawley Rats
⁴ Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford, England): Caffeine consumption and self-assessed stress, anxiety, and depression in secondary school children
⁵ Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal: The Endocannabinoid System, Cannabinoids, and Pain
Let Us Be Blunt 