We’ve all been there before; you’ve gotten a little carried away with the weed and suddenly feel worse for wear – it’s almost like a rite of passage into the weed-smoking world!
However, regardless of how common it is, smoking too much weed is universally unpleasant, no matter how experienced you may (or may not) be.
The first thing to stress is that, if you are reading this in a bid to relieve yourself of a cannabis-induced overdose, the main thing to do is remember that there is nobody in the world who has ever died from getting too high. In fact, scientists have tried to determine an LD50 for cannabis extract by pumping massive amounts (up to 5,000 mg per kg of body weight) into primates to try and kill them, but they couldn’t even do it.
So needless to say, as bad as you might be feeling now, it is just temporary!
With that being said, we understand how unpleasant it can feel when you realize that – whoops, I shouldn’t have smoked that extra joint. So in order to help out our fellow stoners, we have put together a helpful guide full of tricks and tips you can follow for those times you get a little bit too high!
How Do You Know When You’ve Had Too Much Weed?
It might sound silly to those who have experienced cannabis in high doses before, but for the newbies who are more likely to suffer from a too intense high, it may be difficult to recognize precisely what is going on.
The key to controlling your symptoms is having the ability to know that what you’re feeling is just the result of a little too much cannabis, and that it isn’t going to last. So, how do you know when you’ve had too much?
Classic symptoms of being “too high” include:
- Sweats
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Confusion
- Panic attacks
- Rapid heart rate
- Hallucinations
These are the most likely side effects you will experience from going overboard with weed, and even though we can’t stress enough that these symptoms will eventually go away, we do fully appreciate how horrendous it can feel at the time.
Without further ado, here are our Top 6 Tips for what to do when you get too high!
6 Tips for What to Do if You Get Too High
#1) Know your limits
Okay, this isn’t going to be of much use if you have already smoked or consumed more cannabis than you can handle, but our top preventative measure is simply knowing your limits.
Even the most experienced weed smokers will be able to recall at least one time where they went over the top and suffered the consequences as a result of too much weed. However, you can easily avoid some of the less enjoyable effects of cannabis simply by approaching things at a slow and steady pace.
Knowing how much weed you can handle is easier said than done if you have never smoked it before, but by having a little bit at a time, you can more easily gauge when you feel like enough is enough. This is especially true with edibles which take longer to hit – DO NOT go stuffing your face with loads of cannabis-infused foods because you haven’t got a buzz yet; it will come, so be patient.
#2) It’s all in your head (duh!)
One of the most common issues with smoking too much weed is that it usually has a negative impact on the way we think about things. Rational feelings and thoughts can often give way to bouts of intense anxiety, paranoia, and general distrust. In fact, around 20-30% of cannabis users report that they have felt this way at some point after smoking weed.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms and the environment you are in at the time, the intensity of these negative thoughts will vary. It is often the case that episodes of extreme anxiety pass in anywhere between several minutes to a few hours, but during this time it can be terrifying and distressing.
For this reason, it is so important that you understand the majority of what you are feeling is all in your head. You may be experiencing physical sweats and a faster heart rate, which can often exacerbate the way you think. However, any hallucinations, anxieties, or feelings of paranoia are just a fabrication of your mind.
Once you understand that the way you feel is: A) temporary and B) mostly in your head, you will be able to control your thoughts and feelings more easily and avoid getting yourself into a worse state.
#3) Find a safe (and relaxing) space
It can be easier said than done to find somewhere quiet and secure when you’re going through a cannabis high that is less than enjoyable, especially if your symptoms occur during a communal smoke or a situation where you can’t retreat to your room.
However, finding a moment or an area to be quiet and relax can make a huge difference in the way you feel.
Also, practicing controlled breathing in through the nose and slowly out through the mouth will help bring your heart rate down, which should have a direct impact on some of your other symptoms such as sweating and anxiety.
#4 Water works wonders!
If/when you get too high, remember that water is great! In fact, it is often the answer to many non-serious medical complaints, from headaches and stomach aches to, well, getting too high!
Drinking water will not only improve your hydration, but will give your mind something familiar and comforting to focus on, therefore distracting from any unpleasant thoughts.
If you are not a fan of water, try a fruit juice like orange or apple juice. We wouldn’t recommend anything that contains caffeine as this can cause anxiety to worsen. Also, if you are suffering from the feeling of being too high, we advise you never to consider drinking alcohol – it isn’t wise to add any other intoxicating substances to the mix.
#5 Secret ingredient
This tip may come as a surprise, as it indeed was one for us when we first heard about it: pepper! Yep, you heard us right, this kitchen condiment is the secret ingredient for relieving anxiety and paranoia during a cannabis high.
But don’t just take our word for it, this is what Neil Young had to say on the matter: “Try black pepper balls if you get paranoid. Just chew two or three pieces”.
Apparently, there are similarities in the way cannabis and black pepper binds to the body’s cannabinoid receptors, meaning that black pepper can combine with marijuana to create a calming effect!
#6 CBD Oil
CBD has been shown multiple times in scientific studies to counteract the effects of a THC-induced high. This is why an increasing amount of strictly medical patients are opting for strains that are higher in CBD than they are in THC, or at least have a 1:1 ratio.
So if you ever find yourself way more stoned than you should be, take a dose (or two) of CBD oil, or some other CBD-based product – honestly, it’s probably the best and most effective way to reduce the psychoactive effects and bring yourself back down to earth.
Final thoughts on What to Do if You Get Too High
Consuming too much weed can be an incredibly difficult thing to avoid, particularly if you’re not an experienced marijuana user. While sometimes symptoms may be mild and short-lived, it is often the case that bad cannabis highs can be enough to put people off from ever touching the plant again!
By following our tips, however, and trying other things such as light snacking and sleeping it off – you should be able to avoid any long-lasting experience that could ruin a beautiful relationship between you and our favorite flower!
And always remember – NOBODY has ever died from consuming too much weed!