What Does Being High Feel Like?

We have written at great length about the science behind getting high but what does it actually feel like? If you’ve never consumed weed and are curious as to how you will feel, there is unfortunately no template because your experience will be completely different to that of the person next to you. Although the time taken to get high also varies, we can tell you that smoked or vaporized marijuana is generally felt within a few seconds.

You may feel a peak effect for between 15 and 30 minutes which levels off and fades away within four hours. Again, this isn’t set in stone and the ‘leveling off’ time will be longer with stronger strains. While we can’t guarantee the effects you’ll feel while high, we can share five experiences from five different users to give you a taste of what to expect.

If you’ve ever asked the question, “What Does Being High Feel Like”, then this post is for you!

What Does Being High Feel Like: 5 Personal Stories

“Time Doesn’t Feel Linear”

Michelle M, Michigan

I’m an experienced user but there is still the feeling of an ‘event’ every time I smoke. I prefer to smoke it from a bong because it hits me like a freight train. Within a few seconds, I’m already aware of being stoned and fight the urge to engage in a coughing fit. After about a minute, I check out my surroundings and note that while my peripheral vision is blurred, the colors in the room are noticeably brighter.

Everything seems to be moving a little slower than usual which enables me to really see things. The world appears as if it is a bunch of photos placed a fraction of a second apart, and I feel as if my breathing has slowed down. I find that this is an excellent time to listen to some music as the weed gives me a greater appreciation for it.

Rather than merely hearing sound, I am experiencing the song; every drum beat and guitar string sends a message and resonates deeply. By now, the euphoria has set in and I feel incredible. After what seems like five minutes, I glance down at the reading on my phone which is playing the music, and only 30 seconds have passed! Time doesn’t seem linear when you’re high.

“Daredevil Without Being Blind”

Dave D, Illinois

I hope it doesn’t seem disrespectful to say this, so let me explain. In the Marvel Comics universe, Matthew Michael Murdock is Daredevil, a man who was blinded by a radioactive substance that fell from a truck. He pushed a man to safety from the onrushing truck but paid a heavy price. Although he is blind, Murdock benefits from a ‘radar sense’ as all his other senses are massively improved after the accident.

This is pretty much how I feel after getting high! Within minutes, my sense of touch, hearing, smell, taste, and sight, all seem enhanced somehow. I can taste something new in my pepperoni pizza, hear something new in Led Zeppelin IV, and smell things like I’m Wolverine. Occasionally, things get a little too enhanced and it feels unusual.

My thought process is also completely altered when I’m high. I feel a level of introspection I didn’t know I was capable of until I got high. There are times when detailed thoughts give way to paranoia so I would advise new users to tread carefully until they get used to the full effects.

“The Invisible Man”

Simon P, NY

If you’ve ever felt like the world is watching you, light up a joint and see if you benefit from the kind of experience I enjoy. For me, the effects are never instantaneous and that’s the way I like it. There is an acute sense of pleasure in anticipating the high which only begins for me after about a minute.

The effects are subtle but present as I begin to feel a little different. I experience a feeling of weightlessness and unnecessary distractions fade into the background. Within a couple of minutes, whatever feelings of anxiety I had have dissipated and it feels as if stress has completely vacated my body and mind. At this stage, I feel as if I am master of my own universe with no one watching. Although I am alone in my room most times I’m high, I usually feel like the Invisible Man.

“Calm in the Face of Danger”

Tim C, California

One of the most bizarre incidents I’ve ever had occurred when I was high but weed wasn’t the cause; although it ended up being the solution! One day, I was high and walking through a nature trail near my house that I know well. I enjoy the expedition after taking a few hits because everything, from the fresh scent of the trees, to the serenades of the birds, is more apparent. To this day I am adamant that William Wordsworth was high as a kite when he wrote his nature appreciation poetry.

One day, I was walking through the trail as usual when suddenly, I heard an unusual sound which was a mix of broken branches and low growling. After initially believing the noise was ahead, I determined that it was directly above me. When I looked up, I saw a rather irate looking bear meandering around a tree.

Rather than running away screaming, which would be a logical but dangerous reaction, in my high state, I decided to slowly back away and watch the bear in action. He saw me backing away and slowly clambered down to the ground. The bear looked young and perhaps he was as frightened of me, as I was of him, because he decided to move away. I walked away from the scene and lived to tell the tale.

“A Greater Sense of Appreciation”

Sophie G, Ohio

In my experience, there is nothing like getting high to make you truly appreciate what you have. When I’m high, those nagging fears and doubts subside, almost by magic, as you enter what I can only describe as a magic realm of thought. I’m cynical by nature but after smoking some good weed, I’m far more concerned about enjoying the good things in life rather than lamenting the broken state of the world.

I also recommend closing your eyes when high because you won’t believe the things that come to mind. For me, these forgotten then discovered moments include the time my brother handed me his candy after I dropped mine, and the awesome present he bought me for my seventh birthday; who doesn’t love Optimus Prime? Life feels better because at that moment, it is better.

Final Thoughts on What Does Being High Feel Like

We hope you enjoyed these five anecdotes from weed users but please remember, it is unlikely that you’ll have the same, or even a similar experience, to any of the above. The journey you take while high is an intensely personal one. You may relieve a summer day spent at your grandparents 25 years ago or feel as if you’re an intricate part of the universe; or conversely realize how insignificant we all are in the grand scheme of things.

When you’re high, you can feel elated, introspective, energized, or contemplative. You could travel through time and space or get lost in a world of your own making. One thing we can guarantee, getting high is seldom boring, and always something worth looking forward to.

If you are looking to get high and FAST, then you must check out this article we recently wrote on the best strains to try to get high fast.