Many of us have been there: you just finished a joint of your favorite bud, or maybe munched down on that edible you’d been saving for your next day off. You feel so warm and bubbly and amazing, but, all of a sudden, terror strikes.
Maybe it’s a distressing thought that did you in, or a sudden onset existential crisis, but one way or another, your formerly utopian high has become a foreign dystopia. If this is you currently, or has been you in the past, fret not!
There are plenty of ways that you can help minimize the stress of getting too high, as well as encourage the comedown. Time frames of how long this high will last definitely depend on the method of consumption (edibles, dabs, bud, etc) and your own personal tolerance, but it’s important to reassure yourself that a high is only temporary.
How Long Does A Cannabis High Last?
Like we just mentioned, this depends on a wide range of factors including the method of consumption, your personal tolerance, and the quantity of THC ingested. Some GMO flower may hit harder than, let’s say, some Lava Cake flower, due to the inherent potency differences between strains.
It’s also important to note that people with higher tolerances, who smoke more often, will generally also sober up faster than someone who only smokes occasionally. Anecdotally speaking, a cannabis high will generally last around 1 to 3 hours, although this can be significantly longer if you’ve taken edibles or have a very low tolerance.
A high from edibles will generally last between 4 to 8 hours, although some people report highs lasting from 12 to 24 hours. This being said, there will be a peak and a decline around the middle of that timeline, so you most likely won’t be feeling “too high” for the entire duration!
Symptoms Of Being Too High
Generally if you’re too high, you will know. This being said, we still want to summarize what people, in general, mean when they refer to being too high. We all love cannabis here, but it’s important to know your limits, even if you happen to find them out the hard way. If you’re feeling a number of these things, then it’s safe to say you probably over-indulged:
- Paranoia
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Panic
- Overstimulation
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Excessive sweating
- Chest Tightness
11 Tips To Help Sober Up From Weed
If you’re currently too high, or just want to be prepared in case of emergency, these are some tips that have worked for us, as well as for people we know! I know that I’ve certainly had to use some of the skills a number of times, so I’m confident that you will find something here that can provide relief.
If any of these aren’t possible for you at the moment, that’s okay! Choose the ones that sound most appealing to you, and if one doesn’t help, just move on to another.
Stay Calm
The most important thing when you’re too high is to stay calm, and remind yourself that the experience is temporary. Like most things in life, this high is a passing wave that you’re currently riding. It is very real in the present, but eventually, this wave will dissipate back into the ocean, and you will no longer feel its impact.
Contrary to what some fear mongering buffoons may insist, there have been zero reported cannabis deaths in history, so you are not in physical danger from greening out. You are safe, just experiencing some temporary discomfort.
Try to keep this in mind, and if it begins to get more intense, focus on the fact that this is a temporary experience and that you are safe. It’s also important to cut yourself some slack: we all over-do it sometimes! No need to self-blame, this high will end and you have gained valuable insight through it for the future.
Take A Shower
If you’re at home or at a close friend’s house, we would suggest taking a cool shower! Cool or cold showers can help invigorate the senses, as well as help turn the mind away from any distressing thoughts or feelings.
You can also try a relaxing, warm shower if that’s more your speed! Although there are no scientific studies on the effects of showers on high subjects, it’s generally accepted that showers can be relaxing and soothing.
In my personal experience, the sound of the water can also be relaxing and easy to focus on when there’s too much going on in my brain. Try out a shower, and see which temperature options can help you feel a bit better!
Go For A Walk
If you’re feeling up to it physically, sometimes a change of scenery can help take you out of your mind. I would have to recommend a walk through nature, since it can be very pretty, calming, and friendly to the senses.
We definitely encourage you to bring a friend: we don’t want you wandering off somewhere too stoned and getting lost or confused. If you and your buddy are feeling able, we think a walk could help you get out of your head and feel a bit more centered again.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking water is so important. It may feel like something very mundane, but it really helps to keep everything in your body regulated. Try to keep some water on hand and sip on it here and there, it’s also a very familiar action that you can focus on. Just sip and swallow!
We wouldn’t recommend caffeinated beverages, as they can be very stimulating, but even a cup of juice or your favorite sports drink can help ward away dry mouth and stay present. This one is a big trick I keep in my tool belt for whenever I’m feeling too high, or overstimulated in general.
Have A Snack
If you haven’t eaten enough before smoking, it’s possible that the lack of nutrients is weighing in on your poor experience. Having a little snack can help ground you a bit, and at least distract you for a bit while you’re doing it.
There’s also some foods that contain terpenes commonly found in cannabis, such as lemons or pine nuts. Pine nuts, for example, contain pinene, which has been researched for its potentially anxiety reducing effects. Now, we know most people don’t just keep a bag of pine nuts on hand, but it’s worth a try if they do happen to be in stock.
Try Some CBD
You may be asking yourself, should I really fight cannabis with more cannabis? In this case, yes! CBD works in the body by modulating the receptor signals associated with THC, but doesn’t bind to the CB1 receptor like THC does.
For this reason, it’s possible that taking some CBD could help mitigate the symptoms you’re experiencing and help mellow down the high. Just make sure you’re taking broad spectrum CBD or CBD isolate, as full spectrum CBD can contain trace amounts of THC.
Most people may not notice the effects of THC in full spectrum varieties, but for those with very low tolerances (like me) it can be noticeable at times. The entourage effect works in strange and mysterious ways.
Chew Some Black Pepper
I hadn’t heard of this method until fairly recently, but Neil Young swears by this trick! Apparently, if you chew on black peppercorns, it can help mellow out your high and make it more manageable. It’s also said to take effect almost instantly, which I find really interesting.
Black pepper does contain quite a bit of beta-caryophyllene, which is a terpene that’s been studied for its anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties. Although I can’t vouch for this one personally, I am a huge fan of strains with high contents of that specific terpene, so it makes sense in theory.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises are a classic grounding and centering technique, and have helped me combat my anxiety throughout time. Setting some time aside to focus on your breathing can help the sensations in your body and thoughts in your mind slowly dissipate.
You can focus on your natural breathing, or you could also opt for a timed breathing exercise like square breathing: do whatever seems easiest to you! During this time, be mindful of any thoughts that arise, but do your best to observe them and bring your focus gently back to the breathing.
There’s no set time for how long you should practice this one, I’d say just keep going until you’re feeling some relief. If for some reason this one isn’t working for you, you can just calmly move to a different activity.
Lie Down Or Nap
If you’re feeling particularly dizzy or unfocused, we recommend you lie down and get nice and cozy. If you have a weighted blanket on hand, I’ve found those to be incredibly relaxing and help in creating a safe, comfortable environment.
If not, any blanket or even no blanket at all will do. Sometimes you just need to let your body rest, and if you sink into a little nap, great! Sleeping off a high is a really great way to hit the reset button, but we realize that sometimes you can be too overstimulated or energized for this option.
Distract Yourself
If all else fails, distract yourself. What do you like to do when you’re high? Whether it’s watching your favorite show, playing a game, drawing, writing, or something else, try to make yourself participate in an activity you enjoy!
Sometimes getting out of your head for a little while is all you need to calm down a bit. After a little bit of said activity, you might even check back in and notice enough time has passed for you to feel a bit less high. I always try to take note of this, and help remind myself that with even more time, I’ll be feeling even better.
Is there a particular game that grabs your full attention when you’re playing it? Has your favorite youtuber dropped a new video? Surround yourself with things you enjoy, we bet it’ll help you feel even the tiniest bit more relaxed.
Get Some Exercise In
The last one on this list is to get movin’. Exercise of all kinds can help get your endorphins flowing and blood pumping. This may not be a viable option if you’re feeling dizzy or light headed, so play this one by ear.
Exercise can help bring your mind into the present and away from any distressing thoughts, and has also been shown to improve one’s mood and reduce anxiety. There’s no need to go out and run a marathon, even just some push ups or jumping jacks could give you a push in the right direction! Try to have fun with this one if you can.
What To Do If Your Friend Gets Too High
Sometimes when people get too high, they will begin to withdraw, become more timid, or show signs of anxiety and stress. It’s important to approach them with a gentle, friendly tone and show that you’re there to support them in this time, reminding them that the high will come to an end soon.
Along with encouraging a few of the tips we’ve mentioned above, you can also offer them a hug, comfort them in a calm tone, or make them a little nest of blankets.
Being too high can be a very scary experience, so do your best to help ground, comfort, and support your friends if they happen to fall a bit too far down the rabbit hole. Make sure they have a safe place to stay, and do your best to stay with them for the duration of this unpleasant experience if possible.
If they’re open or able to talk about what they’re experiencing, it can be helpful, but make sure not to press too much: these things can be difficult to rationalize and verbalize at times. What matters most is showing your support and doing all you can to help them stay calm.
Final Thoughts
Getting too high can be an incredibly unpleasant and scary experience. Although it may seem never ending when you’re in the thralls of it, try to remind yourself that it, like all things, will end. By practicing some of these tricks, we hope that you can find some relief in any near green-out or greening out moments. And remember, if all else fails, just sleep it off!
