Have you ever come to the realisation that you’re too high? It is an experience that many users of Cannabis can relate to and tell stories about. After the fact, it serves as a great anecdote but at the time it isn’t the most pleasant experience.
Whether you like to smoke, vape or eat your cannabis the risk of consuming too much THC is a reality if you’re caught off guard by a new or strong strain, a bigger hit than expected or you misjudged how much of that edible you should have taken. Edibles are the most common cause of becoming too high as they are inconsistent and the effects are much more potent and last longer.
Symptoms of being ‘too high’ from weed can vary from person to person but the most common are: dry mouth, dry eyes, sickness extreme anxiety and paranoia. So if you find yourself in the uncomfortable position of being ‘too high’ then there are a couple of things you can do to sober up :)
Remember that THC is still illegal in the UK so this is just an informational post.
Take some CBD!
Our blog here is mostly about CBD. The compound has exploded in recent years for its long list of potential health benefits. If you’re a weed smoker, then chances are you will have a bottle of this stuff hanging about ready. If you’re not so familiar with THC then purchasing a bottle of CBD oil (maybe even a paste or edible) could be a way to prepare of the worst.
You may already know that CBD is the second most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis, and is a non-psychoactive compound; what you may not know is that CBD counteracts the psychoactive nature of THC and can help to smooth out your high. If you’re feeling a little too stoned, then it is an idea to take a couple of drops of CBD oil or consume something with a high concentration of CBD. It may seem like a long while in ‘too high’ land (where time sometimes seems to go backwards) but you will find that your high starts to level out and you feel way better.
A top tip is to take a couple of drops of CBD before consuming anything which contains THC. It will help your body regulate the THC better and the theory is that it will make your high way more enjoyable.
Stay Calm!
The most important thing to do is to try to stay calm. Although it does feel like there is something very wrong, you just need to remind yourself why you’re feeling that way.
There is no such thing as a ‘THC overdose’ and there are no recorded deaths from taking too much weed. The most you’re likely to encounter is a little mind-fogginess. Therefore, when you’re in the depths of ‘weed-topia’ just try to remind yourself that everything is going to be ok and that you’ve overcooked it.
Pop some pepper!
If you haven’t got a bottle of CBD handy, then you’re likely to have some pepper, right? If you don’t, you’re living under a culinary rock. You’ll be surprised to learn that pepper may actually help you sober up from taking too much weed.
There are a number of theories but pepper contains the terpene Caryophyllene which is also found in cannabis. The way a cannabinoid can be used or accepted by our body can be altered by a terpene, it is why different strains have different effects on us. The theory is that somehow the compounds in the pepper counteract the THC much in the same way that CBD does. We can’t find a direct scientific link as to whether pepper helps us sober up after getting too high but it certainly seems to work.
You can either chew on some pepper – but even the smell of pepper can have an effect and sober you up.
Physical Activity or Mental Stimulation
Sometimes the best way to sober up from taking too much weed is just to ride the storm. Weed is very unlikely to do you any harm so just sitting back and keeping a scale 6 freakout at bay may be your best bet at getting through the worst of it.
There are two ways you can keep yourself occupied: physical activity and mental stimulation.
Physical activity: Many people have found that increasing your heart rate and getting outside for some light exercise can help you sober up from THC quite quickly. The fact that you are keeping your mind busy, and doing something physical can help to ensure that your high doesn’t become too unbearable. It is best to stay close to familiar surroundings or in a nice quiet park where you’re unlikely to be surrounded by other humans.
Mental Stimulation: Keeping your racing mind focused on something is a great way to ride the storm. Whether that is putting on a TV show that you love, drawing, singing or feeling a nice soft rug while rolling in it… the distraction may be welcome. It takes some mental agility to keep your mind from wandering into the darkness so unless you’re a mindfulness pro, stick on something to block out your high for a while.
Things To Avoid When You’re Too High
When you’re starting to feel too high, there are absolutely some things you should avoid taking as they may make the experience a whole lot worse.
Alcohol: You should actually avoid this before consuming THC too. Not only is alcohol also psychoactive but the alcohol accelerates the body’s absorption of THC. This can make your high go from bad to the worst very, very quickly.
Fats: Fatty foods are well known for increasing your body’s ability to absorb THC too. It means that if you consume fatty foods while too high, it may actually make the situation worse.
Hot drinks: Particularly when taking Edibles you should avoid a hot drink. The heat of the drink may turn the unused THCa into THC and therefore put you on a second wave.
Let’s roll this one up to an end…
So, you’re looking to stop being so high and you’ve found a couple of handy tricks that have been tried and tested by the cannabis community. There are many ways to help sober you up from cannabis, but quite honestly, you may need to find our own solution. Some of these ideas work better for some than others: some suggest a nice bit of desert and a cup of warm tea will do the trick… and others suggest dried fruits and protein-rich snacks.
We really hope that one or two of these tricks have helped. If you have any stories or tips to share then please add them in the comments section below!
