Hit the bong too hard? Didn’t realize how strong those edibles were? It’s happened to the best of us: one minute you’re chilling and enjoying yourself, the next you feel like your heart’s in a knot and your life is falling apart. Some people over-indulge and then want to know how to stop being high when it gets too intense. We’ve all been there, so knowing how to come down from a high is an important skill for saving your butt when things get rocky.
Fortunately, there are plenty of methods for how to stop being high. Some are meant to help you relax and distract from unpleasant sensations. Others help you fight the effects physically by cancelling out some of the THC in your bloodstream.
So, if you’ve ever wondered how to come down from weed or how to stop being high, this is the post for you! Read on for six tips on how to get less high and find your happy place once more.
1. Relax, and Don’t Let Your Thoughts Get Away From You
If you experience an intense high, the first thing you should know is the high will pass within a few hours. You may have a high pulse and feel downright crummy, but everything else is in your head.
Consider THC’s LD50, which refers to the dosage needed to give you a 50/50 chance of dying from ingesting too much. It’s estimated to be 666 mg of THC per kilogram of body weight at the low end and 1,260 mg/kg at the high end. That means a 70kg person would have to ingest 46 grams of pure THC to have a serious risk of complications. You’d need to smoke 680 kg in around 15 minutes.
It’s impossible! If you tried to overdose on edibles, the salt and sugar would kill you long before the pot did. So the good news is that you will be fine eventually.
The best place to start is by concentrating on breathing. Breathe in your nose for five full seconds, then breathe out again for five full seconds. Fill your belly with air instead of your chest. Then, try to get as comfortable as possible. If you’re in an unfamiliar place, get your friends around you. Call someone you trust, if you need to.
Try to reign in paranoid thoughts, as well. The way you are in this moment is really not so different than if you weren’t high at all. Most people probably couldn’t even tell that you were high unless you told them.
2. Make Sure To Eat Food and Drink Water
Having low blood sugar and being dehydrated can both make you feel terrible. You’ll likely feel jumpy, irritable, tired, and generally unwell. Being too high can make all of these feelings worse, so one trick for how to come down from weed is to treat your symptoms directly.
Start with a cool cup of water. Drink at least eight ounces and take it slowly.
You should also try to eat something. Even a light snack helps. Crackers and dried fruit are always a great option, but so are snack foods like popcorn, potato chips, or fresh-cut veggies. If you’re really that baked, you shouldn’t have trouble being persuaded to eat!
Even if you’re not noticeably hungry or thirsty, eating and drinking can benefit you when trying to figure out how to stop being high. It helps your body eliminate chemicals, including THC.
The food causes other substances to enter your bloodstream, diluting the drug’s effects. Drinking water allows you to urinate out other substances, helping your body break down the THC more quickly. Also, digestion takes energy, which further helps you break down the lingering THC.
3. Get Outside and Move Around
Burning off energy helps you metabolize THC more quickly. It also helps you get rid of your jitters and feel more relaxed. Being outside can also help you get out of a paranoid headspace.
So, go for a walk! Get some friends to come with you if possible, and get some fresh air to relieve your anxiety.
If you don’t feel like leaving the house – or you physically can’t – do some light stretching. Here’s a great relaxation routine you can do in just three minutes. If you’re more of an active type, you can even do some pushups or situps. The more energy you burn, the more THC you metabolize, and the more relaxed you’ll feel.
4. Find Something Enjoyable to Distract You
The best part about being high is that it makes most of the things you love even better! If you’re a gamer, playing a video game stoned is one of the best distractions since it keeps your mind engaged. You can also try to enjoy a movie or dance to some of your favorite music on weed.
If you have access to other activities, go ahead and try them out. Start drawing, bust out some crafts, clean something, or try your hand at some puzzles.
Sex is another great option while stoned, even if it’s just with yourself! Having sex or masturbating helps you burn energy, and it releases chemicals that relax you. If nothing else, it makes for a good temporary distraction!
5. Try These Substances That Can Help You Come Down From a High
You can try a few safe chemicals when figuring out how to come down from weed.
The first one to consider is CBD. CBD actively cancels out many of the effects of THC, including lowering your anxiety. You can find pure CBD oil in tinctures, drops, or vape-ready cartridge forms. If you’re the type of person who tends to get overwhelmed easily by being high, having some CBD handy could be good for critical situations.
If you don’t have pure CBD handy, try to find marijuana strains that help with anxiety. They can potentially lower the effects of THC and provide psychoactive benefits for your symptoms.
Other alleged substances that can help you when trying to learn how to get less high include fresh citrus and whole black peppercorns. Biting onto a lemon wedge or chewing on black pepper can supposedly counteract many of the sensations associated with being high.
6. Lie Down and Take a Nap
If all else fails, sleep it off! Putting on some music or a movie can help you drift off. Even if you never actually fall asleep, closing your eyes and doing nothing but resting can often help you reorient yourself and shake off your jitters.
And, of course, it helps to know your limits in the first place! Be careful when consuming cannabis, especially edibles, since they have longer release durations. Don’t be a hero, and remember how upset you felt the last time you smoked or ate too much weed to avoid making the same mistake twice.
