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How to overcome an intense cannabis high?

Author
Medically reviewed by Michael Matthews, M.D.
07 December 2019
Have you panicked after smoking up ever? Yes? Read on to find out how to reduce an intense cannabis high.
07 December 2019
6 min read
How to overcome an intense cannabis high?

Contents:
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  • 1. How to prevent an overpowering high?
  • 1. a. Edibles
  • 1. b. Combining alcohol with cannabis
  • 1. c. Smoking up when you’re dehydrated
  • 2. How much cannabis is too much?
  • 3. Drink loads of water
  • 4. Take a shower
  • 5. Go on a walk
  • 6. Take deep breaths
  • 7. Drink lemon water
  • 8. Eat healthy food
  • 9. Relax
  • 10. Talk to a trusted friend

Too much of anything is too bad, they say. And this applies to cannabis as well. Many people, especially beginners, panic when they get a little too high. This is common, though, but not dangerous. Sure, an individual panicking will certainly not realize this, but it’s a fact. If you ever feel that the high is too intense or something you just cannot handle, here are a few tips to overcome an intense cannabis high.

And, before talking about how to overcome an intense cannabis high, let’s talk about how to prevent it in the first place.

1. How to prevent an overpowering high?

Edibles

Most people get high due to edibles. Remember Smiley Face? Little did Jane know that her innocent cupcakes could make her go cray-cray. It takes a while for edibles to do their job because it needs to be digested first. However, many people do the mistake of eating much before they realize it. Edibles can literally wreak havoc if you don’t know what you’re doing. Wait for at least 1 hour before you reach out for that beautiful brownie!

We know many people that have consumed edibles, right at their very first go! Although it’s not going to be fatal, it can make you panic and sometimes even lose control over yourself. So, start with something milder, and if you have no choice other than edibles, eat very little.

Combining alcohol with cannabis

Agreed, sometimes you go to parties and can’t avoid mixing both alcohol and cannabis. It happens. But don’t make that a habit lest you want to screw up your system. What really happens when you drink alcohol before smoking up? Well, alcohol can make you absorb cannabis’s THC a lot more and intensify the effects.

It’s okay to do it once in a while. In fact, some people enjoy it. But, the problem is that it can quickly twist a fun night into a nightmare if you’re not careful. And, don’t even think about it if it’s your first time smoking cannabis. Just NO.

Smoking up when you’re dehydrated 

How to overcome an intense cannabis high?: cannabis plant

Dehydration can cause a lot more problems than you think. It’s not just the usual dry eyes and cotton mouth you need to be worried abbout. How the body reacts to cannabis when you’re dehydrated is more worrisome. Some people think that cannabis causes dehydration but that’s just a myth. The way the cannabinoids interact with the salivary glands causes dry mouth, but that’s not the same as dehydration. To avoid unnecessary problems, drink lots of water before you light that joint or eat that cookie made with cannabutter.

2. How much cannabis is too much?

How to overcome an intense cannabis high?: cannabis buds

Well, it really depends. Some can smoke more than 10 grams a day while others may find it difficult to cope with even 1 gram. The good news is that there are 0 reports of overdosing due to cannabis, so you can rest assured that you’re not going to die. You smoke or consume cannabis mainly for its medicinal purposes. And, of course, for the relaxation it offers, but smoking too much can do just the opposite for you.

Why do you get too high sometimes, though? It’s because cannabis is biphasic. In simple terms, it means that a moderate amount of cannabis can make you feel amazing, and on top of the world. However, smoke too much, and you’ve got problems. Just like everything else in life, ensure that you enjoy cannabis in moderation lest you want to panic.

Here’s how you can kill the high to a certain extent:

3. Drink loads of water

There’s nothing like water to flush your system immediately. You can rely on it anytime and it won’t disappoint you. Additionally, drinking water can keep you hydrated and prevent you from getting too high. Dehydration actually makes you irritated and your mouth goes dry faster than ever – not a pleasant experience at all. Thus, to get rid of cotton mouth, and also to kill your cannabis high, just drink lots of water.

4. Take a shower

How to overcome an intense cannabis high?: shower

A cold shower cures most of your problems. Similarly, it can kill your high too. Most people love a warm bath, but if you want your body to be jolted out of the high, take a cold shower. You’ll definitely feel better as soon as the cold water hits your body like bullets. Not pleasant, but a quick remedy to feel better immediately.

5. Go on a walk

This may seem uncomfortable because, you know, you are high…and going out alone might also invite curious stares. If you’re not high enough to make a fool of yourself out in public, just go out on a walk, and you’ll see the difference almost instantly. Fresh air works wonders and you’ll feel normal in a short period of time.

6. Take deep breaths

Oxygen makes you feel better. Taking deep breaths will calm you down. If you’ve ever practiced meditation, you definitely know how this works. The next time you feel too high and the panic kinda overwhelms you, just take 4-5 deep breaths and we promise you will feel better.

7. Drink lemon water

How to overcome an intense cannabis high?: lemon water

Squeeze a big lemon in a big glass of water. Add the zest too, if you wish. Lemons are rich in limonene – a terpene that counteracts the negative effects of THC. By the way, terpenes are nothing but essential oils found in cannabis plant. Limonene is found in cannabis as well.

This is also why some of your cannabis strains smell like fresh lemons. Or mangoes. Or pineapples. It totally depends on the terpenes. Since cannabis itself contains limonene, drinking lemon water will immediately soothe your stomach lining and you’ll be ready to face the world in just under a few hours.

8. Eat healthy food

Technically, eat something – anything – to reduce the high a bit. But, healthy food is even better. Once you eat something, your body will start digesting it and dilute the cannabinoids present in your body, thus decreasing the high. Plus, you feel better once you eat something. Oh, and don’t look at edibles. You can’t consume edibles once you’re super high and expect to feel better.

9. Relax

Sometimes, you smoke up even when you’re super tensed. It’s cool. Actually, many of us consume cannabis to get rid of our worries at least for a while. However, if you keep worrying about something even when you smoke up, it can lead to unpleasant situations. This is why you see people becoming extremely depressed just after they smoke up.

The best way to reduce the high as quickly as possible is to relax and let go. Try taking a few deep breaths, and stop thinking about everything else. Remind yourself that the high is going to last just a few hours and you’ll be completely fine after that. Yes, it’s hard to actually relax when you’re high, but if you don’t practice this, you might not enjoy smoking cannabis in the future at all.

10. Talk to a trusted friend

We all have friends we can trust. One that can tell us that it’s going to be alright in just a short while. The voice of reason when you’re panicking like there’s no tomorrow. If you don’t have someone like that in your life, make a few friends. It really helps you calm down when you listen to someone that will help you relax.

Tell us what you think about how to overcome an intense cannabis high in the comment section!