What Does Getting High Feel Like?
- 1. What does getting high feel like?
- 1. a. Giggling, laughter and euphoria
- 1. b. Relaxation
- 1. c. Cottonmouth and puffy red eyes
- 1. d. Creativity boost
- 1. e. Paranoia
- 1. f. The munchies!
- 2. What stoners have to say
- 3. What influences how we experience our high?
- 4. Conclusion
When it comes to trying new things, there are different types of people, those who give no cares and dive straight into it without fearing the results, and those who need to take some moments of previous meditation and analyzing before they actually get to it.
For instance, in terms of trying weed for the first time, we know some might get slightly anxious at the uncertainty of what's to come. Therefore, one of the most common questions among those who're tempted to give cannabis a try is 'what does getting high feel like?' Well, when it comes to weed, not everyone experiences the effects in the same way.
Yet, there are indeed certain patterns that we can identify regarding the effects of marijuana. And since we know that knowing this might give you some peace of mind before you decide to try weed, let's try to explain how it feels like to get high.
1.What Does Getting High Feel Like?
Again, the effects of smoking marijuana vary lots depending on several aspects, which we'll explain further on. However, these are some of the most commonly reported feelings and side effects:
- Giggling and laughter;
- Euphoria;
- Relaxation;
- Dry mouth, also known as cottonmouth;
- Red puffy eyes;
- Boosted creativity, and more.
Let's get into each of the possible effects and feelings getting high produces.
Giggling, Laughter and Euphoria
So, you've most likely already heard about the giggling and laughing effects produced by marijuana, and if you hadn't, where do you even live? Seriously, we see it being portrayed everywhere in movies and series, you surely must have seen it somewhere.
When you smoke marijuana, even more when you're sharing the moment along with friends, one of the most commonly reported effects is laughter and feeling gigglish. Why is it that marijuana causes laughter?
Well, this plant promotes relaxation and tends to lift up the mood, so we laugh more easily! Besides, it usually causes feelings of euphoria, which means overwhelming feelings of joy, happiness, and well-being, as well as a sense of carelessness, safety, and stress-free, which is why weed is ideal for those with anxiety, stress or depression.
Find out all about why weed makes us laugh in the article above.
Relaxation
This one is also quite usual, the feelings of deep relaxation while being high. If you've ever heard or seen anything related to cannabis, then most likely you'd heard of these sedative properties of marijuana.
In the same line as in the euphoric sensations, getting high tends to feel as if the weight of the day was finally lifted off your shoulders, or at least for a good couple of hours. Likewise, in my opinion, this relaxation is also a general overall feeling in the character of people who smoke weed, allow me to explain.
When people are open enough to smoke weed, and they do, it's as if a new path in the brain opened up. It's as if we worried less about things we can't control (not only when we're high) and we kind of see these things from a different perspective: superficialities, and things we might have found relevant or stressful before no longer are.
This stress-free, living-in-the-now state of mind is quite common among stoners, you'll see ahead where we ask several people to give their opinions on what getting high feels like. However, not every cannabis strain provides sedative effects, it all depends on the type of strain, its terpenes profile, and more.
Cottonmouth And Puffy Red Eyes
Now, these two are rather the physical feelings of getting high. If you've ever smoked a joint, then you may have noticed how your eyes suddenly feel all puffy and, if you've checked them on a mirror, they look all red.
Well, that's because weed promotes vasodilation, which is the widening (hence 'dilation) of our blood vessels. This, in turn, causes a major blood flow, which then leads to the little vessels in our eyes to become more visible.
At the same time, a deep urge to drink some water is on the rise. This is the common cottonmouth effect caused by marijuana intake. Some may think that this mouth dryness is caused by the act of smoking, however, this isn't the case, in fact, the main reason behind this is THC.
Learn all about weed and mouth dryness in the article above.
Creativity Boost
If there's something we can certainly link weed consumption with is getting extra inspired, the famous creativity boost. You might have heard how big masterminds such as Steve Jobs, John Lennon and even George Washington were big stoners.
Well, this is most likely because they knew about this magic property of weed. Since it can produce this mind easiness, a carefree state of mind, then it makes sense to conclude that thoughts will be able to flow more easily, and in a creative way.
Our senses tend to get ultra-activated when we're high, we become more sensitive to light, sounds, and even touch, and at the same time, we're living more in the now. All these together sound like the perfect recipe for a wonderful creation.
Paranoia
Not everything is flowers and colors when it comes to getting high. I insist on the importance of smoking or generally consuming weed when you feel you're in a healthy mental state, this means, when you know that cannabis won't come to disturb your peace but make it better.
However, sometimes it just happens, that you smoke a joint, and maybe you were already slightly tense or nervous because of some external factor, and just when you think that weed will come to save the day, the opposite happens, a sense of deep nervousness overwhelms you, or even paranoia.
Feeling slightly paranoid when you're stoned is no stranger, every stoner has experienced this type of high at least once. It's funny when we look back at those paranoias now but did we feel stressed back then, maybe even with our whole body starting to shake.
The Munchies!
Ohh the famously acclaimed munchies. If you've never heard about this term before, the munchies are a feeling of big hunger provoked after the consumption of marijuana.
Normally, when stoners get the munchies, they claim that food even tastes better. Besides, cravings can go really wild, from sweets to salty, sour, bitter, and repeat on loop.
But enough with the schoolbook's theories on what getting high feels like, let's hear what stoners have to say.
2. What Stoners Have To Say
Since getting high feels different to each and every single one of us, I thought it would be a better idea to list some stoner's opinions on what it feels like to get high in order to get a more objective idea.
For instance, from my own point of view, getting high feels like a movie. The world around me suddenly is full of stimuli for me to delight my eyes and senses with. It also feels like I get distracted more easily and I'm extremely inspired arts-wise.
Remember when we mentioned feelings of relaxation, euphoria and inspiration, well, Enzo seems to agree with us:
"When I'm high I forget all problems I'm worried about, leaves me clear-minded but also allows me to pay attention to the small details that I wouldn't perceive if I wasn't high, makes everything more interesting and relaxes my whole body, alleviating pain that I didn't even notice it was there."
Dimitry also shared her opinion form her experiences:
"I always loved it when [...] were smoking hash mixed with tobacco [...] after the second or third hit, I'd feel that I’d collapse if I didn’t sit down immediately. Sometimes on the floor. The rush of euphoria would grip my skin from head to toe, and it was very scary and very funny at the same time. I’d literally roll on the floor laughing. Today we smoke more moderately, and the high is more relaxed and introspective."
An anonymous friend said:
"My senses sharpen. I see better, I hear better. I get in a good mood. For first-timers, it’s always different. One girl I knew didn’t even realize she was high at first. She expected something different. Then she understood she was stoned out of her mind. I mean the literal out-of-body experience. When I myself smoke higher amounts, I feel energy, sexual urges, deep and strange thoughts."
Cristian, who experiences weed in a more spiritual way, said:
"When I'm high I leave my subconscious in an open valley. I notice that duality of feeling everything lighter and at the same time I grasp the awareness of the weight that my body exerts. Suddenly the body has its weight and the mind does not, and that division feels liberating" (Translated from Spanish)
We also posted a poll on Instagram asking "what does being high feel like to you?" Many friends sent their own thoughts, opinions, and explanations. The funniest was one simple answer saying "Oh, tough one" and we couldn't agree more. These are a couple more of our favorite replies.
I sometimes joke that my brain starts stammering, and Gian found a great way to describe this:
"When you pull down the speed on YouTube videos. That's how my brain goes." (Translated from Spanish)
Bruno sent his reply saying:
"You start to feel." (Translated from Spanish)
While Andrea said:
"Disconnection and creativity" (Translated from Spanish)
And Sol shared with us:
"I live everything more intensely, but more relaxed at the same time, it's so weird. Both the good and bad things." (Translated from Spanish)
Lastly, Sofia said:
"I know I'm gonna eat tastier later" (Translated from Spanish)
And these are only a few of the many great replies we've received. As you may see, the experience varies lots from person to person, getting high feels different to each of us.
3. What Influences How We Experience Our High?
In order to try to define what type of high to expect you should consider several different things. These include a few of the following:
| Strain Type | Whether you're smoking an Indica or Sativa will certainly impact your high. The terpenes profile of the strain will do as well. |
|---|---|
| THC-CBD Balance | Each cannabinoid provides different effects. The amounts of each present in what you consume will influence the high you experience. |
| External Influencers | Your high will change depending on the place and time you smoke. At the same time, whether you smoke alone or with friends will make a difference. |
| Internal Influencers | Your mood and state of mind play a major part in the type of high you get. |
When you're already quite a stoner, then there's nothing really to worry about, since we kind of lost the fear that newbies have towards marijuana, there's no ride we can't handle, ay? But, if you are new, you should keep these things in mind before having a smoke in order to get the best high you can.
4. Conclusion
What else could we conclude other than a cannabis high is quite unique for each of us. Asking what does getting high feel like is as hard to answer as "what does music make me feel?" To me, it might be this, and to you that, and both answers can be right!
However, trying to put feelings into words is something fun and nice to try, who knows, the results could be surprisingly good, a true masterpiece. So, go ahead and definitely send us what getting high feels like to you!
