Too High + Want to Come Down
It is common to have a negative experience of cannabis when you first try it. Often users will consume way more THC than they are tolerant of or they may try cannabis after consuming alcohol - the mixing of alcohol and THC is called ‘crossfading’, the combination exacerbates both intoxicants causing an intense intoxication often resulting in nausea.
The key to having a pleasant experience with cannabis involves mindset, setting and tolerance. Setting refers to the physical and social setting - are you in a place where you feel relaxed and safe? Mindset refers to the mental state you bring to the experience - thoughts, mood and expectations - are you feeling comfortable and relaxed?
Tolerances for new consumers will be very low - 2.5mg - 5mg of THC consumed across 24 hours is a good starting place to avoid ingesting too much. To enjoy cannabis, ensure you feel comfortable in yourself, where you are, start low and go slow.
DO NOT COMBINE CANNABIS WITH ALCOHOL.
If you feel too high here are a number of suggestions to bring you back down to earth, hopefully without a bump:
Onset and Strength
Try not to panic, although you may feel overwhelmed or out of control, the effects will subside over time, usually within an hour or so.
Edibles and Drinks - check the THC mg strength and take your time as the onset from edibles can take as long as 4 hours to build up in your system.
Smoking/ Vaping - cannabis flower that has 35% THC will have 350mg of THC in 1g (flower with a THC level of 35%) - 1 puff on that joint may contain around 3.5mg - this is a lot for a 1st time user. The onset time is very fast so take a puff and wait 10-20 minutes to see how you feel.
CBD
THC can actually increase anxiety if too much is consumed. CBD is an antagonist to THC - this means it affects the way THC binds to receptors in our body, mitigating the unbridled effects. The latest research shows that CBD combined with THC will:
Create a limit or ‘ceiling’ on how intoxicating the THC will be
It helps get rid of unwanted side effects such as paranoia, racing heartbeat, fake pains
Hydrate - drinking plenty of water, tea, or other soft, sugary drinks to keep hydrated can also minimize discomfort from being too high. A nice cup of chamomile tea is a great way to bring some calm to the storm.
Eat
Although there isn’t an antidote to THC, like other intoxicants, it is always advisable to consume on a full stomach or have food available. THe evidence is inconclusive but certain foods have a reputation for smoothing out an unwanted high:
Pine nuts contain pinene which brings a calming, anti-anxiety effect, similar to CBD.
Lemons contain the terpene limonene, which provides antioxidants, stress relief and mood elevation.
Peppercorns contain the terpene beta-caryophyllene, which may help increase a person’s clarity of thought and reduce anxiety.
Walk it off - a short stroll, can help regulate blood pressure and a change of scenery can take a person’s mind off their current situation.
Shower - feeling refreshed from a hot or a cold shower can get your nervous system back into balance as well as feeling more invigorated.
Talk - talking with someone to put things in perspective can be a great way to stop ‘high thoughts.
Breathe - helps put the brakes on a stress response and lowers blood pressure - get your breathing regulated - consciously take deep breaths across a few minutes
Be Busy like a Bee - fixating on how you are feeling can lead to an increased intensity of those feelings - try to take your mind somewhere else:
Do the housework
Tidy or organize
Listen to a podcast or music
Exercise/ Yoga
Watch a movie
Although there may be no ‘antidote’ to a THC high, anecdotally, these suggestions should help you ride out the unpleasant waves and tame the experience. Remember it will lose its potency over time and you will come back down again.