How to Come Down From a High Fast: Sobering Up From Weed

Even experienced cannabis users sometimes consume too much cannabis. Whether you were trying a new product, you weren’t paying close attention to your dose, or your normal dose was just too much for you on a particular day, going a little overboard with your cannabis consumption can happen.
As everyone who has ever overdone it knows, taking in too much cannabis is not pleasant. Going over your limit can make you feel anxious, paranoid, nauseous, and just plain awful. So, what can you do when you need to sober up from marijuana? There are several ways you can counteract the effects of cannabis, which we’ll share below! After sharing some tips on how you can sober up from weed, we’ll also go over some of the ways you can feel calmer and better while you wait out being too high.

How to Sober Up From Cannabis Fast

Take in Some Black Peppercorn

Using black peppercorn to tone down the effects of cannabis may sound like a myth, but this method is actually backed by scientific research. According to a 2011 review from the British Journal of Pharmacology, the terpenes in black peppercorn (especially beta-caryophyllene) seem to tame the effects of THC, which is the cannabinoid in the cannabis plant that causes psychoactive effects. So, if you’re feeling overwhelming psychoactive effects, you may want to take in some black peppercorn.

According to people who have tried this trick, both chewing on and smelling black peppercorn can be effective. Many people say that chewing on or sniffing black peppercorn can provide almost instant relief. So if you’ve got some black pepper in your kitchen, this method is definitely worth a try in order to sober up from weed.

Consume Some Cannabidiol (CBD)

If you have a CBD oil or another CBD product on hand, you may want to use it when you’re feeling anxious or paranoid after using cannabis. Lots of people use CBD for anxiety even when they’re not too high. CBD may be even better for easing anxiety when you’ve taken in too much THC. That’s because the cannabinoid CBD tends to tone down the negative side effects of THC, like anxiety and paranoia, since it counteracts the effects of THC in general. Therefore, if you’ve taken in too much THC, taking in a CBD product can be an effective way to calm down those unpleasant side effects.

Take a Dose of Ibuprofen

Taking a dose of ibuprofen may ease the unpleasant effects of using too much cannabis. The reason is that ibuprofen appears to reduce the negative side effects of THC. A 2013 animal study done at the University of Louisiana found that some anti-inflammatory medications, including ibuprofen, appeared to counteract the negative cognitive effects of THC. So, if you’ve imbibed a bit too much and you have some ibuprofen on hand, taking a dose of ibuprofen could help you sober up from weed more quickly.

Load Up on Limonene

The rinds of citrus fruits are rich in the fresh, citrusy terpene limonene. Studies have shown that limonene can have anti-anxiety effects. That means that eating a lemon or an orange rind could help you calm down if you’re feeling anxious after using too much cannabis.

Note that while some people say you should drink lemon juice or orange juice if you’ve used too much cannabis, there’s actually very little limonene in these fruit juices. The limonene in lemons and oranges is primarily in their rinds. So if you want to eat some limonene, you would want to eat a lemon or orange rind, not drink lemon or orange juice. Eating a lemon or orange rind may not be particularly delicious, but it’s perfectly safe. It’s also healthy, since lemon and orange peels are packed with not only limonene, but also vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Alternatively, you could just eat some lemon or orange zest instead of the whole rind. You can put lemon or orange zest in water, tea, or juice, or incorporate it into a dish. Some ideas of things you could put citrus fruit zest on include oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, muffins, fish, buttered toast, avocado toast, or an omelette.

How to Make Your Recovery Time More Pleasant

Remind Yourself That This is Temporary

When you use too much cannabis, it’s very common to start panicking and think that you’ll feel this way forever. But try to remind yourself that the way you’re feeling is only temporary. All you need to do is calm down, relax, and just wait things out. You’re going to start feeling like your normal self again very soon. Try to remind yourself of that fact if you start feeling worried.

Drink Water, Eat a Snack

Drinking water can help you feel calmer when you’ve overdone it. The reason is that it can help you focus your racing mind on something simple and familiar: sipping and swallowing. Drinking water will also help you hydrate. It will mitigate some of the negative side effects of taking in too much cannabis, including dry mouth.

Like drinking water, eating a snack can also be grounding. It can help you feel calmer and get your mind a bit more connected to your body. So, relax, drink some water, and have a snack.

Sleep

Sleep is a great remedy when you’ve gone overboard with cannabis, since your body essentially works like a clean up crew when you sleep, repairing things and clearing things out. And, on top of that, sleep is a great way to basically time travel through being too intoxicated.

If sleeping isn’t coming easily to you, try focusing on just resting at first while taking deep breaths. Then, if your body wants to fall asleep, let yourself drift off and take a nap. If you can’t seem to fall asleep, you can just rest if it feels relieving. If you aren’t enjoying resting, remember that that’s completely okay and don’t stress about it. You can just ease into getting up and try out another one of the ideas on this list.

Do Some Light Exercise

If your mind is racing because you’ve taken in too much THC, doing some light exercise can be very helpful. Exercise releases endorphins, which should relax your body, boost your mood, and help calm your racing thoughts. While doing some light exercise is a great option for many people who have over consumed and want to sober up from weed. Remember to listen to your body before you try this technique. If you’re feeling too woozy or unwell, laying down and doing something less intense would be the better option for you.

Try a Deep Breathing Exercise

If you start panicking when you use too much cannabis, it can be hard to stop panicking. If you’re already in panic-mode (or if you think you’re headed there), try doing a deep breathing exercise to help your mind and body calm down. Take a long slow breath in through your nose, focusing on first filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs. Hold your breath as you count to three in your mind. Then, slowly exhale through your mouth, relaxing the muscles in your face, jaw, stomach, and shoulders as you exhale. Repeat this breathing exercise until you feel more calm in your mind and body. Try to only think of your breath and relaxation while you’re doing the exercise.

Distract Yourself

Sometimes, distracting yourself by doing something you enjoy is the best way to wait it out. Consider doing an activity that will take your mind off of how you’re feeling, an activity that’s easy, engaging, and relaxing. Some ideas of activities you can try include watching your favorite TV show, listening to your favorite album, playing video games, drawing, playing an instrument, or chatting with a trusted friend.

Take a Shower or a Bath

If you’re at home, take a warm shower or bath. Being surrounded by the sensation of warm water is extremely relaxing, which can really help you calm down if you’re feeling anxious or stressed.

Alternatively, you can try taking a brief cold shower, which can be particularly beneficial if you’re very anxious or on the edge of having a panic attack. Research has shown that taking a cold shower (the cold water should have a temperature of around 40 degrees) for 30 to 90 seconds triggers deep breathing. Deep breathing increases oxygen levels and cardiac function, which improves circulation and lowers blood pressure, helping you feel more calm in your body.

Final Thoughts

Overdoing it every once in a while happens to the best of us. But we hope this guide to how to sober up from weed will be helpful to anyone who has gone a bit overboard!

If you have any questions for us at Essence Dispensary, please don’t hesitate to reach out– we love hearing from you. Our friendly team members are always happy to answer any questions you may have about cannabis, including questions about cannabis dosing. You can get in touch with us through our website or by calling your closest Essence Dispensary location.