There is nothing quite like the trauma of smoking up and then getting too high. Being high when you don’t want to can feel like a never-ending nightmare. If you blaze, then you have likely had at least one prolonged high, at an inopportune moment. Maybe you remember you invited your parents over for dinner, or you had an important appointment that afternoon. You panic, and wonder how to sober up from weed?
Part of the problem with sobering up is that it’s almost 100 percent a mind game. Unlike other substances that have either a physical or chemical cure-all for being high or inebriated, weed is much different. This means, the most tried and tested method of getting sober, is to wait it out.
How to Sober up from Weed: 10 Tried and Tested Ideas
Sometimes, when time and patience are not an option, you might need something to jolt you out of the high. This is essentially a way to trick your mind and to refocus your attention. Yes, you might still technically be high, but you’ll feel soberer.
1. Cannabidiol (CBD)
Ever heard of the other popular compound in weed called CBD? Unlike weed, it contains no psychoactivity. That means no matter how much pure CBD you ingest, you will not get high.
Scientists have discovered that CBD acts as a natural counterbalance to the prolonged experience of cannabis.
While a THC molecule will bind directly to different neurological receptors, CBD physically kicks it out. When you consume CBD, it doesn’t make you any less high, but it does reduce the psychoactive component of THC heavy strains. It effectively targets anxiety and panic attacks.
2. Eat
The munchies are a powerful tool to help you feel better when you want to sober up. There are a couple of ways that different foods could kill your THC buzz. The best part about eating is that it also soothes the munchies.
First, eating something delicious, whatever that might be, can simply offer a distraction from the high. Spiraling thoughts and anxiety are interrupted. Instead, you find yourself enjoying a delicious sandwich, sitting back and thinking about dessert.
More legitimately, sugary sweets like candies and fruit juice, boost blood glucose levels. Scientists have discovered that THC tends to reduce blood sugar levels. This is excellent for pre-diabetics but can also reduce dizzy spells for people who are too high.
Finally, eating something fatty like a burger or a piece of pizza may also help with the high. Cannabinoids like THC are fat soluble, and may more quickly metabolize with fatty foods
3. (Cold) Shower
Nothing like a cold shower to snap you back to reality. Showers, especially the cold variety, are a perfect way to sober up very quickly. Again, it just might come down to offering a sobering distraction, but there could also be more to it.
Some researchers have identified something called the mammalian diving theory. When we are exposed to cold water, our body tries to maximise our breathing capacity by pushing blood into our heart and lungs. This is a natural trait that lets us stay submerged for much longer. It also may come in handing during a sobering cold shower
4. Hydrate
What did your mother always say? Drink eight glasses of water a day! In fact, if you asked your mother about how to sober up from weed, one of her solutions would still likely be to drink more water.
We might also suggest drinking natural fruit juices or sports drinks in moderation. Alongside a cold glass of water, they can help maintain (or boost) electrolyte levels)
5. Anti-Anxiety Medication
Not always an option for everyone (us included), but for those who have a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication now might be the right time to take it. Unlike all the other cannabinoids in weed, THC actually can cause panic attacks.
Many older adults have experienced this change smoking weed. Suddenly it’s much harder to go out in public. You might feel increasing nervousness. It’s not you getting older; it’s actually your body’s natural response to smoking weed kicking in. Therefore, if you are prescribed an anti-anxiety medication, it’s acceptable to use it during times of need.
6. Distraction
One of the most difficult methods to start, but extremely effective if it works. So much of the experience of being high is in the mindset. Depending on who you are with, or what you are doing, it’s easy to get trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts. Learning how to sober up from weed through distraction can be a powerful tool
A few ideas to get your mind on to more positive subjects is to start playing video games or watch a show. If these aren’t option, try calling up that trusted friend or taking a bath. Sometimes all it takes is a small change of scenery.
7. Essential Oils
Keeping a handy stash of essential oils in your smoke drawer can help offer a whiff of sobriety when you desperately need it. Try citrusy scents like orange, lemongrass a ginger. They are invigorating and should wake up right up.
8. Go for a Run
While this might be the last thing on the list you want to do, running has scientific support for eliminating THC from your saturated system. Although it doesn’t reduce THC, exercise might target an even trickier substance, TH-COOH.
If you haven’t heard about this complicated metabolite, it’s what THC is transformed into once processed by your liver. Although you ingest THC, TH-COOH gets stored in your fat cells. By exercising, even when not super high, you fight fat cells. Therefore by reducing fat, you reduce the over saturation of weed in your system.
9. Sleep it Off
The next time you need to sober up quickly, try taking a quick power nap. Set your alarm, and knock off about 30 minutes. You might be surprised at how much better you feel when you wake up. Plus, sleeping should be quite easy considering THC has strong sedation qualities.
10. Wait it Out
How to sober up from weed when nothing else works? The very good news is that weed does not last forever. In fact, most people will only feel high for one to three hours after smoking. It takes a bit longer to eliminate from your system when you eat an edible. Even then, its only roughly six hours of high.
According to the research, nobody has ever died from smoking too much weed. While many of us may have greened-out, we’ve all managed to come through to the other side. You can calm down knowing that whatever panic you are feeling, you will overcome it within a matter of hours.
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