What To Do If You’ve Consumed Too Much

You’ve consumed too much cannabis. Your heart is racing. You feel light-headed and a little dizzy. You want to lie down and rest, but you’re afraid something is wrong. 

Many cannabis users have had an experience or two where they’ve consumed a little too much. Sometimes it’s worse than others and for someone new to using cannabis it can feel far more intense and scarier than for a veteran user.

What do you do?

First of all – try not to panic. Panicking will only make you feel worse and continue the feeling that you are spiralling out of control. Don’t worry, there are some tricks and tips that you can use to help get yourself back under control.

Drink Some Water

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do when you’ve consumed too much of any substance, whether it be food, alcohol or even cannabis. Your body will eventually flush everything out of your system and giving it water will only expedite the process. You may have a couple rough hours ahead of you (especially if you have consumed too much with edibles, which can last up to 8 hours), but staying hydrated will only help.

Take Some SLOW Deep Breaths

Panting or hyperventilating because you are scared will only exasperate any symptoms of dizziness, light-headedness and anxiety. Try taking some slow, deep breaths, counting to ten while you breathe in and then to ten again as you exhale. A few of these and you’ll likely find your heart doesn’t feel like it’s racing quite so hard. Sometimes purposefully slowing yourself down can be enough to help you find stability.

Find a Friend to Talk to You

This does NOT mean driving or leaving the place where you have over-indulged. If you’re with a friend already, tell them how you are feeling. Internalizing your mental struggle with yourself until you are in full panic mode isn’t going to do anything other than make things worse. If you are alone, call someone. Even having someone on the other end of a phone line and being able to listen to their voice can be enough to help you refocus.

Try a Natural Remedy

Lemons. That’s right, lemons. There is a terpene found in lemons called Limonene, which has been used in North Africa for years as a natural anti-high remedy. Try mixing some water with lemon juice and zest. There is a similar terpene in black pepper called B-Carophyllene, which is known to help alleviate symptoms of over-indulgence, if you’re interested in a spicier solution.

Distract Yourself

Since there is no short-term solution to abruptly end the effects of over-indulging, giving yourself a distraction of some kind can be enough to help pass the time while your buzz begins to fade. Watch a movie. Play a video game. Have a nap (if you can relax enough to sleep) you’ll wake up feeling a lot better. Any of the options are great for killing time and giving your mind something to focus on other than the fact that you are too high. Trust us, if you have been itching to binge watch a new Netflix show, this is the perfect time to indulge yourself in something other than cannabis.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Firstly, remember that you are not alone. Many, many cannabis users have been exact where you are and have had the same thoughts you are currently stressing over. No, you are not going to die. No, you are not going to be blacklisted from your friends and family. No one will hate you for taking a little too much. Most importantly, listen to your own body. If you’re the kind of person that likes to curl up on the couch with a blanket for comfort, do that. If you think a hot shower will help you calm down, do that. Do whatever feels natural and safe.

Wait a couple of hours and things should start to feel a lot more normal. You’ll feel more like yourself again, and you might even be able to laugh at how panicked you felt.

One thing is for certain – when you come down make sure you’re near your bed. You’ll likely want a good, long sleep.