You ignored the instructions and ate the whole brownie instead of 1/4, didn’t you? Or was it that extra-large dab you knew you could handle? Maybe you took three capsules instead of one? 

It feels like you might be too high to make it through, doesn’t it? Yeah…I’ve been there, my friend. 

The most important thing I can share with you is that you’ll be fine. Sure, it may not feel like it when you’re swimming in the confusion of an overload of THC, but I assure you that weed is still the safest drug you’ve played with. No one has ever died or destroyed an internal organ from overdosing on pot. 

You won’t be the first. It’ll all be ok. At the very least you’ll probably sleep it off. 

Let’s see what we can do to soften the experience of being too high until you do eventually fall asleep.

Take stock

What do you suspect got you too high? Stop doing that right now. If it was something you smoked or vaped, it’ll start to wear off sometime in the next hour or so. 

If you ate too much of an infused edible or took too much of a tincture this will take a bit longer, but we can still work our way through it. 

Strike up a happy conversation with yourself

Let go of the fear and you’ll have a delicious story to share with your friends. Keep reminding yourself over and over, 

“It’ll be alright. I’m just too high.” 

And it will be alright. Really, it will. The racing heart you’re probably paying attention to has more to do with the fear of the unknown than anything, and if you can distract yourself time will pass more quickly, and before you know it you’ll be slipping off to sleep. 

Find a companion

Being too high can be intimidating for the most seasoned cannabis connoisseur. This is a time for the companionship of someone you trust. If you’re lucky enough to have a friend who makes you laugh, all the better. Try not to be alone with too much THC running through your system unless you plan to fall asleep immediately.

Fire up some CBD

The fastest way I know to counter the intensity of a THC overdose is a quick hit of something high in CBD, preferably using a dosing method that delivers an almost immediate onset. In today’s expanding market this can mean a spray or a nano emulsified drink as well as a sublingual tincture, a vaporizer cartridge or smoked flower. 

CBD will begin to interact with CB1 receptors, making it impossible for THC to activate them. As a result, the high is toned down to a more manageable level. 

I’ve personally tried smoking CBD to counter the effects of being too high. It worked for me, and dramatically so. If you know you’re going to be playing with a high THC edible it’s a good idea to have some high-CBD product available, just in case. No one starts out intending to take enough THC to make them miserable. It’s nice to have a handy antidote when you slip over that line by mistake.

Get out of the house

Fresh air while walking and appreciating the natural world will calm you and get your metabolism churning away, using up and eliminating more and more of the excess cannabinoids. That friend you called can go with you. 

Breathe

Slow, methodical breathing calms the racing heart, depressing anxiety and balancing the oxygen and CO2 levels in your blood. Together these changes ease the sense of panic from being too high and help to restore the feelings of control and wellbeing you’re so desperately trying to hang on to.

Distract yourself

Laugh with your friends, watch a show that gives you feel-good moments, pet the cat, play with the dog, take a shower. Anything that stimulates the senses and distracts you in a pleasant way helps the time between being too high and eventually falling asleep pass more quickly. 

You’re going to be just fine.

Drink more water 

Processing all those excess cannabinoids is going to take a lot more water than normal, which is why your mouth feels like it’s filled with cotton. “Be a river, not a flood,” but make it a steadily-flowing river while you wait this out. Keep the water coming. 

Add some fresh lemon to that water

Lemon peel and pulp are rich in the terpene limonene, which will help tamp down the excitement of feeling too high. Just smelling the airborne molecules while you’re preparing lemonade will begin to have an immediate effect of reducing the THC overdrive.

Grind some black peppercorn 

Black pepper is high in b-caryophyllene, the terpene that mimics much of what CBD does, including tempering the high of THC. Sniffing freshly-ground peppercorns will give you the best immediate benefits of trying this technique. Be prepared to do some sneezing. 

Go to sleep

You’re going to eventually end up asleep. Overdosing the body with too much THC will definitely tire you out as the endocannabinoid system works diligently to get everything back into balance. One of the nicest things about weed is that you’ll wake up after this overdose without any terrible side effects. 

Sure, you might wake up a little groggy from being too high, but it’ll wear off before long, or you’ll get more sleep. In the end, you’ll be fine, and you’ll remember next time to pay closer attention to the guidelines you’ve been following all along:

Start low * Go slow

Cannabis is as safe a drug or medicine as can be found, safe enough that you can push the boundaries every now and then to experience new sensations without fear of harming yourself physically. Step too far over that line with THC and you run the risk of some moments of emotional discomfort and all the physical responses that can accompany it. 

Knowing how to respond quickly, and understanding that nothing terrible will happen to you from this overindulgence helps you confront the discomfort with humor and confidence. 

You’re going to be fine. You’re just too high. It’s an adventure you won’t forget, and laughing your way through it will feel a lot better than being fearful. Grab a friend and have the best time you can before you eventually fall asleep. Learn from this moment, but know 

You’re going to be OK. 

You’re just too high.