In recent years, cannabis has been increasingly used as a treatment for a variety of symptoms. Some of these symptoms are physical, like pain or nausea. Others are mental. People may use cannabis as a way to ease symptoms of anxiety, depression, or even PTSD.
This is very appealing to many people, but unfortunately, not everyone has cannabis down to a science. People react differently to different strains and different forms of consumption. A few puffs on a joint may make your best friend giggly and hungry, while you’re panicking or paranoid. Along with all of the positive side effects of cannabis, you may experience cannabis-induced anxiety.
There are a few ways that you can prevent cannabis anxiety:
Only consume a small amount of cannabis or an amount that you know you’re comfortable with
Assess your symptoms when trying different strains
Consume cannabis around good friends or trustworthy people
Talk to a doctor about consuming cannabis
Do not mix cannabis with alcohol or other controlled substances
Even if you take all the necessary precautions, you still might find yourself feeling anxious after smoking weed or taking an edible. It’s not your fault – some people are just genetically predisposed to cannabis-induced anxiety.
If you do find yourself in this situation, here are ten things you can do to relieve your symptoms are enjoy your high:
Put on Some Music
Find a Spotify playlist that makes you want to get up and dance or put you to sleep. Keep the music low, focus on the lyrics or the melody, and let these tunes help you pass the time. Cannabis-induced anxiety typically lasts for a short period of time, but without music to let you know just how slow time is moving, the anxiety could be agonizing. Let your tunes keep you in check as you ride out the moment.
Breathe Deeply
High or not, a few rounds of deep breathing can activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system. This calms the body and mind down, moving into “rest and digest” mode (as opposed to the “fight or flight” mode that goes hand in hand with anxiety.)
You can simply take a long, slow inhale and exhale, or you can try different deep breathing techniques. One popular method is the “box breath.” Take in inhale for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and hold for a count of four. Try this a few times and you might find that your anxiety melts away!
Put on a Guided Meditation
When anxiety is really weighing you down, even remembering a breathing pattern may be difficult. Instead, put on a guided meditation. With such a wide variety of meditations available, you can find the meditation that works best for you. Guided meditations may just tell you a story, lead you through a breathing practice, or affirm that you are where you’re meant to be, you’re safe, and you’re going to get through the feelings you are experiencing.
Guided meditations are available on Calm, Insight Timer, YouTube, or Headspace, among many other websites and apps!
Stretch or Do Yoga
Yoga and meditation have similar effects on the mind, but yoga can also be beneficial for the body. Even just 15 minutes of sun salutations or a yin practice paired with deep breathing can help the body and mind feel safer than it was before.
Not a fan of Yoga? Move your body and breathe deeply with some stretches. The effects are the same, but you don’t have to know the names of any poses!
Take a CBD Gummy
Cannabis may cause anxiety due to THC, a psychoactive chemical that causes you to get “high” when you consume it. Fortunately, there are many other chemicals in cannabis that work with THC to produce certain effects. Consuming CBD alongside THC can help to weaken its effects and bring you down to Earth.
In strains like Northern Lights or Blue Dream, you might not find high CBD content in your bud. If you want to consume CBD after smoking cannabis, you’ll need to have CBD gummies, tinctures, or other products nearby. Shopping for high-CBD strains like ACDC or Skywalker OG may be able to help prevent cannabis-induced anxiety in the future.
Have a Cup of Tea With Lemon
In addition to CBD, terpenes like limonene may reduce the effects of THC. A warm cup of tea with a squeeze of lemon can help you enjoy some of those terpenes while enjoying a relaxing activity. It’s hard to feel anxious when you’ve got a warm cup of tea in your hands!
Clean Your Room
Maybe all you need is to take your mind off of everything that is racing through your head. Give yourself a simple task: unloading the dishwasher, dusting your bookshelf, or putting away your laundry. Consume yourself with that task instead of sitting in the dark or not moving. A change of scenery or task may be the trick to getting out of your head and back into the present moment.
Reach Out to a Friend
Anxiety is often much worse when you are alone or in silence. Send a quick text to a friend who knows you and trusts you. Ask them if they have time to listen to you vent or talk on the phone. For all you know, your anxiety might be downright silly and you might end up having a laugh with your pal! You don’t have to go through anxiety by yourself.
Have a Snack
Like alcohol, consuming cannabis on an empty stomach isn’t a great idea. Head to the pantry, grab something delicious, and treat your time like a little snack break!
Do Some Shopping!
A little retail therapy checks all the boxes: you can focus on a task and get out of your head, take some deep breaths, and buy products that prevent you from getting anxious the next time you consume cannabis. Get CBD gummies, high-CBD strains, and more delivered right to your door by heading to our shop right now!