5 Ways to Cope With Cannabis-Induced Anxiety

Article by Maria Loreto, The Fresh Toast via Growth Op

Bad highs are common, but they express themselves differently depending on the person.

For some, the symptoms might be physical, such as nausea or dry mouth; for others, the symptoms can express themselves as paranoia, stress and discomfort. All of these reactions can lead to anxiety, which can quickly transform into being overwhelming if action is not taken.

A bummer high can be absolutely terrible, but its side effects have not been shown to be dangerous, especially if a person remains calm. Remember, no matter how bad it gets, the feelings are temporary and one’s attitude can have a huge impact.

Focus on your breathing

One exercise said to work when dealing with anxiety is breathing. If a person is overthinking things after a smoke, take some deep breaths and count them in your head. Place one hand on the chest and the other on the stomach, breathe deeply and focus on how the belly seems to inflate and the chest stays still. This kind of belly breathing is said to be effective in helping to reel in the brain and make a person feel present.

Put on some relaxing music

Cannabis heightens all sensations, which is one reason it’s so great. But when a person is having a bad high, this makes it particularly difficult to stay present and rational. One thing that can help is to put on relaxing and soothing music, even something without lyrics to help prevent overthinking, while taking deep breaths.

Light stretching

If feeling anxious and too high, a vigorous workout will likely stress you out even more. Some peaceful music or a background yoga video can assist with some light stretching to help focus on how the body feels. Stress and tension is held in the body, too, so the stretching will likely make it easier for to relax, no matter how anxious a person is feeling.

Take a shower or a bath

Showers are great things when high. If the water is warm, it can signal to the body that it’s time to wind down and relax. If the water is cold, it can wake you up and zap your brain into action. Try both and see what works, but either option will surely help switch mood.

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