Health
What is a cannabis 'bad trip', how to avoid it and how to get out of it

Cannabis is often associated with the pleasant “high” that it can provide, most often with a feeling of relaxation, good mood or the urge to laugh for nothing. However, there are times when the experience is far from pleasant. So what do you do if things go wrong? To answer that question, we'll explain the different forms of consumption, what symptoms characterize an unpleasant experience, how to prevent it and how to end a 'bad trip' of cannabis.
With the presence of Cannareporter in the Boom Festival, an event where the reduction of harm related to substance consumption plays a crucial role, through the drug-checking service of the Kosmicare, it is pertinent to alert our readers, especially the younger ones, to the adverse effects that can result from the use of cannabis.
All cannabis lovers have experienced, at least once in their lives, a trip nasty cannabis. The paranoia is at its worst and you want so badly to get out of trip, but it won't stop for the next few hours. You're basically in your worst nightmare and you can't get out of it. For an inexperienced user, such an event can be traumatizing. And at worst, it can lead to the wrong impression of what the cannabis experience can be like, or even a complete aversion to it.
But it doesn't have to be that way. the bad ones trips of cannabis are both preventable and treatable. In this article, we intend to equip you with the knowledge to mitigate the situation in the best possible way and deal with it effectively, in case something bad happens to you. trip of cannabis.
What can cause a bad trip of cannabis?
A negative experience with cannabis can be the result of many factors. To give you an idea of how different types of consumption methods, as well as the environment itself, can affect your cannabis consumption experience, let's go deeper into the subject.
Use of edibles
Everyone undoubtedly knows the legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, who after Cheech and Chong is possibly the biggest name in cannabis when it comes to famous personalities. Well then, for someone who claims to consume around 81 blunts a day, the famous rapper tries to avoid the consumption of edibles, because according to him “the edibles don't have any off button".If you basically spend most of your day smoking cannabis, this might be something to consider.
Unlike smoking, vaping, or taking a bong, ingesting cannabis causes it to pass through the gastrointestinal tract and liver before reaching the bloodstream. As a result, not only does the time to feel the effects take longer, but the effects will last much longer, so the whole experience of the effects will be much stronger. This happens because the liver converts our friend Delta-9-THC into 11-Hydroxy-THC, which is a more potent analogue, capable of taking the consumer into a more intense experience and which can often be more terrifying, especially for consumers less experienced.
Many cannabis users, both newbies and those with more experience, end up committing, with some frequency, a very basic mistake: ingesting too much in a short period of time, instead of waiting long enough for the effects of the edible start to make themselves felt. We recommend that we all never be too zealous when it comes to edibles, especially if they are “newbies” in this type of consumption. From our own experience, we have seen too many cases where the consumption of edibles ended up in a less pleasant experience. Thus, we recommend starting small and waiting at least two to three hours before eating more.
Dabbing
Like the consumption of edibles, dabbing it is naturally prepared to provide an experience much stronger than smoked. O dabbing is a relatively new method of cannabis consumption that involves the vaporization of cannabis concentrates – substances containing around 50% to 90% THC – and where a device called dabbing rig, which turns out to be a kind of bong for this purpose. This is very different from normal flowers which contain around 30% THC at most.
So that you have more or less an idea, the amount of THC present in a single dab, that is, simply one inhalation, will be more or less the equivalent of consuming a whole joint, in a shroud like king size, all at once, without any interruption.
For those who have never tried one dab, or even for those who have already tried it, get ready, because your endocannabinoid system will be heavily flooded with THC, which, in turn, can cause slightly more unpleasant sensations, even for the most experienced smokers. Here, too, the dosage plays a big role.
Varieties with high levels of THC
Ask any old-school cannabis user about potency and they'll tell you that today's cannabis is much stronger than it used to be, which is completely true. In the 70s, 80s and even in the 90s, THC levels did not exceed 10% to 15%, or, at the highest of the maximums, the 20% already in the 90s. Nowadays, there are varieties that can reach 25% to 30% of THC. These are the ones that can incapacitate a less experienced user in an instant.
Although, obviously, THC is not the only substance that defines the “high” in cannabis consumption, it turns out to be the most significant; therefore, higher levels of the substance are more likely to cause an unpleasant experience.
Mental State
Just like alcohol, cannabis can amplify your feelings and the state of mind you have at the time of consumption. If a person feels in a good mood, all that positivity will echo throughout the entire experience. On the other hand, if you are in a slightly more negative state of mind, this can awaken and amplify more challenging emotions. If there's something that upsets you or makes you feel sick, emotionally or mentally, it will all surface much more easily. Therefore, this is certainly not the best time to use cannabis.
Social context
Similar to mental state, social context also plays a role in the outcome of your cannabis experience. If you're with a group of close friends you trust, with good music and good vibes all around, you're likely to have a good experience. Likewise, being in a chaotic environment, with people you don't know, can trigger uncomfortable emotions. Some people feel much more anxious when this happens, while others lose their grip on reality. And that can be a scary situation.
What are the symptoms of a bad trip of cannabis?
Although we've already described some of the effects more lightly, let's now look at the various symptoms and sensations that one can experience during a bad trip of cannabis. In addition to the typical dry mouth or some spatial and temporal dissociation, which may even be frequent, other more exacerbated symptoms may appear in some cases and in some people.
Paranoia
Cannabis use can sometimes make people think too much. The mind and body reach higher levels of anxiety, while trying to understand whether or not the person next to you, in a public place, noticed your altered state. This can lead to the next symptom, panic, which makes the whole experience even more distressing.
Panic attacks
Panic attacks are indeed a frightening experience. They can cause irregular breathing, which results in shortness of breath, high anxiety, rapid heartbeat and even fainting. All of this occurs while stressful or intrusive scenarios replay over and over in your head. Cannabis can both increase and cause these symptoms in some people.
It is for this reason that many people try to forget their cannabis experiences altogether. After all, who wants to be in a state of anxiety to the point of terror, even if it's just for a few moments? The worst thing is that a bad trip of cannabis can last for hours, depending on the method of consumption, which can be extremely worrying for those who are already at risk of panic.
Hallucinations
Although cannabis-related hallucinations are rare and have nothing to do with those experienced with psychedelic substance use, they can occur – especially with edibles. Often, those who try high doses of THC the first few times may experience what they consider to be auditory and/or visual hallucinations. This can be something that less savvy consumers in particular can be quite alarmed about.
Dizziness
Anyone who has had a bad cannabis trip is familiar with the dizzying spell it initiates. It seems the world around you is spinning faster. Imagine being on a roller coaster nightmare. Many dizzy spells happen to novice smokers, who have already ingested much more than they should. But even in the most experienced consumers, this can also happen as a result of taking a dab or even a bongada bigger than you can handle.
Physical malaise and vomiting
Dizziness is one of a number of potentially distressing physical sensations during a bad weed trip, but you can also sweat profusely, experience stomach discomfort, vomit or have a rapid heart rate. Some people also experience episodes of tremors and numbness.
How to recover/overcome a bad trip of cannabis?
How long can these bad experiences last? This is something that can vary greatly from person to person. If consumption has been done through the more traditional method, smoking, or even vaping, these sensations can last between 1 and 2 hours, but if it has been through the consumption of edibles, or ingested, these effects may last up to 8 hours or even longer, depending on the dose. That said, these unpleasant symptoms, as a rule, decrease in intensity over time, and may even disappear completely even before the "high" ends.
The good thing about a bad cannabis experience is that it's not exactly life-threatening, at least as far as the possibility of a fatal overdose is concerned. Often, it's about remembering that you're under the influence of a psychotropic substance and simply doing your best to relax and let it go. However, as many people may not yet know, here are some useful tips in case you find yourself in a less pleasant situation when using cannabis.
Breathe and try to calm down
While this is easier said than done, the key here is to shift your attention to something that is more calming, or at least distracting from the situation you find yourself in. A good way to do this is to change where you are. If possible, take a short walk outside or find a quiet, relaxing place to sit for a while. You'll be surprised what a simple change of location can do for your condition in the event of a bad trip of cannabis.
Stay hydrated
Not only can drinking water help alleviate the dry mouth feeling that cannabis tends to cause, but it will also make the “high” less catastrophic. Mixing alcohol is also a very bad idea, as it will only aggravate the symptoms. When in doubt, moisturize!
Breathe calmly and deeply
People who go through episodes of paranoia often forget to breathe properly, which is what often leads them down the dark path of invasive or anxious thoughts, which end up turning into a panic attack.
If you feel that cannabis is making you panic, immediately try to regulate your breathing. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly until you feel calmer. It may take some practice and persistence to develop this habit, but once you do, you'll be able to cut through the cannabis-induced panic before it takes over your entire body in earnest.
Take CBD
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is often used as a stabilizer against THC when taken in higher doses. This non-psychotropic cannabinoid reduces the psychotropic potential of THC, helping to mitigate a bad cannabis experience, especially when large amounts of THC are involved. The use of CBD in cannabis consumption can be through the simple fact of adding flowers with higher amounts of CBD or even as an alternative to using tobacco altogether. Another option is the use of edibles and/or taking CBD-rich oils.
Listen to music you like
A good song can do a lot for your current mood. And listening to music you don't like can bring out the worst feelings. If you think you're about to get into trouble trip, try to put on some of your favorite songs that make you more comfortable, in a good mood and calm. Watching a movie or a comic series is also an excellent option.
Eat something sweet
Eating something sweet, be it cakes, sweets or fruit, will raise blood sugar and divert your senses, especially if it is one of your favorite delicacies and delicacies, it is possible to turn an unpleasant situation around and feel good again. There are also those who say that chocolate or lemon help to reduce the 'high'.
How to avoid a bad trip of cannabis?
As they say, prevention is better than cure, and with that in mind, here are some ways to avoid a bad cannabis experience.
Consume small doses
One of the first pieces of advice you'll hear when trying cannabis, or even any other type of drug, for the first time, and regardless of the method of consumption chosen, is the old “start low and go slow”. Oi.e. start slow and take it easy. Because just like eating a meal, we must eat slowly and not eat too much or too quickly, or you will quickly feel full.
If you want to avoid a bad experience in cannabis consumption, you should follow the same ideology and send one breath at a time, in case consumption is done in the more traditional methods of smoking and/or vaping. With regard to edible, for example, start with smaller portions and wait at least two to three hours before repeating the dose, as the effects are only felt after digestion has taken place.
Avoid using cannabis if you feel low
As we mentioned before, your pre-consumption mental and emotional state will affect the outcome of your experience. As such, avoid consuming if you are feeling low, irritable, or just not well in general. Don't waste your stock on a bad experience. After all, cannabis consumption is mostly about generating good experiences and moments and not the other way around. Therefore, consuming to run the risk of feeling worse is not advisable.
Put yourself in a good environment
When we talk about a good environment, we mean a comfortable place, with friends you trust, good music and a vibe fun and relaxing. Avoid places that prevent you from truly relaxing and making the most of the whole experience.
Surround yourself with people you trust and enjoy being with.
With reference to the previous point, it pays to be among people you trust and with whom you feel comfortable. Whether it's your family or friends, make sure you have the right people with you.
Rest
When you lack sleep, you feel more grumpy and unable to function properly. And if you also smoke while in this state, you may have a less pleasant experience. So make sure you've had your good dose of rest, especially before a cannabis session with friends.
In the end, everything will be fine...
Whatever the reason and reason that led you to have a bad experience with cannabis, you can rest assured: in the end everything will return to normal! It is necessary to take into account that living a bad trip of cannabis does not mean that it will become something recurrent every time cannabis is consumed, not least because, as we explained in this article, there are several factors inherent to which this can happen. Even the most savvy consumers are bound to have a less than positive experience.
However, if you want to minimize the risk of having a bad trip with cannabis, you can always consider these suggestions as ways to prevent this from happening. And, of course, for you to maintain a good, healthy and positive relationship with this plant.
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[Disclaimer: Please note that this text was originally written in Portuguese and is translated into English and other languages using an automatic translator. Some words may differ from the original and typos or errors may occur in other languages.]____________________________________________________________________________________________________
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With a professional background in CAD technical drawing (2D and 3D), João Xabregas is an activist and advocate for all uses and applications of cannabis. He discovered and entered the world of cannabis during his youth, where he developed a special interest in the cultivation of the plant, which led him on a journey of self-learning through the world of cannabis that continues to this day. His adventures linked to cannabis cultivation began with the same goal as many others: to be able to guarantee the quality and eliminate any possible risks to his health of what he consumed, as well as to avoid any type of dependence on the illicit market. However, he quickly began to view the world of cannabis and everything related to it with a very different perspective. He admits the enormous passion he has for the most persecuted plant in the world and about which he is always willing to write and have a good conversation.
