Greening out?

Greening out can affect both newbies and experienced users and is characterised by a range of symptoms like dizziness, nausea, anxiety, increased heart rate, and a general feeling of being unwell. For some, it might also lead to temporary paranoia or a sense of detachment from reality. These sensations can be rather alarming, especially for those who have never experienced them before.

What's happening when you green out:

Greening out is essentially caused by too much THC in the system. Our endocannabinoid system's receptors take on more THC than they can handle and this leads to those uncomfortable experiences, or greening out.

What are the symptoms?

• Nausea - it can feel like you're a bit sea-sick or generally unwell.
• Dizziness - lightheadedness and a spinning feeling is common, and goes hand in hand with the nausea.
• Paranoia - people who avoid weed tend to do so because of a paranoid experience. for those who use it often, it's not common, but when you're greening out, it's normal to feel uneasy or as if something is not quite right. i once thought i was in a time-loop - not fun.
• Anxiety - while weed can help with anxiety, overdoing it can have the opposite effect. it shouldn't go hand-in-hand with weed, so if you feel anxious, you've probably had too much.

Other physical symptoms: dry-mouth, drowsiness and and sometimes a cheeky spew. You're not at risk of anything, but relax and drink lots of water.

Is it dangerous?

While greening out is essentially an overdose, it's more in the sense that you've overdone it a bit. THC is non-toxic and there haven't been any recorded deaths from too much of it, so you're not at risk of anything serious. It's still scary though and there are ways to manage it and avoid it all together.

How to Avoid:

Drug-drug interaction: drinking alcohol and then smoking weed can often lead to a green out, especially in that order. While it is never recommended to combine substances, and the effects can be serious if you do; it always seems to be worse if you drink first (beer before grass, you're on your ass).

Edibles: dosing edibles can be really hard if you've made them yourself. they also hear you talking shit about them, so wait before you have more, even if you aren't feeling the effects. It tends to hit a lot later, so be patient and know your limit.

Well I've already greened out, what now?

While we can try and avoid greening out, it happens from time to time, and it's going to be okay. Drink something sugary. While there's not much scientific evidence, drinking a soft drink or juice and getting some sugar into your system can really help with the nausea, paranoia and other physical symptoms. A Jarritos Mexican cola saved me from the aforementioned time-loop, almost instantly. Citrus fruits and peppercorns are also said to help.

Find someone to talk to (in person or call a friend), and let them know that you're straight up having a bad time. Someone who is relaxed and can talk you through it can make a huge difference. Try and reassure yourself, and understand it's temporary. It'll pass soon, you just have to ride it out. Other ways to relax are showers, a change in environment and CBD oil.  

Remember - greening out isn't good, so next time you spark up, start small. Too much of anything is bad, and conscious consumption should always be the goal. Also speak to a healthcare professional if you're worried - this is not the advice of a doctor. 

 (Image: Giuseppe Arcimboldo)