Cannabis Making You Anxious? These Tips Can Help

G. L.
Cannabis Repository
6 min readOct 1, 2020
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Now that marijuana has become legalized in several states across America, many people are newly discovering the benefits of its use. One of these benefits is that marijuana can be a better alternative over alcohol or nicotine in helping people to relax after a stressful day.

However, this is not always the case for everyone.

For some people, marijuana does not help with relaxation. Rather it has the exact opposite effect: cannabis can put you on edge, make you anxious and paranoid, and start your head and heart racing.

If this happens to you, rest assured that there are actions you can take to minimize this effect. With careful management and mindful consumption, it is possible to minimize — or even completely alleviate — the anxiety-inducing effects that cannabis can have.

Meditate Before or During Your Session

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You’re probably already aware of the myriad ways that meditation is good for the mind, and this includes a reduction in anxiety. Meditation helps by quieting our thoughts and breaking negative patterns. Meditation also encourages deep breathing exercises, which relaxes the body by slowing down our heart rate.

From my personal experience, I’ve found that if I already have a lot on my mind before smoking, then getting high will only make it worse. I have to start from a blank slate and be in the right headspace, to get the most out of my high. Meditating before consuming marijuana can help with this.

Once your mind is in a more relaxed state, you’ll find that marijuana is less likely to trigger feelings of anxiety and nervousness.

Though if you’re already high and start to experience racing thoughts, meditation can still be useful. When we meditate we’re reminded to slow down, take deep breaths, and keep a space for mindfulness. If you find yourself stuck in unhealthy thought patterns while high, try taking 10 to 20 minutes for meditation and see how you feel afterward.

I would also suggest turning on peaceful music to better help you get into the right mindset.

If you’re considering incorporating a meditation practice along with your cannabis consumption, keep in mind that you may need to stick to meditation regularly for about a month before noticing a difference.

Experiment with Strains & Terpenes

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As most marijuana enthusiasts already know, the two most common strains of cannabis are Indica and Sativa.

Indica and Sativa have differing amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes, which have different effects on the mind and body. Indica is known to be more relaxing and calming. It gives the user a “body high” and can cause drowsiness. This is why many marijuana enthusiasts lovingly say that Indica will have you stuck “in da couch”, and is often best enjoyed before going to bed.

Sativa, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. It is more stimulating and gives the user a “head high.” Sativa is also known to uplift your mood, making you feel happy and motivated. It is often considered to be the best strain to enjoy in the morning or to help you focus on work.

And of course, there are hybrid strains, which are a mix of the two. Hybrids are extremely common now and offer effects of both Indica and Sativa. However, these effects will range and differ depending on the strain.

From my personal experience, I’ve found that Indica dominant strains are more likely to cause anxiety, while Sativa dominant strains make me feel more optimistic. However, this might not be the case for everyone. Some people find that Indica better helps them to relax, while Sativa can induce paranoia.

Also, be aware of the influence that terpenes have on the mood as well. Terpenes are the natural oils found in cannabis which give cannabis certain aromatic smells and flavors. But terpenes have other uses too.

Some terpenes, like limonene and linalool, are shown to have greater effects in decreasing anxiety. So try experimenting with different strains and terpenes to find the most relaxing mix for you.

Supplement with CBD

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CBD, like THC, is one of the many cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. However, unlike THC, CBD does not have any psychoactive effects. This means if consumed by itself, CBD won’t make you high. But CBD has been shown to have positive effects in treating anxiety.

Supplementing an extra dose of CBD, along with cannabis consumption, can help to curb the anxiety-inducing effects that marijuana has for some people.

There are plenty of ways to ingest CBD, but the most common is through an oil tincture, edibles, or vaping. CBD is fairly easy to find in a dispensary or a smoke shop and comes in varying dosages.

Another way of consuming CBD is by smoking CBD hemp flower. CBD flower looks just like a regular cannabis nug, the biggest difference being that CBD flower has been bred to have high levels of CBD with less than .3% THC. This means that CBD flower will not get you high, but might do a better job at relaxing you than a tincture or edible.

You can even try mixing CBD flower with cannabis flower to further personalize your high. Or if you find that you’ve smoked too much cannabis or are higher than you feel comfortable with, smoking CBD flower is a quick way to lessen the high.

Get Moving Around

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If you’re consuming an Indica, then moving around is probably the last thing you want to do. But exercise can be a great way to relieve some of those anxious, racing thoughts.

It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise either. Just simply going for a walk outside can be helpful. Of course, this applies if you’re walking in an area you’re familiar with and already feel comfortable in. If you’re walking someplace new, or in an area surrounded by many people, this can cause some distress. So if you plan to go outside while high, be mindful of your environment.

On the other hand, if for whatever reason you can’t or don’t want to go outside, then yoga can be a great option as well. Yoga, similar to meditation, also places a lot of focus on breathwork — which again aids in regulating our heartrate. In fact, I often think of yoga as moving meditation. Yoga by itself already does so much to reduce stress and tension, plus can feel pretty good. So just imagine how amazing it would feel to practice yoga while high.

If you’re someone who sometimes experiences anxiety while using cannabis, trying one or a combination of these ideas can go a long way in alleviating that stress. Whether you used to be a daily smoker, or you’ve only tried marijuana once, these practices can go a long way to promote an enjoyable high. The key point to take away is to remember to be mindful while consuming cannabis. Know your limits, and experiment with different strains and combinations. And of course, if cannabis just simply is not right for you, then that’s perfectly fine as well.

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G. L.
Cannabis Repository

Cannabis & Hemp // Health & Wellness Freelance Writer. BA in Psychology & Linguistics.