What Does It Feel Like To Be High On Weed

6 Main Factors That Affect How You Feel When High On Weed

It’s very difficult to describe how being high on weed feels without resorting to videos and giggly movie depictions of people who are spaced out. But with cannabis use becoming widespread, new consumers are always asking how being high on weed actually feels like. 

Weed experiences are different for everyone, including the high. In this article, we look at several types of highs that you may experience after consuming marijuana.

What Does Being High On Weed Feel Like?

Cannabis is very individualized. Some people claim that their high makes them feel creative and inspired to go about activities like painting, writing, or even reading. Some people have the opposite experience. They may have a good time, but their memory is impaired, and they cannot commit to any activities that require any amount of engagement.

So what does being high feel like? Is there an ideal high?

Every person taking marijuana has an ideal high, which typically depends on why you are consuming weed. For some people, the goal of taking marijuana is to experience some relief from conditions that cause pain or symptoms like anxiety.

If your goal is relief, then your ideal high causes relaxation, euphoria, creativity, amusement etc. If you are getting high as a recreational activity or unwinding, you may want euphoria, amusement, relaxation, and creativity. There are a lot of strains that can cause all those effects. 

THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the primary active cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, and it’s responsible for the high feeling along with some of the physical and emotional benefits that you experience when consuming weed.

By choosing weed strains with more or less THC content, you can alter how your high will feel. But as we have mentioned, the cannabis experience is very individualized, and many factors influence the high.

That said, there are several things that you are likely to experience after consuming marijuana. Here is what being high feels like.

1. Altered Sensory Perceptions

Cannabis may alter your sensory perceptions. While smoking weed will not produce real hallucinations as other drugs do, you may experience places, objects, sounds, flavours and scents differently.

Faces and familiar objects may look strange, usually, in an amusing way, colours can appear brighter, sounds and music become more powerful experiences, and you can appreciate aesthetics more. 

This is why you may find a stoner staring at something that’s usually uninteresting, like a ballpoint pen, but they seem amused by it. 

Another example of how marijuana can affect your sensory perception is the munchies. Cannabis can enhance your sense of taste resulting in “the munchies,” which causes you to consume more food than normal. 

Experts believe an individual’s mood is projected onto their environment when high. As a result, being high in an environment you perceive positively can be enjoyable, but the opposite can also happen, causing the world to appear grim and harsh. This is called a “bad trip.” 

2. Changes In Mood

Marijuana use can change your mood and mental state. When high, emotions are usually exaggerated such that normal emotionally neutral situations become amusing or ridiculous. The ability of weed to alter emotions makes it a potential remedy for mood disorders like anxiety and depression.

However, the effects of marijuana on mood vary from one person to another. This may be due to the differences in body chemistry, strains, age, among others. As a  result, some people may experience higher anxiety levels or become upset by normal situations when high.

3. Creativity Boost

Many great artists produce some of their best work when high. There is even some evidence that weed use is associated with producing a greater number of novel ideas. 

Getting high may spark some sort of creativity. Stoned people typically come up with bizarre, sometimes unfeasible ideas that sober people wouldn’t think of. However, we are not saying that smoking weed is a shortcut to artistic success. We are only saying that some strains may spark creative energy that may help develop new ideas.

On the other hand, weed may make it more difficult to use creative thoughts productively. One study suggests that low potency cannabis doesn’t impact creativity and that potent weed may actually impair divergent thinking.

Is It Possible To Get Too High?

You probably have come across scary tales of bad trips or getting too high on the internet. So yes, it is possible to get too high if you are not careful with the dosage or if your body is prone to these less-than-pleasant experiences.

Edibles are usually the culprits as their effects are delayed, which may tempt you to consume more. 

Bad trips are characterized by increased anxiety, panic, paranoia, delusions, confusion, hallucinations, racing heartbeat, vomiting, nausea etc.

A fatal marijuana overdose is unlikely. So if you get too high, just find an activity you enjoy, and wait for the high to come down.

6 Factors That Affect A Cannabis High

As we stated earlier, individuals experience weed high differently. Here are some of the factors that affect a weed high

1. Weed Strain

There are numerous strains with different effects to choose from. Sativa strains, for example, are known for their cerebral stimulation and energizing effects while indicas are famous for their heavy, relaxing body high that often results in a couch-lock.

On the other hand, Hybrids bring you the best of both worlds—a little of cerebral effect and a little of physical effects.

For example, this AA Blue Afghani strain from West Coast Cannabis is known for its powerful full-body effects that leave you anchored in relaxation while providing pain, anxiety relief. On the other hand, Sour Diesel is known for its invigorating cerebral high that opens up doors of creativity.

2. Terpenes

While many cannabis consumers depend on the sativa/indica/hybrid classification to predict the type of high a bud will provide, people now realize the effects terpenes can have on a high. Terpenes have health benefits, including anti-anxiety benefits and can modulate the effects of THC, affecting the high.

3. Tolerance

Your tolerance is essential to how you feel when high on weed. If you are new to cannabis, your tolerance is low, and you should start with less potent cannabis strains and lower dosages to avoid being overwhelmed.

4. Potency

How much THC or CBD is in the product? Strains with very high THC and low CBD can produce very intense highs compared to less potent strains with high CBD levels.

5. Dosage

To have an enjoyable high, you have to figure out the exact amount of weed to take. Too little and you don’t get high, too much and you have a bad trip.

6. Other Cannabinoids Present

The cannabis plant has over 100 cannabinoids that may affect how the high feels. CBD, CBN, and THCV are some of the cannabinoids that could influence your experience by either supporting the effects of THC or decreasing them.

The Quality Of Your Cannabis Product Will Affect How Being High On Weed Feel Like

It’s almost impossible to describe what being high feels because THC, like most cannabinoids, affects everyone differently. So, your experience may differ from the others as a wide range of factors, including genes, the strain you are using, mood, tolerance, potency etc., may have a hand in shaping your high.

For the best experience, start with a low dose, examine how you feel, and take it slow to avoid overconsumption. It’s also best to start with a high-quality product like this AAAA Hawaiian Snow from West Coast Cannabis to ensure you have an effective product when getting high for the first time.