We had been wanting to write one of the most down to earth posts on the blog for a while: a guide to handling the green out that hits you when you overdo it with the joints. Not long ago one of the crew had one after taking THC in a few different formats, and although nobody went looking for it, it did leave us with some first hand tips to pass on. This is what we did to get through the comedown; we hope it helps if it ever happens to you.
This is what to do if you feel a green out coming on
If you are new to smoking and you have no idea what a green out is, good news: better off not knowing. For anyone who has not come across the expression, greening out is a mild intoxication from the effect of cannabis on the body. The symptoms vary from person to person, on how used to it you are, how much you have had and how strong what you are smoking is: cold sweats, a racing heart, vision and hearing going a bit fuzzy, feeling somewhat disoriented. But do not get scared: unpleasant as it is, it usually passes on its own and you will feel like yourself again.
If you are with other people, say straight away that you feel unwell
There is no point keeping quiet if you start to feel unwell. You already have enough going on physically and mentally without burning energy on hiding it: use that energy to tell your mates instead. That way they can act accordingly and you save them a fright if things get worse. Asking for help is always the better move.
Do not panic
Even if the symptoms are unpleasant and the trip feels heavy, keep calm. Breathe deeply and hold on to the comfort of not being on your own: if anything happens, your mates are right there to look after you. It passes, and it is not going to leave you "crazy" the way people sometimes fear.
Lie down
Your field of vision closing in can be one of the first symptoms, so to avoid dizziness or fainting the best thing is to lie down somewhere comfortable. Ask a mate for a couple of pillows so your head sits a bit higher and the room stops spinning. If you are cold, throw a blanket over yourself and close your eyes: sorting out your temperature helps you come out of the tunnel sooner.
Drink water
There is no specific treatment for this backed by science, but staying hydrated is always a good idea. Drink a decent amount of water and follow it up with something sugary; in our experience you tend to feel the difference fairly quickly.
Get sugar in you like there is no tomorrow
Something sweet is what everyone around here reaches for when the comedown hits, so go and raid the cupboard. It will not take much effort either: your appetite and your sweet tooth will most likely show up as you come out the other side of the trip.
Two spoonfuls of honey
In our case that was what finally settled things down. We had already demolished the chocolate and the trip was still hanging around, until a mate of ours who is half alchemist pulled out a jar of flower honey. A couple of spoonfuls and back to life.
We hope you remember this article if you ever green out and that these tips come in handy. And remember: if anything genuinely worries you or the symptoms are not easing off, do not hesitate to look for help or medical attention.
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