The Highest Club

Tag: tolerance

  • Taking a Tolerance Break: Tips, Tricks, & How I Put My Herb Consumption On Pause

    Before I get into this, here’s a little background on me: I’ve been smoking herb in various forms for about 15 years now, so my body and mind are both incredibly used to all the effects of THC.

    In my earlier years, taking tolerance breaks was a very difficult thing for me. I believe this is because I was young, depressed, had worse diet and exercise habits, and was just generally unhappier in life. Much like the Rat Park Experiment, when my life improved in general, it became much easier to put things like herb down for a while.

    Everyone is different in this regard, and it also boils down to the length and intensity of your own herb habit. This is entirely based on my personal experiences, yours may vary!

    When Is It Time To Take A Break?

    Maybe you have a concrete reason to take a break, like dental work, applying to a new job, legal issues, or maybe you just ran out. Personally, I know it’s time for a break when I just can’t seem to get high anymore. No matter how many edibles I eat, how many bowls I vape, or how many blunts I smoke, I’m just not getting where I want to be. Maybe a little tired, but definitely not high.

    Other times, if I’m smoking a little bit too much, I can feel my brain start to get a bit frazzled. Maybe I’ll be a bit more on edge than usual, a little more anxious. Too many thoughts in my head, not enough processing. I believe this is my body telling me it’s time to take a break from the herb, so I do. Maybe there are other factors at play during those times, but those breaks always help me regain some mental clarity. 

    What Are The Withdrawals? How Long Do They Last?

    These are my biggest issues when withdrawing from herb. The short term ones last ~10 days, for me. The long term ones can last for months, depending on my habit. 

    Short Term:

    • 1. No Sleep, Night Sweats & Intense Dreams: Night time is where my withdrawal gets the worst, by far. I’m basically an insomniac for about a week or two, When I do manage to get any sleep, my dreams are insane. I don’t really remember my dreams at all when I’m smoking, and they come back with a vengeance during breaks. Sometimes they’re even nightmares, or sleep paralysis. Then, dreams or not, I’ll wake up drenched in a cold sweat. Happens every time I stop smoking. Starts getting better after 5-7 days, fully fixed within 2 weeks.
    • 2. No Appetite. Eating becomes hard. Rather than hunger or fullness, I mostly just feel nausea. I’ll force myself to eat little meals regardless, because obviously I have to, but it just feels gross. This one starts getting better after about 3 days for me, and then basically gets back to normal. 
    • 3. Restlessness. I’ll feel a little bit anxious, tense, jittery, my thoughts will be racing, and I won’t be able to focus on anything. This one only lasts 2 or 3 days for me, but it makes it hard to get past those first few days!

    Long Term:

    • 1. Boredom. After the short term effects, this one usually becomes the hardest part, for me. Those initial symptoms might be mostly gone, but my brain will still be getting used to finding fun and stimulation without herb. 
    • 2. Phantom Highs. I’m not sure what it is, maybe THC being released from my fat cells, but I’ll randomly feel high throughout my day for a solid month. It seems most common in the morning, or when getting my heart rate up. 

    Things That Help Me:

    • 1. Filling My Time. (Reading, Hobbies, Work, Errands, etc)

    The more of my time and brainpower that I can fill up, the better. That means I have less time to sit there thinking about how much I want to smoke some herb. So, in the first few days of breaks, I’ll be as productive as I can possibly be. I’ll go for a run in the morning, shower, get some work done, read a book for a while, drive over to some stores and check them out, run some errands, and spend as much time with hobbies as i can. I’ll play guitar, paint, make a collage, skateboard, anything. It’s a good chance to catch up on things I may have fallen behind in, and at this point, focusing on anything besides herb is a win. 

    • 2. Exercise.

    Exercise gives me a natural buzz, fills up my time as I mentioned earlier, and gets the dopamine system back on track. Herb releases dopamine, so when we take a break, our body isn’t producing as much as we’re used to. Exercise is a great way to get my dopamine levels back to a regular level, much quicker than without exercising. It gives a natural, calming buzz that completely takes my mind off of herb and the slight edginess that comes with taking a break. It also helps me sleep better during withdrawal, the more tired out I can get my body, the better I’m gonna sleep. 

    • 3. Drinking Tea. (Replacing Flower Rituals)

    As a big flower guy, grinding the herb and packing a bowl is a big piece of my daily rituals, and becomes something I miss when I’m on a break. So, I’ll find ways to replace it. My favorite is tea; The process of boiling water, picking a tea,  steeping it, and slowly drinking the warm cup is a great ritual replacement for me. It gives me a replacement to almost every part of the herb experience. 

    • 4. Journaling

    Journaling helps me with two main parts of withdrawal; the cravings and the mental tension. If I’m craving a smoke, I’ll write down exactly why I want to smoke, what I think it will accomplish for me, what other ways I could accomplish that, and how I’m making a better decision for myself by waiting to have that smoke. I’ll even start before my break, journaling about my lack of high, and general dissatisfaction with smoking, and Reading this back can help my cravings as well. In a more standard way, if my mind is a little scattered or tense due to the withdrawal, journaling is a great way to get my thoughts in order and feel a bit better. It brings a bit of calm to what can feel like a storm. 

    • 5. Tracking On Apps ($$)

    When I take a break, I’ll download a habit quitting app. I use one that shows me how long I’ve gone, and exactly how much money I’ve saved in the process. Seeing that dollar amount go up and up is a great motivator for me to keep it going. I like to take the money I save, throw it in it’s own savings account, and then treat myself to something nice after the break.

    • 6. Switching up media (No weed music/shows/movies)

    I don’t know about you, but a LOT of the music that I listen to has lyrics about herb. Hearing that just makes me want to smoke, so I switch it up as much as I can. I generally try to avoid any media about herb during the break, even subreddits related to it. 

    • 7. Ingesting CBD oil

    CBD OIL specifically can help bring me some calm when the break gets me feeling a little tense. 

    Things That DON’T Help Me:

    • 1. Substance Switching (Ie; Drinking)

    I see this as a common tip; Just drink beer every night instead! I don’t like to do that. Aside from that being a slippery slope, I just enjoy challenging myself to total sobriety. I feel that I can’t achieve what I want to with the break, if my brain is still clouded by some other substance, no matter what it is. But again, this guide is just what helps me personally, I won’t judge you if you have some drinks or whatever to get yourself through. 

    • 2. Sleep Aids (Melatonin etc)

    In a desperate attempt to sleep during these breaks, I’ve tried every over-the-counter sleep aid I could. Most of them seemed to have either no effect, or do the opposite and just make me even more restless. So instead, I’ll just bare through the first few nights and accept that I just won’t be sleeping much. I’ll still try, but I know I might be staring at the ceiling for a couple hours. 

    • 3. Smoking CBD Flower

    CBD oil helps me, but smoking cbd flower does the opposite. If I smoke some cbd, it’s like I have the flavor, feel and ritual of herb, but the effects i’m really searching for just aren’t there, which makes me crave some regular herb even harder. This isn’t to say CBD doesn’t have it’s uses for some people, but when I’m on a break, I just want the buzz that I’m used to, and smoking CBD makes me miss it even more. So, I’ll just not even mess around with it. 

    Coming Back To Smoking:

    So, you’ve made it to the end of your break. What now? Personally, I try to come back smoking as little as possible, to maintain the benefits as long as possible. If I start immediately wake n baking, and smoking all day long, it quickly feels like I never took a break at all. All that effort and time for nothing!

    Instead, I like to ease back in to it as much as I possibly can. It doesn’t always work out like I want it to, but ideally when I come back, I’m only smoking in the evenings, after finishing everything in my day. No wake n bakes and much more moderation, so that I can continue to enjoy having a low tolerance and feeling as buzzed as possible off of my herb. 

    Conclusion

    I get the best results by choosing to dig into life, rather than sit around focusing on how much I want to smoke.

  • How to take a break from weed.

    So, you’ve been smoking for a while now. You’re getting pretty used to the effects you’ve been feeling. Maybe even.. too used to them? Or maybe you just can’t partake right now for any number of other reasons.

    If you’ve found this page, I’m assuming you’ve already realized what point you’re at, and what you need to do about it. You may need a tolerance break!

    Luckily, taking a tolerance break doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems! Just about every seasoned stoner has been there. It’s all in your mindset and perspective, my friend. Let’s dive into this a bit;

    How do I know I might need a tolerance break?

    • Weed isn’t getting you as high as you want to be
    • You’re feeling brain fog
    • You’re anxious, sad or irritable every time you smoke
    • You’re spending too much money on weed
    • You’re spending too much time on weed

    If I take a tolerance break, what effects will I experience?

    That depends pretty heavily on how long you’ve been smoking, how good your product is, how often you smoke, and probably many more factors. But generally, most people will experience a few or all of these symptoms:

    • Decreased sleep quality
    • Decreased appetite
    • Mood Swings
    • Boredom
    • Intense dreams
    • Cold sweats at night

    How can I make my tolerance break easier?

    Essentially, a lot of self care.

    • Exercise – Hit the gym, go for a run, get on the floor and do some pushups if you need to. The more physically tired you get yourself, the better. For one thing, you’ll sleep much better if your body is tired out. You might not even notice the insomnia! Another benefit is the natural release of endorphins when you exercise. The runners high is no joke! When all your body wants is that elevated feeling, exercise can certainly duplicate it.
    • Hobbies – One of the hardest parts of a tolerance break can be the extreme boredom. The goal here is to keep your mind off of your tolerance break. If you’re sitting there fantasizing about smoking again, you’re just going to feel worse and worse. Instead, fill your time with just about anything. Read or write a book, draw some doodles, craft something, play an instrument, do a puzzle, play some video games, get lost in a movie, or even discover a brand new hobby. The world is still your oyster, even without the green.
    • Replace your Rituals – Personally, I love the ritual of smoking or vaping about as much as the act itself, so I replace it as well. Rather than grind up flower and pack a bowl, I’ll boil some water and steep a tea bag. I find it to be a great way to achieve a similar level of relaxation in my day. I get the process of physically preparing something, and then I can sit down and have a nice sip sesh as well.
    • CBD Flower – If you have access to it, CBD flower can be helpful in achieving a very similar ritual, as well as providing your body with all the benefits of your green, without any of the high. This method could be useful for helping you get back to sleep if you’re struggling with that. Personally, I find that this method can be a slippery slope, and usually just makes me want the real thing even more. Many people do have success with this, though!

    How long will these tolerance break side effects last?

    I find that the worst of it is over in about one week, though everyone is different. It could take you a couple of weeks. Generally speaking, after one week your appetite, sleep pattern and mood regulation should be much closer to normal again. Boredom can still be in full force, if you’re not actively fighting it!

    How long should my tolerance break be?

    This one is personal preference. If you’re a heavy smoker, even one day off will make a big difference in the effects you feel when you smoke again. I like to take occasional 7 day breaks to help my tolerance, and then a 30 day break when my body lets me know it needs one. This ensures my tolerance stays lower for longer once I come back to smoking.

    How should I come back to smoking?

    When you smoke again, start small! It won’t take much at all. After a few days off, I make sure to start with one puff to see how it’ll hit. Jumping right back in to the heavy hitters is a surefire way to raise your tolerance right back to where it was before.