How to Lower Weed Tolerance: Tips for a Tolerance Reset

Cannabis, marijuana, or weed is a very popular substance. It has its medical uses and is also widely used for recreational purposes. Yet, weed tolerance is a known topic and not really spoken about in all the long and winding discussions there are to be had about weed.

In his blog, we shall seek to comprehensively understand what weed tolerance is, how it develops, and how to lower weed tolerance by touching upon concepts like tolerance break.

What is Weed Tolerance?

Weed tolerance develops with consistent weed use. It is usually seen in cases of long-term weed use. Over a period of time, consuming weed does not give rise to the same intoxicating and pleasurable effects as it once used to. As the body gets used to weed, its effects are weaker.

Consequently, one begins to need more and more of the substance to experience the same effects and feel content. This is known as weed tolerance. It can have adverse impacts on health and well-being if not addressed.

Signs You May Have Built a High Weed Tolerance

Some signs of high weed tolerance are as follows:

• Consuming weed simply does not give the same effects it once used to. One does not experience the same high or other intoxicating effects.
• Consuming weed in increased quantities to experience the high and other intoxicating effects, as what once used to be satisfactory now barely makes any difference.
• One might often find themselves “chasing the high” in that they consume weed more frequently as well to experience the same effects. In fact, frequent use is also a consequence of the effects of weed wearing off pretty quickly.
• With high weed tolerance, one can also notice that switching between strains or consuming highly potent products also do not provide any satisfactory effects, indicating that the body has built a high tolerance for weed.
• Certain physical effects like red eyes, dry mouth, and increased hunger are also signs of high weed tolerance.

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How Tolerance Develops?

Weed tolerance develops with consistent and prolonged weed use. Weed contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive compound. It works by affecting the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. However, over time, with THC content, these cannabinoid receptors get depleted and do not produce the same effects as they once did. Hence, one needs more and more weed to feel the same effects.

Weed tolerance can depend on frequent use of weed, the potency of weed, as well as other biological factors like genetics. Regardless of how weed tolerance develops, lowering weed tolerance can be beneficial.

Why Lowering Weed Tolerance is Beneficial?

Weed tolerance comes with frequent, prolonged, and even heavy weed use. In fact, it leads to higher dosage and more frequent weed use as well. Now, this can lead to a number of health complications:

• Anxiety
• Memory impairment
• Impaired judgment
• Impaired coordination
• Adverse impacts on brain development (among adolescents)
• Greater risk of psychosis
• Bronchitis (seen among those who smoke weed)

So, at some point, taking a tolerance break or T-break is very necessary. While it can be difficult and lead to withdrawal symptoms like intense cravings, restlessness, irritability, mood swings, sleep difficulties, and so on, in the long run, it is beneficial.

Lowering weed tolerance facilitates mental clarity and also improves lung functioning, especially among those who smoke weed. It also strengthens the effects of weed if one decides to begin consuming it again.

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Tips for Successfully Taking a Tolerance Break

Lowering weed tolerance requires taking a tolerance break. In simple words, this means to stop using weed. Usually, a tolerance break can last up to 21 days as that is how long it takes for the body to eliminate THC from its system. However, the length of the tolerance break is totally dependent on the person. There is no evidence as to how long it takes for the cannabinoid receptors in the brain to recover from the regular use of weed (THC, more specifically), so how long it will last depends on a person. However, a total of 2 weeks is an ideal time frame.

Some tips to successfully take a tolerance break are as follows:

- Get rid of the weed. The more accessible the weed is, the more is the desire to consume it. During tolerance break, this desire is even higher as cravings for weed become intense. Getting rid of the weed makes it difficult to reach out for it and helps keep away from it.

- Communicate with trusted loved ones about the tolerance break. They can help motivate, encourage, and even provide distractions when necessary.

Be aware of withdrawal symptoms. These are highly unpleasant symptoms that one can experience in the absence of weed as the body gets used to having weed. They range from anxiety, restlessness, and irritability, to even sleep difficulties.

To avoid these withdrawal symptoms, it is important to engage in healthy practices. Eating healthy food, staying hydrated, exercising, practicing mindfulness, and avoiding other substances like alcohol helps in avoiding/managing these withdrawal symptoms.

- Distractions help fight cravings. During a tolerance break, cravings for weed can be intense. Distractions are important to have as they help fight these cravings. In case of cravings, engage in some fun activities like drawing, music, dancing, and so on. Even taking a quick walk or going for a run helps fight this. It is healthy, too.

- Keep busy. While taking a tolerance break is not difficult for some people, it can be challenging for others. So, keeping busy helps keep the mind off weed. Exercising, meditating, or even having trusted loved ones over are some tips to keep busy.

- Set a date and stick to it. Discipline is necessary while on tolerance break. It might feel easier to just give in, especially with the cravings and withdrawal symptoms and let go of the tolerance break. However, staying focused on tolerance break and committing to not break it despite these temptations will be more beneficial in the long run.

Usually after a tolerance break, going back to using weed is common. However, if long-term sobriety is the goal, then there are treatment options to consider. Quitting weed entirely is not easy and the road to recovery can be difficult, however, it is not impossible. Comprehensive treatment plans involve psychotherapeutic interventions like:

- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – It seeks to address maladaptive thinking, emotional, and behavioral patterns associated with weed use, and change them for lasting recovery and sobriety. It also involves healthy coping strategies to deal with triggers, cravings, and other impulsive behaviors.

- Motivational Enhancement Therapy – It seeks to instill internal motivation to help quit weed. When combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, it is very effective.

- Contingency Management – It is a behavioral technique. It involves replacing undesirable behaviors with positive behaviors like abstinence by rewarding and reinforcing the latter.

In case of medical marijuana usage, it is difficult to take a tolerance break or quit marijuana entirely. In this cases, there are some tips to follow:

Using cannabis products with greater cannabidiol (CBD) ratio than THC ratio helps. CBD is another of the active ingredients found in weed and has many medical benefits. The good thing with CBD is that it does not produce intoxicating effects like THC, making it less likely to develop tolerance.

Controlling cannabis dosage by not consuming it more than required to deal with any health issues, and using it as rarely as possible also help in lowering tolerance.

What to Expect After Your Tolerance Break?

After a tolerance break, there is a tolerance reset. What this means is that there is increased sensitivity to weed (especially THC), wherein one can experience strong effects with lower doses of weed. This leads to better control over consumption of weed and also reduced side effects like red eyes, dry mouth, irritability, anxiety, and so on.

At the same time, it is also important to keep in mind that once again, tolerance can build up just as easily. So, it is better to stick to lower doses, lower usage, and use CBD products instead of THC products or those products with lower THC content.

Key Takeaways

• Over time, consistent weed use can lead to weed tolerance. This means requiring greater quantities of weed to achieve the same effects.
• Lowering tolerance by taking a tolerance break improves physical and psychological functioning.
• Some tips for tolerance break are to eliminate access to weed, find distractions, keep busy, practice self-care, and be disciplined and committed.
• After a tolerance break, one can experience increased effects with lower weed doses and fewer side effects. Yet, it is important to control weed consumption lest tolerance develops again.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a tolerance break for weed?

 The ideal tolerance break would be for 14 days.

Is 2 days enough for a tolerance break?

While some require only a few days of tolerance break, a 14 day tolerance break is ideal.

Will a 3 day tolerance break do anything?

Yes, a 3 day tolerance break will indeed make a difference, however, it will not reset tolerance like a 14 day tolerance break will.