Why Pot Makes You Paranoid—but Mellows Out Your Buddies 6/28/23, 11:07

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Why Pot Makes You Paranoid—but Mellows Out Your Buddies 6/28/23, 11:07

Health

Why Pot Makes You Paranoid—but Mellows Out Your Buddies

The kind of high you experience depends on a whole bunch of thing

BY A L E X A T U C K E R

Pot has the overriding perception as the chill-out drug. In fact, almost a third
of marijuana users in the U.S. say the main purpose of it is to reduce anxiety
or stress, a recent Marist poll found.

But that’s not always the case—in fact, lighting up leaves lots of people
paranoid, anxious, and eager for the high to fade. And that can impact those
who are not prone to anxiety.

Turns out, there are several factors that can turn a blissfully mellow high into
heart-racing paranoia. Here’s what’s going on.

How Pot Gets You High

The high you experience with marijuana actually mimics a process your body
has in place to keep anxiety levels in check, says Gregory Gerdeman, Ph.D.,
an assistant professor of biology at Eckerd College.

This happens through what’s called your endocannabinoid system: One of its
functions is to cool down brain synapses that release stimulating
neurotransmitters, the primary “go” signal used in brain circuits, says
Gerdeman. The endocannabinoid system helps pump the brakes by triggering
the release of cannabinoids, chemical compounds that bind to cannabinoid

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receptors throughout your brain and body. That sends the signal to chill out
when we’re wired.

“These receptors are expressed at high levels in areas of the brain that have
to do with mood regulation,” says Steven Kinsey, Ph.D., an associate
professor of psychology and coordinator of the Behavioral Neuroscience
Training Program at West Virginia University. In 2014, a study from
Vanderbilt University found that many of these cannabinoid receptors are
found in the amygdala, a part of the brain that regulates anxiety and the
fight-or-flight response.

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Marijuana contains plant-based cannabinoids, too. So when you smoke, vape,

or otherwise consume weed, the cannabinoids bind to the same receptors in
your body. And that triggers the same relaxing feeling as the release and
binding of your body’s own cannabinoids does.

But the truth is, this system doesn’t always go according to plan. There are
some factors that can make your hit more likely you to tweak you out than
bliss you out.

Higher Levels Of THC Can Make

You More Anxious
THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive compound of
cannabis, which binds directly to the cannabinoid receptors, says Kinsey. At
lower doses this tends to be pretty relaxing. However, the higher the dosage,
the more likely it is to spark an anxious reaction.

It’s called a biphasic response, says Gerdeman. As you start to take in small
amounts of THC, it can cause a therapeutic effect. But the higher you go, the

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more likely you are to trigger the opposite effect.

Controlled research here is limited and individual tolerance varies, says

Gerdeman, but a recent study provides a benchmark. Researchers from the
University of Chicago tested how THC amounts influenced 42 pot users
under stressful conditions. Those who took in 7.5 milligrams (mg) of THC
felt less stressed by a mock interview than participants given a placebo, and
their stress levels went down faster, too. (Here are 19 ways to live a stress-
free life.)

But those who took in 12.5 mg of THC reported negative emotions during
the mock interview, and were more likely to rate the task as “challenging” or
“threatening.”

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For reference, Gerdeman says that a joint with about one gram of cannabis
flower that has a 15 percent THC content would contain about 150 mg of
THC. (Of course, the THC content could be much higher and the joint could
be fatter than a single gram, so this isn’t a guarantee.) Some of that THC gets
destroyed in the burn, and how much you inhale and your lungs absorb
varies widely based on your smoking technique. So if you were to say, smoke
a whole joint (not advisable), you’d probably go way beyond that 12.5 mg of
THC and straight into the stress zone.

Researchers aren’t exactly clear why more pot leads to the opposite response
of lower doses. But like with any drug, it might have to do with differing
thresholds, explains Kinsey.

“Some people have a very broad tolerance to the drug, and this is true of
sugar and tobacco and alcohol,” he says. “And there can become a point
where it’s no longer fun. For example, I enjoy gummy bears. But there are
only so many I can eat before I feel sick.”

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Tolerance likely depends on a number of factors, including genetics, the

makeup of your own neural network in your brain, and how much you’ve
used the drug, Kinsey says.

But Another Pot Compound Can

Counteract THC
THC is just one piece of the puzzle, though—there are more than 60 other
cannabinoids that have been identified in marijuana, including cannabidiol,
or CBD. And it seems like CBD actually lessens the stress-promoting
consequences of too much THC.

It’s possible that CBD may tone down the receptors that THC binds to by
blocking endocannabinoid metabolism, so the effect of the THC may not be
as intense—and therefore less likely to steer you into anxiety, says Gerdeman.
It’s also possible that CBD also acts on the receptor for serotonin in your
brain, which can turn down your stress response.

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Overall, lighting up a joint with more THC and less CBD is far more likely to
stress you out, says Kinsey.

So if you don’t want to get paranoid, just pick a strain that has more CBD,
right?

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Well, it’s not so easy. While different strains of cannabis have different levels
of THC and CBD, you don’t really know how much of each cannabinoid
you’re getting—no matter what your dispensary says.

For example, strains like ACDC, Cannatonic, and Harlequin are touted for
their low THC and high CBD content, and pretty much everything else, like
OG Kush, is said to be high in THC. But experts say that this is largely, well,
BS.

“Just somebody saying, ‘this Blue Dream,’ or ‘this is a heavy sativa,’ or ‘this is
a heavy indica’ is practically meaningless these days,” says Gerdeman.
“There’s so much misinformation that sometimes breeders don’t even know.”

Researchers have proven this point by purchasing different samples of the

same strain in the same city and using advanced testing methods to see
what’s really in there, says Dr. Kinsey. Oftentimes, they’re completely
different from each other (and different from what the person selling it
claims).

Edibles Are Particularly Tricky

Your high depends mainly on the levels of THC and CBD—not necessarily the
method you use to consume it, says Kinsey.

However, edibles in particular are much more likely to have high levels of
THC in them, which makes them more likely to cause paranoia. Many of
them also have very little CBD and other cannabinoids, so you’re losing out
on some of the offsetting compounds as well. Plus, ingesting your drugs,
rather than smoking, delays the high. Impatient users often consume too
many edibles, which can lead to a bad trip.

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A reasonable dose of a single-serving edible should generally have about 10

mg of THC, says Gerdeman, which falls in between the calming 7.5 mg and
the stress-inducing 12.5 mg pinpointed in the University of Chicago study (so
your reaction really will depend on your personal tolerance). But many
products that dispensaries sell are much higher, and thus more likely to cause
anxiety.

“For most people, if they eat 30 mg of THC in an edible dose, there are going
to be a lot of psychoactive side effects that they don’t want,” says Gerdeman.
In addition to anxiety and paranoia, Gerdeman says this can also cause
sedation, delirium, and dizziness upon standing. Not fun. (Here’s what
happened when one man ate too many edibles.)

Even though individual tolerance levels differ, any product with between 30
to 40 mg of THC without much CBD present is pretty likely to stress you out
—though the most tolerant and accustomed users may be exempt, says
Gerdeman.

Again, though, a package stating a dosage may not be that reliable. Many
edibles are mislabeled, says Gerdeman, and there’s pretty much no regulation
—plus, if a batch hasn’t been very thoroughly mixed, you may end up with a
part that has way more (or less) THC than a label says.

Your Age and Your Mood Can

Affect Your High, Too
Your brain changes as you age, and so does your endocannabinoid system,
says Gerdeman. For instance, receptor density gets lower as you get age.

“If somebody smoked robustly in their 20s and picked it back up in their 30s,
their brain’s endocannabinoid system may not be at the same set point,” says
Gerdeman. That’s why you may notice getting paranoid when you smoke
now, whereas pot may have mellowed you out when you were in college.

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It’s not just you, though—there’s another way time affects your high. Over
the past several decades, marijuana has been bred to have way higher levels
of THC than it did in the good old days, says Kinsey.

According to Gerdeman, experts say that the percentage of THC in cannabis

was about 7 percent in the 70s, while it’s often about 20 percent these days
and often much higher. (Remember, as a middle ground, 15 percent THC
content in one gram of cannabis flower would shake out to about 150 mg.)
However, Gerdeman stresses that these estimates aren’t necessarily that
accurate because the old data may not be reliable as what’s out there now.

Even so, if you think you’re smoking the same amount that you used to—say,
you always cut yourself off after one joint shared between a handful of
buddies—the THC may be off the charts compared to what you used to buy.

What’s more, how you’re feeling can affect your tolerance too. When life is
stressing you out, you might be more susceptible to the anxiety-inducing
effects of pot. There’s a bit of emotional release that happens when you get
high, and if you’re barely controlling your emotions without weed, adding a
joint or edible into the mix could give your subconscious mind permission to,
well, freak out, says Gerdeman. This isn’t true for everyone, of course—some
people find it useful to let go a little bit when they’re dealing with a
particularly tough or vulnerable time.

Setting is also important, too, Gerdeman adds: If you’re already super

paranoid about where you are or having your wife walk in when you’re
smoking up, for example, you may be more likely to feel more paranoid
when you’re actually high.

If anxiety hits during your next high, the best thing you can take a time out.
Go for a breather, but don’t drive anywhere.

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“Your liver will help clear it out, but the more THC you have on board the
longer that will take,” Kinsey says. How long are we talking? Depending on
how much you consumed and your own body chemistry, it could take a
couple hours (or more), says Gerdeman—but it will pass, he assures.

Still, if pot continues to make you feel crappy, that might be a sign to put
down the joint. Plus, while the climate around recreational pot use is
changing, and it’s now legal in several states, no one knows how it affects
your health down the line.

ALEXA TUCKER

Alexa is a Denver-based contributor who covers all things lifestyle, wellness,

travel, home, and beauty. When she's not writing, you can find her sweating it out
at boxing or Pilates, planning her next travel adventure, or drinking red wine.

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