Paranoia is one of the most common side effects of marijuana. Some users experience it regularly almost every time they smoke, while some have never felt it. It is not life threatening and goes away once the “high” starts to wear off.
Paranoia caused by cannabis can be frustrating and discouraging for novice users and is probably the main culprit for people giving up on using cannabis altogether.
The collective knowledge tells us that marijuana-induced paranoia can happen to anyone but it usually goes away when the effects of marijuana wear off.
As you also may know, people that suffer from anxiety tend to use medical marijuana, so how is it possible that the same herb that has the potential to cause paranoia is the one who is prescribed to hundreds of thousands of medical cannabis patients in North America?
It’s all in the unique combination of cannabinoids and terpenes, present in every single cannabis strains.
THC is an intoxicating, psychoactive compound which causes paranoid episodes, while CBD reduces those side-effects of THC.
Terpenes are molecules that give cannabis its flavor, but even these little substances can influence the type of high we get and either reduce or increase paranoia.
To avoid making their patients paranoid, cannabis-friendly doctors have to be extra careful when recommending cannabis strains: This is usually done by placing a limit on the amount of THC in a strain, which ensures that patients that are likely to experience paranoia don’t accidentally consume a strain high in THC.
Using cannabis responsibly can be a wonderful experience, and I’ll try to teach you a few tricks on how to avoid annoying paranoia episodes and reduce it if it does happen.
What is paranoia?
Paranoia is an unfounded fear that others want to harm you. It’s characterized by feeling like being under threat when there is no apparent threat.
When having paranoid thoughts, people are usually overwhelmed with thinking about conspiracies against them.
For example, while most people would think of one incident to be a coincidence, person with paranoid thoughts would think of it as something planned and intentional.
These irrational thoughts and beliefs can get so fixated that it becomes extremely hard to convince that person otherwise.
For many people, it’s hard to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not. This is especially the case if one is under the influence of cannabis, when there are a plethora of other accompanying effects, like euphoria, couch-lock and that ever-annoying dry mouth.
Some symptoms, though, are typical for the condition: mistrusting almost everyone, having difficulties to relax, constant vigilance and being unable to forgive.
Can marijuana cause paranoia?
Anxiety sufferers have been using marijuana for decades, however it’s not a secret that some cannabis users do experience paranoia when using cannabis.
So, what’s the deal with this duality and how does it happen?
Here, like in all other things that have to do with cannabis and the human body, the specific interaction between cannabis and our endocannabinoid system is all to blame.
Scientists have found that certain molecules from cannabis (THC, first and foremost) are able to replicate endocannabinoids, so when we smoke weed, the compounds inside it break through the blood-brain barrier and mimic the endocannabinoids our body makes. The end result of that is what makes cannabis so beneficial in medicine, but is also what may cause a bunch of side effects.
When it comes to paranoia, THC is the molecule that most likely causes it, as it stimulates the receptors in a part of the brain called amygdala. Amygdala regulates emotional processes, such as fear and paranoia.
Researchers from the University of Western Ontario found that rats exposed to THC reacted more to the smells they were trained to be scared of. (1) Rats have similar processes and reactions to fear as humans do, but still, the results of this study could not be taken for granted.
The study did not give a definitive answer to why some people feel more paranoid than others, as well as why some don’t feel paranoid at all.
Professor Freeman and his team from Oxford University tried to provide an answer to that enigma.
121 participants from 21 to 50 years of age who had used marijuana at least once in their life and did not have any mental issues were given either THC or placebo. (2)
50% of those who used THC and 30% of placebo users reported having paranoid episodes.
Although marijuana did produce short-term paranoia in some users, researchers concluded that we were more likely to experience paranoid episodes when we are worried or have mistrustful thoughts. (2)
If you do experience paranoia when you are high, think of it as an opportunity to learn something about yourself. Think about your feelings and what might trigger that paranoia.
This could be the opportunity to resolve problems from your past and eventually move on.
The best precaution is to be happy and uplifted even before you use cannabis.
How to get rid of paranoia when you’re high?
Exclusive bonus: Download a free dosage guide that will show you the exact step-by-step process Dr. Dustin Sulak used to successfully treat more than 18,000 patients with cannabis.
As I’ve said before, weed-induced paranoia can happen to users of all levels, without exceptions.
Feeling paranoid from marijuana usually occurs after smoking too much… Although sometimes we do feel more or less paranoid, most of us continue smoking weed nevertheless.
Anyway, even if you smoke so much weed that you think you’re going to die, don’t worry, you won’t. The feeling will go away.
Here are some simple tricks to keep in your sleeve if you want to get rid of paranoia when high.
Keep calm
When marijuana kicks in and you start feeling paranoid, it’s not the best feeling in the world. If you want it to pass through quickly, it’s important to stay calm. Lay down and close your eyes, try counting if that’s what relaxes you. Take deep breaths and exhale slowly. And remember that it will wear off eventually.
Play relaxing music
While you are laying down in your bed trying to relax, play some smooth music to help you overcome your marijuana paranoia. Play your favorite song on your phone, it can help.
Make a pepper lemonade
Lemons have been used for sobering up from alcohol and it looks like this fruit can also help you if you get yourself too high. So when marijuana makes you paranoid, make lemonade… with pepper. Yes, both lemons and pepper have terpenes, some of which diminish the psychoactive effects of THC.
To make pepper lemonade, take one big glass, squeeze one fresh lemon, add a pinch of pepper and lemon zest, some ice and a little bit of fresh mint if you like, and pure club soda. Drink it slowly and you should feel the paranoia creeping away.
Take a nice shower
Lukewarm or icy cold. Find the right temperature which feels the most pleasant for you. Although you might be lazy to take one but believe me, you’ll feel a hundred times better after taking a nice shower.
Take a walk
If you are feeling too high and paranoid, take a nice long walk outside. Some fresh air could be just the thing you need. Also, when you feel the breeze you’ll feel much better and relaxed. Take a few deep breaths of fresh air.
Eat and stay hydrated
Help your body to recover from marijuana paranoia by having a nice, healthy snack. Eat something that you really enjoy. You should also try some fresh fruits, cereals with some honey or a nice warm broth. Also, if you get paranoid from smoking marijuana, try to remember to stay hydrated all the time.
References
- Tan H, Lauzon NM, Bishop SF, Chi N, Bechard M, Laviolette SR; Cannabinoid transmission in the basolateral amygdala modulates fear memory formation via functional inputs to the prelimbic cortex; The Journal of Neuroscience; April 2011; 31(14):5300-12.
- Dunn G, Murray RM, Evans N, Lister R, Antley A, Slater M, Godlewska B, Cornish R, Williams J, Simplicio MD, Igoumenou A, Brenneisen R, Tunbridge EM, Harrison PJ, Harmer CJ, Cowen P, Morrison PD; How Cannabis Causes Paranoia: Using the Intravenous Administration of ∆ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to Identify Key Cognitive Mechanisms Leading to Paranoia; Schizophrenia Bulletin; March 2015; 41(2):391–399.
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Helena Miles
Experienced journalist with a decade-long experience of researching cannabis. She has been featured in many prominent outlets, such as The Growth Op, National Post and The Province.
Grass Chief November 18, 2017 at 3:31 pm
Some marijuana users have been experiencing paranoia more or less often when using cannabis. On the other hand, anxiety patients have been using marijuana as a medicine for quite some time now.
Gabriel February 15, 2018 at 3:05 pm
The paranoia in some people can be so intense that they finally realize they can no longer smoke pot. After years of introspection and experimentation, I realized that being an empath is the main reason I will get paranoid. The THC hits the amygdala and woooo! It is fear. Plain and simple fear. Not of something or someone, but fear itself. Picking up others' energies so intensely is just too overbearing.
Daniel Martin April 28, 2018 at 2:52 pm
https://www.clear-uk.org/the-importance-of-matured-cannabis/
Mike April 24, 2019 at 2:03 pm
That is why I stick to Indica strains, I find that I can smoke a lot more of an Indica without worrying of that “I’m going to die” feeling. Also having some alcohol in my body before smoking weed definitly gives me a much happier,and better high. I’m in my fifties, and enjoy weed now, but growing up and wanting to get high in my teens and twenties was almost impossible due to the paranoia I was always feeling, I think most of the weed we got in the 70s and 80s was more Sativa leaning and I contributed that to my usual paranoia. If you get paranoid easily try some 80 to 90 percent pure Indica, I’ll bet you won’t get paranoid unless you consume too much at once. Just remember, no matter how bad you may feel, you’ll be alright in a little while, and no you will not die, and yes eating a few black peppercorns will ease you out of that paranoid feeling quickly (within a few minutes), honestly, it does work.
Baz September 19, 2021 at 9:17 pm
Well I'm going through intense paranoia just now. I feel reading this is calming me down. Hope this wears off soon.
João May 15, 2019 at 8:40 am
Could anyone please help me? I would really like to enjoy to smoke cannabis but I really get paranoid. Actually the symptoms passes after a while but in the beginning it gets so strong that makes even impossible to be with other people. The sense of fear is so intense that I get really scared. After 30/45 minutes the symptoms go away and I get really relaxed but the pain I have to go trough is so intense that makes me be fear of what Im going to feel and because of that I don´t do it. I have a problem with alcohol the cannabis could be just the perfect solution to skip the daily routine once in a while. Many thanks!
Helena May 15, 2019 at 9:28 am
Hey Joao, have you tried different strains or CBD in any form? CBD is another cannabinoid found in weed, but unlike THC it does not produce any psychoactive effects or paranoia. You can also use a few drops of CBD oil when you start feeling paranoid from weed and it should start working very fast.
Karina November 6, 2019 at 9:27 am
Hi, Quick question: I have a friend who happened to smoke a blunt that contained “dabs”/wax in it. After that he started having paranoia for days . Is there any way to help that person. He is in the hospital but I was wondering if he will stay like that for a long period of time ? If that was his first time using it.
Ana Stanojevic November 6, 2019 at 11:55 am
Hi Karina - the paranoid episode should end when the high wears off. Is it possible that he is still in the hospital for some other reason, if they are maybe using the opportunity to check up on some other possible issues?
Ark November 10, 2019 at 9:19 pm
Can someone plz answer my question. I have been smoking weed for more than 4 years, Last month I consumed alot of weed and got paranoia for the first time ever and it's been almost a month I still feel fear and paranoia. Is there something needs to be done or I should go and see a doctor?
cameryn April 20, 2020 at 9:23 am
I smoked for 3 years then stopped for a year then tried again and every time i try i get paranoid i forget what goes on every time a minute passes, i feel tingles in my body, i start thinking of the worst. I miss smoking marijuana and i've been thinking about trying again but i'm so scared. I thought it was maybe based off who i was around but i tested it, i did it with someone i knew for 5 years and loved and still got paranoid and cried my eyes out, i did it alone i was somewhat okay until like maybe 10 mins in and i did it one other time and i was crying for at least 30 mins. how can i fix it?
Diana July 12, 2020 at 11:08 pm
Hi, Quick question: So, I used to smoke weed and everything was okay, but once I had a panic attack. After that I stopped and every time after I took only one smoke, I would go through the same thing again. I have heard that a few drops of CBD oil helps the symptoms go away immediately and the person smokes normally. How many drops should be taken and in what time period?