When cannabis no longer works: Here's what you can do about cannabis tolerance
People who regularly use cannabis will probably recognize it: in your early days, a single hit was enough to get you completely stoned. Now you need a lot more to feel some effect. That's because you've developed a cannabis tolerance. Unfortunately, your body has become accustomed to the substances in weed, which means that they have less effect. Fortunately, something can be done about cannabis tolerance!
Why cannabis tolerance?
When you use weed, you do it to produce a certain effect. You want to get high, or use it for medicinal reasons , so to have less pain, nausea or other complaints. But if you use cannabis regularly, your body will get used to the substances over time.
That is comparable to coffee or alcohol. It is also known that you will get used to them at some point. You then need more and more to get that particular effect you are looking for. If you suffer from this, you may wonder how you can break that tolerance. This can be done by introducing a so-called cannabis tolerance break (also called T-break). You don't use weed for a few days or weeks, after which your body resets itself.
How do you handle a T-break?
If you want to take a temporary break in your cannabis use, you can decide for yourself how long this will take and how he or she does it. It also depends on how severe your tolerance is. For some people, it is enough to temporarily use less weed. Others take it rigorously and immediately stop completely and do so for a month. Go by your feeling. Quitting cannabis can also be quite intense. Therefore, think about how you could respond to this and adjust your planning accordingly.
With a T-break of about two weeks, you can usually break your tolerance. If that seems very long to you, you can also get by with fewer days. You may become more sensitive to weed after a few days. When you feel your mind has cleared up and your body has adapted well to a life without weed, the T-break has done its job. Do you really want a full cleaning, where all traces of cannabis disappear from your body? Then you should take at least 30 days for your cannabis tolerance break.
Tips for a smooth T-break
Is it time to take a T-break? You can assume that this will have an effect on you, both mentally and physically. It's not that easy for everyone. That's why it's a good idea to put your cannabis tolerance break in your calendar. The better prepared you are, the easier you will get through your T-break. You will certainly succeed with these tips!
1. Remove your weed stock
For everything you want to stop, make sure that what you long for is not near you. If you are going to temporarily stop with weed, make sure you no longer have weed in the house. It's best to give your stash away to friends. Also clean up your cannabis supplies, such as pipes and rolling papers. There should be nothing in the house that reminds you of weed and tempts you to use it again.
2. Schedule your T-break
Proper preparation of your T-break is important. Think in advance how long you want to do this (for example, 2 weeks). Do your T-break in a quiet time, when you don't have other things on your mind that can distract you or that take a lot of energy. You then have all the time and attention for your tolerance break, so that there is the greatest chance that you can sustain this well. Put the T-break in your agenda: this is an appointment with yourself that you also take seriously.
3. Suffering from cravings
Perhaps the hardest thing about (temporarily) quitting weed: the cravings. Of course, you used weed because of the pleasant effects it has. Now that you've stopped, you will naturally feel that. Many people who have a T-break feel gloomier, irritated, bored or suffer from anxiety. Keep in mind that this is temporary, usually lasts a few days. After that, it gets easier.
Do you have a strong craving for weed? These tips can help you deal with it. Find a distraction, listen to music, do something creative, or meet up with a good friend. Exercise can also help: go outside, take a walk, and when a craving arises. Those are the times when you normally go to smoke weed. Here you can gain important insights. And it can be reassuring that a craving is just like an emotion: it arises, but also passes by itself.
Beyond cannabis tolerance
Once you've completed a T-break, you can then fully enjoy the effects of cannabis again. Remember that after a break, you will react a lot more sensitively. So keep that in mind. It would of course be nice if you could prevent yourself from building up tolerance from now on. Tolerance is especially developed at high doses. The less weed you use, the less likely you are to develop that nasty tolerance.
Therefore, try to keep the dose as low as possible if you use it regularly. The other option is to use weed less often so that your body doesn't get used to the substances as quickly. But if you do develop a cannabis tolerance, you now know what to do about it.
