How to Ease Back Into Cannabis Use After a Tolerance Break: A Thoughtful Approach
Engaging in a purposeful pause in your cannabis consumption—commonly referred to as a tolerance break or “t-break”—gives your endocannabinoid system the chance to reset. As a result, you may discover that future cannabis experiences are more enjoyable and require less consumption.
Engaging in a purposeful pause in your cannabis consumption—commonly referred to as a tolerance break or “t-break”—gives your endocannabinoid system the chance to reset. As a result, you may discover that future cannabis experiences are more enjoyable and require less consumption.
Cannabis After Time Off: Understanding Reset Sensitivity
Your body has undergone physiological changes during your time off drugs. Cannabinoid receptors have upregulated, meaning they have increased in both number and sensitivity. This increased receptivity greatly reduces your effective dose threshold—what was once virtually ineffective may now place you at overwhelming experiences. Most users report significantly increased sensitivity after only a few days, and complete tolerance reset in 2-4 weeks.
Cannabis After a Break: Start Low, and Go Slow
The cardinal rule when returning to cannabis is deliberate moderation. Start with around 25% of your pre-break dosage, regardless of your way of consumption.
If you are using inhalation methods, consider a single, small inhalation, and then wait 15-20 minutes before gauging effects. If you are using edibles, dose as a quarter of normal, and wait a full two hours before considering taking more. Tinctures and oils would also require a greatly reduced starting dosage—as few drops versus a full dropper.
The How-Behavioral Impact Consumption Methods
The methods that you will consume cannabis, will have great implications for how you will reintroduce cannabis. Lower-THC flower varieties have gentler effects than products that contain cannabinoids in higher concentrations compared to plant material, thus considering the generally more gentle nature of flower in your first few sessions. Balanced CBD:THC products will also moderate psychoactivity and still serve therapeutic actions, so consider using CBD-rich products.
Mindful Consumption Patterns Moving Forward
A tolerance break is the ideal moment to discover and establish better and more mindful consumption patterns. One approach is microdosing—using a very minimal effective amount of cannabis to achieve the desired effect and impact on a person’s life while retaining sensitivity. Another possible technique is identifying boundaries for when and how a person uses: had regular day-to-day consumption before your break, consider using every couple of days, or a specific day of the week, or only in certain contexts. Others have identified a regular mini-break (24-48 hours a week) or moderation day (in between when they have full effects) to assist them in reducing levels of consumption.
If Discomfort Happens
Despite the careful nature of planning, discomfort does sometimes happen. If you do experience anxiety or overwhelming effects after considering the different consumption methods discussed, keep in mind that it is temporary. One common remedy is black peppercorns, which when chewed gently contain the terpene, beta-caryophyllene, which can moderate intense THC effects. When needed, CBD oil can also partially counter the psychoactivity of THC. Lastly, calm breathing and reassurance that the effects will wear off typically will bring you back to a comfort level in 30-60 minutes.
Mindfully returning to cannabis use following a tolerance break often alters the nature of the relationship with cannabis—especially by engendering an appreciation of the effects of cannabis while simultaneously limiting levels of consumption and costs. A thoughtful approach facilitates retaining the benefits of the reset action of the endocannabinoid system in addition to magnificent runs of cannabis after consideration of the increased sensitivity.