Tremors & Shakiness After Quitting Weed

Your hands are shaking. Maybe it is subtle — noticeable only when holding a cup of coffee. Maybe it is more pronounced. Mild tremors during cannabis withdrawal are caused by nervous system hyperexcitability and are typically short-lived.

Why It Happens

THC is a central nervous system depressant that enhances GABA (the calming neurotransmitter) and inhibits glutamate (the excitatory neurotransmitter). Your brain compensates by upregulating excitatory activity. When THC is removed, you have excess glutamate signaling and reduced GABA — leading to neural hyperexcitability that manifests as tremors.

This is the same mechanism that causes tremors in alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal, though cannabis withdrawal tremors are much milder and never progress to seizures.

Timeline

• Onset: Days 1–3
• Peak: Days 3–7
• Resolution: Days 10–14 as GABA/glutamate balance normalizes

What Helps

1. Reduce Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that amplifies nervous system excitability. Cutting caffeine during peak withdrawal significantly reduces tremor severity.

2. Deep Breathing

Slow, deep breathing activates the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, directly counteracting the hyperexcitability driving tremors.

3. Adequate Sleep

Sleep deprivation worsens tremors. Prioritize sleep hygiene to minimize this compounding effect.

4. B-Vitamins

B-vitamins (particularly B6 and B12) support nervous system function. A B-complex supplement during withdrawal may help stabilize neural signaling.

When to Seek Help

• Tremors are severe enough to impair daily tasks
• Any seizure activity (this would be extremely unusual for cannabis withdrawal alone)
• Tremors persist beyond 3 weeks