This article has been clinically reviewed by Dr. Sean Barlow.
How Getting Crossed Can Affect Your Health
Mixing alcohol and marijuana. One reason it probably sounds tempting is the access. Alcohol is everywhere, and these days, marijuana is easier than ever to find. In fact, it’s this ease of access that tends to make it seem a bit more like a convenience store treat than a powerful substance that changes your perception of reality. So, is crossfading bad? Let’s get into it.
What Is Crossfading?
It sounds harmless enough—almost like a beachside cocktail or a DJ’s playlist for summer nights. But your body doesn’t see it as charming. In fact, it reacts a little like a computer forced to run two conflicting programs at once—it stutters, crashes, and tries to reboot without losing all its files.
How does this play out for you? Think nausea, spinning lights, or finding yourself curled on a bathroom floor. Yes. This is what happens when your brain and body get pulled in two biochemical directions at once.
But It Seems Fine …
Most people just want to hear that everything is fine. Time to get high? Sure. Add some booze? Why not. But deep down, hopefully, they are thinking, “Maybe this isn’t great for me.”
The truth? It’s pretty much confirmed: combining alcohol and THC multiplies—not just adds—their effects. Your central nervous system gets hit with a depressant (alcohol) and a psychoactive substance (THC), and suddenly your brain is trying to process two different chemical conversations at full volume.
The result isn’t elegant. It’s your body divided against itself.
What Does Being Crossfaded Do to Your Body?
People may have the same desired result when using them, but alcohol and marijuana affect the body in quite different ways.
Alcohol is a sedative-hypnotic that slows neural activity.
Marijuana’s primary ingredient, THC, is a cannabinoid that alters neurotransmission, affecting perception, coordination, and mood.
Not sure why anyone would think it’s a great idea to put them together in your body at the same time. But a person infatuated with substance use (or addicted) will do many things to fill the void within.
Makes Matters Worse
In fact, THC can increase how quickly alcohol gets absorbed into your bloodstream. That’s why you might feel “too drunk” far faster than expected. And you are more likely to make some bad decisions.
At the same time, your inner ear feels all over the place. In the best case, you have trouble walking, but things get worse as the mixed signals from alcohol and THC confuse it, creating that “spinning room” sensation.
Your body, in its infinite wisdom, often decides the fastest way to fix this is to get rid of everything in your stomach. So yes. Puking is very often a part of crossfading.
So. is crossfading bad? Depends on how you feel about feeling awful.
Why Do I Feel Sick When I’m Crossfaded?
You’re not imagining it—crossfaded sickness is real, and it’s mostly about your body trying to get stable. Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, while THC in high doses can affect the area of your brain that controls vomiting. When both hit at once, your system pretty much gives up.
There’s also something called the “green-out,” when too much THC causes dizziness, sweating, and nausea, made worse by alcohol’s dehydrating effect.
This isn’t a hangover. It’s your body saying, “I’m over it.”
Is Crossfading Bad for Your Brain?
From a neuroscience perspective, yes. Alcohol floods your brain with GABA (the main inhibitory neurotransmitter), slowing everything down. THC interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which regulates mood, memory, and perception. When these two systems clash, cognitive function takes a hit—short-term memory, decision-making, and even basic reaction times all get worse.
Over time, especially with regular crossfading, your brain adapts to the overstimulation. It becomes less efficient at producing and regulating the chemicals you need to feel balanced. This is why frequent mixing can erode mental clarity, increase emotional volatility, and make day-to-day functioning harder than it needs to be.
Mixing Alcohol and Marijuana: The Dangers
Okay, is it bad to crossfade? So far, we have mostly talked about how ridiculously unpleasant it is. But there are other real dangers to crossfading. Loss of control is one of the big ones. But there is also issues with depression and anxiety, and more.
Here are some of the biggest risks when mixing alcohol and marijuana:
- Rapid intoxication leading to blackouts or memory gaps
- Severe nausea, vomiting, or dehydration
- Increased anxiety, paranoia, or panic attacks
- Higher likelihood of accidents or injury
- Potential for long-term cognitive impairment if frequent
What’s the Crossfading Addiction Risk?
No matter what that guy told you in math class in 8th grade, marijuana is addictive. Alcohol and marijuana each carry their own potential for dependence. When you use them together frequently, you tell your brain that these two go together. You can actually create a system that needs and wants more than one substance to get through the day.
This is called polysubstance use, and it can raise the risk of developing an addiction to one or both.
For some, the mix becomes part of their social identity—weekends, parties, even solo nights in aren’t complete without both.
This normalizes the behavior, making it harder to spot when the fun night out becomes something you need to make it through the morning.
Do You Need Polysubstance Addiction Treatment If You’re Addicted to Weed and Alcohol?
If you find you can’t comfortably socialize, relax, or cope without both alcohol and marijuana, it’s worth considering specialized treatment.
Polysubstance addiction treatment addresses the intertwined nature of the dependencies—it’s a process of untangling that does need specialized attention.
Treatment might include medical detox (for alcohol), behavioral therapy to address underlying triggers, and skills training to navigate cravings. It’s not about taking away the things you think help—it’s about replacing them with tools that actually do.
Getting Help With Marijuana and Alcohol Addiction in Palm Springs
You don’t have to face this alone. At SolutionPoint Behavioral Health, we offer compassionate, evidence-based treatment that addresses the whole person—mind, body, and emotional well-being. Our programs include outpatient addiction treatment, addiction assessment and residential treatment, psychotherapy, holistic wellness services, and community connection.
Whether you’re dealing with alcohol, marijuana, or polysubstance use, our team is here to guide you toward clarity, stability, and lasting recovery.
Call 833-773-3869 today and take the first step toward a healthier, more grounded life.
This article has been clinically reviewed by Dr. Sean Barlow.
