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Does CBD Work For Anxiety?
Introduction
For many, the concept of consuming cannabis is purely for the effect of getting ‘high’. This is the social stigma that has become associated with cannabis consumption over the past few decades. However, the use of cannabis for recreation and medicinal purposes has actually been considered the norm for the vast majority of modern human history. In fact, as early as 2,700BCE humans have been prescribing cannabis to treat a wide range of ailments; perhaps among the most notable is anxiety.
Anxiety is an often debilitating condition that can leave many feeling a whole host of symptoms ranging from sleeplessness, to loss of appetite, and all the way to paranoia and panic attacks. It’s no secret that anxiety can be horrible to deal with on a daily basis. Many already know that cannabis is exceptionally efficient at calming down many individuals, and helps them to cope with their anxious feelings; but did you know that it’s not just the THC and the ‘high’ sensation that helps with this?
In fact, CBD is also an excellent compound for treating anxiety, and even comes without many of the side effects that THC has. Let’s talk about it.
CBD And Anxiety
There has been no shortage of confusion surrounding the overall understanding of how anxiety and cannabis interact with each other. In fact, there have been several studies that show that medical marijuana can make symptoms of anxiety and depression worse. However, those studies only look into the results of medical marijuana as a whole--i.e high THC content products.
In fact, a 2014 study on CBD oil showed that the compound alone had properties that were able to reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in animal models. Since then, the research has been pretty impressively in favour of CBD being a valuable potential treatment of symptoms associated with anxiety in humans.
In fact, in a 2016 case study it was found that in a child with a history of trauma, CBD was able to reduce her PTSD related symptoms--including anxiety--and improved her sleep overall. The evidence is pretty compelling that CBD does in fact have a direct connection to the overall mental state of the user, and can generate rapid improvement overall.
How Does It Work?
Much is still unknown about exactly how CBD is able to treat such a wide range of illness related symptoms both physically and mentally. However, researchers do have a general idea. CBD works in much the same way that THC does, just to a different extent. You see, CBD is a compound from the cannabis plant known as ‘cannabidiol’. Cannabidiol falls under the umbrella family of compounds known as ‘cannabinoids’. Of the most famous cannabinoids, THC and CBD are easily the kings.
The way that cannabinoids interact with our bodies is rather simple. Within the central nervous system, is a system of receptors known as ‘endocannabinoid receptors’. This system of receptors is called the--you guessed it--’endocannabinoid system’. This system has the ability to absorb and process cannabinoids as they enter the bloodstream, and convert them into various effects depending on the structure of the cannabinoid and the strength ingested. This is what produces the mental and physical reactions associated with cannabis in general.
How To Take CBD
The great thing about CBD, or cannabis derived products as a whole, is that it can be consumed in a variety of ways. For example, you can simply rub the oil topically on joints to help reduce inflammation; or you can take CBD tinctures sublingually to absorb it under the tongue; you can even infuse tasty treats with it and eat it like food!
However, the best way to consume CBD for quick reaction time and more effective injection into the system, is through vaping CBD e-liquids or smoking CBD flower. Through the inhalation of CBD products, you are going to get a much quicker onset time that will begin to show signs of helping with anxiety within 15-30 minutes as opposed to the several hours that other methods can take.
How Much Should You Take?
The actual question of how much you should take, is likely going to depend on a whole host of factors. For example, your own tolerance to CBD as a compound, paired with bodyweight and size are all going to factor into the equation. In general it’s best to start with smaller doses such as 20-30mg/day. Over time you can increase that dosage by 5mg/week until you find your ideal sweet spot. Slowly you will begin to notice symptoms associated with your anxiety abating.
It is important to note that those who are THC sensitive might experience worsened symptoms of anxiety if they are consuming CBD products with the UK legal limit of 0.2% THC. Some CBD products can contain trace amounts of THC, and if this is an issue for you avoid them when possible. CBD isolate or CBD Broad Spectrum products will not have any trace amounts of THC at all, and are advised in these cases.
Final Thoughts
CBD is an amazing compound, that is changing the way that many around the world go about and live their daily lives. However, it is important to remember that CBD is not a miracle ‘cure-all’ that can eliminate all symptoms of anxiety. CBD is great for relieving or reducing anxiety related symptoms, but if you find yourself struggling with severe symptoms it is important to see a physician for more intensive treatment. Just remember that your mental health is always the top priority. With all of this in mind, CBD can still be an amazing aid towards living an anxiety free lifestyle.
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