CBD for Anxiety: Does It Really Work?

What is Anxiety

Anxiety is an umbrella term for a group of disorders that cause nervousness, fear, worry, and apprehension.

These disorders have an effect on our behavior and can manifest in a physical way. Mild anxiety is discomforting while more severe anxiety can put a wrench in your daily life.

Anxiety disorders affect about 40 million Americans today and is the most common group of mental illness.

Why Do We Have Anxiety?

Anxiety is a necessary survival mechanism when you’re dealing with predators and imminent danger.

In a survival situation, your body needs a rush of adrenaline and an elevated heart rate to fight or flee.

We may not need this as much in modern life, however.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

This is a chronic, or long-term disorder, characterized by excessive worry without a specific trigger. It’s the most common disorder and can be the most unnerving, as the sufferer may not know where the anxiety is coming from.

Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder features acute attacks of terror and trepidation. Symptoms of Panic Disorder can include shaking, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and breathing difficulties.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

This disorder is the result of a prior trauma. Examples of Post-traumatic events could be military combat, sexual assault, or other incidents which induces fear. Individuals with PTSD often have flashbacks and may make efforts to avoid triggers.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

This anxiety disorder is associated with thoughts and actions that are recurring, distressing, and unwanted. Often, those with OCD understand that their compulsions are irrational but still perform them anyway knowing they relieve anxiety for a short space of time.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation Anxiety occurs when an individual is separated from a person or place that espouse feelings of safety and security. Separation from this person or place can stir up feelings of panic. It can be classified as a disorder when the response to separation becomes excessive and exaggerated.

Anxiety Treatment

While we will explore CBD Oil as a treatment for anxiety later in the post, let’s first discuss the traditional anxiety treatment practices. Traditionally, anxiety treatments consist of a combination of psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and medication.

Self-treatment

There are times when anxiety can be treated without outside intervention. Here are some of the ways individuals can alleviate anxiety on their own.

Stress Management – stress reduction will limit potential triggers.
Relaxation Techniques – Could include meditation, deep breathing, etc…
Replacing negative thoughts
Support – communicate with a family member or friend
Exercise – helps release chemicals that trigger feelings of positivity

Counseling

One of the most common ways to approach anxiety treatment is psychological counseling. This may include techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and psychotherapy.

In CBT, a person is challenged to think differently about the thinking patterns associated with the anxiety to limit distorted thinking and become less reactive to triggers.

In psychotherapy, an individual speaks with a trained mental health professional, psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker.

Individuals come up with a treatment plan together with their psychotherapist.

Medication

Another approach to anxiety treatment is using prescription drugs. Medication can help in the situation where there’s an imbalance in brain chemistry. Some examples of these type of medications include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, tricyclics, and beta-blockers. Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRI’s are also a treatment option. They have been shown to work effectively on most anxiety-related disorders other than OCD. Be sure to speak with your physician about side effects.

Research on CBD Oil and Anxiety

In a study from 2010, Cannabidiol was shown to reduce anxiety in people with Social Anxiety Disorder.

The results showed that not only was there a statistically significant drop in anxiety with CBD, but there were real changes at a brain-level which mediated the effects.

Another study from 2011 supported the research on CBD Oil and individuals with social anxiety.

That study observed that CBD significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment, and discomfort in speech performance.

Even better, CBD also mitigated tendencies for negative self-evaluation.

Research from 2014 discovered that CBD Oil had anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects when working with an animal model.

In 2015, research led to the conclusion that CBD Oil could help treat multiple forms of anxiety, like Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, OCD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

The report did state that little is known about the effect of CBD on chronic disorders. Strong evidence shows that CBD Oil has a noticeable reductive effect on short-term anxiety, but more evidence is needed over a longer period of time.

If you are someone with any anxiety disorder, these findings are positive. Multiple studies corroborate the same thing – CBD Oil can help manage anxiety.

How Much CBD Oil do I Need to Treat Anxiety?

There’s is no catch-all answer to this question. While it’s best to consult a medical professional about proper dosage, here are some considerations that might help.

Start Small – Start low and continue to up your dosage until you achieve the desired effect. A launchpad can be from 5mg to 20mg.
Consistency – CBD can take weeks to see results. Make sure you give each dose time before you take more.

***This is a general CBD dosing guide that has not been clinically proven. Hemp Bombs does not suggest anyone dose or make other health-related suggestions. Please see your physician for those questions.

What to Know Before Buying CBD Oil

Before you rush to buy a CBD Oil, there are a few things you’ll want to know before checkout.

Where is the product sourced?

Often, the highest quality sourcing can be found in Europe or in the USA. Be wary if a company does not disclose information on sourcing.

Does it contain THC?

Some brands contain both THC and CBD. While much has been said about the “Full Spectrum CBD” it contains all the compounds extracted from the Cannabis plant including traces of THC and CBD. The truth is THC is still an illegal substance throughout most of the country. “CBD Isolate” products are pure CBD which means the product is isolated from the other compounds of the Cannabis plant, only to contain CBD.

How many mg is it?

Milligrams (MGS) are important to know for dosing reasons. Remember, CBD affects everyone differently, so start off small and gradually increase mg dosage for your desired effects.

How is the product extracted?

You will want to know how your CBD Oil is extracted. The purest method is called “CO2 Extraction,” which requires a lab and complex equipment. Be cautious of company’s who do not provide how their CBD is extracted.

Is this product lab tested?

Respected companies make sure all of their products are third-party lab-tested. If a company has no indication of lab tests, don’t use their product. Thankfully, Hemp Bombs passes all of these qualifications. We have a premium product that is looked after from sourcing to distribution. When you look for a CBD Oil to treat your anxiety symptoms, consider our range of CBD Oils.