CBD Oil for Anxiety: An In-Depth Exploration of its Therapeutic Potential

In 2020, a study conducted by a group of scientists in New Zealand showed that therapeutic use of CBD oil produces positive effects upon patients with non-cancer pain, cancer-related pain, mental health symptoms, neurological disorders like fear and anxiety, and other health problems. And that is just one of several studies that prove the ability of CBD oil to reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorder as well as panic disorder. Of course, it does not cure the patients completely, but it reduces the chance of attack and eases them out if they do happen. The use of CBD for panic attacks and anxiety treatment is now in the spotlight, and more and more scientists now look closer at the potential uses of cannabidiol as a viable medication.

Read Also: How Does CBD Work

Using CBD Oil for Anxiety Disorder and Other Conditions

After a series of clinical trials and articles, it becomes more and more apparent that the effects of CBD have a strong potential to fight anxiety and panic disorder in patients. There’s an argument that CBD can cause anxiety and paranoia – a so-called bad trip, but the truth is that it is THC, not CBD, that can produce such an effect. Though a high amount of THC can create anxiety, CBD is not dangerous to the human body when used in moderation and CBD cannot cause development of such a medical condition. Hemp oil does not cure or treat issues like stress and anxiety, but it reduces their symptoms quite effectively.

There are three major types of medication doctors prescribe to relieve symptoms of anxiety. Of course, it would depend on the type of anxiety disorder, so the doctors would define it and prescribe the one that suits a particular patient without producing adverse side effects.

These types of medication are:

• Antidepressants are used to treat certain anxiety disorders.
• Buspirone, a medication used to treat different types of anxiety.
• The use of benzodiazepine, beta-blockers, and sedatives can be used under limited circumstances.

Bear in mind that all of those medications do not cure anxiety and its different manifestations, such as public speaking or flight anxiety; they only reduce the symptoms for a short period of time.

There is an argument against the use of medical cannabis for medical condition treatment; the idea is that a high amount of THC in weed can produce a certain level of anxiety. That is why doctors would go for conventional medication to fight anxiety. Of course, such medication as Benzodiazepine does not cure the disease; it just eases the symptoms. It, however, can produce some serious health implications.

Hemp is known for the soothing effect it produces on a central nervous system, particularly on CB1 and CB2 receptors, which in turn lowers the production of FAAH responsible for ensuing panic attacks. Basically, CBD affects neurotransmitters responsible for the feeling of fear and hippocampus that helps people with anxiety disorder experience it to a much lower degree.

The main effects are:

• Lowering the blood pressure
• Decreasing heart palpitations
• Reducing skin conductance
• Blocking TRPV1 receptor that affects the body temperature and pain

The whole picture of what happens to the cannabinoid receptors in our nervous system is still unknown, but the fact remains, CBD does help with anxiety – the studies prove that. The clinical evidence is overwhelming, and though we still do not understand what exactly happens in our brain, the scientists are adamant – cannabidiol can be a viable treatment option for anxiety-related disorders and trauma-related disorders.

Research on CBD’s Effects on Anxiety

Of course, the growing popularity of CBD, cannabis, and its sub-products raises some eyebrows in the scientific community. For that reason, a number of medical studies have been conducted to study the possible adverse effects of cannabis, its long-term effects, and its potential for treating serious conditions like PTSD, anxiety and panic disorder, depression, and chronic pain.

• Animal studies have been showing similar results with CBD reducing heart palpitations and blood pressure in animals.
• The surmounting evidence points at the potential of using CBD oil to help people with anxiety-induced insomnia.
• A study started in 2021 to scrutinize the possibility of using cannabidiol for treating anxiety disorders with a test group of 50 people.
• A study on sleeping disorders determines the potential effects of cannabinoid for dealing with sleeping problems like stress-induced nightmares. The study focuses on the nightmares caused by anxiety experiences and traumatic memories.
• Another study published in 2018 investigates the therapeutic potential for using cannabinoid, proving its use for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and panic disorders, as well as a number of other serious conditions.
• A 2020 study conducted by a psychiatrist discussed the effect of cannabidiol on trauma, neural circuits, endocrine stress response, inflammatory response, and the potential for blocking those responses with CBD.
• The ongoing study that has not yet yielded in any results aims at finding out how daily intake of CBD oil helps in treating symptoms of DSM-5 anxiety disorder.

From the number of studies on the topic, it is not a stretch to say that CBD helps control anxiety. Even the use of hemp oil has been proven to show positive results compared to the placebo groups.

What is the Right Dosage for CBD Oil to Treat Anxiety?

A study from 2017 has found that 300mg is an optimal daily dose of cannabidiol for most patients. However, it has also been found that up to 15% would not respond to that dosage. Some patients would feel improvements after 40mg of cannabidiol, and some would experience adverse effects after the 300mg dose.

Right now, there’s no consensus on the subject – the dosage is best determined individually under the doctor’s supervision. The patients also need to understand that CBD does not work immediately and it takes some time before the effects kick in. That is why it is not recommended to increase the dose after you don’t feel the effects immediately.

Pros and Cons

Of course, there are pros and cons to everything, and when it comes to CBD, there also are some benefits and some detriments.

Pros

• There are many studies proving that CBD is good for anxiety patients.
• Most state laws allow the use of CBD, even states where cannabis is illegal.
• No withdrawal and no toxicity.
• The side effects are rare and mild

Cons

• The side effects are possible; these include fatigue, changes in the appetite, either weight loss or weight gain, diarrhea (from a lot of oil), dizziness, sedation (in high doses), tiredness, temporary drop in blood pressure.

Wrap Up

So, is CBD good for anxiety? The answer is yes. The studies are overwhelming, and it is not reasonable to deny their credibility. Scientists around the world now change their opinion on the matter and actually start to recognize the positive effects of CBD on anxiety, panic, PTSD, and other conditions. So, if you have any of those issues, get CBD for anxiety, go through the studies we mentioned here, conduct your own research, and make the right choice.