People use CBD to manage their physical and mental health, and one common mental health affliction across the world is anxiety. We take a look at why it is thought CBD oil could work for anxiety, including the current research in this area, and the best ways to use it.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a term used to refer to the main symptom of a range of conditions, including generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
While it is normal to feel anxious before a big event, such as a job interview or test, many people suffering from these conditions experience a more constant level of anxiety that affects the quality of their everyday lives.
Why might CBD oil work for anxiety?
It is thought that CBD oil could work for anxiety because of the calming and balancing effects it has on the body. People who use CBD oil have reported that it allows them to feel less stressed and more relaxed. While CBD is not psychoactive (meaning it doesn’t ‘get you high’), it does seem to interact with our body in a way that promotes calmness, which could work to relieve symptoms of anxiety disorders.
It is believed that CBD oil interacts with our endocannabinoid system (ECS) to promote the release of endocannabinoids, molecules which our body releases naturally and which were named as such due to their similarity to the cannabinoids like CBD which are found in the cannabis plant. This process is thought to enable greater balance in the body.
What is the current research on CBD oil for anxiety?
The research on CBD oil and anxiety is still in its early stages, so we cannot say for sure whether it will help everyone who suffers from anxiety disorders. Having said that, the research so far has been very promising.
One 2015 article focused on whether CBD could be used as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Reviewing the existing preclinical evidence, they concluded that it demonstrates CBD’s potential value in reducing anxiety behaviours relevant to multiple disorders.
Another article published in 2019 looked into whether CBD can help to improve sleep and/or anxiety in a clinical population. The authors found that anxiety scores decreased within the first month of taking CBD for 79.2% of participants and concluded that CBD may hold benefits for anxiety-related disorders.
The authors of these scientific papers stress the importance of further research and clinical trials on CBD to determine whether it can work effectively as a treatment for anxiety.
How do you use CBD oil for anxiety?
If you are wondering whether CBD oil works for anxiety, you might also want to know how you should use it if you wanted to give it a go. Luckily, it’s really easy to include CBD oil in your daily routine.
To use CBD oil for anxiety, the first thing to do is work out how often you want to have it (most people opt for a daily dosage) and how much you want each time. It might take you a little while to work on the best dosage and frequency for you, so keep trying different things until you settle into a routine.
In terms of actually administering the CBD oil, you should squeeze the desired drops under your tongue, hold them there for 30-60 seconds and then swallow. It is thought this gives the CBD oil more direct access to your bloodstream, allowing faster absorption. If this doesn’t appeal to you, you could instead try adding the CBD oil drops to your breakfast or morning cup of coffee!
Thank you for reading our blog – we hope it has answered your question: ‘does CBD oil work for anxiety?’ It’s important to note that research is still ongoing but there’s a lot of evidence in its favour!If you are interested in trying CBD oil for anxiety, why not take a look at our CBD oil?
