Many people are turning to cannabidiol (CBD) oil to remedy stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Some people take CBD oil to soothe their everyday stress, while others treat severe conditions like anxiety disorders.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of several cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant and has no psychoactive properties. It has been used in the management and treatment of many health issues.
But is CBD oil beneficial for anxiety sufferers to ditch their traditional treatment methods? Let us find out the answer in this article. Here, we shall learn more about the benefits of CBD oil and how to use it to its maximum potential for the management of anxiety.
How does CBD ease anxiety?
1 in 13 globally suffers from anxiety, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Typical treatment options include prescription medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. But many people forgo these traditional methods and opt for natural approaches like CBD oil. If you don’t like the taste of CBD oil, you can opt for an edible form of CBD such as Broad-Spectrum CBD Gummies from sundayscaries.com.
CBD works closely with our endocannabinoid system (ECS), responsible for maintaining and regulating balance within body systems. It plays an essential role in operating various critical bodily functions like mood control, sleep, immune responses, appetite, reproductive health, and many more.
CBD is believed to bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors through the ECS. It interacts with serotonin signaling and affects how the brain responds to serotonin. Serotonin is the chemical already present in your body that helps regulate anxiety, happiness, and mood.
Benefits of CBD Oil for Anxiety
Many research studies have revealed that CBD oil can produce beneficial changes that regulate mood, pain, and overall everyday experiences. Such benefits include:
- Stress management: Persistent higher stress levels can trigger anxiety in a healthy individual. It is necessary to control stress to prevent long-term anxiety issues. CBD has been shown to relieve stress, calm your mind, and help you relax.
- Anti-anxiety effect: People with anxiety are victims of constant overthinking, leaving them stuck in life. CBD oil has been found to possess potent anti-anxiety effects. It helps boost gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a calming neurotransmitter, and reduces anxiety.
- Mood-Enhancer: Anxiety disorders are accompanied by mood swings. Persistent mood swings can hamper your daily tasks. CBD is a proven natural mood-enhancer. It boosts your mood by activating the CB1 receptors in the endocannabinoid system. You can quickly resort to CBD oil for motivation when you need that extra push.
- Natural alternative to sleeping pills: Severe anxiety symptoms can make you stay awake all night, and lack of sleep can cause anxiety and vice versa. Many people consume sleeping pills to get relief. But CBD oil can be a natural alternative to these sleeping pills. CBD effectively promotes circadian rhythm regulation, the body’s sleep-wake cycle and gives you a relaxed night’s sleep.
- Enhanced cognition: People dealing with anxiety disorders can experience cognitive impairment. Most individuals are usually given medications that may cause harm to the body in the long run. Therefore, opting for something natural can be helpful. CBD helps improve cognitive abilities like thinking, working memory, and psychomotor function without any side effects.
How to Use CBD Oil for Anxiety?
Since CBD is natural and beneficial for anxiety sufferers, the usage depends on the individual and the severity of the condition. So, here we have listed five significant points on using CBD oil for anxiety.
- Firstly, consult your doctor before using CBD oil. Learn thoroughly about its risks and benefits for your body type. Ask your doctor about the suitable dose of CBD oil depending on the severity of the condition. Talk about your current medications for anxiety since they may interact with CBD oil.
- For quick absorption of CBD, you may try a tincture. A tincture is a form of CBD oil typically taken as a drop or spray. All you have to do is place a few drops under your tongue and hold them for 30 seconds before you swallow. If you opt for a spray, taking one puff on the inside of the cheek is usually recommended.
- Use topical forms of CBD oil like balms or rubs to relieve tense muscles due to anxiety. Massage the CBD oil balm or rub directly on the affected area and ease the muscle tension or aches associated with stress.
- Be careful when using vape pens. Although vaping or smoking CBD oil is the quickest and most effective way to take CBD, experts believe it may cause harm to your body.
- When combining CBD oil with other treatments, make sure to consult a doctor. Find a doctor who is experienced with anxiety and CBD. Such a doctor will help you get the most out of your CBD oil treatment along with other traditional methods.
Conclusion
Make sure to change your lifestyle by getting quality sleep, increasing physical activity, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in stress-relieving activities.
References:
Esther M. Blessing, Maria M. Steenkamp, et al. Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders, 2015 Sep 4. doi: 10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1.
Philippe A Melas, Maria Scherma. Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety and Mood Disorders: Molecular Targets and Epigenetic Insights from Preclinical Research, 2021 Feb 13;22(4):1863. doi: 10.3390/ijms22041863.
Andrew J. Kesner and David M. Lovinger. Cannabinoids, Endocannabinoids and Sleep, 2020 Jul 22. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00125.
Ashleigh L Osborne, Nadia Solowij, Katrina Weston-Green. A systematic review of the effect of cannabidiol on cognitive function: Relevance to schizophrenia, 2017 Jan;72:310-324. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.11.012.
