Anxiety. It’s something that we will all experience at one point in our lives – and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, either.
Anxiety is a common reaction to stressful situations. It’s how we’re hardwired to react in an emergency – we immediately focus our attention on the “threat,” whatever that threat may be, and assess and analyze. When anxiety gets out of hand, though, and becomes a regular part of your day, you’ve got yourself an entirely different problem. Not to add to the anxiety…
For those suffering from anxiety disorders, the nerve-wracking symptoms can rear their ugly little heads 24 hours a day, with next-to-no precursors. This type of chronic anxiety can manifest itself with physical symptoms like headaches, stomach cramps and muscle tension, just to name a few.
Victims often have panic attacks and may develop compulsive habits. They may not be able to sleep and are often depressed, which just adds to the anxiety. It becomes a vicious cycle with a seemingly never ending negative feedback loop.
Many times, anxiety disorders are treated with standard pharmaceuticals – Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, etc. – but research also shows that natural remedies can be very effective against anxiety. There are several well-known herbal remedies for anxiety – including chamomile, lavender, and green tea – but an increasing body of evidence also suggests that cannabidiol may be a good, natural remedy for anxiety, too.
Recent animal test studies on mice are showing that CBD oil is actually a natural anxiolytic which helps to calm the effects of anxiety without getting the side effects that are normally affiliated from taking pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medications. The same tests showed that CBD oil also has anti-inflammatory agents as well.
Typically cannabis isn’t recommended for those who suffer from anxiety disorders. Although recreational marijuana has been shown to increase paranoia in some users, research in cannabis has revealed that there are several different compounds available in the cannabis plant and the effects of each can differ greatly.
The two major cannabinoids in most marijuana products are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid – the one that gives recreational users the high and also tends to increase paranoia and psychotic reactions in those who are experiencing anxiety – and then there’s CBD.
A study, conducted by British scientists from King’s College in London, found that CBD tends to have the exact opposite effect in anxiety. According to the study, “CBD appeared to prompt brain activity linked to appropriate responses to significant stimuli in the environment.”
Another study found that CBD also helped those suffering from social phobia – an anxiety disorder where victims believe that they will be negatively judged for their actions, resulting in an avoidance of public situations to the point where normal life is not possible. For now, studies are still inconclusive, but the evidence for CBD’s effects on anxiety is definitely compelling.
If you feel you’ve been suffering from an unusual amount of anxiety lately, consider trying one of our hemp-derived CBD salves or balms as a daily relaxation measure. If you’re prone to panic attacks, maybe try one of our dabbable concentrates for a quick and instant CBD uptake the next time you feel one coming on. If stage fright is your thing, a dab may also help there, too. Or, you could also give our tinctures or vape juices a try, as sublingual absorption and vaping are the fastest ways of getting CBD into your system.
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Discover Health LLC does not make any claims as to the efficacy of its products in treating, preventing, diagnosing, or curing any disease or illness. All Blog posts are the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of Discover Health LLC or Discover CBD. Discover Health LLC and Discover CBD strongly encourage anyone thinking about taking CBD or any supplement to speak with a licensed health care provider prior to taking anything on this website.
