Anxiety affects 18.1% of the American population every year. This statistic makes it the most common mental illness in the US. Those who suffer from anxiety deal with it through different methods, and many of these have a crippling impact on the individual’s life.
Perhaps there is a better answer to dealing with anxiety? As opposed to turning to alcohol, harmful drugs, or reclusion? People all around the world are starting to believe that they have this answer, and it’s in the form of cannabidiol, or what’s more commonly known as CBD.
Can CBD Reduce Anxiety?
It’s thought that CBD might reduce anxiety due to its ability to reach the CB1 receptors in the brain. These receptors are responsible for managing serotonin levels, which are neurotransmitters that play a significant role in mood disorders.
Exactly how CBD affects these receptors is still unknown, but it’s believed that it alters the serotonin signals. Because cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive compound, this happens to the brain without producing a ‘high.’ The lack of psychedelic effect eliminates the danger of taking a dangerously high dose.
Consuming too much cannabidiol might cause the individual to feel nauseous or dizzy, but reports indicate that this is “the worst thing that can happen”.
According to a survey published by the Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Journal, nearly 62% of all users consume CBD to treat a medical condition. Interestingly, the top three of these medical conditions that this drug was self-administered for were pain, depression, and you guessed it – anxiety.
Admittedly, there isn’t much research supporting the use of cannabidiol to reduce anxiety. At this stage, we don’t fully understand how cannabinoid affects the brain.
The Legality of CBD
How the CBD is derived, determines whether it’s legal federally in the US. Hemp-derived CBD is legal across the board in all 50 states, whereas’ marijuana’-derived cannabidiol isn’t.
Marijuana-derived cannabidiol contains a much higher volume of THC: the psychoactive compound responsible for producing a ‘high.’
Because cannabinoid doesn’t provide the same sensation, it is considered legal and safe to use by consumers.
How to Take CBD
This potential anxiety-reducing oil can be taken through different means. It can be applied to the skin topically, digested in the form of edibles (such as pills), or drops of oil can be taken under the tongue.
More recently, people have begun to take the oil by vaping. CBD cartridges can be bought online at an affordable cost through reputable providers, and many of these retailers also promote the use of cannabidiol to relieve anxiety.
Vaping CBD is considered as being healthier than smoking, hence why it’s often used by tobacco-addicts to quit smoking.
Conclusion
There appear to be many benefits to using cannabidiol, but especially in regards to treating anxiety. The pitfall to this claim rests in the lack of research into exactly how cannabidiol affects the brain.
Nevertheless, what is particularly interesting is that so many people report positive side-effects from using hemp to treat their anxiety. In this case, the results might not need to be explained. What’s important is that there are positive results.
Additionally, there a few known negative side-effects. With this in mind, it could be suggested that cannabidiol could be an excellent remedy for anxiety.
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