CBD for anxiety

CBD is a natural anti-psychotic and antidepressant, it helps fight anxiety

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabis compound that does not cause a psychoactive “high”. Instead, this friendly molecule relieves anxiety, stress, fear, depression, and pain without unwanted side effects. This compound not only reduces some of the intoxicating qualities of THC but also promotes a deep sense of calm for many people. This is because CBD is a natural anti-psychotic and antidepressant.

CBD to calm social anxiety and reduce fear learning

Research suggests that CBD may be beneficial for people with social anxiety. A 2011 study published in the journal Neurobiology tested the effects of CBD on social anxiety produced by a public speaking event.

Participants were treated with 600 milligrams of CBD and had previously been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. A total of 12 participants received the CBD. And 12 were given a placebo ... Perhaps unsurprisingly, the participants who received CBD showed fewer physiological signs of anxiety. They also reported a mood improvement and less anxiety during the event compared to the placebo group.

Proven antipsychotic properties

Psychosis and anxiety are two distinct types of mental health problems. However, many with psychotic disorders also experience extreme anxiety. Already, CBD has been administered to patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia in a clinical setting.

2 phase tests conducted by British company GW Pharmaceuticals have shown that CBD improves both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Positive symptoms include quick thoughts, hallucinations and delusions. Negative symptoms include apathy, the Depression et lack of emotional expression. The improvement suggests that CBD may be a useful stabilizer in people with severe anxiety. In addition, he may even treat difficult psychotic disorders ...

How CBD works against anxiety

Initial research confirms the potential of CBD for a variety of anxiety-related conditions:

• Panic disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Social phobia
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Mild to moderate depression

Reduces fear learning

Anxiety can be a serious and distressing symptom of various physical and mental health conditions. Yet anxiety is also a learned response to certain environmental and internal stimuli. Surprisingly, early rodent research has shown that CBD can alleviate anxiety by crushing learned fear.

While CBD itself may not erase traumatic memories, research in mice suggests the compound may help change behaviors for the better. This is in part because CBD engages parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and emotion. In a review of 2016 published in Frontiers of Pharmacology, the study's authors suggest that CBD may help with anxiety by:

• Decreasing the expression of fear
• Disturbing the consolidation of scary memories
• Helping to extinguish scary memories

Simply put, CBD appears to help prevent feelings of fear. It prevents difficult memories from consolidating into more permanent memories. And can help erase terrifying long term memories. All of these factors suggest that CBD for anxiety is a valuable tool to consider.

Therapeutic help

CBD is naturally calming for many people. While the cannabis compound provides an alert and energizing focus, its anxiolytic properties promote relaxation and ease. These qualities make the compound a useful therapy tool, when a person may find it difficult to tolerate discussing emotionally difficult issues.

This can be helpful for both the therapist and the consumer, as the therapy time can be used more efficiently and productively.

Natural antidepressant

Rodent studies have shown that CBD is a fast acting antidepressant. Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand, which may be why similar drugs are prescribed to treat both conditions.

An study published in 2016 in the journal Neuropharmacology found that treatment with CBD caused a spike in the neurotransmitter serotonin in rodents with signs of stress-induced depression. Serotonin is a communication molecule that helps nerve cells send and receive signals from each other. It plays a crucial role in managing mood and stress.

CBD works with the 5HT1A serotonin receptor and works to increase the availability of serotonin in the brain, which can reduce anxiety and boost your mood. In a 2016 animal study, Spanish researchers found that CBD can affect the levels of serotonin in the brain faster than SSRIs.

Thanks to the mood-boosting properties of this molecule, serotonin is the target of many antidepressant drugs. However, antidepressants can take two weeks or more to be fully effective.

Rapid inhalation results

On the other hand, CBD produced quick results in this animal study. Although rodents are not people, the results of this preclinical study provide strong evidence that CBD should be further explored in depression and related mental health issues. If you are in the middle of an anxiety attack, the fastest way to get relief from CBD is inhalation.

Spraying is the safest way to inhale CBD, either as a dried flower or as a concentrate. Once inhaled, the calming effects of CBD will be noticed within minutes. However, for long-lasting relief from anxiety, it is recommended to opt for oral administration of CBD. CBD oils, capsules, and tinctures will likely take longer to work than inhaled methods.

Action time

Still, the benefit of oral intake is prolonged relief. The acute effects of inhaled CBD wear off within hours. With oral CBD, it may take between 30 and 90 minutes.

The overall experience with edible CBD will last between four and six o'clock. Ways to Enhance the Anti-Anxiety Effects of CBD is a powerful anti-anxiety tool in and of itself.

How to improve the anti-anxiety effects of CBD

Yet, while many find CBD useful, it works best when used in conjunction with therapy. But also effective with appropriate nutritional and medical support. If you're hoping to get the most out of CBD for anxiety, here are some ways to improve the effects of the supplement:

The lavender CBD

Cannabidiol may be unique in its ability to moderate memory and behavior. Mixing with other anxiolytic herbal extracts can improve its relieving abilities. Research suggests that linalool, a flavor molecule most commonly found in lavender, has strong anxiolytic effects.

The essential compound of lavender (the terpene called linalool) also appears in some varieties of cannabis. Some cannabis experts have suggested that the combination of CBD and linalool may have a beneficial effect and synergistic on anxiety. Both CBD and lavender oil are available in tinctures, oils, and capsules.

Breathing techniques

In the midst of an anxiety attack, the body begins to produce excessive amounts of adrenaline. This primers the body for an acute survival response… When anxiety takes over, calming your physiology is a great emergency coping mechanism.

One of the fastest ways to calm your physiology is to take a deep breath. Taking a moment to consciously change your breathing patterns forces you to focus on something outside of your own thoughts. But also to bring your body to a calmer physical state.

Therapies

There is no doubt that many people believe that CBD produces real relief from anxiety. However, CBD is only a useful tool for overcoming anxiety, not a cure per se. Patients now have access to several types of therapy that aim to create lasting relief by helping individuals change their fear patterns and behavior.

La cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure therapy are two popular forms of psychotherapy. Both types aim to help patients change their thinking to improve their quality of life in the long term.