Several factors can increase your stress levels such as family demands, challenging jobs or school. If you always feel like a disaster is looming, you could be experiencing chronic anxiety. This condition requires an intervention to reset the body’s baseline stress-response.
Sadly, modern medicine doesn’t cater to the unique needs of anxiety sufferers, but CBD have been claimed to offer some help with the problem. Is this true? Does CBD oil work for anxiety? Yes, it does!
Lots of research back the claim that CBD oil works as an anti-anxiety supplement. However, there is still more work to be done in this regard. So far, research has proven that CBD is useful for panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment.
How CBD Works for Anxiety Treatment
CBD counters anxiety in several ways. It has over 65 targets in the body and so it stimulates neural regeneration and the neurotransmitter systems. It does so in the following ways:
Serotonin: This hormone is associated with happiness. The role the neurotransmitter plays is a tough one. However, the effect depends on its location and what it is attached to. Serotonin has 14 receptors, but CBD binds to 5-HT1A. This receptor is believed to be the main cause of anxiety disorders.
Endocannabinoids: the body produces cannabinoids naturally and uses it in the endocannabinoid system. Chronic stress affects the proper working of the system. CBD helps restore balance to this system as it prevents overstimulation of the CB1 receptors. It also boosts the endocannabinoid production of the body. Some research conducted on rodents showed that CBD relieves OCD.
Neural regeneration: chronic stress can affect neurons, but the body forms new neurons as we age. CBD boosts the process of regeneration. It counterbalances the damage to the brain which is caused by chronic stress. Studies have shown that CBD promotes neural regeneration in the hippocampus.
What Dosage of CBD Is Ideal?
If you plan to use CBD oil for anxiety treatment, it would be wise to talk to your doctor first. Only a doctor can determine the right dosage for you. Should you also be worried about a side effect? Well, CBD is considered safe, but some people may experience some side effects like fatigue, diarrhea, appetite, and weight changes.
Also, CBD can interact with some medications so be careful when you are taking blood thinners and other similar medications. Also, grapefruit may interact with some enzymes that promote drug metabolism.
CBD oils are taken orally and the liquid is dropped under the tongue. This is an ideal way to take CBD because the mucous membranes have tiny capillaries and this makes it easier for CBD to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Some users take CBD oil twice daily, in the morning and at night. For anxiety, doctors recommend 25 mg of CBD oil twice daily. It can also be taken during the day when anxiety attacks set in. This treatment may also help with chronic pain. Users can take up to 100mg daily depending on the anxiety levels.
If you have issues with swallowing capsules, or chewing gummies, CBD oils are ideal. However, oils may taste weedy and some people do not like the way it feels in the mouth. Some oils in the market contain other ingredients such as peppermint to combat the unpleasant taste.
The CBD oils can also be mixed with a beverage or tea. Others are infused in capsules to be swallowed. Some people also choose to rub it directly on the skin.
Other Methods of Ingesting CBD Oil for Anxiety
Vaping is another effective way to treat anxiety. Vape pens can be used to inhale CBD oil. This method of ingestion is one of the fastest ways to benefit from CBD. This makes it very important for acute situations. Most users are advised to vape a small amount in the morning and at night. During the day, it can be used as often as need.
Since THC levels in CBD oil is low, the method doesn’t cause hallucinations or other symptoms that THC presents. Research has shown that CBD counteracts anxiety in people who have taken THC.
However, there a few concerns about this method of ingestion. Some include the types of chemicals in the vaping liquid. The heating coils inside the vape pens are also a cause for concern. The safety of vaping is still being studied and the negative effects are not known yet.
Another method of ingestion is through edibles. Edibles may help fight anxiety for users who cannot swallow CBD oil tinctures. If you have a sweet tooth, then candy may be an excellent way to ingest CBD oil. There are CBD gummies in several flavors and all of them make it easy to track the dosage.
People who prefer this method are advised to take up to two gummies in the morning and two before bed. It is preferable for some because the dosing is quite consistent. It is also convenient as it doesn’t look like medication which puts some people off.
Another point to note is that this method is less conspicuous. It is a lot easier to pull out a gummy and eat it in public for your anxiety than to pull out an oil dropper. They are discreet and can be taken easily in any environment without causing a stare.
Most people with anxiety disorders may not be pleased with stares when they drop tinctures under their tongues or vape. The only drawback of this method is that gummies do not act fast. If you have chronic anxiety, this may not be the best for acute situations. A CBD oil tincture and a vape pen are better options in this case.
Conclusion
CBD oil can be helpful in managing anxiety disorders. But the problem most people face is finding good products. The strength of these oils varies between brands so you may need to find the perfect one. Out of the methods mentioned above, the most effective and safest is CBD oil tinctures.