Anxiety is a condition that’s characterized by the feeling of nervousness, tense moments, and restlessness. It’s usually a body’s natural response to stress, but its effects can be significant. While there are clinical medications to manage anxiety, it still doesn’t have a cure. As a result, many people turn to alternative medicine to control their symptoms, such as cannabidiol (CBD). CBD contains anti-anxiety effects, making it a good choice for fostering a sense of peace and relaxation. This page provides an introduction of how to use CBD oil for anxiety and research and recommendations for the finest CBD product available.
How to Use CBD Oil for Anxiety
There is no universal CBD oil dosage since CBD products aren’t FDA-approved. So, the optimal dosage usually varies from one individual to the next. Besides that, the form of intake varies depending on personal preferences and what works better for you. If you want to treat your anxiety, you can use CBD oil in the following ways:
- CBD oils and tinctures: they are designed for sublingual intake. The product usually comes in a tinctured bottle with a dropper, and you need to place the oil drops under the tongue.
- CBD gummies: these are discreet and delicious edibles that provide a convenient way of using CBD oil for anxiety. CBD gummies are chewable and usually fruit-flavored.
- Sprays: the oil product normally comes in a bottle with a nozzle that should be sprayed in the mouth.
- Vape oil: vapes are designed for inhalation and usually provide users with almost instant effects.
- Capsules and soft gels are usually taken individually, by mouth, just like pills.
CBD and Anxiety Disorders
You can use CBD oil to manage anxiety disorders with different levels of severity. Anxiety disorders that CBD can help treat include:
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Generalized anxiety
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
What Research Says
Laboratory experiments and animal studies indicate that CBD can effectively treat anxiety. Scientific reports in Neurotherapeutics indicate that CBD oil can help ease some disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety, panic, and social anxiety.
CBD and Social Anxiety
Social anxiety affects almost 7% of all adults and its common among men and women. According to reports published in Neuropsychopharmacology, CBD oil can help reduce the symptoms of social anxiety. This condition is characterized by intense anxiety or the fear of being negatively evaluated, judged, or rejected in a social situation.
“CBD appears to be better tolerated than regular psychiatric drugs,” according to scientific research from the study “Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series,” published in The Permanente Journal, and “CBD shows promise as a therapy for lowering anxiety in clinical populations.”
The researchers used a retrospective case series at a psychiatric clinic to investigate the effects of CBD on persons with anxiety and sleep problems. The researchers discovered that 79.2 percent of 72 adult patients reported a reduction in anxiety within the first month. Even more remarkable is the fact that the patients’ anxiety levels stayed low throughout the research.
Using CBD products as a pre-treatment solution can effectively reduce anxiety, treat cognitive impairment, and ease discomfort in social setups.
The Dose-Response Study
The effectiveness of CBD oil in reducing anxiety depends on a dose-response curve. This is simply a curve showing the relationship between a given dose size and the user’s response. This curve usually has the shape of a bell. Generally, the higher the CBD dose, the better it can reduce anxiety symptoms.
How to Choose the Best CBD Oil for Anxiety
There is a wide range of CBD oil products used to treat anxiety. But you have to choose the best CBD oil for anxiety to get the desired result. Well, certain factors can help you make the right purchasing decisions:
Source of CBD
Consider CBD products from organic sources. CBD hemp plants are bio accumulators, which means that they can absorb anything from their surroundings, including pesticides, heavy metals, and lead. Products from organic sources have a high level of purity and safety.
Independent 3rd-Party Lab Reports
High-quality CBD products must undergo independent 3rd-party lab tests. This is important in verifying the quality, quantity, and presence of all other ingredients found in CBD products. Certifications from US hemp authorities are important.
CBD Extraction Technique
There are several techniques for extracting CBD. However, most companies usually opt for cheap and toxic extraction techniques involving methane and propane solvents. Supercritical CO2 extraction is currently the industry standard since it extracts high-quality and pure CBD products.
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews highlight the effectiveness of products in terms of satisfaction. More positive reviews indicate that customers derive a higher level of satisfaction from the CBD product, while the vice-versa is true. When making purchases, consider brands that have lots of positive reviews.
THC content
THC is a psychoactive cannabis compound that normally alters how the mind functions. If you are dealing with anxiety, you should only consider products with less than 0.3% THC content. This is a trace amount that cant result in psychoactive effects.
CBD Dosage for Anxiety
Finding the right CBD dosage for anxiety is important in minimizing the severity of the symptoms. Generally, experts suggest that consumers should start with a small dosage and then gradually work their way up depending on their specific needs.
Various research analyses indicate that many clinical trials usually start with testing high CBD doses. Some of the successfully evaluated doses for anxiety include:
- 300 mg in male patients in a speech simulation
- 600 mg in patients with SAD in a speech simulation
Other trials indicate lower CBD oil doses are still effective in managing anxiety symptoms, including:
- 33-75 mg daily for those struggling with PTSD and in routine psychiatric treatment.
- 25-75 mg for sleep problems and generalized anxiety.
Conclusion
CBD oil is one of the most effective anti-anxiety medications available. It should be noted that anxiety is a common problem in the current high-paced modern lifestyle that doesn’t have a cure. However, you can manage its symptoms with CBD, thanks to its anti-anxiety properties. It can effectively ease the symptoms of social anxiety, generalized anxiety, panic, PTSD, etc. Make sure that you take it in the right dosage, starting with a smaller amount while working your way up. Besides that, you should first consult with your doctor, especially if you are under a prescription medication, to avoid unwanted side effects.