CBD oil and CBD, in general, are touted as having a wide variety of benefits that we can take advantage of, with the possible relief of anxiety and related symptoms being just one of them.
As you will see further below, there is quite a bit of research that has been conducted on this front, which indicates that CBD may very well be one of the best alternative treatments for anxiety out there.
If you’ve tried everything else you can think of, but nothing has worked, then CBD oil might just be your next best bet. Today, we want to talk about what exactly CBD oil is, how it works for anxiety, and what its pros and cons are, related specifically to anxiety.
As is the case with any type of product out there, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using CBD oil for anxiety. By the end of today, not only will you know what all of those pros and cons are, but you’ll also know what some of the best CBD oil products for anxiety are. We’ve reviewed 5 awesome products at the end, and we certainly recommend checking them out.
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Key Takeaways
- There are some pretty strong indications that CBD may be able to help with anxiety.
- CBD is generally considered better for anxiety than THC, which in part is due to CBD being considered non-psychoactive, whereas THC is.
- CBD oil for anxiety can be taken sublingually or ingested.
Click here to read more about the CBD cannabinoid and it’s potential benefits for pain. .
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is a substance that has been around for many hundreds of years and has been used as a treatment for a variety of mental and physical conditions. Here we are talking about hemp or CBD oil, which means that it is generally non-psychoactive, so it should not get you high, yet it still possesses a wide variety of potential benefits for both the mind and body.
Hemp flowers that are rich in CBD can be steeped in many different types of oil for several hours, which results in those special cannabinoids being infused into the oil.
There are also other ways of making CBD oil, such as infusing CBD extract into an oil along with an emulsifying agent. CBD oil may also contain some terpenes and flavonoids.
back to menu ↑How Does CBD Oil Work for Anxiety?
Although exactly how CBD works for anxiety has not been proven 100%, there are many studies out there that show that it is an effective way to reduce symptoms related to anxiety. While many of these studies are not conclusive in terms of how CBD works for anxiety, the vast majority of them all conclude that CBD does have the potential to help treat anxiety, social anxiety, and related conditions.
However, there are some potential ways in which CBD may help reduce anxiety, so let’s take a quick look at what these might be.
- CBD has the potential to relieve anxiety because it affects the serotonin neurotransmitter in the brain. This is a feel-good chemical that helps produce sensations of happiness, elation, calmness, relaxation, and euphoria. In this way, CBD would work in much the same way as many anxiety medications out there by affecting the serotonin neurotransmitter.
- Research studies also show that CBD has the potential to reduce cortisol levels created by the adrenal glands. When you feel stressed out, your adrenal glands produce cortisol, which in turn serves to keep you in a stressed-out state. Specifically, cortisol is designed to keep you in an alert state which is effectively a survival mechanism. However, this also serves to keep you at a much higher level of stress. If CBD can reduce cortisol levels, then it should also be able to reduce stress, which is closely linked to anxiety.
- It may also be the case that CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the human body, therefore reducing anxiety in this way. Although, there is much more research required on this front.
How to Use CBD Oil for Anxiety
There are a few different ways to use CBD oil for anxiety. One of the most popular ways is known as a sublingual application, which means that you put some CBD oil drops under your tongue.
The mucous membranes under your tongue quickly absorb the CBD oil and send it into your bloodstream. This allows the CBD oil to take effect very quickly. Although, keeping CBD oil under your tongue is not overly enjoyable.
For this reason, many people decide to ingest CBD oil orally by either just swallowing it, mixing it in with food, or mixing it in with a beverage.
CBD oil, when taken in this way, takes longer to take effect but also doesn’t taste quite as bad because you aren’t keeping it in your mouth for up to a minute or longer. However, beware that when you ingest CBD oil, for it to be as effective as possible, you should have some fats in your stomach. CBD absorbs into your system much better if you have eaten some fats.
back to menu ↑What Are the Pros of Using CBD Oil for Anxiety?
There are some pretty big supposed benefits of using CBD oil for anxiety, so let’s take a quick look.
Easy to Use
It really doesn’t get much easier because all you have to do is place a couple of drops under your tongue or swallow the CBD oil directly. You don’t have to grind, roll, light, or anything else. It’s no harder than taking a drink off of a bottle of water.
Non-Psychoactive
Many people also prefer CBD over THC specifically because CBD is generally considered non-psychoactive, which means that it should not get you high, unlike THC. Yes, THC may also be able to relieve anxiety symptoms, but it also gets you high. CBD should not get you high, therefore allowing you to function normally while also reaping potential anxiety relief benefits.
Natural
Although you should always consult a medical professional before starting any kind of treatment for any sort of mental condition, many people prefer CBD oil because it is considered a very natural solution when compared to prescription anti-anxiety medications. Many anti-anxiety medications have very severe side effects that might not be worth taking the medication, to begin with.
Minimal Side Effects
Related to the above point, CBD oil usually does not have many side effects, and if it does, they tend to be quite minimal. You might suffer from a bit of tiredness or an upset stomach, but that’s about it.
Studies Show Positive Potential
We’ve already linked to a plethora of studies above showing how CBD has great potential to act as an anti-anxiety medication. In case that wasn’t enough, here’s another study showing how CBD can reduce anxiety. Here we even have a study that came to the conclusion that CBD oil was able to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in up to 90% of people. This is the reason why you’ll see a lot of marijuana dispensaries offering discounts for veterans and military people.
Legal
Thanks to the 2018 farm bill, as long as the CBD is hemp-derived and does not contain more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC, it is considered totally legal.
For those looking to explore how cannabinoids might also aid in improving sleep quality, here’s an overview of the best cannabinoid options for sleep, which can complement CBD’s benefits for relaxation and stress relief.
back to menu ↑What Are the Cons of Using CBD Oil for Anxiety
There are also some disadvantages of using CBD oil for anxiety, so let’s take a quick look at these.
Not Always Accessible
Although it should be legal in most places now, CBD oil is not always overly accessible. You may not have any dispensaries nearby or online retailers that will ship to you. It can be somewhat hard to find.
Not FDA Approved
Although there are many research studies that show that CBD has great potential on this front, it has not yet been approved by the FDA. This means that it is not officially recognized as a legitimate treatment for anxiety at this time. It, therefore, also means that medical professionals technically should not be recommending it.
Can Cause Minor Side Effects
Although most people should be just fine, there are some common side effects that some people may suffer when taking CBD oil, mainly sedation, headaches, and gastrointestinal upset.
Not Covered by Insurance
Because CBD oil is not FDA-approved at this time, it is generally also not covered by basic insurance policies.
Relatively New to the Market
Although this is not really a downside per se, CBD oil is still relatively new to the market, so there may still be a negative stigma around it.
Quality of Products Vary
Although we always do our best to recommend only the best products to people, the reality is that not all manufacturers and retailers produce or sell the highest quality of products. Therefore, you always need to pay close attention to what you are purchasing.
back to menu ↑How Long Does CBD Oil Take to Work for Anxiety?
If you are ingesting the CBD orally or using a sublingual application method, you should notice the effects anywhere between 30 minutes and 90 minutes, although this does depend on the dosage and your metabolism. If you vape or smoke the CBD, it can take effect in just as little as 15 minutes.
Realistically, for you to benefit from the maximum possible anxiety relief benefits that CBD has to offer, taking CBD on a regular basis is recommended. CBD, in this sense, is more like a multivitamin than an acute treatment, which means that it’s something that should be taken on a daily basis to maintain these benefits.
back to menu ↑How Much CBD Oil Should You Take for Anxiety?
The official recommendation in most cases is that people with sleep disorders or anxiety take anywhere between 25 and 75 milligrams per day. If it’s your first time taking CBD oil for anxiety, we recommend starting on the lower end of that spectrum, but if you don’t feel any effects, you can always increase your dosage.
back to menu ↑Can CBD Cause Anxiety?
It does not appear as though CBD, no matter the dose, causes anxiety. On the other hand, very high doses of Delta-9 THC have been linked to anxiety, so this should be avoided if you are already prone to anxiety.
back to menu ↑Is CBD Safe?
Generally speaking, CBD is considered quite safe, although you do want to consult a medical professional before starting any kind of new medicine or treatment. This is especially the case if you are on other prescription medications, as CBD may have negative interactions with prescription drugs.
back to menu ↑What to Know Before Buying CBD Oil
There are a few things that you should keep in mind before purchasing any sort of CBD oil. First and foremost, where is it coming from? Is the brand name reputable? Do you know who is in charge of the brand name and where the product comes from? Does the product itself have good reviews? You always want to pay attention to both the brand and the products they sell to see if they are legitimate.
Then, as far as individual products are concerned, always pay attention to the actual cannabinoid content, or in other words, how much CBD is present and if there are other cannabinoids present as well.
In general, you always want to pay attention to the ingredients because we personally always prefer organic and natural ingredients. You might also want to look out for third-party lab testing, which looks to confirm that the product in question does not contain illegal levels of Delta-9 THC or other harmful substances like pesticides or heavy metals.
back to menu ↑The Best CBD Oils for Anxiety
As you can see, according to all the research we’ve presented to you, CBD has very real potential to help control anxiety, and here are some of the best products on that front.
Green Roads Full Spectrum CBD Oil
This Green Roads CBD Oil is made with full spectrum CBD, 1500 milligrams of it to be exact, which is a very large dose considering that the bottle is only 30 milliliters large.
It comes with a dropper for easy dosing, so you always know how much you are ingesting. Each milliliter contains 50 milligrams. There is also a stronger option available that contains a whopping 100 milligrams of CBD per milliliter.
Many people enjoy the naturally sweet and caramel-like flavor of it. We like how this product has been pharmacist formulated and independently tested, plus it does not contain any artificial colors or flavors, and it is both gluten-free and vegan.
FAB CBD – CBD Oil
Here we have another full-spectrum CBD oil, this one containing 600 milligrams of CBD per bottle, although there are also stronger options available, up to 2400 milligrams per bottle. It comes with a dropper for easy dosing, and it has flavors including natural, mint, citrus, vanilla, and berry. It has been third-party tested to ensure that it does not contain illegal or unwanted levels of Delta-9 THC.
EVN CBD – CBD Oil
EVN CBD Oil comes in many different types, both natural and mint flavors, and both come in 500-milligram and 1000-milligram options. These products are all made with natural and organic hemp that is grown in the USA, they contain minimal ingredients that are all considered healthy, and the oil product has been third-party tested to ensure that it falls within all illegal limits.
Joy Organics CBD Gummies
We know that not everybody likes oils, so here we’ve included some CBD gummies. Here you get 30 gummies, each with 25 milligrams of CBD, for a total of 750 milligrams. As you can probably guess by the name of the brand, this product is 100% natural and organic, does not contain any harmful ingredients, and has been third-party tested. The flavor here is strawberry lemonade, which is actually quite enjoyable.
back to menu ↑Final Thoughts on the Pros and Cons of CBD Oil for Anxiety
You should now have all of the facts about CBD oil for anxiety to make an informed decision for yourself. In general, we think that the pros of using CBD oil for anxiety greatly outweigh the potential cons. If you’re suffering from anxiety and nothing else has worked, we recommend giving this a shot.
Looking for more CBD content like this? Check out How Long Before Bed Should You Take CBD, and our guide on Can you Take Too Much CBD.
