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Can Cannabis Products Help with Anxiety or Make It Worse?

Updated: Dec 21, 2022

Anxiety is a state of uneasiness, tension, trepidation, or fear related to a certain event or circumstance. A faster heartbeat or perspiration are two bodily symptoms that anxiety sufferers frequently encounter.


It is a typical response to stress or difficult circumstances. However, individuals may have an anxiety disorder if their extreme anxiety persists over time.


According to several studies, using cannabis can make anxiety symptoms worse. However, other evidence indicates that cannabis can be helpful in treating the signs and symptoms of anxiety when used carefully.


Read on to learn more about the link between cannabis and anxiety.


Defining Cannabis


It's a plant called Cannabis sativa. The flower, the foliage, and even the seed oil are used by people for both recreational and therapeutic purposes. While cannabis contains more than 120 active chemicals and compounds, cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol ((THC)) are the two most prevalent.


Cannabis can cause the following effects and emotions when used recreationally:

  • Relaxation

  • Happiness

  • Paranoia

  • Confusion

  • Alteration in how you perceive time, space, sound, taste, or color

  • A bigger appetite


Cannabis can be consumed in the following ways by users:

  • Vaping or smoking

  • Consuming it with tea

  • Eating it in baked goods like cakes or brownies

  • Ingesting it raw

  • Applying a topical remedy to their skin

  • Taking vitamins or capsules


In addition to their recreational effects, CBD and THC may have a number of health advantages, including potential impacts on anxiety.


Does Cannabis Make You Anxious?


Cannabis consumption can occasionally cause anxiety. The efficacy of medical cannabis in treating neurological diseases was examined in a 2014 study.


The findings indicate that anxiousness was a side effect that occurred in certain drug users. It also implies a connection between anxiety and greater THC levels.


The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration asserts a connection between anxiety disorders and cannabis abuse. Experts are unsure, meanwhile, if using cannabis increases anxiety or whether those who suffer from anxiety problems use it more frequently.


Can Cannabis Help with Anxiety?


There haven't been many human clinical studies on cannabis and anxiety. Animal research and surveys of cannabis users both point to mounting evidence that the drug may be useful. This is especially true when cannabis is consumed in the form of CBD oil.


In a 2010 study, it was discovered that CBD oil helped persons with social anxiety disorder experience less anxiety. Brain scans of the participants showed that CBD oil caused alterations in blood flow to areas of the brain linked to emotions of anxiety.


These results imply that CBD oil can assist in treating anxiety. Additionally, it explains the process through which CBD works with the brain to do this.


A 2015 assessment of earlier studies on CBD oil found that most of the studies relied heavily on animal models. However, these studies suggest that CBD oil can treat a variety of anxiety conditions.


These included social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.


The results in animals need to be confirmed in human trials. Furthermore, only acute CBD dosage was used in this study. Therefore, more research is required to determine whether chronic dosage has equivalent effects, long-lasting effects, or both.


In a 2018 study, the role of cannabis use in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms was examined. It finds that 58 percent less anxiety and tension was experienced by medical cannabis users.


Compared to men, women reported less anxiety after using medical cannabis. It revealed that cannabis with high levels of both THC and CBD reduced stress the best.


Conclusion


Cannabis products can have both positive and negative effects on anxiety. Some people find that using cannabis products helps to reduce their anxiety levels, while others find that it increases their anxiety.


To determine which products and strains are best for you, it is vital to try a variety of options. Begin with a small dose and then gradually increase as required. Before beginning any new treatment, always seek medical advice.


Southern CBD Solutions offers CBD for anxiety. All our products are full spectrum, which means we do not use isolates that have had the beneficial plant materials extracted. Check out our products today!



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