Is CBD effective for anxiety?
Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is an excellent compound for anxiety neurosis. It is found in trace amounts in most cannabis varieties, but there has been a sharp increase in the number of varieties and products high in CBD cannabidiol in recent years. Read on to learn how cbd oil helps with anxiety.
What is CBD?
CBD is not psychoactive like THC (which happens to be the only psychoactive compound in cannabis), and when isolated from its THC counterpart, CBD does not elicit any obvious euphoria. It’s probably important to stress that fear of CBD cannot happen. This has led many to turn to CBD as a natural method of reducing the high associated with some high-content modern THC varieties that can be of serious concern to some people. It has also led to new research into the potential of CBD to offer a serious alternative to prescription anxiolytics on the market today.
CBD’s interaction with the endocannabinoid system
Before understanding CBD oil and anxiety, it is first important to understand how CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system. This system relates to a network of receptors and the compounds that bind to them. Think of it as a series of keys and locks. These receptors, mainly CB1 and CB2, are found in many areas of the body such as the brain, digestive tract and immune system. Cannabinoids bind to the receptor, which triggers a reaction in the cell and gives it a specific direction of action.
Phytocannabinoids, or cannabinoids produced by plants, attach to receptors just like those naturally produced in our bodies. A common blocking interaction is THC, which binds to these receptor sites and produces effects ranging from euphoria to anxiety. But not all cannabinoids need to be blocked, as some can potently influence the system through more complex but less understood interactions. This is the case with CBD oil as it has not been found to bind directly to any of the major receptors, but does appear to interact with other cannabinoids (THC) and receptors to trigger a variety of cellular responses.
CBD and its anxiolytic mechanisms
Many diseases and diseases can be characterized by an insufficiently active or overactive endocannabinoid system. For example, people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder are known to produce insufficient levels of anandamide, a natural endocannabinoid that is structurally similar to THC. The introduction of endocannabinoid-like cannabinoids into the receptor sites may, in a sense, correct their deficiency and have a therapeutic effect. The cannabinoid has been found to stimulate serotonin receptors, mimicking the mood-stabilizing effects of some SSRIs. The treatment of neurotic disorders with the use of CBD oil is very much taken into account nowadays.
Regarding the interactive relationship between CBD and THC, scientists believe that CBD oil modulates THC-related CB1 receptor signaling, which is why their co-presence has become so important in the field of cannabis therapy. Relevant to this particular discussion is CBD’s ability to modulate the excessive cannabinoid activity in the brain that can cause anxiety. The evidence so far in this pristine field of scientific research shows that under the influence of CBD, it appears to limit the amount of time THC is able to block the CB1 receptor and thus limit the strength of the high. In this way, the positive effects of CBD oil can certainly prove effective in treating chronic anxiety and alleviate the anxiety, paranoid side effects associated with over-consumption of THC.
In addition to THC-induced anxiety, the dosage of CBD oil for environmental anxiety has been studied in numerous human studies. Taking CBD oil on a regular basis is one of the most cited studies, and I now have great hope for treating anxiety neurosis.
There is a study of the effects of CBD on humans before and after facing a stressful situation. The situation used in the study was a public speaking and half of the participants had received a dose of CBD prior to the event, while the other half were the control group. Each participant’s physiological stress indicators (heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature) were measured throughout the experiment and were also asked to self-describe their anxiety feelings. Participants who received CBD treatment all had significantly lower stress levels before and after the onset. It concerned both how they felt about the situation and how their body reacted. Clearly, CBD for neurosis symptoms is a powerful tool to combat both THC-induced and environmental anxiety.
