The majority of people using CBD do so to treat anxiety. And science is showing that both THC (at very low doses) and CBD have profound anti-depressant effects. In fact, the anxiety-relieving effects of CBD are probaby its most well-studied effect.
If you suffer from anxiety and are considering giving CBD a try, have a look at the following studies on CBD and anxiety. We’ve also included a couple of studies on the endocannabinoids system and the role it plays in mitigating anxiety.
“Studies using animal models of anxiety and involving healthy volunteers clearly suggest an anxiolytic-like effect of CBD. Moreover, CBD was shown to reduce anxiety in patients with social anxiety disorder.”
“CBD exhibited an anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects in animal models discussed.”
“Pretreatment with CBD significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort in their speech performance, and significantly decreased alert in their anticipatory speech”
“These results suggest that CBD reduces anxiety in SAD and that this is related to its effects on activity in limbic and paralimbic brain areas.”
“These studies provide further support that eCB-augmentation is a viable pharmacological strategy for the treatment of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders.”
” These results suggest that CBD has anxiolytic properties, and that these effects are mediated by an action on limbic and paralimbic brain areas.”
“These results give further support to the proposal that BNST is involved in the anxiolytic-like effects of CBD observed after systemic administration, probably by facilitating local 5-HT1A receptor-mediated neurotransmission.”
“These findings support that the anxiolytic effect of chronic CBD administration in stressed mice depends on its proneurogenic action in the adult hippocampus by facilitating endocannabinoid-mediated signalling.”
“…the eCB system modulates anxiety-related behavior dependent on stressful situations, such as the involvement of different receptors, distinct eCBs, modulation of neurotransmitters release, HPA axis and immune system activation, and plastic mechanisms…”
“Understanding how cannabidiol regulates emotion and emotional memory processing may eventually lead to its use as a treatment for anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders. ”
“…results suggest the anxiolytic effects of CBDA and CBD may require the presence of a specific stressor.”
“This case study provides clinical data that support the use of cannabidiol oil as a safe treatment for reducing anxiety and improving sleep in a young girl with posttraumatic stress disorder.”
“…CBD has minimal behavioral and subjective effects in healthy volunteers, even when they are presented with emotional stimuli.”
– A big thank you to ProjectCBD for curating these links.
Been a anxiety sufferer for over 20 years and stopped taking THC flowers after 20 years of smoking and
now been taking CBD flowers for the last six weeks and I’m still bit anxious. Maybe it depends on the person itself. To me unfortunately CBD has not helped with my anxiety at all. I have to take a couple
of calms ever few hours to calm me down plus the Dr doubled my dose of Propananol to 180mg because my heart feels like it want to explode. But I will still continue to smoke my CBD buds to the THC ones
I have a similar story to Celloggyn – Ive suffered with severe anxiety/PTSD for nearly a decade due to smoking marijuana/high levels of THC. My mental health got so bad I would physically vomit all the time due to nerves and I became house bound, too afraid to step a foot out the front door. Its also made me very hyper-vigilant, I constantly feel like Im in fight or flight mode. Its soooooo frustrating :'(
I have (very recently) started smoking hemp buds and I also take 20% cbd (oil) tinctures orally. For the first time in YEARS I feel like I am getting back to the “real me”. It hasnt completely diminished my anxiety but I have genuinely noticed a massive improvement. I now find myself trying to find reasons to leave the house – before, I would find reasons to stay in!!! CBD has genuinely and wholeheartedly changed my life for the better