CBD for Anxiety and Stress: Can It Help?

You’ve probably heard that a little anxiety and stress is normal. Those butterflies before public speaking or hitting up your boss for more paid time off. Or how about the rush when they hand you the cup for a urine test — even when you know you’re clean? But that’s probably not what has you thinking about CBD.

A lot of anxiety and stress can’t be explained that simply. Anxiety disorders are America’s most common mental illness, affecting more than 18% of the nation’s adults. That’s almost 1 in every 5 adults you know. And most of those people never seek formal treatment.

If you’re in that group, that doesn’t mean you accepted the status quo. If you’re like most, you’re looking for ways to deal with it yourself — and you’re wondering if CBD can help. You’re not the only one. An August Gallup poll found that 20% of U.S. CBD users are using it to treat anxiety. Another 5% name stress.

Good news! For a lot of conditions, the hype about CBD doesn’t live up to the hope. But research suggests that CBD may provide some answers and relief for people suffering from anxiety and anxiety-related disorders.

Most CBD anxiety research has focused on short-term treatment. CBD is so new, there’s not much info on long-term treatment yet. But anxiety and stress studies show CBD can be very effective for some conditions, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), panic disorder (PD) and more.

That’s not all. Studies show CBD offers hope for treating anxiety-related disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which both involve extreme anxiety.

For PTSD patients, CBD seems to work on multiple symptoms. It can help block persistent fear memories, lower stress-induced high blood pressure and high heart rates, and more. And it does it with fewer side effects than current PTSD meds. Even the Veterans Administration is funding CBD research to speed up clinical proof of its effectiveness on PTSD.

If your stress issues are more run-of-the-mill, there’s more good news. CBD’s anxiety-calming attributes work to soothe everyday tension and stress, too. Especially when anxiety or fear is behind the physical or emotional stresses you feel. And if anxious thoughts keep you awake at night, CBD can help improve your sleep, too.

When taking CBD for anxiety, research suggests that more isn’t better. Neither is less. Moderate CBD doses treat anxiety more effectively than either extreme. It also helps to be proactive and take CBD before stress or anxiety hit full tilt.

If you’re receiving medical treatment for anxiety-related conditions, sit down with your doctor before you try CBD. This is especially important when prescription meds are involved. CBD can interact with some medications, and dropping your regular meds can put you at risk.

Expect more news on CBD and anxiety research soon. Studies are underway. In the meantime, remember that over-the-counter CBD products vary significantly in quality and, at this point, there’s little regulation to protect you. Stick with Pot.com to connect with premier CBD providers and stay posted for the latest on CBD anxiety research.

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