CBD and Anxiety
CBD is a product of interest for treating mental health disorders, such as anxiety, stress, or depression. A recent clinical trial showed that CBD can effectively reduce anxiety. The Permanente Journal published a study where 79% of participants reported a reduction in anxiety.
The way that CBD treats anxiety is not entirely understood, however, millions of people in need of anxiety relief use CBD. A 2019 Gallup Poll reported that 37% of CBD users use it for anxiety and participants deem it highly effective. For those struggling with social anxiety and anxiety disorders, CBD provides a natural way to help manage anxiety via the interaction between CBD and the body.
For generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) showed that CBD reduces stress in rats and other animals. Study subjects had lower behavioural signs of anxiety and improved physiological symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate.
More research is required, specifically on humans. CBD can provide benefits to those with other forms of anxiety, such as social anxiety disorder (SAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can also help manage anxiety-induced insomnia. A 2011 study looked into the effects of CBD on people with SAD. Participants were given 400 milligrams of CBD orally or a placebo, and the results were very encouraging.
There are a few different ways to take CBD for mental health disorders. It can be ingested via a tablet, capsule or gummy, which are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. This can take up to two hours. CBD can also be absorbed sublingually (under the tongue) via a CBD oil. Absorbing the product under the tongue preserves more of the CBD and effects are felt faster than when ingesting it. Or CBD can be applied topically, which means directly to the skin. CBD creams are absorbed into the skin and are a great choice for treating localised pain. If treating a painful area, the physical motion of massaging in cream can provide additional benefits. If you are unsure how much CBD to take, read our dosage information post.