Anxiety is something everyone deals with from time to time, and for various reasons. But, for some people, it occurs more frequently, and often seems to come out of nowhere for no reason. It’s thought that a low level of serotonin, a chemical in your body that helps regulate mental health, triggers anxiety in many people. Typically, patients are given antidepressants such as Zoloft or Paxil, both of which are recommended for anxiety. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.
For individuals who don’t find relief from pharmacological medications, there’s another natural option: CBD. Studies have indicated that it may act as an anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agent. CBD from hemp works with a CBD receptor called CB1. You see we all have CBD receptors in our bodies and brains and the receptors power up when CBD is introduced to the body. In the instance of anxiety, CBD modulates neurotransmission helping to calm the anxiety.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, studies on animals given CBD showed decreased stress. “In addition, CBD has shown efficacy in small human laboratory and clinical trials,” according to the report from the institute. “CBD reduced anxiety in patients with social anxiety subjected to a stressful public speaking task. In a laboratory protocol designed to model post-traumatic stress disorders, CBD improved consolidation of extinction learning, in other words, forgetting of traumatic memories.”
Another recent study of 10 humans showed similar results. Half the group was given placebo and half received CBD. The CBD group showed reduced anxiety. Although a study of only 10 people does not make the efficacy of CBD conclusive, it’s a step in the right direction. As we begin to understand the simbyosis of CBD and the body’s inherent CBD receptors, more human tests are necessary for us to understand how it works, the ideal dosages, and whether there are potential side effects or hazards.