CBD oil is taken for all kinds of different reasons, from therapeutic to just enjoying the base taste of CBD. However, despite the myriad different reasons people take it, one of the most common is to try and treat anxiety. Though there are a variety of medications available for treating this condition, CBD oil for anxiety remains incredibly popular.

But how does CBD oil help treat anxiety?

CBD Oil’s Effects on Anxiety

When you imbibe CBD oil, and it is assimilated into the body, it reacts with a whole host of different bodily functions, cultivating a variety of changes to the body. These effects vary from reducing the impact of inflammation throughout the body to numbing pain, but CBD oil’s effectiveness on anxiety is easily the most recognizable.

However, most people assume that it would do the opposite – marijuana is frequently associated with an increase in anxiety, so why wouldn’t CBD be the same? The reason that CBD can help where THC cannot, is to do with how our body treats cannabinoids.

Cannabinoids don’t just exist within marijuana – we produce them on our own. These cannabinoids are used for a variety of different functions and are what the endocannabinoid system uses to regulate itself.

When there is an imbalance of cannabinoids, whether through ill health or due to other issues, it can have a variety of adverse effects. One such harmful effect can be anxiety. Alongside helping release the correct amount of cannabinoids, CBD oil is also able to help release other beneficial neurochemicals like serotonin. These neurochemicals are responsible for the sensation of happiness, contentment, and wellbeing, so are vital in fighting anxiety.

A variety of different studies, such as this one by Shannon et al. for The Permanente Journal, have found that, when taking a hefty dose of CBD oil, people with anxiety symptoms reported vastly decreased anxiety.

The critical thing is that you need to take it in extremely high doses. You need to take much more than you would take if you were just trying to treat inflammation or help deal with chronic pain.

But what about other drugs commonly used for anxiety? Is CBD any better or worse than them?

Is CBD Better Than Other Drugs for Treating Anxiety?

There is a vast variety of different drugs used to treat anxiety, with millions of people taking them every day.

However, the main problem with most conventional medication for anxiety is that it tends to be highly addictive. Medicines like barbiturates and benzoates do help reduce the intensity of anxiety, but they also quickly become habit-forming.

They can also have a vast host of adverse side effects, including drowsiness and all other kinds of health complications.

The relative lack of viable options for those with anxiety is part of the reason why so many people are using CBD oil for anxiety. It offers the ability to help tackle the condition without hitting them with too many unwanted side effects.

But surely CBD must have a few side effects? There must be some downsides!

Does CBD Oil Have Any Side Effects Worth Worrying About?

As with all things, even CBD oil has a few side effects. However, the critical thing to keep in mind when comparing CBD oil to other medications is that its side effects aren’t especially life-threatening.

In fact, they are just the other effects of CBD oil. This means that, instead of suffering uncomfortable consequences as a result of taking CBD oil, you instead get the very best CBD effects.

For example, one common side effect is an increase in drowsiness at nighttime. However, this is accompanied by an increase in awareness during the day time, making it only a problem if you try and live nocturnally.

Additionally, CBD oil tends to lower your blood pressure a small amount, due to its effect on the vascular system. While this could be a problem for those with blood pressure issues, for most people, it isn’t any kind of concern.

Finally, some people report increased instances of weight loss and diarrhea for the first few days after taking CBD oil, but this passes relatively quickly.

So, as long as you keep this small list of side effects in mind, you can certainly use CBD oil for anxiety. You can easily find CBD for sale in all manner of different online retailers, as well as plenty more information at websites like Marijuanabreak.