Our world is filled with stress, and it seems that things are only getting worse. Today’s fast-paced life full of deadlines and problems can affect even the strongest individuals, and sooner or later, everyone breaks. We are so focused on our everyday tasks and chores that we forget to take care of the most important thing – ourselves! And that’s why we often feel stressed, which could lead to anxiety disorder, and in more serious cases – panic attacks. There are many ways to take better care of our mental health, and one of them, believe it or not, is CBD oil. This non-psychoactive product made from the cannabis plant can help you slow down a little and finally find some time for yourself.
Compared to traditional psychological treatments, specially designed to calm you down and help you cope better with your anxiety or panic disorder, CBD oil has almost no side effects and a ton of benefits. Research on CBD oil is still in its early stages, but what we know so far is showing incredible potential, especially in the area of mental health. It’s completely changing our understanding of how our body reacts, and it helps psychologists find better and more efficient treatments to help us in our tough times.
But is CBD oil a good choice for you? Let’s find out together!
What Is CBD Oil?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the main ingredients of cannabis. Unlike THC, the other main ingredient, it does not have psychoactive properties.
They have the same chemical structure, but there is a slight difference in the way the atoms are arranged, meaning you can experience all the health benefits but without the mind-altering side effects.
How does CBD work? It’s very simple. Our body produces cannabinoids and has two cannabinoid receptors known as CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors can be found throughout the entire body, and most of them are in our brains. These receptors deal with our emotions, thoughts, mood, memory, appetite, coordination, movement, and many other functions.
On the other hand, CB2 receptors are most common in the immune system, and they can affect inflammation and pain.
Scientists have discovered that CBD stimulates the body to use more of its cannabinoids. This then helps you deal better with different kinds of physical or mental issues.
CBD Oil and Stress
When we are in a stressful situation, our body is preparing for a fight-or-flight situation. This is an incredible reaction if we face a life or death danger because it can help us react in the best possible way to ensure our own survival.
Unfortunately, our modern way of living can put us into a perpetual state of panic, and our bodies, not being designed to function in this way, are starting to break. This can lead to depression, heart disease, fatigue, weakened immune system, digestive problems, headaches, and much more.
That said, the best way to fight stress is to simply relax. But this is easier said than done, especially if you are being exposed to chronic stress. Studies show that CBD oil can help in this situation. It can be a holistic approach that might be able to help you relax. That’s the first step towards a life with no stress.
CBD Oil and Anxiety
A small dose of anxiety is very healthy and can help us be more vigilant and prepared for our everyday lives. However, as with everything else, the key is in moderation. At higher doses, anxiety can wreak havoc on our entire lives.
Long term exposure to stress will, without any doubt, lead to an anxiety disorder. According to research, one in four Americans will suffer from an anxiety disorder during their lifetime, meaning they will experience feelings of dread accompanied by racing thoughts and physical reactions.
Just like it is the case with stress, all it takes for our body to fight off the anxiety is to simply relax. That’s why CBD oil can help in this situation as well, and it seems that only 25 mg/d might be a successful treatment for people with anxiety and cognitive impairments.
CBD Oil and Panic Attacks
If left untreated, anxiety can lead to panic attacks and panic disorder. Some physical symptoms include racing the heart, sweating or feeling chills, trembling or shaking, chest pain, shortness of breath, etc. While the symptoms last, the person experiences a fear of losing control or dying.
We don’t have to explain how badly this can affect your body, especially in the long term. Dealing with panic attacks is not easy at all, and most of the time, it requires professional help from a psychotherapist combined with medications.
But not everyone can tolerate those treatments, and they usually have tons of unwanted side effects. On the other hand, research has shown us that CBD oil has powerful calming properties and is well-tolerated by people. It can relax the body long enough for you to be able to get back to reality.
Bottom Line
By constantly being exposed to stress and anxiety, people are in need of a more holistic approach to healing. Even psychologists are starting to suggest that people should combine traditional psychotherapy and medications with different kinds of relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.
That’s where CBD oil comes to play. It can become your beacon of light in a dark period, helping you to return to health, one step at a time. Its proven calming effects might be just the thing you need to finally start feeling like yourself again. Who would have thought that only one relaxing day or one night with a quality sleep can make a difference between a well-balanced person and stress sufferer?
That said, it’s best if you first speak with a medical professional, especially if you already have some kind of prescription. CBD oil might interfere with the work of other drugs, making them too weak or too strong for you. It might not be the best choice for you, depending on your health history, so be careful about its use.
References
Esther M. Blessing, corresponding author Maria M. Steenkamp, Jorge Manzanares, and Charles R. Marmar (2015) Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics, 12 (4): 825–836. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/
Rafael M. Bitencourt and Reinaldo N. Takahashi (2018) Cannabidiol as a Therapeutic Alternative for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: From Bench Research to Confirmation in Human Trials. Front Neurosci, 12: 502. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6066583/
Vanessa P. Soares and Alline C. Campos (2017) Evidences for the Anti-panic Actions of Cannabidiol. Curr Neuropharmacol, 15 (2): 291–299. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5412699/
