Cannabidiol is a natural chemical found in marijuana and hemp of the Cannabis Sativa plant family. In 2018, the Farm Bill excluded hemp from the legal definition of marijuana. Since then, its use has been legalized in the states. According to it, hemp-derived CBD products that contain less than 0.3% THC are federally legal. However, those that exceed these criteria are still illegal. Moreover, the FDA has not approved prescribed CBD products for daily use yet. Therefore before buying or using CBD products, like CBD Vape Oil, it is better to check the state laws.
Cannabidiol is a chief non-psychotomimetic and non-addictive component of the Cannabis Sativa plant. Its praises are well sung globally for their therapeutic powers over anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.
Today, almost 31.1% of US adults face one or another kind of anxiety disorder. Similarly, mostly around 18 and 19 years of age, teenage adults go through a social anxiety disorder. (SAD)
The good news is, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD doesn’t cause you to feel intoxicated or high but gives you peace and calm. Moreover, several studies show that CBD has promising impacts on anxiety disorders.
In this article, we will discover whether CBD vape oil is fruitful in overcoming social anxiety or not.
Let’s explore together!
How does CBD work?
The human brain has several receptors, and these receptors are protein-based chemical structures attached to the body cells. Its chief work is to receive signals from different stimuli. These receptors are located in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system of the human body. Researchers believe that CBD interacts with both CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain.
Although it is not yet understood how CBD affects CB1 receptors in the brain. But the research says it might alter serotonin signals. The neurotransmitter serotonin plays a pivotal role in maintaining sound mental health. A low level of serotonin in individuals means higher chances of depression. In most cases, because of the deficiency of enough serotonin in the body, people face conditions like anxiety and depression.
It is super important to increase serotonin levels to relieve oneself from anxiety and depression. The traditional treatment for low serotonin levels includes the use of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) like sertraline (Zoloft) or fluoxetine (Prozac). The challenge with using SSRIs is that they are only available by a legit doctor’s prescription.
But now gone are those days when people rely on these conventional methods. These days, CBD is gaining more and more fame to reduce anxiety and its related effects. People have found a way to feel relaxed by consuming CBD oils, tinctures, capsules, and edibles. It is possible because of CBD’s anti-inflammatory and non-intoxication properties that make humans feel calm and composed.
In a 2015 review, its authors shared that CBD links the brain with the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, the CB1 receptor, and others responsible for regulating fear, nervousness, and anxiety.
The authors of the same review also found enough evidence that discovers CBD’s effectiveness on GAD (Generalized anxiety disorder), OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder), PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), PD (Panic disorder), and SAD (Social anxiety disorder).
CBD and anxiety
Multiple studies lead toward the potential benefits of CBD over anxiety. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has confirmed that CBD showed magical impacts on animals like rats by reducing anxiety sensations. In this study, the subjects (rats) were minutely observed. It concluded that with a drop in the rate of anxiety in these animals, other physiological symptoms of anxiety-like increased heart rate also improved.
Besides Generalized Anxiety Disorder, CBD may help people suffering from SAD (social anxiety disorder) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder.) Moreover, CBD might benefit people with anxiety-triggered insomnia as well.
A specific study was undertaken on SAD victims in 2011 to learn about CBD’s possible effects on them. Under the study, researchers supplied a dose of 400 milligrams (mg) of CBD to all the participants asked them to consume it orally. All these participants, after intaking CBD, confirmed an overall reduction in their anxiety levels later. In a 2020 study undertaken on 397 individuals from New Zealand, researchers surveyed CBD’s effects on them. The researchers gave medical CBD prescriptions to all the study participants for multiple:
- Cancer symptoms,
- Non-cancer symptoms
- Neurological signs, and
- Mental health signs.
Besides this, individuals who received CBD treatment to get rid of anxiety or depression also showed signs of improvement in their abilities to accomplish daily tasks, pain relief, and a decrease in anxiety & depression symptoms. Out of all in the study, 70% of participants reported their satisfaction with CBD treatment ranging from good to excellent.
Multiple recent studies were undertaken to look at CBD’s various capacities:
- to standalone as PTSD treatment,
- to perform as a medication supplement, and
- to act alone as CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy.)
These recent studies concluded that CBD might help with PTSD symptoms, too. According to it, CBD can successfully bring down the acts of having nightmares and replaying negative memories. Additionally, a study on thirty-seven 18 & 19-year-old Japanese teenagers concluded that cannabis oil shows impactful effects on reducing SAD.
Dosage
As CBD isn’t 100% FDA-approved, researchers and health professionals are yet in a dilemma to establish an ideal dosage for it. According to a 2019 study, 300–600 mg of CBD remarkably reduced anxiety symptoms in 57 adult males. Moreover, the perfect dosage of CBD therapy also depends on the type of CBD product you are consuming. Some well-known CBD administration methods are:
- oil
- sublingual spray
- capsules
- edibles
- vaporized oil or cannabis flowers
The orally administered CBD shows its effects in thirty to ninety minutes, whereas those vaped or smoked impact quicker than that. If you use CBD vape oil to control other conditions and now want to use it for anxiety, you should consult a doctor first.
Conclusion
Research after research during these years has shown one thing in common – CBD may help relieve the anxiety that is one of the most widespread mental disorders on the planet. However, FDA has neither approved CBD products nor regulated CBD treatments for anxiety. Therefore, it makes trusting producers and manufacturers of CBD oils challenging. So the bottom line is to consult a doctor first for your safety and avoid any side effects later on.
