CBD for Anxiety

As many as 40 million Americans claim to have some form of Anxiety disorder.  Here is a list of some of the most prevalent:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD – anxiety felt in a wide range of situations. 
• Social anxiety disorder or SAD – the fear of being negatively judged or rejected in social situations. 
• Panic disorder – is the sudden feelings of terror resulting in panic attacks. 
• Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD – is described as uncontrollable repetitive thoughts and behavior. 
• Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD – is described by flashbacks that develop over some type of traumatic event.

There also are phobias, which are extreme fears triggered by a situation or object. 

CBD is now being used to combat all forms of anxiety disorders.  CBD works in conjunction with our Endocannabinoid system, ECS.  Our ECS is a network of receptors throughout the brain, nervous system, and immune system.  The ECS regulates our feeling of mental balance and sense of calm.  CBD smooths the signaling between CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brains and these other systems.  Several studies have confirmed that CBD stimulates signaling between the CB1 and CB2 receptors and promotes the creation of new neurons in the brain.

Our ECS is constantly working to keep our physiological systems in balance but all forms of stress can eventually damage our ECS.  The CB1 receptors in the brain and central nervous system has been found to calm feelings of anxiety, which explains why consuming cannabis tends to relax people.  There have also been studies showing how CBD interacts with serotonin 5-HT1A receptors in the brain, which are tried and tested targets for anti-anxiety medication.

The more research that is done, the more information there is showing the positive effects of CBD reducing all forms of anxiety.