Anxiety is a something many of us experience periodically, especially during stressful times, and may include feelings of fear, worry, nervousness, uncertainty and unease. Anxiety is also often accompanied by physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate, shallow breathing, and sweating.
While serious anxiety disorders may require professional treatment, mild-to-moderate anxiety, on the other hand, can often be alleviated by natural solutions, such as diet, exercise, nutritional supplements, as well as cannabis.
Just how can cannabis help? It turns out that this naturally beneficial herb contains numerous cannabinoids and terpenes with a range of anxiety-relieving properties. This means that certain forms of cannabis have an anxiolytic effect,1 which describes any medication or other intervention that inhibits anxiety.
Fortunately, cannabis offers these benefits without the side effects often associated with potentially habit-forming prescription anxiolytic drugs, such as drowsiness, dizziness, lowered blood pressure, slowed breathing, and memory problems.2
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive cannabinoid responsible for marijuana’s mind-altering effects, whereas cannabidiol (CBD) is the primary non-psychoactive cannabinoid. Thus, CBD does not trigger a “high” or alter consciousness. Clinical trials show that CBD has a calming effect on the central nervous system.3 For this and other reasons, CBD has, in recent years, drawn increasing interest as a treatment for a range of neuropsychiatric disorders.4
In seeking out the right type of cannabis to help soothe anxiety, it makes sense to begin with lower doses of THC, which have been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, as opposed to higher doses may actually increase these feelings in some individuals.5
Consider that sativa strains tend to be higher in THC and more likely to have a stimulating, energizing effect, whereas indica strains are generally lower in THC and have been shown to have a sedative effect that calms and relaxes the body. As a general guide when it comes to reducing feelings of anxiety naturally with cannabis, you may find that you fare best with indica-heavy hybrid strains with a high CBD-to-THC ratio.
You can find these anxiety-soothing combinations in edible and sublingual forms, which are far better for you than exposing your lungs to smoke at a time when we face a highly contagious, global virus that attacks lung and respiratory health. If there was ever a time to work proactively to nourish our vital organs and build immune wellness naturally, it’s now. Here’s to your health and serenity…
References:
1https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiolytics#takeaway
2https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiolytics#warnings
3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/
4Neurotherapeutics. 2015 Oct;12(4):825-36. doi: 10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1
5https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091305718303861