CBD
Did you know that nearly 20% of Americans suffer from anxiety? While nearly 10% had a major depressive episode in 2020 alone.
Coping with mental disorders can be a lifelong struggle, but you are not alone! Many of those living with anxiety or coping with depression find that using CBD is helpful.
Are you wondering if CBD for anxiety and depression works? Keep reading to find out!
Living With Anxiety: What Does It Look Like?
Feeling anxious is a normal response to stressful situations. These situations can include moving to a new place, a new job, or going on a date.
However, if you are experiencing anxiety most of the time or it is so intense that it hinders you, you might have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, or race.
You may experience panic attacks from time to time, where you will notice a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and excessive fear about otherwise regular situations.
It doesn’t mean that you are being irrational or that you are blowing things out of proportion, as many will claim. On the contrary, your feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and fear are very real, even if there is no immediate threat to you as a person.
How Can CBD Help?
CBD is short for cannabidiol. It is found in the cannabis plant and is often derived from hemp. Hemp does not contain any THC, which is the chemical responsible for the psychoactive reaction you likely know as feeling “high.”
On the other hand, CBD does not make you high, but it can provide other benefits.
In the 90s, biologists discovered the endocannabinoid system, also called the ECS, in our bodies. The endocannabinoid receptors in our bodies are similar to the cannabinoids found in cannabis. As a result, cannabinoids like CBD can change the functions that the ECS is responsible for.
Some studies suggest that CBD mainly interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors found in our nervous system. These receptors control the levels of serotonin.
Some studies suggest that low serotonin levels play an important factor in anxiety and depression.
Some research suggests that CBD can help reduce certain symptoms of anxiety by altering the serotonin receptors.
Best CBD for Anxiety
CBD can come in many forms. There are currently a lot of products on the market that contain CBD, as studies continue to show some major benefits.
Your options include:
- Edibles
- Oil
- Tinctures
- Topicals
- Dried flowers
However, for the best results and little risk, we recommend edibles. Edibles like gummies and drinks can help relax your stress levels and help relieve other anxiety symptoms.
Plus, you get to treat yourself to a tasty and convenient snack!
Coping With Depression: What Does It Look Like?
Depression, much like anxiety, can be crippling. It can affect your social life, work-life, and intimate relationships, both platonic and romantic.
While everyone can feel down for a day, if you notice a pattern of negative feelings, you might be dealing with depression. It can drain your energy, motivation, and hope as you try to navigate your day.
Snapping out of it is not an option, as doing the things that can help will feel overwhelming and impossible.
There are several causes of depression. It could be a hormone imbalance, medication, a difficult situation, genetics, and more.
If you suspect that you have depression, speak with a doctor.
How Can CBD Help?
As mentioned before, CBD interacts with receptors found in our central nervous system. When CBD interacts with the ECS, it alters how our body releases serotonin.
Serotonin actually has surprising functions. It is mainly found in the digestive system like our stomach and intestines. So serotonin here helps regulate our bowel movements and other digestive functions.
However, serotonin is also found in our brain. The function of serotonin in the brain is to regulate our sleep, mood, and libido. This is why you will often see anti-depressants affecting your sex drive.
As we saw above, CBD alters the way our body releases serotonin. So when your levels are normal, you may feel happier and calmer.
Best CBD for Depression
Edibles are at the forefront of the CBD industry. But even edibles can come in several forms.
For example, CBD can come in full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate. For CBD to be a legal substance in all states, it cannot contain high levels of THC.
0.3% THC or lower will not get you high, which is the acceptable amount in CBD products.
If a CBD product contains a tiny amount of THC, it is considered full-spectrum, while no THC is called broad-spectrum. Broad-spectrum CBD still contains other cannabinoids. If you want to consume only CBD, CBD isolate is your best bet.
Whether you want to consume broad or full-spectrum is entirely up to you. Studies are inconclusive, but they suggest that a full-spectrum CBD provides more benefits as all components work together for the best result.
However, broad-spectrum is a great option if you are wary of THC. There is still a lot of research needed for THC and cannabis in general. Speak with your doctor to understand the risks and benefits of CBD.
If you are unsure which one is best for you, check out our quiz!
CBD for Anxiety and Depression: Get Yours Today
While continuous research is still needed, we have seen some promising results for CBD for anxiety and depression.
Are you looking for something to help ease the symptoms? Shop around our line of CBD products today!