CBD Oil for Anxiety: When to Expect Relief

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States, afflicting approximately 31.1% of adults at some point in their lives. Anxiety can be debilitating, so finding ways to manage the symptoms is crucial to limit its impact on your life. CBD oil has become a popular alternative treatment for many different health conditions, including anxiety disorders. If you aren't familiar with CBD, you may be wondering, is CBD oil a drug, can it get you high, and how effective is it for anxiety? Learning more about how CBD oil works for anxiety can help you decide if you may want to pursue this type of alternative treatment.

At Confidant Health, we understand that anxiety can make everything feel harder than it should be, including getting professional help for your condition. We make it easy with our convenient online anxiety treatment and support program. Simply download our app to get started today.

What Is CBD?

CBD is cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid or compound that comes from the Cannabis sativa plant. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is another well-known cannabinoid; however, THC is psychoactive and responsible for the euphoric high associated with marijuana. CBD does not get you high but has been found to offer a wide variety of health benefits, including relief from anxiety.

How Does CBD Work?

CBD works by binding to cannabinoid, serotonin, and other receptors in the brain, which calms the central nervous system. It does not interact with the same receptors as THC, so it will not get you high.

How to Use CBD

You should learn how to use CBD properly before using it as part of your anxiety treatment plan. Taking too much of it early on won't necessarily enhance the benefits and may increase the risk of side effects, so you should consult your provider for an appropriate dosing schedule. Providers cannot currently prescribe CBD for anxiety since it has not been approved yet for this purpose. However, they can recommend it as an alternative treatment and provide guidance regarding dosage. 

CBD Dosage

The most common dosage used for severe anxiety disorders is 300 to 600 mg. However, the CBD dosage needed for anxiety treatment depends on your individual needs. For example, board-certified MD Kimberly Langdon recommends 25 to 75 mg daily for generalized anxiety and sleep disorders. Your primary care physician may not have experience with CBD, so you might need to search for another provider, such as an alternative medicine practitioner, if you are interested in receiving guidance on CBD dosage. They can conduct an assessment and determine which dosage to start with.

Generally, your provider will suggest a lower dose to begin and monitor your symptoms. From there, they may recommend increasing your CBD dosage as needed to keep anxiety symptoms under control. You can also do this on your own by starting at a low dosage and slowly increasing it until you experience the desired anxiety relief. 

CBD Prescription

One CBD product, Epidiolex, has been FDA-approved to treat epileptic seizures. However, CBD is not FDA-approved for anxiety, so providers cannot prescribe this type of treatment. However, they can offer guidance and information if they are knowledgeable on the subject. If you are looking for advice on using CBD for anxiety, you can search for physicians, alternative health providers, or pharmacists with experience in CBD treatment. 

CBD Administration Methods

CBD is available in many different forms, such as:

• Oil
• Tinctures
• Capsules
• Edibles
• Nasal spray
• Sublingual spray
• Sublingual tablets
• Oral solution
• Vaporized oil or cannabis buds
• Lotions and balms

The product package should have instructions for dosage and administration, which you should follow carefully. Generally, oral methods involve either dissolving the product under your tongue, eating it, or swallowing it. Some CBD products are designed to work with a vape pen, while a nasal spray would be sprayed directly into the nostrils. You'll also find topical CBD products that are massaged into the skin.

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Benefits and Uses of CBD Oil

CBD oil is made from cannabidiol, a compound found in the Cannabis sativa plant. CBD alone will not get you high, but its fellow compound, THC, will produce the high associated with marijuana. Using CBD oil will produce some of the other desirable effects of THC, such as relaxation. Some of the benefits of using CBD include:

• Relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Alleviates insomnia and other sleep disturbances
• Decreases pain from chronic health conditions
• Helps manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures
• Supports recovery from opioid use disorder
• Helps manage joint pain and stiffness associated with arthritis
• Protects from complications related to diabetes
• Supports healthy neurological function

There are plenty of other uses for CBD oil, and studies continue to explore how this cannabinoid can help people support their health and well-being.

CBD Oil for Anxiety

Although the FDA has not approved CBD oil to treat anxiety, a review of preclinical evidence from human studies showed that many participants experienced relief from their symptoms when using 300 to 600 mg of CBD. 

One retrospective case series examined the use of CBD for patients in a psychiatric clinic struggling with anxiety and sleep disorders. CBD oil was administered in capsule form with a dosage of either 25, 50, or 75mg per day. Two months after CBD treatment began, 78.1% of the patients reported improvements in their anxiety symptoms with minimal to no side effects.

These findings provide hope for people struggling to manage mild to severe anxiety. Still, more studies are needed to move forward with gaining FDA approval for CBD oil for anxiety treatment. 

How Long Does It Take for CBD Oil to Work for Anxiety?

Some forms of CBD oil can have almost immediate effects on anxiety symptoms, while others can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to kick in. Your provider or pharmacist can help you to select the most appropriate form of CBD to address your anxiety symptoms. This may be a combination of CBD products so that you can find immediate relief from anxiety that strikes suddenly or prepare in advance for anxiety-provoking situations. CBD products that take a bit longer to kick in are often used to maintain an overall sense of calm and relaxation throughout the day.

Factors Influencing the Time It Takes for CBD to Work

How long it takes for CBD to work depends on several factors, such as:

How it is Administered

The administration method is one of the most important factors in how long it takes for CBD to work for anxiety. You'll experience the fastest results by smoking or vaping CBD. Capsules, tablets, sprays, oils, and edibles can take approximately 30 minutes to two hours to provide relief for anxiety.

The Concentration of CBD Used

The higher the CBD concentration in a product, the faster you will feel the benefits. 

Your Body Composition 

Generally, a person with lower body weight or a faster metabolism will experience the effects of CBD in less time. 

Food

Taking CBD oil on an empty stomach will result in faster effects. 

In addition to considering how long it takes for CBD oil to work for anxiety, you also want to think about efficacy. Ideally, you want to choose a high-quality formula from a trusted manufacturer and select CBD oil in which CBD is the main ingredient. This will ensure the best results.

CBD Oil FAQs

Is CBD oil a drug?

There is some controversy over whether CBD is a drug. Merriam-Webster and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act define a drug as “a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of a disease.” By this definition, CBD could be considered a drug since it has been shown to mitigate symptoms of anxiety and other health conditions. However, some people perceive a drug to be a substance that has mind-altering effects, which would cross CBD off the drug list. Also, drug tests can detect the presence of THC while CBD is not on the radar, which could support the belief that CBD is not a drug.

While CBD may or may not be considered a drug, whether it is a legal drug is a much more complex issue. CBD oil and other products derived from hemp were removed from the schedule of Controlled Substances by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in accordance with The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill.

Some CBD oils and other products may contain small amounts of THC but are not considered to be controlled substances unless the content is more than 0.3 percent THC. CBD products containing more than this amount are classified as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. It would then be considered illegal to access the product without a prescription. Unfortunately, many CBD products contain inconsistent quantities of cannabidiol and may unknowingly contain large enough amounts of THC to qualify as a controlled substance due to incorrect extraction procedures or unintended pollination.

Keep in mind this does not take into account states that have legalized marijuana and products containing THC. You will not have the same restrictions mentioned above if your state has legalized marijuana, so your CBD oil could contain any level of THC without qualifying as a controlled substance. However, some organizations within your state, such as certain universities, may still prohibit these products on their property.

What medications should not be taken with CBD oil?

As with other medications and supplements, CBD oil can potentially interact with certain substances. Some medications you should not take with CBD oil without your provider’s approval include:

• Antidepressants like Prozac
• Antihistamines like Benadryl
• Antipsychotics like Risperdal
• Benzodiazepines like Xanax
• Blood thinners like Coumadin
• Opioids like OxyContin

You should also avoid alcohol and herbal supplements intended for relaxation or sleep. Using CBD alongside other substances that depress the central nervous system can amplify the sedative effects, whether the substance is an over-the-counter or prescription medication, a nutritional supplement, or a glass of wine or beer. Oversedation can put you at risk of an accident, getting injured, or slowing your breathing to dangerously low levels.

Consult your provider before using CBD if you are on blood thinners or medications for diabetes, ADHD, seizures, or thyroid conditions since CBD can interfere with them. Combining CBD with these medications can alter the concentration of the medicine in your blood, rendering your prescription ineffective or increasing its strength.

What are the side effects of CBD oil?

Most people experience little to no side effects with CBD oil. Some of the most common adverse effects associated with CBD are: 

• Diarrhea
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Fatigue
• Lightheadedness
• Liver damage
• Low blood pressure
• Nausea
• Reduced appetite

Since CBD is not FDA approved for any medical conditions other than epileptic seizures, most products are not highly regulated and may not contain the amount of CBD listed on the label. You may have no problems with one bottle of CBD oil but experience side effects from the next bottle due to inconsistencies in each batch. And if the product unknowingly contains THC, that can increase the chances of side effects. To minimize adverse effects from CBD products, stick to high-quality formulas from reputable manufacturers. 

What other medical conditions can be treated with CBD oil?

CBD oil is an excellent alternative therapy for generalized anxiety disorder, but it can also assist with many other medical conditions, such as:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Panic disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Social anxiety disorder
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Fibromyalgia
• Insomnia
• Migraines
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Depression
• Chronic pain
• Cancer-related symptoms

More clinical studies are needed to further support the use of CBD oil for medical conditions, but preclinical evidence has been promising for the above and many other conditions. If you are interested in trying CBD for a mental or physical health condition, talk to your provider or pharmacist for recommendations on dosage and reputable brands. 

Confidant Health: Virtual Anxiety Treatment and Support

At Confidant Health, we want to make getting help for anxiety as easy and accessible as possible. Our virtual anxiety treatment and support program allows you to access the help you need right from your smartphone. Download our app today and schedule an online assessment so you can find the relief you need from debilitating anxiety symptoms.

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