Cannabidiol (CBD) has a pretty good reputation for its anti-anxiety effects, but does CBD really help with anxiety? Research on CBD from hemp has been less limited than CBD from cannabis, and even CBD from cannabis has been studied more closely in recent years. A lot of scientific evidence has accumulated over time suggesting that CBD may help some people with anxiety, although it varies from person to person.
As early as 2015, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported CBD has several medicinal benefits. These included anti-anxiety effects, based on several scientific findings showing the safety and effectiveness of CBD in treating a range of symptoms related to anxiety and stress. It was also mentioned that “the anxiety-reducing effects of CBD appear to be mediated through changes in serotonin receptor 1a signaling,” suggesting that more research is needed to determine the exact mechanisms that trigger these anxiety-reducing responses. [1]
This call for more research seemed to skip over at the time research which was published in 2010. Scientists in Brazil examined the neural basis of the anxiolytic effects of CBD in generalized anxiety (SAD). Their research concluded that CBD “significantly reduced subjective anxiety” and recommends CBD for reducing anxiety in people diagnosed with SAD. It should also be noted that the effective dose for the anti-anxiety effects was 400 mg of CBD. [2]
While these research results sound promising, cannabinoid medicine is still a very individual process, which means that it can vary from person to person due to our unique biological makeup. A study The study, published earlier this year, looked at a possible placebo effect if patients are already firmly convinced of the effectiveness of CBD in reducing anxiety. They confirmed that the expected results from CBD influenced many of the participants’ subjective and physiological responses, including anxiolytic effects. [3] CBD seems to help several people with varying levels of anxiety and symptoms, but these types of pointers to keep in mind when wondering whether CBD can help with your anxiety.
References:
1 – Volkow, N. The biology and potential therapeutic effects of cannabidiol. National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2015. https://archives.drugabuse.gov/testimonies/2015/biology-potential-therapeutic-effects-cannabidiol
2 – Crippa, J. et al., Neural Basis of the Anxiolytic Effects of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder: A Preliminary Report. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2010. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881110379283
3 – Spinella, T. et al., Evaluation of the anticipatory effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on acute stress and anxiety in healthy adults: a randomized crossover study. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021 Jul; 238 (7): 1965-1977. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33813611/