Marijuana has been used for thousands of years as a natural treatment. As marijuana becomes more generally legal in the United States, both for medicinal and recreational purposes, more people are turning to cannabis to help them manage stress and other conditions.
This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of cannabis edible for anxiety and how they can help reduce anxiety.
The relationship between cannabis and anxiety
It’s tough to explain whether cannabis relieves or creates anxiety because the response varies based on the individual. Some people experience “weed anxiety,” while others find the effects of marijuana relaxing. Some credible CBD experts claim edible for anxiety helps calm nerves without side effects.
This means that despite cannabis’s reputation for causing relaxation, using it may not result in a pleasant or soothing experience. Anxiety after consuming cannabis is most likely in those who:
- Take too much marijuana
- Use cannabis with very high potency
- Beginner to use marijuana
Long-term cannabis edible for anxiety, according to research, can be harmful. While cannabis may be soothing in the short term, continued usage might create or worsen anxiety symptoms. It is also thought to create additional long-term concerns like cognition deficits and memory loss.
Furthermore, a person’s mental state and surroundings when consuming edibles influence their behavior.
Does cannabis help treat anxiety?
There have been few human clinical trials using edibles for anxiety. However, evidence from animal studies and cannabis user surveys suggests that the substance may be effective. This is especially true when cannabis comes in the form of CBD oil.
According to a 2010 study, CBD oil improved anxiety symptoms in people with social anxiety disorder. Participants’ brains were scanned, which revealed that cannabis caused alterations in blood flow to areas of the brain associated with anxiety.
These data show that cannabis edibles may be useful in treating anxiety. It also explains how CBD interacts with the brain to do this.
According to Trusted Source, most past cannabis studies used animal models. Based on these findings, CBD oil may be able to help with a variety of anxiety conditions. Post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder were among them.
Cannabis edible for anxiety is an effective and lasting solution.
Although, human research is required to confirm these findings. Furthermore, this study primarily used acute CBD dosage. As a result, more research is needed to determine whether chronic dosage has similar effects, long-term impacts, or both.
A 2018 survey looked at the use of cannabis to treat depression and anxiety symptoms. It was shown that medical cannabis users reported a 58% decrease in anxiety and tension.
Furthermore, females reported less anxiety after consuming edibles for anxiety than males. It was also shown that cannabis with a high THC and CBD content was the most helpful in lowering stress.
Potential disadvantages
Even if marijuana relieves your anxiety symptoms, it poses risks to your physical health. It can, for example, impair motor coordination and control.
Weed use has also been linked to short-term memory loss in people who begin smoking marijuana in adolescence. However, it is unknown how it impacts long-term memory.
According to a 2018 report, smoking cannabis can increase the risk of cardiac problems such as irregular heartbeat, especially in older people. However, this could result from smoking and is unrelated to the substance.
Benefits of treating anxiety with cannabis
There are numerous reports of medical marijuana users experiencing reduced nausea, increased appetite, and reduced pain and inflammation.
But what effect does marijuana have on anxiety?
The FDA has not approved edibles for anxiety for medical purposes, although it has allowed the use of CBD in limited circumstances. You can still obtain marijuana-based treatments that doctors prescribe off-label, a word used to indicate when a doctor uses medication for a purpose other than the one mentioned on the label. Anxiety is one of these off-label applications.
Marijuana is supposed to help with relaxation, serenity, and sleep. It is sometimes used to treat social anxiety, agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorders, and anxiety-related sleep disturbances.
Marijuana has a complicated influence on anxiety, appearing to relieve some while making others worse. On the other hand, marijuana-induced anxiety appears to be linked to higher THC and lower cannabis doses.
Indeed, cannabis may be effective in treating anxiety on its own. According to a 2015 survey, edibles for anxiety may have therapeutic advantages for anxiety, but additional research is needed.
“Current evidence indicates CBD has substantial potential as a treatment for many anxiety disorders, with a need for further exploration of chronic and therapeutic effects in relevant clinical populations,” according to the review by The American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics.
Cannabis, particularly CBD and low THC doses, may temporarily relieve anxiety symptoms.
If you decide to experiment with edibles for anxiety, remember that they can cause anxiety in certain people. There’s no way of knowing how it will impact you until you try it. It’s advisable to take it with caution and in tiny amounts.
Other nonmedical remedies may also be effective in alleviating anxiety symptoms if you’re seeking alternative treatment options. Remember that mental health can be challenging, but conditions like anxiety can be efficiently handled with the right effort.
Disclaimer
It is very important for users to speak to a doctor before they opt for cannabis for anxiety. This is also recommended if you have used cannabis in the past. Since everyone reacts differently to the effects of the herb, doctors might also be able to prescribe specific strains to help with your anxiety.
