From the Project CBD Archives:
Cannabis, CBD & Anxiety
Could cannabidiol help us cope during stressful times?
CBD for Frontline Healthcare Workers
Cannabidiol shows promise as an anti-anxiety treatment.
Feeling Corona-Crazy?
Give your endocannabinoid system a boost.
Cannabis Use and Pro-Social Behavior
Scientists link weed smoking to greater empathy, agreeableness, and moral fairness.
From the Project CBD Patient Survey:
See the full survey here.
1,631 survey respondents reported taking CBD for mood disorders
70% Female | 28% Male | 2% Prefer not to say
Of the participants taking CBD for a mood disorder, most stated that they had anxiety, depression, or both. The most common types of anxiety were generalized anxiety disorder (50% of all participants taking CBD for anxiety), social anxiety (10%), and panic disorder (10%).
Most people with depression (58% of all participants taking CBD for depression) were not sure what type they had. Twelve percent of people taking CBD for depression said they had major depressive disorder, and seven percent said they had bipolar depression.
Most participants reported that their anxiety and/or depression were of moderate severity.
Types of Mood Disorders:
Severity of Anxiety:
Severity of Depression:
Changes in Symptoms:
Survey participants were asked to rate how CBD impacted 11 common symptoms of mood disorders (see chart below), indicating whether the symptom was a “much better,” “little better,” “no change,” a “little worse,” or “lot worse.” CBD appeared to be quite effective as an anti-anxiety agent and anti-depressant. Participants reported that it performed especially well at mitigating feelings of nervousness. Ninety-two percent of people experienced some relief, and 68% reported that feelings of nervousness were “much better” with CBD. CBD also performed well at relieving panic attacks, mitigating mood swings, and quelling feelings of agitation, irritability, and sadness.
CBD was less effective at mitigating difficulties concentrating, lack of interest in activities, and digestive upset. While still somewhat helpful for most, seventeen percent of people reported no improvement in these symptoms. And, 3% of people reported that the ability to concentrate worsened with CBD.
Scientific Research on CBD & Cannabis for Anxiety:
- CBD as an anxiolytic drug
- Antidepressant-Like and Anxiolytic-Like Effects of Cannabidiol: A Chemical Compound of Cannabis Sativa
- CBD reduces the anxiety induced by simulated public speaking in treatment-naïve social phobia patients
- Neural basis of anxiolytic effects of CBD in generalized social anxiety disorder
- Central anandamide deficiency predicts stress-induced anxiety: behavioral reversal through endocannabinoid augmentation
- Effects of CBD on regional cerebral blood flow
- The anxiolytic-like effects of cannabidiol injected into the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis are mediated by 5-HT1A receptors
- The anxiolytic effect of CBD on chronically stressed mice depends on hippocampal neurogenesis: involvement of the endocannabinoid system
- Plant-based medicines for anxiety disorders, part 2
- A systematic review of plant-derived natural compounds for anxiety disorders
- The Endocannabinoid System and Anxiety
- CBD regulation of emotion and emotional memory processing: relevance for treating anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders
- Effect of prior foot shock stress and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiolic acid, and cannabidiol on anxiety-like responding in the light-dark emergence test in rats
- Effectiveness of Cannabidiol Oil for Pediatric Anxiety and Insomnia as Part of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report.
- CBD Does Not Dampen Responses to Emotional Stimuli in Healthy Adults
- Plasma and brain pharmacokinetic profile of CBD, CBDV, THCV and CBG in rats and mice following oral and intraperitoneal administration and CBD action on obsessive-compulsive behavior
- Cannabinoid-related agents in the treatment of anxiety disorders: current knowledge and future perspectives
- Current status and prospects for cannabidiol preparations as new therapeutic agents