With anxiety disorders being one of the most common in the mental health realm, it’s no surprise many are turning to CBD to relieve their distress. 40 million adults over the age of 18 experience an anxiety disorder of some kind every year. And it’s entirely treatable! But only 36.9% of people with an anxiety disorder receive treatment. It can be difficult to even get yourself in the position of getting help, and CBD can help.

While you are seeking treatment for your anxiety, one visit to the doctor isn’t going to cure you. It’s a process of your doctor getting to know you, analyzing what treatment methods would work best for you, and then implementing them. You also have to do the work of trying to get better.

It can be hard at first, having distress filling you to the brim. Many people suffer from panic attacks because of their anxiety, and it is a symptom that takes time to get control over. CBD can help with those panic attacks in the moment as well as a preventative measure just like the ordinary pharmaceuticals prescribed. The great thing about CBD is that it’s non-addictive unlike many medications, and it does more than just target your anxiety.

What Is CBD?

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Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical that is extracted from cannabis or a hemp plant. When consumed, this compound enters the bloodstream to work with our endocannabinoid system. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t bind directly to cannabinoid receptors that are on our neurons. Instead, it elevates chemicals, stimulates other non-cannabinoid receptors, and opens pathways to create reactions throughout the body. This is why you don’t get the same “high” effect as you would with THC.

What Is The Endocannabinoid System?

The endocannabinoid system is in charge of the entire body’s regulation. It makes sure you get a fever when you are sick to fight off a virus, it makes you hungry when your body needs food, and it makes assured that when you get angry, your emotions don’t stay permanent.

The endocannabinoid system is made up of three major parts, metabolic enzymes, cannabinoids receptors, and endocannabinoids. For the endocannabinoid system to keep you healthy, all of its parts have to be functioning correctly.

Endocannabinoids

Endocannabinoids were an exciting discovery because of their similarity to cannabinoids. Our brains organically make chemicals that mirror cannabinoids found in cannabis that stimulate cannabinoid receptors. The two that we know about are anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).

One role that endocannabinoids olay is mediation. While a cell is transmitting a message to a receiving cell, it could be over excited and sending too much information. This is stressful for the brain and you as well. Endocannabinoids travel backward through something called “retrograde signaling.” The endocannabinoids go from the receiving cell to the sending cell, giving the sending cell information to send more chemicals or send less.

If your endocannabinoids aren’t working correctly or aren’t high enough in presence, your brain can do whatever it wants. This can lead to mood disorders and more specifically, panic attacks.

Cannabinoid Receptors

There are two types of cannabinoid receptors so far labeled CB1 and CB2. These receptors are found all over the body. However, CB1 receptors are more densely populated in the brain. This could be because the primary function of CB1 receptors is to control the neurological functions of the body. CB2 receptors are spread out evenly through the body and control the immune functions.

Metabolic Enzymes

The metabolic enzymes in the endocannabinoid system synthesize endocannabinoids. This is interesting because usually chemicals that are used in the brain are held in a sac to be used when they are needed. Endocannabinoids are created on demand by metabolic enzymes, avoiding the possibility of an overload.

Metabolic enzymes also degrade chemicals in the brain that are no longer needed, like the endocannabinoids. Once the hormones have done their job, the metabolic enzymes will get rid of them keeping your brain free of debris. If a cell is damaged, these proteins will also repair them and help the healthy cells stay healthy.

CBD And Panic Attacks

When you have a panic attack, your heart might race, your thoughts might become confusing, you can even start sweating. Everyone’s panic attack is different, but they all stem from the same place.

When you have anxiety, the parts of your brain that recognize fear are overactive. During a panic attack, a bunch of chemicals are being sent from one cell to the other, carrying terrorizing messages of fear. CBD elevates endocannabinoids, so they get to use their retrograde signaling to save the day. They tell the sending cells to stop overloading the receiving neurons, making the transmission much calmer. This results in your body returning to normal, and your mind calms down.

CBD Can Help With Underlying Anxiety

It’s not enough to just be able to break out of panic attacks quickly with CBD oil; we want to stop having them altogether. Like stated before, treatment is necessary for recovery. However, taking CBD regularly can help with the underlying anxiety you might be feeling all day.

People with anxiety have overactive amygdalas, which are what create the constant sense of distress for people with disorders. CBD targets the amygdala, making it function regularly and giving you peace of mind.

There are many different types of anxiety disorders, and all of them can be treated with therapy and medicating. Luckily, you can choose the CBD route instead of pharmaceuticals if you prefer because they work just as well.

Different Types Of Anxiety CBD Helps Treat

CBD For General Anxiety Disorder

With 6.8 million adults experiencing General Anxiety Disorder each year, this is one of the most popular forms of anxiety. This particular type of anxiety affects women twice as much as men, and many people have developed a substance abuse disorder or depression. CBD helps with this anxiety disorder by calming the brain down when it gets overactive and prevents it from getting out of control.

CBD For Panic Disorder

This is when someone has recurrent panic attacks that are so severe and often their days are filled with dread over when the next one is going to occur. It can be extremely debilitating to everyday life, and if it goes untreated, it can cost people their jobs or even their lives. CBD can help the panic attacks while they are happening, which can relieve the fear of another one coming when you have a plan to defeat it.

CBD For Social Anxiety Disorder

Being extremely self-conscious in everyday situations is not normal. If you avoid meeting new people or have constant fears of being judged, you might have social anxiety, and you should talk to a mental health professional. If it is so extreme even talking to a mental health professional is a ridiculous idea, CBD can help calm your fears and make walking through the door easier.

CBD For Specific Phobias

This type of anxiety disorder can be extremely debilitating if the phobia is something difficult to avoid. Fear is only a product of the mind when it comes to phobias, and CBD can help make those spikes of fear less severe and can make conquering them easier.

CBD For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is when people have reoccurring and unwanted thoughts that can take over their lives. OCD can get so extreme people are spending hours a day needing to fulfill their routines. CBD can help make those urges weaker, and the anxiety felt when they haven’t been complete less severe.

CBD For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can happen to anyone and cause extremely violent episodes or devastating panic attacks that can blow up out of nowhere. Anger stems from anxiety because it comes from fear. CBD can help you control that anger and fear, as well as help, keep negative thoughts from being created that can drive you to an episode.

CBD For Depression

Depression is ubiquitous in people who are struggling with an anxiety disorder. Often, the depression can make the anxiety worse. Having the stress that you need to do something, but being too depressed to have the motivation to do it, and then increased anxiety from it not getting done. This may sound like a small instance that may have a minimal effect, but if this continually happens, it can bring wear and tear down on the brain, making the illness even worse. CBD can help with depression, making it easier to live a productive day.

The Importance Of Getting Help

People with anxiety are three to five times more likely to visit a doctor and are six times more likely to be put in a hospital for psychiatric care over those without anxiety disorders. Battling this mental illness by yourself can prove to be much harder than you might think. Talking with a professional can help you find where the distress comes from and how to overcome it completely to where you don’t need CBD for anxiety, you just take it to keep your skin clear.

If you are ready to take the next step to getting your anxiety under control, come check out our shop! We have great CBD oil tinctures that are perfect for quick relief. You can also buy isolates to make your own food or lotions! The possibilities are endless; it’s just up to you to go for it!