War, relationships, political news, work at home or office, all adding to the stress of life.  For some, they can manage it and move forward, for others, it can be a pit of sadness…but most it seems experience anxiety and depression at some point. In a surprise, the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey finds  half (50%) of adults ages 18-24 reported anxiety and depression symptoms. It can causes sleep deprivation, loss of energy, and high blood pressure and general uneasiness.

It is tough to deal with it while maintain your life. It is always good to talk to a trained medical professional and there are prescriptions, but can CBD oils help with anxiety & depression?

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol(CBD) can be extracted from cannabis plants, marijuana leaves, and hemp flowers. CBD products act as a natural remedy.  By consuming or using this product you will not get high or have any psychotic reaction. Numerous studies have been carried out on different products of CBD and a quality check has also been approved by the FDA.

Reports say that CBD has less than 0.3 % THC, which is very safe than a lot of other drugs and pills that are taken for mental health.

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CBD products are now legally consumed and distributed in many states and countries. The list includes countries like German, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, The USA & The UK.

Just like different brands of marijuana, there are also various brands of CBD oils available.

In the USA you can only use CBD products for medical purposes. It has to be prescribed by a licensed doctor for you to buy and consume it.

If your state has legalized the sale and consumption of cannabis products then it will be easier to find CBD oils in some particular cannabis clinics, shops, and online stores like CBD Oil Uk.

The Difference Between Stress And Anxiety

Stress is a short-term ailment that can happen regularly or once in a while and does not cause any serious damages. Besides, it can be managed easily.

If you face problems like frustration, exhaustion, muscle pain, digestive issues, and difficulty sleeping frequently then it is likely you are dealing with stress.

Anxiety is more severe than stress. It can not be alleviated easily. Instead, it is considered as non-stop excessive worry and fear even when everything is perfectly fine in your life.

Anxiety leads to a set of symptoms that are almost identical to stress but very serious. These include insomnia, difficulty in concentration, fatigue, and muscle tension.

It is important to differentiate the signs of stress and anxiety. Stress is a common cause of anxiety and to avoid anxiety symptoms, it is important to catch them early.

How CBD Products Can Help

Here are 4 ways CBD products can help reduce anxiety and depression-

1.CBD Improves Your Sleep Cycle

People suffering from anxiety often complain about the lack of sleep.

Excessive anxiety often interrupts your sleep cycle and lack of sleep can, in turn, result in more anxiety.

CBD has claimed to reduce anxiety levels. It has even shown positive results in clinical trials that is why the FDA has approved CBD in the first place.

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CBD helps calm our minds and increases the chances of falling asleep naturally and without any disruption.

Also, studies have proven that little extra dosage of CBD creates a sedative effect on your body and helps to sleep and lets your brain rest. CBD products are now used to treat people with insomnia as well.

2.CBD Reduces Pain & Inflammation

Earlier we have discussed that stress and anxiety can cause muscle pain, headaches, and chronic inflammation.

CBD products are completely natural. The products have been proven to be a muscle relaxant and work better than any standard painkillers since it has no side effects.

CBD also works as anti-inflammatory drugs. It controls cytokine production which is generally responsible for various inflammatory diseases in our body.

This increased inflammation is also connected to higher levels of anxiety. Just like sleep and anxiety, this one is also a chain reaction.

Inflammatory diseases like psoriasis and arthritis can cause depression and anxiety in the long run. CBD oil helps to reduce inflammation and pain by reducing cytokine and affecting CB-2 receptors. This reduces pain and decreases the chance of getting an anxiety attack.

3. CBD improves mood

CBD is considered as a “Neuroprotective” material. “Neuroprotective” actually means it will protect nerve cells by keeping a safe functioning state of the nervous system.

Moreover, it decreases the oxidative stress of your brain.

By keeping your negative emotions in check, CBD helps you to improve your mood and keeps your brain calm and relaxed. It reduces unnecessary stress and anxiety.

4. CBD Helps Enhance Metabolism

If you have a poor digestive and metabolism system, it will affect your quality of life.

It will make you feel bloated and lethargic. Illness disrupts the natural functioning of your body and if it becomes more serious it causes stress and ultimately, leads to anxiety.

If you start consuming CBD regularly, it will improve your metabolism, burn unnecessary fat, and make you feel better.

How To Choose CBD Products

CBD has various types of products in the market including oil, tablets, edibles, beverages, creams, and vape. Although the overall vape sales slowed down during this year. Things are starting to look better.

But still, the CBD oils are the most popular ones by a large margin. Each of the types provides almost the same benefits with some unique advantages of their own.  CBD oils have to be consumed daily and provide the most health benefits. They are also the most concentrated ones.  CBD gummies are sweet and take a long time to take effect. CBD lotions are best for exterior physical discomfort.

Depending on your medical condition, you should consult with a healthcare professional who has experience with CBD to choose the right product.

Some people get a case of the blues or the blahs.  But blaming anhedonia on cannabis isn’t really based in science.

The blues, the blahs, depression, or just feeling sad happens to must people. Relationship issues, bad news, stress and a lack of social outlets emerge over and over in data as major causes of feeling blah. Almost everyone has felt “down in the dumps” at times or had a case of “the blues.” In this state, you may have referred to yourself as feeling depressed. But over 5% suffer from some form clinical depression. But should you blame cannabis for feeling blah?  Marijuana has components which, used in moderation, make you feel happy, but it has gotten a bad reputation.

There is a myth cannabis use causes Anhedonia. It is the inability to experience joy or pleasure. You may feel numb or less interested in things that you once enjoyed. It’s a common symptom of many mental health conditions like depression. Marijuana use has been accused of trigger this ailment, but the facts are not there to back up the statement.

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No one is advocating those under 21 should use marijuana or alcohol, since the brain is still developing.  But marijuana has not be truly proven to cause depression, laziness, or blocking the feeling of pleasure. Research has shown THC in cannabis causes an increase in levels of dopamine, the pleasure chemical, in the brain. Used in moderation, it can have a positive effect.  And, in the right dose, can also relieve anxiety, which tends to help people approach life more positively.

Cambridge University has published a paper showing adolescent cannabis users are not more likely to “lack motivation and the ability to enjoy life’s pleasures.”  This shows  the stereotypical cannabis user as often portrayed by the media is not grounded in science. The study was carried out by researchers from UCL, Kings College of London Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and the University of Cambridge. The results were published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. From the research, regular cannabis users had slightly lower scores for anhedonia.

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

Another study, published in The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, showed a null relationship between anhedonia and regular cannabis use. The researchers used data from an earlier study that had investigated cannabis use in teens, called the “CannTeen study.”

Researchers examined 274 participants including adults (26-29 years) and adolescents (16-17 years). The participants were regular cannabis users who had used cannabis in the last three months, with an average use of four times per week. The Snaith Hamilton Pleasure Scale was used to measure anhedonia while the Apathy Evaluation Scale was used to measure apathy.

The results showed that the control group (those who didn’t use cannabis or didn’t use it regularly) had higher levels of anhedonia. This was quite surprising and contrary to the widely held belief that regular cannabis use diminishes one’s enthusiasm for life.

It manifests in multiple ways, but if you suffer from some form of anxiety, it can be miserable.  It is believed over 4% of the global population deal with it on a regular basis.  Some people experience side effects with traditional medications including fatigue, tiredness, agitation,  difficulty sleeping, and weight issues. Research has shown cannabis can help, but should you use CBD or marijuana for anxiety?

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Used effectively, marijuana can certainly benefit anxiety patients. A study in the Journal of Affective Disorders reported that about 90% of participants experienced reduction in symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression in the short term. Repeated use, however, did not cause any long-term decrease in baseline symptoms and could increase depression over time.

At high doses, however, some studies show that marijuana can worsen anxiety. This is due to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid that causes marijuana’s psychoactive effect. THC makes your heart beat faster and leads to racing thoughts, both of which can exacerbate anxiety. Sometimes, you hear someone with anxiety smoking a joint at a party, thinking it will relieve symptoms. Instead it causes them to feel worse and reject cannabis as therapeutic.

A 2015 review concluded that “current evidence indicates CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders.” This, in part, explain why new emphasis exists on CBD for anxiety patients in recent years. Higher doses of CBD work effectively in reducing anxiety symptoms, the review found, without any of the negative side effects associated with THC.

CBD works for different types of anxiety as well. A Japanese study followed older Japanese teenagers diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. Using the Fear of Negative Evaluation Questionnaire and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, researchers found CBD significantly decreased anxiety in both measurements.

RELATED: The Effects Of Smoking Low-THC, High-CBD Cannabis

Current recommendations for anxiety patients is to utilize a mixture of high-CBD, low-THC marijuana strains for the best results. Remember: using a little goes a long way. If you consume too much, you might regret it.