It’s Time to Chill Out: The Benefits of CBD for Stress Relief
Stress caused by the worldwide coronavirus pandemic is causing everything from weird dreams to high anxiety among the world’s population. The solution to this problem may lie in the marijuana plant.
We’re not talking about smoking a joint, instead, you might be interested in using the extract called CBD. This chemical has been linked to lowered blood pressure and decreased anxiety.
Last year, a survey showed that 14 percent of Americans have used CBD for their health issues. Using CBD for stress and anxiety is one of the most popular uses, along with chronic pain.
So what is CBD and how can it help you? What benefits can it offer and are there any risks involved?
Stick around and let’s look at how using CBD oil for stress could help you get back in control during worrying times.
What is CBD?
CBD is an abbreviated name for the compound called cannabidiol. It’s one of the primary active chemicals in marijuana and high levels of CBD are renowned for producing a stoned feeling when you’ve smoked a bowl.
The compound first became well known back in 2013. A young girl called Charlotte Figi suffered from a severe form of epilepsy which caused 300 seizures per week. When her parents administered an oil made from a strain of marijuana called Charlotte’s Web, bred to be high in CBD and low in compounds that produce a high.
The results were incredible. Charlotte’s seizures were markedly less frequent.
The calming effect on the brain caused by CBD has since been shown to work wonders on some people’s stress and anxiety levels. It achieves this through a range of incredible biochemical interactions, which we’ll take a look at later.
So It Can Work Wonders: Will It Get Me High?
CBD is psychoactive but won’t produce a high. The compound that’s associated with getting high is an entirely different compound called THC. While some extracts do combine CBD and THC, most of them only contain THC in minute quantities.
This means that getting high from low-THC CBD oil is impossible. The only effects you’ll feel with normal dosages will be a subtle relaxation.
The Benefits of Using CBD For Stress
CBD may have exploded into the public eye thanks to its seizure-busting powers yet it has myriad other qualities. Using CBD for stress has become extremely popular in recent years: let’s take a look at some of the effects CBD can have.
Anxiety In Response to Stress Drops
One of the best benefits of using CBD for anxiety is that it doesn’t only lower background stress and background anxiety. It actively helps your body avoid entering fight-or-flight in response to stressful stimuli.
Scientists have proved that CBD makes public speaking easier for people with social anxiety. As public speaking is one of the most stressful experiences of everyday life, it shows great promise in helping you deal with other stress.
Extinction Learning Is Boosted
Humans can learn to associate harmless stimuli with personal harm. One common example of this is in PTSD triggers that can cause immense anxiety in sufferers.
CBD has been shown to help boost extinction learning, AKA, learning to let go of fear. Even when the CBD has worn off, the anti-anxiety effects persist.
CBD Helps Boost Serotonin In Your Brain
Serotonin is a crucial brain chemical that helps to maintain happiness and fight high stress levels. One of the serotonin receptors in your brain is called 5-HT1A and plays a significant role in treating anxiety disorder. It’s this receptor that CBD binds itself to.
In other words, using CBD for anxiety could help provide your brain with the chemicals it needs to stay on a more even keel.
Repairs Damage Caused By Stress
Chronic stress causes brain damage in the form of damaged neurons. Scientists have shown that CBD has natural regenerative properties and can restore your brain to a healthy state.
Is CBD Legal?
CBD is not legal on a federal level due to the ongoing federal criminalization of marijuana. Yet its legality varies from state to state. It is legal in some states where medical marijuana is not legal, as it can also be made from legal hemp plants.
It’s best that you check your state laws before you start taking CBD to ensure that you aren’t illegally having it shipped from other states. This is particularly the case if you buy CBD online.
Will CBD Show Up On a Drugs Test?
If you’re using CBD for stress, the last thing you want to happen is to get in trouble due to a positive drugs test. If the CBD is pure and only contains very low amounts of THC, it will not show up as positive on a drugs test.
However, if the CBD is not pure and contains too much THC, it’s possible that you could be flagged as a marijuana user. This means that when you’re going to buy CBD, you must make sure it’s from a trusted company and only has trace amounts of THC.
Is CBD Safe to Use?
If your CBD is pure, it is nigh-on impossible to overdose on the compound. You would likely run out of cash for new bottles before you got sick.
In terms of contraindications and interactions with other medicines, you must speak to your doctor or pharmacist. While the risk of interaction between CBD and prescription medications is very low, it isn’t impossible. Everyone’s bodies are different and the risk becomes more acute if you’re taking multiple medications.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about all the benefits that can be had when using CBD for stress. If you’d like to read more articles about CBD, marijuana, and just about anything else, then check out our features section!
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