Hi, this is Courtney. From the time I was in high school, I’d always known about marijuana. But I stayed away from the temptation of my peers asking me to take a hit off a joint. For me, it was scary because I didn’t know how I would react. While research about cannabis and even CBD was going on across the world during this time, I didn’t know about it. The internet was still pretty new back then and I wasn’t in the know about medicinal benefits of cannabis, including CBD for anxiety relief.
Now, it’s easy to learn all about what this substance will do within the body, and beyond simply looking to get high, many people turn to cannabis for the healing effects of CBD, or cannabidiol. One of the cannabinoids found within the marijuana plant is called CBD. It works within our brain chemistry to offer benefits including pain relief, immune support, and more.
My CBD Journey
My experience involves using CBD for anxiety relief.
I was aware that CBD existed after reading different online articles, including how CBD combines with turmeric. But at the time that I first tried this substance, I wasn’t clear on the differences between CBD and THC. And not everything I had heard about CBD was true either.
So what did I do? I visited a local dispensary for the first time, in search of a yummy edible. I was on a very small budget and the only items they had within my price range were CBD chocolates with a very small amount of THC. Again, not really understanding the difference, I purchased the candy and went home.
My expectation was that I would experience psychoactive effects after eating the chocolate, but that never happened. Instead, I began to feel incredibly relaxed, something that’s often foreign to me. While I don’t have a clinical diagnosis relating to anxiety, my life is full of stressful thoughts and feelings that never go away. There’s always something for me to worry about. But whether these worries are actually worth my time is another story altogether.
Once the edible kicked in, my mental state got much more calm than before it. I wouldn’t say that I felt sedated in any way, unlike the usual experience with indica cannabis strains. Instead, I knew that I could let my fears go for this one night. I didn’t have to obsess over everything in my life. The CBD experience I had was a great one, despite my very inaccurate expectations.
Moving Forward
After my first adventure with using CBD for anxiety relief, I was at a bit of a crossroads. Do I start to buy and use these products regularly? Doing so would certainly add to my ever-growing list of bills and I wasn’t quite sure if I was ready to make that commitment. Instead, I promised myself that if I felt my anxiety getting out of hand that I would turn to CBD edibles to help me calm down.
I then discovered by shopping for CBD online there are ways to get discounts that you can’t get in dispensaries. For example when finding hemp CBD edibles from a brand recommended to me, I did a Google search for cbdMD coupons and found discounts on this company online that their retailers don’t have in stores.
Final Thoughts on CBD for Anxiety
I’ll admit that I don’t purchase items with CBD for anxiety relief very often. Maybe one of the reasons why is that I know I have something to turn to just in case. The reminder that there is a solution for my stress helps me to calm down a bit when anxiety hits. And if it’s ever completely overwhelming I know exactly where to turn.
About the Writer
Courtney Elder is a CBD and cannabis expert and lead writer at cbdnerds.com. She has reviewed hundreds of products and provided guidance to potential new CBD users.
Have you taken or would you consider taking CBD for anxiety, whether it’s oil, capsule, or another form? Feel free to share your thoughts below.
I have never thought about using CBD for my anxiety. I have learned some techniques in therapy and through my yoga practice that help, but I would consider giving cbd a try. Thanks for sharing!
Julie
See what works for you, Julie. I wish you good health :)
Thank you, Courtney, for sharing this with us. I’m so delighted to hear of the positive impact it has had on your life. Much like you, I was hesitant about trying it. I sustained a C5-C6 spinal cord injury in 1992. Life changed in an instant. Although I regained significant mobility, muscle spasms have been a constant battle. Over the years, I have had three Doctors ask me if I’ve considered using marijuana to help alleviate the spasms. Every time I said no. I stayed the course with traditional medicine. After much research and consultation with a specialist, I decided to give it a try in May of last year. At first I only used CBD oil, but didn’t feel much improvement despite a high dosage. When I brought a small % of THC into the equation my life changed. It was as if I was witnessing a miracle. The spasms reduced significantly. I had full range of motion, controlled motion for the first time since 92′. I cried. The bonus of this is that I’m able to exercise every muscle in my body now. I’m getting stronger. This has been a game changer. At 44 muscle mass matters! AND the added bonus is that I feel less anxious. The key for me was experimenting with different strains. I much prefer hybrids, as they provide a centred experience of energy and calmness. How I wish I didn’t let the stigma influence my decision against it for so many years. It’s been an incredible journey back to myself. :)
Thanks again for sharing your story. I firmly believe this is how we end the stigmatisation. Cheers to you!
Many thanks, Christy, for another amazing share. You both rock!
OH wow, Natalie! Reading your story makes me so grateful for your finding hybrids that give you the muscle strength and other benefits to enjoy a full life again xxoo
CBD worked for me massively x
Great that you found what works for you, Olivia :)