Although CBD is derived from cannabis, this cannabinoid does not provide a psychoactive effect, unlike THC, as explained earlier in this article. Thus, the results of CBD would only be soothing and relaxing, allowing the person who consumes it to relax, both physically and mentally, thus alleviating stress symptoms.
In some people, it could even help to relax muscles, relieving specific chronic pains caused by recurrent anxiety.
Today we will give you more information about CBD to fight stress, but you can also find out about the many CBD oil benefits by following this link.
CBD and anxiety attacks
One of the most impressive physical symptoms of high stress is anxiety attacks.
Not everyone manifests stress through this behaviour, but unfortunately, it is still quite common.
Anxiety attacks are a manifestation of great anxiety, often associated with the fear of death or the fear of losing control, with no possibility of reasoning. In contrast, a panic attack lasts, which can last from a few minutes to several hours.
This can manifest in physical manifestations, such as an accelerated heart rate, pallor, trembling, and other pervasive behavioural signs, such as aimless agitation, wandering, etc.
As the anxiety attack is a manifestation of great stress, CBD could be helpful to alleviate the physical and mental agitation the person is undergoing. As a result, it would allow the subject to reduce the time of his panic attacks or even reduce their occurrence.
CBD and anxiety: what does the research say?
As is often the case in the world of CBD, the research is recent and limited. However, when it comes to CBD and anxiety, it is relatively unanimous.
In a 2011 study, researchers linked a decrease in social anxiety to CBD consumption. However, the scientists did not only rely on the feelings of the study candidates but also studied the impact of CBD consumption on their brains. In particular, they observed changes in areas known to be active during stressful episodes.
In 2018, a team studied CBD's effect on managing post-traumatic stress. By improving sleep and reducing nightmares, CBD allows patients to better manage this type of anxiety.
More recently, in 2019, a study looked at the relationship between CBD and sleep. They confirmed what many research studies had already highlighted, namely that CBD improves sleep by combating the causes of insomnia: mainly anxiety and nocturnal anxiety attacks.
However, each of these studies has only operated on a small sample of people, and researchers point out the difficulty of dosing to ensure the product's effectiveness. The amount of CBD to be administered had to be adapted to each individual, and it is challenging to prescribe a given dose since the effect can be different from one person to another.
The mechanisms of CBD against anxiety
But how does CBD work to make us "cooler"? No stress, here's the answer.
It has long been known that CBD interacts with our endocannabinoid system (ECS). This receptor network is responsible for our homeostasis, or inner balance. Homeostasis is the process that allows our body to maintain its constants at an average level, despite external disturbances. The SEC regulates many processes, from inflammation to our current mood.
The ECS is involved in the hypothalamus-pituitary axis (HPA). This system is interested in our response to physical and mental stress. By interacting with the HPA, CBD could directly affect these responses.
CBD is also thought to disrupt the action of serotonin, the hormone known as the 'happy hormone'. This is a molecule that we produce naturally and affects our mood, stress and fear states. By altering the effect of serotonin, CBD is thought to help us avoid panic and other anxiety levels. A good dose of good mood also allows us to approach difficult situations in a more relaxed way, but that makes sense :p
Finally, CBD is said to help relax the muscles, thus acting on one of the symptoms of anxiety and helping to reduce it.