Disorders related to anxiety are responsible for disrupting a large number of American lives. In fact, nearly one in five adults over the age of 18 have suffered from some level of anxiety disorder. Big Pharma has responded to this problem with the development of a variety of drugs which while demonstrating a measurable degree of success for some patients, have produced side effects in others that have sometimes proved worse than the original problem.
Recent times have seen a major interest in the use of CBD oil on the part of both anxiety sufferers, as well as the professionals that treat them. And while still early in the documented research process, the results so far regarding the use of CBD oil to treat anxiety has been quite promising.
What Exactly Is CBD Oil
Cannabidiol is a cannabis plant extract that can be converted to an oil. This CBD oil is filled with cannabinoids that have the ability to bind to brain receptors. The most well-known of these cannabinoids is THC which is popular due to its ability to produce a psychoactive 'high.'
THC is only one of many cannabinoids and there is no risk of psychoactive effects from using cannabidiol. It is believed however that cannabidiol has many positive health benefits.
Can CBD Oil Be Used To Treat Anxiety
Individuals interested in using CBD oil to treat their anxiety should focus in particular on studies specifically concerning cannabidiol and not the more general studies that have been done on medical marijuana. As mentioned before, research on the matter is in its early stages but the early results are filled with promise.
Research published from a 2010 study demonstrated the effectiveness of cannabidiol in reducing symptoms of social anxiety disorder. The study enrolled 10 patients that were diagnosed with SAD. The patients were divided into two groups with one group being given 400 mg of CBD oil while the other group was treated with a placebo.
The results were nothing short of amazing. Not only did cannabidiol prove capable of making patients feel better but were also responsible for changing the way that the brains of these patients actually responded to anxiety. This was documented with brain scans showing changes in blood flow to the areas of the brain affected by feelings of anxiety.
A second study performed a year later, sought to specifically observe the effects of cannabidiol on anxiety that results from public speaking. Once again, the benefits of CBD oil exceeded all reasonable expectations.
Study participants were found to experience a reduction in both anxiety and cognitive impairment while also experiencing an improvement in speech function when treated with CBD oil. The study concluded that cannabidiol inhibits fears of public speaking which is a major debilitative aspect of the SAD disorder.
Finally, a 2015 report on cumulative CBD oil studies concluded that cannabidiol is a viable treatment option for multiple forms of anxiety.
Conclusion
It is hard to imagine the early studies regarding CBD oil usage for treating anxiety to be more impressive. While more research will be needed to fully understand the long-term treatment abilities of the oil but the immediate relief granted to anxiety sufferers should not be ignored.
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