CBD and Anxiety

Cannabidiol (CBD) is now very popular in the population. Unlike before, there are now many laws and regulations, allowing the supervised use of cannabidiol and cannabidiol-derived medications in human medicine. Many doctors and integrative healthcare providers now include CBD products in an alternative or complementary approach for the treatment of chronic pain, mood disorders, and inflammation. Although CBD science is still very young, there is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that CBD has a lot of therapeutic benefits in humans. The history of CBD use in humans can be traced back to hundreds of years. Early experiments conducted to examine CBD's effects in animal models and human volunteers show that the natural cannabinoid can cause transient episodes of euphoria, sedation, paranoia, and hyperactivity. 

So, in essence, CBD has neurological properties that can be explored to benefit patients with mood disorders and behavioral disorders. Many scientific studies have linked CBD with the endocannabinoid systems and have further proposed that CBD influences this system's components to affect humans. Although CBD is fast gaining popularity due to its use in human medicine and sports, there are still concerns about humans' safety. When taken in high doses, CBD can cause many side effects in humans. The fact that it is derived from a natural source does not guarantee safety in all humans. The NaturalWorks CBD is formulated as a premium-quality CBD product, providing the essential therapeutic effects to users with little or no tendency for adverse effects.  

What is Anxiety

Anxiety is an uncomfortable word to say, yet it is a common emotion that almost everyone will feel at some time in their lives. The human body releases a flood of emotions as its natural response to a stressful situation. Anxiety disorders begin to be discussed when these overwhelming emotions last longer than six months and begin to negatively affect an individual's life. Feeling anxious before a big job interview, the first day of school, or at the altar of marriage are all situations in which the body can respond with anxiety. With the differential diagnosis of anxiety, some people have begun to use NaturalWorks CBD to help themselves move through those emotions.

How Common is Anxiety Globally?

Mood disorders are very popular in the population, and anxiety is fast becoming one of the most treated disorders globally. In the United States alone, anxiety affects about 18% of the population. In the United Kingdom, about 1 in every ten people will eventually be diagnosed with anxiety.  Globally, the number of people leaving with anxiety is fast increasing even in Asia and Africa. Anxiety impairs the normal daily activity and productivity level of many people. In severe cases, there might be a diagnosis of cognitive impairment as oxidative stress damages the patients' neuronal cells. Whether negative or positive, people living with anxiety have trouble sleeping at night without interruptions and sudden awakenings. The feeling of fear and worry can also stop others from living a normal life.

Anxiety: Positive or Negative

Many medical associations refer to two types of anxiety; common and disorder. Both of these labels can feel overwhelming and scary. Unfortunately, it took many years of my own therapy appointment to realize that my anxiety is not always fear-based despite having an anxiety disorder. Anxiety, even as a word, often brings a negative feeling. While anxiety is the body's natural response to stress, the stress does not have to come from a negative source. Situations can be anxiety-inducing, even while being a positive event. A marriage day can be one of anxiety but with no negative connotation. Common anxiety and anxiety disorders can be broken down with similar internal feelings. The difference is how long and how interfering the symptoms are between episodes. 

Common Anxiety

Common anxiety is also misleading in the idea that it has individuals believe that what they are feeling and going through should be something to "just handle it" themselves. Many times individuals with an anxiety disorder will struggle until something dramatic happens, thinking that what is happening is "normal." Anxiety does have a list of symptoms that are true for both common and anxiety disorders. Symptoms include, but are not limited to;

• Sweating
• Breathing rapidly
• Feeling nervous, restless, or tense.
• Panic
• Increased heart rate
• Avoiding things
• Difficulty controlling worry
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Feeling weak or tired.

These symptoms are not limited to what is listed; each person has a combination of different symptoms. 

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are diagnosed by a health professional and should be taken seriously. If you think that you are someone you know is experiencing anxiety for six months or longer, and it is affecting daily life, talk to a health professional. Types of anxiety disorders include, but are not limited to;

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder
• Separation anxiety disorder
• Social anxiety disorder
• Specific phobias

How Does Anxiety Start in Patients?

Whenever it is diagnosed, anxiety sometimes presents as a case that requires prolonged medical supervision. A mental health therapist might be needed to routinely conduct evaluations and report on clinical outcomes for the patient. Most patients diagnosed with anxiety and depression have a long history of stress or trauma. In the United States, it is estimated that about 18% of the population has a diagnosed form of anxiety disorder. In third world countries, especially in Asia and Africa, the burden of anxiety and depression is higher. In many patients, the exact causes of anxiety might be unknown. In itself, anxiety has multiple risk factors that can ultimately contribute to its onset in many people. For now, the most widely studied causes of stress and anxiety disorders in humans are centered around different hypotheses on molecular dysfunction, genetic predisposition, and early life exposure to risk factors. 

Many studies suggest that an abnormality in the normal function of the endocannabinoid signaling can also contribute to the onset of anxiety in many people. Another most studied cause of anxiety is focused on environmental. Many times when people suddenly change their lifestyle patterns, there can be a proportionate disruption in the mental health index. Once the mental health is negatively affected, the affected individual can present with some forms of emotional disturbances that are diagnosed as an onset of anxiety. The symptoms, as already stated, are numerous but are, however, not peculiar to individuals. A mental health professional might be required to assess the patient and make an accurate diagnosis. 

The onset of anxiety has been linked with a complex interplay between the brain functions and the sensory systems on the molecular level. The brain is naturally trained to evaluate stress sensations and respond with a series of reactions that change the body's normal metabolic rate. Many research evidence also suggests that a complex interaction between the limbic system and the hypothalamic paraventricular system leads to the release of the stress hormone. Currently, there are many theories explaining the onset and progression of anxiety in people, and the cause of anxiety can be very different in many people. However, the symptoms observed in anxiety patients, as needed for a correct diagnosis, are largely similar in nature. 

CBD: What and Why

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the cousin of THC. Marijuana, a high THC product, is well known for its “high” feeling. It is also a compound of the cannabis plant, like CBD, but CBD does not give the high. Cannabidiol, although historically used, is being rediscovered by consumers, scientists, and medical personnel for a growing number of reasons. Health benefits of NaturalWorks’ CBD ranges from pain and inflammation reduction to help the body naturally produce calming reactions in the body. Interestingly, the human body contains the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The system itself was named for its similarities to the compounds in cannabis plants. Many important things happen in the ECS. It includes all the components that allow the body to maintain homeostasis, battling external environments to protect the stability of the internal environment. By introducing the ECS to cannabidiol (CBD), receptors in the ECS are triggered to begin other internal changes that help maintain an emotional and physical balance in the body.

The Endocannabinoid System helps regulate serotonin. Pharmaceutically, there are serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), a class of anxiety medication. A serotonin receptor (5-HT1A) is targeted by SSIs to help increase and boost the body's serotonin levels. This task was also identified when a study showed that CBD did enhance the serotonin receptor in rats. The findings of the study did see a reduction of anxiety-like symptoms in the rats. Other studies have been conducted, mainly on animals, but all with similar positive results of our CBD capability in helping naturally reduce anxiety. 

Anxiety, CBD, and Self-Care

It is important to understand that NaturalWorks CBD is a tool, not an absolute solution. Anxiety, even the everyday stressors, can be debilitating and should always be taken seriously. As your best advocate, yourself, you know your body best. Even when I believed my anxiety was something to push through, I did know that something did not feel right before my diagnosis. As individuals, we should take more time to listen to what the body is trying to say. The idea that CBD is a tool, not a solution, is that using our CBD along with self-care techniques, your world will seem a little less overwhelming. CBD edibles, such as chocolate or teas, can be reliable for the end of the day and before bedtime routine. For others, such as I, the anxiety hits hardest at night. I will lay in bed, ruminating over my worries and fears. A night time relaxing CBD tea with a bath bomb containing CBD oil can often help these feelings coming so strong. In reality, anxiety makes people feel as if they are not in control, an unwanted thought itself. Learning mindfulness techniques and planning a self-care routine will help with anxiety, and adding NaturalWorks CBD can, for some, be another tool. 

How Does NaturalWorks CBD  Help Manage Anxiety 

For a long time since people have started using CBD and extracts of the cannabis Sativa plant, there have been reports of a calming effect in many people. CBD is believed to provide a lasting calming effect on the general system when taken under medical supervision. The NaturalWorks CBD is specially formulated to be optimally absorbed across the body membranes. Optimal absorption into the body system guarantees a higher bioavailability in the body system. In simple terms, this means our CBD brand can be retained in your body system just for the right period of time to help with your anxiety episodes. The many ways the can NaturalWorks CBD can help with your anxiety include:

Many people with anxiety have a poor history of sleep. Nigh time sleep in many patients is short and interrupted with awakenings at different sleep cycle periods. In other patients, the disruption in sleep has even caused a confirmed diagnosis of insomnia. While asleep at night, a patient with anxiety might start thinking about the fears and worries associated with a past event or with the next day. This observation happens in many anxiety patients. In fact, one of the diagnostic criteria for anxiety in the patient is to assess the frequency of sleep disruptions, if any, and to assess the overall quality of the sleep cycle. In older patients, anxiety symptoms are almost always linked with poor sleep quality and sleep interruptions. 

If not properly managed, these symptoms can significantly reduce the patient's quality of life and negatively affect many organ systems in the body.  One of CBD's most beneficial effects in humans is the sedative effect it can induce in patients with poor sleep quality. When used by the patient with anxiety symptoms, NaturalWorks CBD sleep quality can help a patient sleep better at night, and also, the number of sleep interruptions recorded every sleep cycle. Reference research supporting CBD's sedative effect in anxiety patients was published in 2019 by The Permanente Journal. 

In this research, people with anxiety and a history of poor sleep were administered with varying CBD doses under medical supervision. The changes in sleep quality and anxiety symptoms were observed and recorded. This research suggests that CBD is well tolerated in patients with anxiety and that it improves sleep quality and decreases the anxiety symptoms experienced by these patients. CBD has proven effective in improving sleep in many mood disorders. However, it is important that this natural product should only be used under medical supervision. 

People with anxiety can become emotionally disturbed. Sometimes, if trauma contributes to the onset of anxiety, these patients can become deeply attached to the event to the extent that they think about it every time. This affects the cognitive ability of these patients. Also, there is much research evidence suggesting that oxidative stress can contribute to anxiety and depression disorders. If left unchecked, oxidative stress can damage neuronal cells and other functional cells of the central nervous system. Once oxidative stress causes damages to neuronal cells, patients with anxiety might find it hard to perfect a complete task that demands a normal cognitive ability. 

The scientific evidences supporting the use of CBD in anxiety patients with impaired cognitive abilities is still few. However, there are many theoretical supports. CBD has been suggested to improve the rate of neuronal cell generation in oxidative stress. If CBD can regenerate neuronal cells damaged by oxidative stress in anxiety patients, it is logical to expect that CBD can improve cognition in these patients. Much research evidences have been published in this regard. A significant number of these research also concluded that CBD could improve cognition while also positively affecting the learning process. This beneficial property of CBD on cognition makes it an important addition for patients undergoing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. NaturalWorks CBD can help these patients improve cognition as they undergo the therapy for anxiety.   

In all anxiety treatment schedules, the therapy goals are generally to reduce symptom frequency and improve the overall quality of life of the patient. In modern medicine, anxiety patients are normally placed on drugs, including benzodiazepines, anxiolytics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. These drugs are effective. However, they are not completely safe for these patients. In many cases, too, some patients might not tolerate these drugs as the side effects can be complex. By shifting to CBD –a natural product, many patients can avoid these drugs' adverse effects and still derive maximal benefit from therapy. 

Many integrative health service providers have started using CBD products as an alternative or complementary approach to managing anxiety. Based on years of use and clinical outcomes, there is enough evidence to suggest that CBD can effectively improve therapy by reducing anxiety symptoms.  Compared to the conventional drugs for treating anxiety, CBD has shown a high safety profile in many users. This means that NaturalWorks CBD is one of the best shots for treating anxiety in adults. 

How to Use CBD for Anxiety?

Jut any natural products used as a drug, CBD is not entirely safe in humans and must be taken with caution. Many people react to it differently, so it is important that you understand your body’s reaction to low or high doses of this product before you decide to start using it. As a first take, it is important that you only use CBD for anxiety under medical supervision. Get your CBD from a verified source. NaturalWorks CBD has been tested and approved for use in humans. This CBD brand has a high safety profile and contains only pure CBD with no solvent or heavy metal impurities. 

There is no strict dosage regimen for CBD in the management of anxiety. However, there are much research evidence and documentation suggesting that adults with mild anxiety should start with a daily dose between 15 – 20 mg. In severe cases of this condition, the daily dose required may be higher. So, it is important that you start taking CBD by first experimenting with a very low dose and observe its effect on your anxiety symptoms. From a low dose, steadily increase the quantity and dose until you experience the optimal beneficial effect on your anxiety symptoms. While increasing the dose, it is important that observe how your body handles this natural product. In the case of any adverse effect, you should present it to a clinic for immediate assessment. 

The Takeaway

Please note that this article is an opinion formed from research but does not offer medical advice. If you or someone you know is experiencing anxiety symptoms, you always recommend that you visit a healthcare professional. During the conversation with the health professional, bringing up CBD can lead to helpful conversations. While CBD does not have an overdose risk, other side effects can occur and can be unpleasant. Your doctor will be able to better identify your potential for side effects. 

Anxiety is not something to just push through and hopes it goes away. It is real and overwhelming. Remembering that our CBD products are not instant solutions, tools are important because of anxiety. Some anxiety stems from the trauma that may not be remembered at first or stem from an everyday worry. Understanding and getting help can assist you in figuring out the root cause of your anxiety. You are not your anxiety, and your anxiety does not define you. Be the best version of yourself.

Please note that this article is based on opinions derived from research. It does not offer medical advice. Any questions or concerns about your health need to be discussed with a healthcare provider. 

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