People living with anxiety and panic attacks know the feeling all too well: Some days make us feel like we are constantly walking on thin ice — while dodging bullets.
When the fight-or-flight response kicks in, the best we can usually do is ride the wave and hope we don’t wipe out. That’s where taking CBD for occasional anxiety and panic attacks may help. Think of it as a natural nudge toward the ultimate level of relaxation and stress relief.
Cannabidiol: What is it?
Cannabidiol — CBD for short — is the key component in hemp extract that can help you feel better. It’s pharmacologically active in the body, meaning it can interact with various receptor sites to relieve symptoms of everyday stress like anxiety and panic attacks.
CBD is one of many cannabis plant medicines called cannabinoids that work together to promote non-drowsy relaxation for up to eight hours per dose. Other naturally occurring compounds called terpenes amplify the benefits of CBD through a phenomenon called the entourage effect.
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Do people take CBD for anxiety and panic attacks?
CBD is fast becoming one of the most popular natural medicines for occasional anxiety and panic attack relief, for good reasons.
Researchers at the New York School of Medicine reviewed dozens of preclinical, clinical, and neuroimaging studies. The study authors assessed the evidence of hemp-derived CBD’s effectiveness in managing anxiety and panic attacks caused by everyday stress. Some of the reported benefits showed CBD:
- Maintains an excellent safety profile with a low instance of side effects
- Relieves occasional anxiety and panic symptoms without drowsiness
- Supports healthy serotonin balance with its neuromodulatory effects
- Does not cause addiction or withdrawal effects after stopping
- May also benefit pets, according to animal studies
The rapid rise of CBD as a go-to natural medicine for anxiety and panic attacks is backed by thorough research.
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From its excellent safety profile to its remarkable ability to promote relaxation without causing drowsiness, CBD offers a promising solution for everyday stress-induced anxiety and panic.
How much CBD do I need to feel better?
It’s so easy to find your perfect CBD dose because it’s based on your body weight!
On average, people take 25 mg to 50 mg CBD one or more times daily. But you might need to fine-tune how much you take to get the best results.
Use the dosage chart to find your weight category. Then, choose the CBD dose strength you need to relieve occasional anxiety and panic attacks:
RELATED: Review the official CBD for anxiety dosage guide for best results
If you are a first-time CBD user, begin with the recommended starting dose until you know how it affects you. You may increase your CBD dose when you feel comfortable, but only if needed.
CBD doses can range from 25 mg up to 1500 mg per day. How much CBD you need to relieve anxiety and panic attack caused by everyday stress may differ from that of other CBD users.
Talk to your doctor before you take CBD for the first time.
How fast does CBD work?
Life comes at you fast. You need a natural medicine that works quickly and keeps up with the demands of your stressful day-to-day life!
Different forms of CBD for anxiety panic attacks work faster or slower, depending on how you take them. For example, Cannabiva CBD oil tinctures work in minutes when taken under the tongue (called sublingual use). Vaping CBD also works within minutes, but its very short-term effects (about 2 hours) and potential respiratory tract irritation dissuade most users from taking CBD this way.
Cannabiva CBD softgels and CBD gummies take about an hour to begin working and reach peak effects within two to three hours.
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What does CBD feel like?
Imagine taking CBD and feeling more relaxed, calm, and collected in the face of everyday stress. That’s how many people describe CBD benefits for occasional anxiety and panic attacks.
CBD acts similarly to other sedatives in that it promotes relaxation. But the way it does this makes CBD unique. CBD targets your regulatory endocannabinoid system directly to change the way you feel without making you tired or sleepy.
Let’s find out how this remarkable wonder compound works its magic.
How CBD works to promote anxiety and panic relief
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is one of the most vital regulatory systems in the body. It controls everything from your emotional stress response to fear perception, fight-or-flight activation, mood and outlook, blood pressure, and heart rate. The whole point of the ECS and why it exists is to help bring your body back into a state of balance called homeostasis.
CBD works in the background, interacting with cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. It acts like a tiny chemical messenger in your body, sending relaxation impulses directly to your overstressed, overworked, and hypervigilant body systems. So, while you may not “feel” CBD working, you’ll know it is because you’re more relaxed, calm, and ready to face everyday stress with more confidence and ease.
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How do I use CBD for best results?
Make sure you get the most out of your CBD Wellness Plan! Follow these simple tips to maximize anxiety and panic attack relief:
Take CBD under the tongue and then swallow
Subliginual use — dropping the hemp oil tincture dose directly under the tongue — allows it to rapidly absorb through the dense network of blood vessels in the mouth. This dosing method bypasses the digestive tract and hits the bloodstream almost immediately. Swallow CBD oil after 30 to 60 seconds and dovetail the fast-acting benefits of sublingual use with the long-term effects of oral use.
Take it with a meal
You will achieve maximum CBD absorption rates when you take your dose with a meal or fatty food, according to the authors of one cannabis research trial. Researchers in that study found that patients who took CBD immediately before or after a fatty meal showed improvements in CBD absorption compared to study participants who took it on an empty stomach. Additionally, the study authors found that CBD effects lasted up to eight hours when taken with fatty food vs four to six hours with a low-fat meal or on an empty stomach.
Use at least once daily
CBD half-life (i.e., how long it takes for your body to break down half of what you ingested) is approximately 12 to 18 hours. Taking CBD at least once daily ensures your blood serum levels remain steady. Higher CBD levels in the blood are thought to increase potential therapeutic benefits.
Take every four to six hours or as needed
Studies show CBD is generally well-tolerated when used in doses up to 1500 mg daily. You may split your daily dose into two or more doses and take CBD as needed (e.g., taking CBD as you usually do at breakfast and then taking another dose four to six hours later to help if you’re having a doozy of a day).
Make sure you talk to your doctor before taking more than the recommended maximum daily dose for your weight. If you find your anxiety and panic attack symptoms last longer than two weeks or begin to disrupt your life significantly, talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Will I get high from CBD?
CBD is non-psychoactive, so you never have to worry about feeling anything but 100 percent sober after taking it.
You should know that full spectrum hemp products contain trace levels of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. Don’t worry. The amount of THC they contain is well below the legal federal level allowed in over-the-counter CBD products (0.3% THC on a dry weight basis). Still, even small amounts of THC can cause THC-sensitive people to experience mild psychoactive effects depending on the dose.
If you are concerned about the possibility of psychoactive effects, choose a THC-free option like broad spectrum CBD or radically purified, single-molecule CBD isolate. Neither one contains detectable levels of THC (0.00%), so you can never get high no matter how much you take.
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What’s the best CBD for anxiety and panic attacks?
The best CBD for anxiety and panic attacks is made from full spectrum extracts. These forms of hemp extract are minimally processed, so they contain a lot more naturally occurring cannabis plant medicines compared to the other types of CBD.
In clinical trials, researchers noted that study participants taking full spectrum and broad spectrum extracts reported a statistically significant increase in therapeutic benefits compared to those taking isolate forms of the cannabinoid.
Cannabiva true full spectrum CBD takes it one step further. We hand-harvest our raw plant material, flash-freeze it, and then extract it under subzero temperatures. Our manufacturing process protects the plant’s delicate medicinal profile from start to finish, so you get up to 200 percent more minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBN and 90 percent more terpenes than other CBD brands.
FAQs about CBD for anxiety and panic attacks
Review the frequently asked questions for people taking CBD for anxiety and panic attacks to get fast facts that you may share with your doctor.
Cannabiva sales associates are standing by to help if you have questions about CBD products. We are only able to answer general CBD product questions and cannot provide medical advice related to specific health conditions or wellness concerns.
