If you suffer from anxiety, then cannabis might be just what you need to help reduce the stress in your everyday life. However, if you take too much THC, then you might have increased levels of anxiety because of THC’s psychoactive properties. That is why you might want to go with a strain that is higher in CBD, which is not psychoactive.
One study suggested that the part of the brain in mice that is associated with emotion has cannabinoid receptors in it. These receptors are responsible for the fight or flight response, and they are linked with anxiety. The researchers believe that these receptors are also in humans’ brains, which might be why some people find CBD helps with their anxiety.
Does CBD Work for Anxiety?
One study showed that when patients used cannabis for anxiety, CBD was very useful for those who had a social anxiety disorder. The study was done with 24 people who had a social anxiety disorder. Plus, 12 more people without social anxiety disorder were used as a control group.
Half of the 24 people with social anxiety disorder took CBD, and the others took a placebo. Then, all 36 people had to take a public speaking test. The surveys that they took after the test showed that those who had taken CBD did not feel as anxious.
Your body produces anandamide, which is a substance that can decrease your anxiety. The fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) degrades anandamide, but CBD may reduce the amount of FAAH your body has. So, when you take CBD, more of the anandamide will stay intact, helping keep anxiety levels down.
Choosing the Right Strain
Picking out the right strain to potentially help with your anxiety might take a bit of time. There is no right or wrong answer since everyone’s body is different. You should choose a strain that has enough CBD in it so you can be more likely to control your anxiety. You want to find a strain that has a balanced amount of THC and CBD. That way, the CBD can counteract the THC’s psychoactive effects.
1. Harlequin
This strain is dominant in sativa at about 75 percent. The ratio of CBD to THC is 5 to 2. There is around 8 to 16 percent of CBD and around 4 to 7 percent of THC in this strain. This strain can give you a clear head, and you might feel more alert after consuming it. This strain could work well at reducing your anxiety since the large amount of CBD can relax you but not sedate you.
2. Harle-Tsu
This strain is known for being very high in CBD. You can often find 20 times the amount of CBD as THC in this strain. That means that it could relieve your anxiety quickly. It can make you feel more focused and relaxed, and it might also decrease your levels of stress. Often, users of this strain feel happy and uplifted after taking it.
3. ACDC
ACDC is another strain that is very high in CBD. It has a ratio of CBD to THC of 20 to 1, and the CBD levels might be as high as 19 percent. This strain is dominant in sativa and could be very effective when it comes to reducing your anxiety. Since there is so little THC, you will also not experience any psychoactive effects.
You will feel happy and relaxed when you use the ACDC strain. While you might suffer from a dry mouth when taking this strain, you can always drink more water to combat it.
4. CBD Shark
If you want a strain that is dominant in indica, you will want to go with CBD Shark. The ratio of THC to CBD is balanced fairly evenly. It does not make you feel too intoxicated, but it could still reduce your symptoms. It can produce clear-minded effects, which might make it a good strain to use in the evening. You can also use it if you have both pain and anxiety. This is because the THC may help to reduce pain and help you sleep.
5. Canna-Tsu
This hybrid cannabis strain is a combination of Sour Tsunami and Cannatonic. The Canna-Tsu strain has higher levels of CBD, but it usually has the same amount of THC as CBD. That might result in you feeling more psychoactive effects. It can produce mental clarity and calming effects, which could help reduce your anxiety. It might also be anti-inflammatory.
6. Haoma
The Haoma strain has about 70 percent of indica in it, allowing you to reduce your stress. The THC and CBD are balanced, so some people might experience mild psychoactive effects. It can reduce your anxiety since it has higher levels of CBD in it. There are several varieties of Haoma, and each one can have different amounts of CBD in it. If you need to sleep better at night, you might want to try this indica strain.
7. Cannatonic
For a strain that is lower in THC, you will want to go with Cannatonic. The THC levels are often lower than 6 percent. On the other hand, the levels of CBD can often be as high as 17 percent or more. This strain has uplifting and relaxing qualities and few to no euphoric effects. If you have inflammation, this might be a good strain for you to try.
8. Trident
This strain is high in CBD and can help you feel focused mentally. The CBD levels are around 12 percent, and it has less than 6 percent THC. You might experience some mild psychoactive effects, but it will give you more of a cerebral high.
Closing Thoughts
No matter which marijuana strain you pick, it is important to talk to your doctor about taking cannabis before beginning. You can get some tips on the right way to find a dose for you. Plus, your doctor will make sure that you do not take any medications that could interact with marijuana. They can also monitor your health as you use cannabis.
