Recreational marijuana has been legal in Canada for over 6 months now. Even before this I had been researching the benefits of CBD oil for anxiety. Studies have show it can relieve pain, reduce anxiety, depression, chronic pain and more. Anxiety plagues my life and though I am not opposed to medication, I always prefer to try something more natural first.
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Let me start of by sharing what it is that I know:
Cannabidiol aka CBD oil is a herbal treatment that uses extracts from cannabis plants. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. This is what causes that “high” feeling that is often associated with marijuana. However, unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive. And this is why CBD is a more appealing option for people looking for relief without the mind altering effects of pot or even certain pharmaceutical drugs. In order to be classed as a legal hemp product, the CBD oil must have less than 0.03% of THC.
Like a lot of people, I tried pot a few times in my early 20’s. But it always freaked me out and I never enjoyed it. This is due to the THC in marijuana. I am hoping that the trace amount of THC in the CBD oil will not have a negative effect on my feelings.
Since there is only a small amount of medical evidence surrounding the pros or cons to using CBD, this is a major precaution you need to be aware of if you are considering trying this treatment for any alignment. Here is a great article that answered a lot of my questions around this issue – www.marijuanabreak.com
MY STORY
I do what I can to limit the crap I put in my body. As a personal trainer and sports nutritionist all my adult life, I do the best I can. I am not perfect but I do what is healthy for me. Over the years as a coach, working with different clients, I know that the idea of ‘healthy’ will look different to each individual. For me. I am conscious about the things I consume when I eat or drink or seek medical advice. Using any kind of herbal treatment is high on my preferred list to treat any of my ailments.
When I went to the doctor for anxiety a couple of years, I was immediately given a prescription for citalopram. Anxiety was slowly starting to ruin my life and I tried everything else before I resorted to medication. Breathing, cognitive behaviour therapy, yoga, meditation, walking, working out etc. Anything that I researched – I tried. No more coffee – no more sugar. Living with constant anxiety in the pit of my stomach is not normal. No body needs to live like this.
I started on a small dose of medication and over 6 months we increased it to a point that did manage my anxiety. But I was feeling numb. Feelings of any kind seemed to be at bay. I was not crying all that much or freaking out but I wasn’t laughing much either.
This might be TMI (too much information). But if you are new to my blog you will know that I do my best to be honest and open with my experiences.
My sex drive was at zero. Even masturbating the way I was familiar with in the past and guaranteed an orgasm now left me unsatisfied. Normally, sex with a partner resulted in two or three but while I was on these meds I felt nothing. One day I threw my vibrator against a wall and cried in my closet. This is not how I was supposed to be feeling. Something that had given me so much pleasure was now just making me angry.
Dealing with stress of this sexual problem was making anxiety worse it. However, it was this moment that caused me to start looking at alternatives. And I slowly started to ween off the citalopram.
Unfortunately for me I experienced other health issues this same year: a blood clot and a brain tumour. Having to deal with these issues made my anxiety worse. Since both of these were an actual threat to my health. All my energy had to go to dealing with them first.
Fast forward to today. The blood clot is gone, I am off blood thinners. The tumour has been removed and confirmed benign. But my anxiety is back worse than ever and I can’t live like this anymore.
When I spoke with my doctor to get a prescription he was open to it but very wary. I appreciate his honesty when he said he has little information on CBD. It is something that he had been researching himself but he has some concerns.
1 – How will CBD oil will interact with other drugs? It can cause adverse reactions with blood thinners and antibiotics, for example. You don’t want to make things worse, so make sure that you talk to your doctor or health care practitioner. This should not replace checking with your doctor but there are also online interaction checker like drug interactions with cannibis and type in cannabidiol
After a good conversation my doctor referred me to www.appollocannabis.ca They are a Medical Cannabis Research Organization and Cannabis Clinic who prescribes people across Canada. I went online and in less than 24 hours they set up an appointment about 2 weeks away. Unfortunately with work, I had to change my appointment and it was another two weeks reschedule.
When I started posting my questions on social media I got an outrageous amount of information and support from other people. Specific products that they have been using, relief that CBD had given them and plenty of suggestions on how and what to do with it.
I am a bit impatient. My anxiety is ruining 5 out of 7 days of the week and I didn’t want to wait. I just really want to try something to see how it works. This has been a major battle in my life for the last five years and I am not going to let it beat me down. I found a product that is organic and has less than .03% THC. It has taken several hours of research and learning about CBD oil. Yes, it is a lot more effort than just getting my doctor to write a prescription for drugs but I feel like I am more in control of my own treatment.
Here is a link to my affiliate link. www.awakenedcbd.com That means if you order, I make a commission. I have not started to use this product, so I can not tell you if it is any good. Once I am using it I will post updates. But feel free to have a look at this product and make your own choice.
After so many years of struggling I am really excited to try CBD oil for anxiety. Stay tuned and I will make sure to update my experiences as I go. If you have questions or comments please share.
Hi Lacey. Have you tried Wellbutrin? It’s a norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), as opposed to a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). I was on an SSRI and experienced the same side effects. Wellbutrin works differently and doesn’t have the same side effects (at least in my experience). It doesn’t give me the general feeling of elation all the time that I was experiencing with an SSRI, but it definitely takes away the majority of my anxiety. I have more good days than bad, and that works for me. Talk to your doctor as there are some possible side effects. Hang in there and keep trying different things.
I have not tried it. Having more good days than bad days is a huge win in my opinion!! I am very happy with the CBD oil and don’t think I need to try anything else. It has been a game changer.
This is a wonderful, informative post! I have often been questioned about whether hemp products I use such as hemp seed oil and hemp milk are safe and how they relate to the marijuana plant. I never knew the answer to these questions except to say that they are a different part of the plant that doesn’t contain THC. Now I truly understand the difference! Thank you.