How CBD Oil helped me through my anxiety

CBD Oil might not work for everyone, but after some thorough research and seven months of trial and error, I can’t remember how I managed my anxiety without it. 

• What is CBD Oil?
• How to arrange a CBD prescription with your GP?
• Which dosage worked best for me? 

Feeling a little unsure about whether CBD oil is for you? Well, so was I at first – but after a free dive into the world of medicinal cannabis, it didn’t take long for me to begin reaping some of the many benefits of CBD. 

As one of the millions of people suffering from an anxiety disorder, finding the proper medication to help quash some of my crappy symptoms has been an ongoing and, more often than not, painful journey. My symptoms include panic attacks, perpetual nervousness and social anxiety, which can make life pretty difficult for an extravert. After spending months on a new medication which, admittedly, helped to repress some of my extreme symptoms, I felt it wasn’t doing enough.  During my never-ending quest to find the right medication for me, I stumbled across an article about the effects of CBD oil on anxiety. 

What is CBD Oil?

CBD Oil is what you get when you extract cannabidiol from a cannabis plant. CBD can vary in potency and can contain other plant compounds, such as THC. During my research, I discovered that while THC and CBD are both derived from cannabis, the two can have very different effects on people suffering from anxiety.THC is well-known for its therapeutic and intoxicating qualities, which can cause an immediate or slow high depending on the person, the type of weed and, of course – how much you smoke (or eat). This being said, THC is often a better solution for breakthrough anxiety, providing short-term relief and relaxation. 

CBD delivers similar effects to THC but without the intoxication or high. CBD has calming properties, helping to relax both the body and mind; it is also well-known for helping to relieve painful injuries such as inflammation and muscle pains and can also help with concentration.  

After more reading and jumping back and forth between health websites and articles, I found that the effects of CBD on anxiety were mostly inconclusive, and the common takeaway was – “you’ll have to try it for yourself”. 

While most CBD is not considered an approved medicine by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration), a large number of people have reported reduced anxiety after prolonged use. 

During a clinical trial in the US, some people were given a dosage of CBD oil. In contrast, another group were given a placebo before being asked to partake in public speaking (which, for people with anxiety, is an absolute nightmare). Compared to the placebo, those who received CBD reported lower anxiety levels.

Getting my hands on CBD oil

Medical Cannabis has not been easily obtainable across Australia until very recently, allowing a select number of qualified doctors to dispense cannabis for specific disorders – whether it be for painful injuries or mental health. 

With a pocket full of new-found CBD knowledge, I proposed the idea of CBD oil to my GP. While I first felt as though I was participating in some covert, back-door drug deal, my GP barely batted an eyelid before commending me on my great idea, making the experience far less daunting than I’d anticipated. 

It turned out she knew just the doctor who could help me, writing me a referral and sending me on my ‘Mary’ way (pun intended). I then met up with a certified medical marijuana doctor who was very well-educated in cannabis and its effects. 

I shared with her my symptoms, my diagnosis and my previous experiences with marijuana, and she was quick to rule out cannabis with THC, agreeing that CBD oil was my best bet. She gave me the full rundown on what to expect, making sure I felt comfortable and safe going ahead with her suggested treatment plan. I was as keen to dive right in! 

I started with a low dosage of 100mg for around a month. I was told to start with two drops twice a day and to increase my dosage by two drops a week until I reached the maximum dosage of five drops twice a day. 

After the first two weeks, I noticed a slight decrease in my anxiety levels. After the third and fourth week, my levels remained the same, and I found it took the highest dosage of five drops twice a day to feel much of a difference. 

Once I ran out of drops, I had a two-week lull until my next appointment, and that’s when I REALLY felt the difference. After two weeks, the CBD had left my system, and my anxiety was back with a vengeance. After discussing the withdrawal effects, my cannabis doctor suggested I jump on the highest dosage. I began with two drops twice a day of a 240mg dosage, increasing to five drops twice a day. At my next appointment, I was told to increase my dosage by two drops a week until I reached 10 drops twice a day. This was the sweet spot. My anxiety levels had dropped significantly; I no longer felt the continuous hum of anxiety day to day, and my panic attacks became few and far between. 

Which dosage worked best for me?

After finding a dosage that worked for me, my doctor told me I could increase my drops to up to 15 twice a day if I felt some substantial benefits. Interestingly, I was told that if I hadn’t noticed a difference after 10 drops, twice a day – CBD oil likely would not work for me in general. 

Thankfully, I’ve found huge success along my CBD journey and have since increased my dosage to eleven drops twice a day. Over the seven months since I started my relationship with CBD, my anxiety levels have dropped considerably, allowing me the freedom and safety to learn some very helpful management techniques for breakthrough anxiety. 

In summary, I highly suggest incorporating CBD oil into your daily medication ritual if you’re someone like me who suffers from severe anxiety symptoms. Keep in mind that to successfully benefit from CBD, it will require patience and trial and error until you find the correct dosage for yourself. 

CBD might not work for everyone, but boy, did it work wonders for me!