What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is the body’s automatic response to defend itself against perceived threats. This can sometimes be a good thing as it can energize you to perform better in responding to short-term challenges, but it can also be harmful as stress can reach peak levels and persist long term. When anxiety becomes persistent, it becomes chronic and can have negative consequences on your health.
Stress and anxiety are extremely common occurrences that nobody can escape. Whether it be work, relationships, finances, or a plethora of other life activities, anything can trigger stress. Although traditionally many people turn to drug-based therapies to help with their anxiety-related symptoms, cannabis can offer a safe alternative for relieving both acute and chronic anxiety.
Chronic anxiety occurs when a person is faced with constant challenges over a long period of time, this can stem from marriage problems, persistent poverty, and an unrelenting negative working environment. This prolonged stress and anxiety can lead to a negative impact on the digestive and immune system, muscle function, and your sleep routine and patterns.
In April of 2018, The Journal of Affective Disorders published an article about research performed by Washington State University. According to their findings, cannabis products with high levels of THC and CBD promoted a significant reduction in stress symptoms. Proven most effective in this study were products with a THC content of 26.5% and CBD levels of above 11%. Other research found that cannabis reduces stress, but only if used at low doses as high doses of marijuana can have the reverse effect, increasing your stress levels rather than decreasing.
Best Strains for Anxiety
There are a number of tried and tested cannabis strains to combat stress and anxiety. It may take a bit of trial and error to find the strain that works best for you as everyone’s bodies take to cannabis differently. Here are a few options to consider:
OG Kush: California staple OG Kush brings about a hard-hitting cerebral high and body-melting physical effects. This cannabis strain comes from sativa or indica plants. OG Kush is ideal for those who find themselves stressed out at the end of a long day. This strain can also be used to ease stress-induced migraines and get rid of that persistent pain. It provides an almost immediate sense of happiness and greatly improves your mood. This strain should typically be consumed at night before bedtime as many users have said it makes them slightly sleepy.
Sour Diesel: This sativa hybrid has a high THC content so therefore is a better fit for more experienced cannabis users or those who moderate their intake. Sour diesel is popular for helping consumers feel alert and energetic making it a better option for daytime use. This strain is great for users who experience acute stress with accompanying symptoms such as anxiety, pain, stress, or lack of appetite.
Cannatonic: Cannatonic is a high-CBD cannabis strain that’s a fan favorite amongst the medical marijuana community due to its uplifting characteristics, applicable to a wide array of symptoms. One of the easiest high CBD strains to find, Cannatonic is a sativa-dominant strain that consumers report leave them feeling a warm and tingly sensation all over their body. The cannabis strain is well balanced in terms of the THC to CBD ratio and as a result, has a calming effect that neutralizes anxiety and paranoia.
All of these cannabis strains and more help create feelings of happiness, relaxation, and euphoria, therefore they serve to treat acute or chronic stress. It is important before trying cannabis for your anxiety that you consult with your medical practitioner to get advice on how best to combine cannabis with other types of stress treatments or medicines.
