Does Smoking Weed Help With Anxiety?: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Marijuana and Anxiety

Marijuana and Anxiety

Many cannabis users complain that anxiety is a side effect of their use. Yet many other people us are unaware of the positive effects of Marijuana and Anxiety.

For every person who has a story about how they were paranoid on marijuana, there is another about the life-changing benefits it has provided to some with chronic anxiety.

In fact, marijuana has been shown to help people who have disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the way marijuana affects anxiety. These factors include strain composition, how much tolerance a patient has developed, environmental factors, as well as any pre-existing conditions someone might have.

Since there is so much involved, intense research has been done surrounding the subject, and some of the findings are summarized in this article. Keep reading for everything you need to know so that you can figure out if marijuana is a safe method for you to manage your anxiety.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry or concern about an upcoming event or situation. It can act as a motivator as well as a warning signal for dangerous situations.

But for some people, anxiety persists in day-to-day life no matter what. People that suffer from this condition feel anxious to the point where they can not function normally at work, in relationships, or at school. If the situation is dire, an anxious person will even stop taking care of their own wellbeing.

Anxiety has been classified into a series of disorders that all have different causes and symptoms, although they are similar. Some people have social anxiety, others are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder, and some have an obsessive-compulsive disorder or generalized anxiety.

These conditions will impact many adults in their lifetimes. There are genetic, gender, and personality traits that can increase your risk of suffering from anxiety.

Can You Use Marijuana for Anxiety?

Marijuana and Anxiety and a perfect match. Using marijuana for anxiety relief is one of its most commonly cited reasons. Because of this, doctors have begun to do research into the theory that marijuana can be useful in reducing anxiety and they have begun to uncover a lot of evidence.

The effects of marijuana are described as calming and relaxing. In addition to anecdotal evidence, a 2014 study found that marijuana can increase your body’s production of endocannabinoids. These molecules have been shown to reduce stress.

Another study in Canada found that within three months of cannabis use, forty percent of the patients in their study had stopped their use of benzodiazepines completely. This is very important because benzodiazepines have a number of dangerous side effects as well as a high abuse potential.

Will Marijuana Cause Anxiety?

When marijuana is consumed in large doses, it can cause short-term anxiety or paranoia. This effect increases for those that are new to marijuana. The feeling is exacerbated in unfamiliar or stressful environments and has been known to cause panic attacks. Marijuana and anxiety should be carefully analyzed by a physician.

Marijuana withdrawal can also cause anxiety for frequent users trying to detox. The fear of this anxiety has kept many people away from cannabis. However, there is not much scientific evidence to support that marijuana could be a risk factor in developing an anxiety disorder.

Most often, any paranoid or adverse effects of marijuana use will leave your body as the THC does. The symptoms do not persist after the substance has left the bloodstream. However, there is much more research to be done on this subject.

Marijuana and Anxiety – What are the Effects of CBD and THC?

There are many things to know about CBD and THC, the two main components of marijuana. CBD has more frequently been cited for reducing anxiety and THC has been known to cause it.

Depending on how your body interacts with THC, it can either cure your anxiety or make it much worse. CBD, on the other hand, acts in a very different way. It works on serotonin receptors and has been shown to have numerous health benefits.

The ratio of CBD and THC in a strain can affect how paranoid or anxious a user will feel. For new marijuana users who merely want anxiety relief, starting with a CBD oil can be a great way to go. Marijuana and anxiety can be treated by CBD derived from hemp.

What Individual Factors Contribute?

Knowing the right dose for yourself is the best way to avoid marijuana-induced anxiety.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult for everyone to get access to the strain that works best for them. When deciding what strain is right for you, you should consider your tolerance, your dosage choice, and the environment you will be in.

Tolerance

Anxiety is more prevalent in new or infrequent users. Over time, tolerance to marijuana develops and helps to curb this effect.

Beyond frequency of use, genetic factors can predispose you to respond to marijuana in a certain way. Over time, regular users will become more familiar with these responses and therefore will experience less anxiety.

Dose

Knowing the right dose is the only way to use marijuana for anxiety. Even for a seasoned user, consuming too much marijuana can result in strong short-term anxiety.

It’s best to start with a small dose and use more if you need to. The only way to lessen a high if it begins to be too much is time.

Environment

Tolerance is never completely predictable, even for regular users. Taking a break, even for a few days, can reset the clock on a regular marijuana user’s tolerance.

When the drug is used in a stressful or unfamiliar setting, it can cause the body to have a temporary reduction in its tolerance. That means that you need to be cautious about where you are when you choose to use marijuana for anxiety.

Finding the Best Strains of Marijuana for Anxiety

Locating the best strains for managing anxiety can be difficult. That is why it is so great that new businesses are opening their doors all the time offering relief to patients in the form of medical marijuana. Marijuana and Anxiety can also be researched on a site like Leafly.

If you’re considering starting a marijuana business to help others with their anxiety, then you should hire a consultant to help you manage the process. Contact us today.

Check out some of our other Anxiety articles:

https://blog.quantum9.net/15-surprising-benefits-of-cannabis-oil/

https://blog.quantum9.net/what-are-the-best-cannabis-strains-for-pain/ 

https://blog.quantum9.net/marijuana-detox-10-quickest-ways-to-get-the-weed-out/