Anxiety

Still, cannabis is not a long-term solution to stress. It does not take away the cause of the stress and it does not have the same effect on everyone. Cannabis strains also differ a lot from one another. Each strain has different proportions of active ingredients. One strain will be able to help with stress better than the other. So it’s definitely a good idea to do some research into the pluses and minuses of cannabis for stress and tension.

How Cannabis Can Help With Anxiety

The reason cannabis can be so helpful in stressful situations is that the plant is rich in a number of special substances. The most important of these are the well-known cannabinoids, CBD and THC. THC has psychoactive properties. CBD does not have a mind-altering effect (no psychoactive effect), but it does affect your body and mind. For example, CBD can have relaxing, pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.

Both substances are cannabinoids, which work together with our endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system has a regulatory effect on a wide range of processes, such as emotions, memory, sleep-wake rhythm and appetite. This way, THC, CBD and other cannabinoids from the cannabis plant, can have a positive effect on how you experience stress.

Benefits Of Cannabis Against Stress And Anxiety

More and more people are using cannabis in times of stress. Regular medications that can help in these situations, such as benzodiazepines, often have many adverse side effects, such as fatigue, decreased concentration and the possibility of becoming dependent on them. Cannabis, on the other hand, is a natural remedy that is non-addictive. The main benefits of cannabis in these situations are:

• More peace of mind and body
• Better able to relax
• Sleep better

Research On Cannabis And Anxiety

Research suggests that cannabis can help with anxiety and stress. However, it is worth noting the different influence that THC and CBD have. A 2015 review found that CBD can be used as a treatment option for anxiety, especially social anxiety. THC also has potential, but in lower doses.

Cannabis can be used in any situation where you feel anxious or stressed. People with specific fears, such as agoraphobia, social anxiety or fear of failure can benefit from cannabis. But the active substances in cannabis can also be used therapeutically in case of phobias or PTSD.

Every person is different. That means we can all get stressed, anxious and tense from very different things. We also all react differently: to stress, but also to the effects of cannabis. That’s why it’s wise for everyone to take the time to figure out which cannabis train will provide the anti-stress effect that you are after.

Cannabis As Support Against Anxiety

Those who wish to use cannabis for stress should keep in mind that cannabis does not remove the underlying cause. It may provide short-term relief, but it does not provide a permanent solution. It is important to clarify the causes of the stress or anxiety (such as workload, debts, or relationship problems) and to do something about it. For some people it helps to look for a treatment that has a long-term effect, such as psychotherapy or coaching. In these sessions you’ll learn a different and constructive way to deal with stress and you get tools to relax better.

The Right Cannabis Strain For Anxiety Issues

Each cannabis strain has different components that can help with stress. THC can provide relaxation, but sometimes it can also increase anxiety. Therefore, a strain that contains more CBD than THC may provide better results for some people. Cannabis further contains terpenes, these are substances that are useful for anxiety, tension and stress as well. In terms of specific strains, the White Widow strain is one that is know to help against anxiety.

Find The Right Cannabinoids And Terpenes

CBD (cannabidiol) has calming properties. If you suffer from anxiety, you often feel that your thoughts go on endlessly and that you have no control over them. CBD can calm that fretting and help you relax more easily. It can therefore also help with sleep problems caused by stress and anxiety. The same is true of certain cannabis terpenes, but these substances can help combat stress in even more ways.

Terpenes

Terpenes are the compounds that give cannabis its distinctive taste and smell. Cannabis contains more than 100 terpenes, some of which may help relieve anxiety, tension and stress. Terpenes each have their own effects, but they can also influence and enhance the effects of cannabinoids. This is done through the entourage effect. The combination of cannabinoids and terpenes in a specific strain can determine which type of weed helps one person tremendously with stress and tension, but not another. This makes it crucial to research for yourself what works and what doesn’t.

Anti-Anxiety Terpenes

Some of the most important terpenes that can influence stress are:

• Linalool: Human studies have found linalool to be calming without causing dependence. Linalool ensures that cannabis can help reduce symptoms of psychosis, seizures and depression. You’ll find linalool in Amnesia Haze seeds, among others.
• Caryophyllene: This terpene is also found in pepper and it provides the spicy smell and taste. Caryophyllene affects the CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system, which in turn affect the nervous system. Multiple studies have shown that caryophyllene can lower anxiety levels in mice when they experience stress. You can taste caryophyllene in the AK-OG Kush strain, for example.
• Myrcene: Myrcene, a terpene responsible for an earthy, spicy smell, also has a positive effect on anxiety. It also promotes the other substances in cannabis to pass through the blood-brain barrier more easily. Myrcene is found in almost every cannabis strain, but for high concentrations we can recommend the Fatkid’s Cake seeds.
• Limonene: Limonene enters the brain, where it activates adenosine receptors. These receptors can therefore prompt your brain to release dopamine, which helps regulate anxiety. The distinctive citrus flavor of limonene can be found in Lemon Haze seeds, for example.

Sativa Or Indica Cannabis Against Anxiety

Although nowadays every marijuana strain is a hybrid strain with both indica and sativa genetics in its DNA, the difference between the two types is important. Very roughly, you can outline the difference as follows: sativas focus their effects primarily on the brain, while indica strains are felt more in the body. This can make a difference for the specific type of stress you want to address.

Cannabis Sativa Strains For Mental Tension

Those who experience stress primarily as a mental problem are better off trying with a sativa-dominant strain. Mental manifestations of stress, anxiety and tension can include grinding thoughts that keep returning, a ‘full’ and pounding feeling in your head, tension headaches and anxious, tense thought patterns. If the stress is mainly ‘in the head’, then a collection of cannabis sativa seeds is the smartest starting point in the search for the perfect anti-stress cannabis strain.

Indica Cannabis Strains For Stress In Your Body

Strains with more indica influences tend to have their stress-relieving effect felt mainly in the body. Stress and tension can manifest themselves physically in many ways. Examples are tense muscles and trembling hands, uncontrolled sweating, nervous twitching and cramps, especially in the neck and shoulders. Anyone who recognizes these stress symptoms in themselves would be wise to try a more indica-dominant AG strain.

CBD, THC, Or Both?

Then there is still the question of which cannabinoids help better against stress: CBD or THC? Again, it depends very much on how the stress manifests itself. Those who suffer from anxious thoughts should be careful that cannabis does not trigger paranoid effects. Paranoia can reinforce stressful thoughts instead of relieving them. These kinds of effects are mainly caused by doses of THC that are (too) high doses. This could well explain why marijuana in small doses helps some people combat stress, but worsens problems when too much THC is present. Those who are sensitive to this kind of thinking should not choose very strong THC-rich strains to combat tensions.

CBD Cannabis Seeds And CBD Supplements

CBD does not cause paranoid thinking, so this substance offers whole other possibilities for countering stress. The substance can help calm down, and also help you sleep better. Not unimportant, as a good night’s sleep can do wonders for anxiety, stress and tension.

Combinations Of Cannabinoids

Then there is the possibility of combining THC and CBD in the right ratio. This seems like a good option to explore, as both cannabinoids can have positive effects on stress and tension. Moreover, they exist side by side in almost every cannabis strain, where they mutually influence each other’s effects via the entourage effect. On top of that, CBD has an inhibiting effect on the psychoactive effects of THC. That certainly includes the possibility of paranoid thoughts and feelings. You can choose to grow a strain that contains both substances, such as Choco Cheesecake. In it you’ll find a solid dose of THC (20%), but also a noticeable CBD content of 1 to 2%. This mixed cannabinoid profile is complemented by a diverse terpene profile and a remarkably strong presence of CBG; another cannabinoid that has sedative properties.

Anxiety | Frequently Asked Questions