How Long Does CBD Oil Take to Work for Anxiety?

Around 31% of adults are bound to experience anxiety at some point in their lives. The feeling of unease can be due to trauma, stress buildup, drug addiction, underlying medical issues, etc. Even though there are lots of prescription medications for anxiety treatment, recently, a lot of people have preferred using natural remedies such as cannabidiol (CBD) extract from industrial hemp plants. In fact, CBD forms such as CBD oil have shown potential effects for anxiety treatment. So, does that mean CBD oil can be used to manage anxiety? If yes, then how long does it take to work against anxiety?

Research on CBD and Anxiety

Evidence from a 2015 review shows that CBD can help treat anxiety and other anxiety-related issues, such as panic disorder and social anxiety disorder. When you consume CBD, it normally ends up interacting with proteins and the central nervous system. This interaction can help the receptors in the human body regulate fear and worry induced by anxiety. In fact, CBD’s anxiolytic properties and tends to behave like most anxiolytic drugs. It was also found that CBD has great potential in calming people with social anxiety disorder.

Can CBD Oil Help with Anxiety?

Can CBD help reduce the symptoms of anxiety? Well, high-quality, organic CBD products can be ideal for providing calming effects. To attain optimal results with minimal risks of side effects, consider using the best CBD oil for anxiety on the market. Understand that anxiety is a general term that describes several disorders. Regardless of many variations of this condition, CBD can still be effective in helping users attain desired effects. You can use CBD oil products to manage anxiety-related disorders such as:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD is a long-term medical condition that results in a feeling of anxiousness. People with this condition tend to experience it for days on end. Its commonly characterized by symptoms such as increased irritability, feeling of restlessness, easily fatigued, an uncontrolled feeling of worry, and difficulty staying or falling asleep among others.

Social Anxiety Disorder

This condition is also known as social phobia. Social anxiety disorder is a long-term issue that’s characterized by overwhelming fear, especially in social spaces. It commonly starts during teens and progresses as one grows. The mental health condition can result in distressing effects on your life.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

It’s a common mental health issue characterized by compulsive behavior and obsessive thoughts. The pattern of negative obsessions usually leads to repetitive behaviors in an attempt to ease their anxiety symptoms.  If left untreated, OCD can completely take over an individual’s life, leaving them disabled. Some of the most common compulsive behaviors include doubt/checking, washing/contamination, taboo/unacceptable thoughts, and arranging/ordering.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

It’s a condition that develops after experiencing a traumatic event like war, accident, natural disaster, violence, etc. Those with PTSD end up frequently experiencing nightmares and intense flashbacks. As a result, they might isolate themselves from some people or places.

How to Take CBD Oil

To use oil, place the recommended oil drops under the tongue and wait for a minute. CBD compound will reach the bloodstream via the mouth’s capillaries. The sublingual application facilitates a faster absorption process and normally leads to quick effects.

However, CBD’s versatile nature allows it to exist in multiple forms. As a result, those suffering from anxiety can use different methods of application, including:

Ingestion: consists of edibles such as gummies or capsules. These CBD products have to pass through the digestive tract hence their effects usually take longer to kickstart. However, they also produce lasting effects.

Inhalation: this technique is known to produce one of the fastest anxiolytic effects of CBD. Inhaled CBD normally reaches the bloodstream within 30 minutes.

Topical application: apply the topical cream, lotion, or balm directly to the specific body part. Such products are for external applications and normally produce localized effects.

How Long Does Oil Take to Work for Anxiety?

You’re probably curious to know how long it will take to experience the effects of CBD oil. It’s important to understand that there is a wide range of factors that influence this. Some of the variables include:

Dose

Larger doses of CBD for anxiety usually produce effects more quickly. However, you need to ensure that you stick within the recommended dosage range. This will help prevent unwanted side effects.

Weight

Individuals with more weight need higher CBD oil dosage and vice-versa. For beginners, the general rule of thumb is 0.2 mg per pound. This means that an individual weighing 100 lbs. will need 20 mg while someone weighing 200 lbs. then you will need 40 mg.

Type of CBD

There are several forms of CBD including tinctures, gummies, creams, and vapes. They all have different onset of effects, ranging from as little as 15 minutes to 90 minutes or more. For faster effects, consider using tinctures and vapes whose effects kickstart within 30 minutes. The effects of capsules, gummies, and other edibles can take up to two hours.

Tolerance

Using CBD consistently over time often leads to a high tolerance. It should be noted that as tolerance builds up, it consequentially makes the effects of CBD take longer. If you have a high tolerance, then you will need a higher CBD dosage. To avoid this, it’s usually advisable to take a break so that the tolerance can diminish.

CBD Oil Side Effects

Many people can tolerate CBD products due to the compound’s good safety profile. However, allergic reactions may result in a few side effects. Besides that, other ingredients and extremely high doses can result in potential downsides such as:

• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Drowsiness
• Weight loss
• Lightheadedness
• Reduced appetite
• Change in sleep patterns

It should be noted that CBD can change the mechanism of the liver against certain medications such as blood thinners, antiretrovirals, anti-seizures, and antihistamines. This can result in possible drug interactions. People with pre-existing liver injuries should also avoid using CBD products.

Closing Thoughts

Research reports indicate that using CBD can provide the body with beneficial anxiolytic properties. You can use CBD for anxiety to manage conditions such as PTSD, OCD, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety. Besides that, you can use CBD in various forms, such as tinctures, gummies, and topicals. This usually influences the onset of the effects, which can take between 15 minutes and 2 hours to kickstart. Besides that, tolerance, dose, and weight can also determine how quickly CBD works. For safety purposes, your goal should be to always start with a lower dose and then increase the amount gradually.