Best CBD Oil for Anxiety: Top 10 Brands of 2022 – D Magazine

The CBD Break gives readers our top ten brands for the best CBD oil for anxiety so they can find relief from their tough stress and anxiety.

Anxiety, much like stress and depression, can be difficult to manage and control. In fact, those diagnosed with anxiety often report that they feel the illness is debilitating, frustrating, and even painful at times. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation reports that anxiety disorders like PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder have genetic and environmental factors involved in them. Some of those factors include:

  • Being exposed to high-stress circumstances as an adult or a child
  • Financial stressors
  • Family history of anxiety disorders
  • Social anxiety, extreme shyness, or other childhood behavioral issues
  • Becoming a widow or widower
  • Going through a difficult divorce
  • Elevated cortisol levels

As with any health issue, anxiety disorders can become worse over time if you do not seek the proper treatment. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that if left untreated, anxiety disorders can negatively impact relationships, job performance, social interactions at work or school, and many other aspects of life. What’s interesting is that anxiety and depression share a lot of the same symptoms. Some common characteristics of both include:

  • Feeling sad, hopeless, or empty
  • Extreme irritation over small issues
  • Outbursts of anger
  • Loss of energy or feeling constantly fatigued
  • Lack of appetite
  • Having a hard time concentrating
  • Increase in weight
  • Increased food cravings
  • Lack of interest in things or activities that you once found pleasurable
  • Physical pain that cannot be explained
  • Feelings of worthlessness

According to the Mayo Clinic, depression is categorized as a mood disorder that causes intense feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in daily routine activities. Typically, those who are diagnosed with depression experience disruptions in their lives because of emotional and/or physical issues. Some of the most common treatments for anxiety and depression include talk therapy, prescription medication. However, thanks to CBD’s rise in popularity, more anxiety and depression sufferers are turning towards CBD products to help them manage their symptoms.

Today, more people are learning about CBD’s healing benefits thanks to a host of research studies that have been conducted over recent years. In one study, scientists discovered that CBD can help alleviate depression, sleep and insomnia issues, anxiety, and other health conditions that cause pain. Our guide to the best CBD oil for anxiety and depression, written in conjunction with The CBD Break, will explore various types of anxiety and depression and how CBD oil can help improve the symptoms that stem from those conditions. We’ll also give readers our top ten choices for the best CBD brands for anxiety and depression so they can take the guesswork out of finding the best CBD oil for their particular health needs.

Top 10 CBD Oils for Anxiety and Depression in 2022

We put a lot of time and effort into selecting our top ten brands. We wanted to make absolutely sure that our readers were able to choose products from the best brands in the industry. To that end, these top ten brands measured up to our high standards.

  1. FAB CBD — Best Overall
  2. Joy Organics — Best Broad Spectrum
  3. Green Roads — Mission-Minded
  4. CBDistillery — Large Product Variety
  5. Premium Jane — Strong Potency Variety
  6. Populum — Best Organic
  7. NuLeaf Naturals — Clean Extraction Practices
  8. MedTerra — High-Quality, Hemp Derived Products
  9. Lazarus Naturals — Most Accessible
  10. Cheef Botanicals — High-Quality CBD Oils

How We Came up With the Brands of CBD Oils for Anxiety & Depression

Before we wrote our article, we looked closely at some of the strongest CBD oil brands in the industry. Because CBD skyrocketed in popularity over time, our list quickly became much too long. We then took each brand apart by examining verified customer reviews, where the brand sourced its hemp from, how the brands created their products if they used an independent third-party lab to routinely test products for potency and purity, and if the brands practiced transparency by publishing those lab reports on their websites or by finding other ways to get lab reports into customers’ hands.

This helped us cut down our list of brands even further until only a small handful remained that measured up to our high standards. We next whittled the list down even more until we were only left with our top ten brands that are presented further down in our guide. Lastly, the information in our article is also drawn from respected CBD journalists, industry experts, and verified CBD users.

When we looked at specific CBD oil brands, we focused closely on:

  • How effective each brand was at calming anxiety, sleep issues, pain, depression, and other tough conditions.
  • Do the brand’s products meet FDA guidelines?
  • Does the brand sell full-spectrum, broad spectrum, or CBD isolate products?
  • Are the THC levels in the brand’s products 0.3% or less in accordance with federal law?
  • Are the usage and dosage instructions on products clear?
  • Overall brand reputation.
  • Is the information that the brand puts before the public truthful?

After we examined all of these factors, we finally were able to settle on our top ten CBD oil brands for anxiety.

Best CBD Oil for Anxiety and Depression in 2022

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Since 2017, the team at FAB CBD has been hard at work bringing customers top-quality, clean, innovative CBD products. In fact, the brand has effective and exceptional CBD oils for anxiety. The team at FAB CBD has many years of experience in the health and wellness industries, which is one of the many reasons why the brand is so successful.

The brand’s mission has always been to create the cleanest, most effective CBD products so that customers can live a preventative wellness lifestyle. To this day, the brand has never diverted from its high set of standards when it comes to crafting its award-winning CBD products. FAB CBD sells full-spectrum oils in an array of strengths and palate-pleasing natural flavors. The brand also produces a topical CBD cream, full-spectrum CBD body salve, “Anytime” CBD gummies, “Nighttime” PM CBD Chews, 2400mg CBD+CBG oil, Calm & Cool Crunchy CBD Dog Treats, and a line of non-CBD green superfoods.

All of FAB CBD’s hemp is organic and grown and harvested in Colorado. The brand also uses the industry-preferred CO2 extraction process to obtain all of its clean and potent hemp extracts. This process ensures that all of the extracts are pure and free from harmful impurities. Every one of FAB CBD’s products is packed with beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients.

Highlights

FAB CBD was the clear choice for our number one brand pick for best CBD oil for anxiety and depression because:

Top-Notch CBD Oils: FAB CBD has an exceptional line of full-spectrum CBD oils in strengths of 300mg, 600mg, 1200mg, and 2400mg and in smooth, refreshing, bright flavors of vanilla, mint, citrus, berry, and natural.

Product Offerings: Along with the brand’s best full-spectrum oils, FAB CBD also offers a topical CBD cream, full-spectrum body salve, CBD+CBG oil, daytime gummies, nighttime gummies, CBD dog treats, and a line of CBD-free vegan green superfoods. If CBD oil isn’t what you’re looking for, then one of FAB CBD’s other amazing products just might do the trick.

Hemp Sourced in the USA: All of the organic hemp that FAB CBD uses in the creation of its high-quality products comes from Colorado. The hemp is grown and harvested using state-of-the-art growing and cloning equipment. This ensures that all of the brand’s hemp is clean, potent, and free of harmful pesticides, herbicides, and other dangerous chemicals.

Independent Third-Party Lab Testing: Every product that FAB CBD creates is routinely tested by ProVerde Labs, an independent third-party lab. The brand also cares about transparency. To that end, FAB CBD publishes each lab report on its website where customers can easily find them.

30-Day, Money-Back Guarantee: FAB CBD is a wonderful brand for first-time CBD buyers to go with. Each one of the brand’s products comes with a 30-day, money-back guarantee. So, trying CBD and finding the right type of product for your unique health and wellness needs has never been easier.

Pros

  • Wide array of full-spectrum oils in a variety of strengths and flavors
  • Top-notch, caring, knowledgeable customer service department
  • All products regularly tested by an independent lab
  • Fast and secure shipping
  • Free shipping on all orders over $89

Cons

  • No auto-ship or subscription options
  • No international shipping offered

Joy Organics is a compassionate, highly reputable brand that cares deeply about integrity and excellence in product creation. The brand’s mission is to create high-quality CBD products using innovation and a superior level of customer service. Ever since its inception, Joy Organics has been dedicated to product quality. The brand’s customer service department is modeled after CEO and Co-Founder Joy Smith’s own personal experience with CBD. Smith, a mom, grandmom, and humanitarian, has always made it her mission to bring comfort and compassion to everyone.

Smith journeyed through her own health and sleep struggles throughout her life, and started looking for natural remedies for her body after traditional means failed her. Her son urged her to try CBD products, and though she went through quite a few different brands, only a few of them actually worked for her. She used this experience to found Joy Organics. To this day, her brand has been one of the top brands in the industry because of its strong manufacturing, testing, and quality control standards.

Highlights

High Standards: Joy Organics creates effective products that are regularly tested by an independent third-party laboratory. All of the products are organic, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and devoid of harsh chemicals or metals. Joy Organics sources its hemp from USDA-Certified farms. Every one of the brand’s products is Farm Bill compliant, which means they are all hemp-derived and contain 0.3% or less THC. The brand also uses the industry preferred CO2 extraction method.

Interesting CBD Oil Flavor Selection: Joy Organics’ oils come in an interesting array of flavors like Tranquil Mint, Unflavored, Summer Lemon, Orange Bliss, Tropical Sunrise, and Fresh Lime. The strengths include 450mg, 900mg, 1350mg. And 2250mg. All oils come in either full-spectrum or broad-spectrum varieties.

Lab Testing and Transparency: All of the third-party lab reports can be easily found on the Joy Organics website.

Affordable Products and Fair Policies: The brand’s products are affordable. Joy Organics also partners with non-government organizations and donates a portion of its sales to charity. Free shipping is available, and there is no minimum order amount required. The brand offers both standard delivery and expedited shipping. Lastly, Joy Organics offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee and provides an additional 15-day grace period for all refund claims.

Pros

  • Uses an independent third-party lab to regularly test products
  • Products have an 18-month shelf life
  • The brand’s hemp selection and extraction process are clearly explained
  • All products are created from organic hemp grown in the USA
  • Wide product variety

Cons

  • International shipping is not offered
  • Not every product is vegan

Since 2013, everyone who works at Green Roads has been on a mission to help people become the healthiest they have ever been. Green Roads was founded by a pharmacist who created unique product formulations. Each product was specifically designed with busy, stressful customers’ lives in mind. Every lab-certified product has won awards and verified positive reviews of customers. Green Roads employs three full-time pharmacists who oversee product development and manufacturing. All products are routinely tested by an ISO-certified external lab for strength, purity, and quality. Customers can see lab reports by scanning the QR codes on product packages.

The brand offers a strong line of full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products. Green Roads’ CBD oils come in a 25mg daily dose, 300mg, 750mg, and 1500mg strengths. Flavor options for the oils are Mint Breeze and Apple Kiwi. Even though the daily dose is convenient, it is still priced expensively. All oils are gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

Highlights

Lots of Options: The brand has an interesting product selection. Full-spectrum, broad-spectrum CBD, and THC-free CBD isolate varieties are offered. Free shipping is also available for all products.

Special Programs Available: Green Roads offers discounts to military personnel and first responders. The brand also offers generous discounts and rewards and referral programs because it is committed to making CBD more accessible to everyone.

Pharmacist-Formulated Products: All products are formulated by a team of licensed pharmacists. The award-winning products have even been recognized by the Cannabis Business Awards in 2018 and 2019.

Pros

  • Top-quality products
  • Pharmacist-formulated products
  • Uses CO2 extraction process to ensure products are clean
  • Wide array of products
  • Offers gifts and bundle options

Cons

  • Product prices are fairly expensive
  • Only ships to the USA
  • Limited CBD strength range
  • Lack of information on hemp sources

A group of friends from Colorado founded CBDistillery in 2016 as a way to combat poor quality CBD brands that were overtaking the industry. The brand is one of the fastest-growing, most affordable brands in today’s CBD industry. Since its inception, CBDistillery has been on a mission to educate customers around the world about the benefits of CBD using its strong social media presence. The brand offers a unique line of products that include full-spectrum oils, CBD isolate powder, CBD soft gels, topicals, gummies, and CBD pet products.

CBDistillery creates a wide array of CBD tincture options in a nice selection of strengths and sizes. Customers can choose from full-spectrum and broad-spectrum oils that come in concentrations of 500mg, 1000mg, 2500mg, and 5000 mg of CBD that only comes in a full-spectrum variety. The high potency CBD extracts appear to only come in unflavored options, which explains why some customers report that they dislike the oil’s earthy hemp flavor.

Highlights

Organic Hemp Sources: All of the brand’s hemp oil comes directly from Colorado and is organic. CBDistillery is also certified through the US Hemp Authority Certification Program. The brand has a strong belief in transparency and is involved in all product creation from seed to sale.

Belief in Transparency: CBDistillery uses an independent lab to routinely test all of its products. Those reports are then published on the CBDistillery website where customers can easily find them. Customers can also scan the QR codes on product boxes to see lab reports. The brand also has a highly responsive customer service department to answer any and all customer questions and concerns.

Clean Products: All products are free from pesticides, fungicides, heavy metals, and other dangerous contaminants. CBDistillery is GMP-, U.S. Hemp Authority-, ISO- and GRAS-certified.

Pros

  • Large product selection
  • Affordable product prices
  • Cost-saving programs for veterans, the disabled, and low-income individuals
  • Independent third-party lab testing
  • Free shipping on all orders
  • 60-day, money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Unflavored CBD Oil tinctures have a hempy flavor that some customers find unappealing
  • Uses ethanol extraction process over CO2 extraction

Premium Jane has worked for a number of years to educate customers on the benefits of the hemp plant. The brand, that’s located in Scottsdale, Arizona, creates affordable, organic products that customers enjoy. Premium Jane uses knowledge, science, innovation, and passion to make its products. Along with high-grade material, the brand also has agricultural experts, chemists, biologists, and marketing developers on staff.

Highlights

Local Hemp Sources: All of Premium Jane’s hemp is grown in Kentucky on regulated farms. Hemp Source — Hemp that’s grown and regulated in Kentucky

Strong Reputation: The brand has a solid reputation for being extremely transparent. All of its products are regularly tested by an independent third-party lab.

Clean and Strong Products: Premium Jane creates full-spectrum CBD oils that come in 300mg, 600mg, and 1000mg strengths in natural flavors like Natural, Peach Nectar, Lemon Lime, and Mint Chocolate. All of the brand’s extracts are obtained using the industry preferred, clean CO2 extraction process.

Pros

  • Lots of flavor varieties in the brand’s CBD oil

Cons

  • CBD oil strengths are limited to only three potencies

Populum focuses on crafting potent and pure CBD in an ethical and honest way. All of the brand’s products are created in the United States and are made using a proprietary formula of full-spectrum hemp extracts. Every product that Populm makes is vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. Since 2016, the brand has been creating high-quality products that customers love in a transparent way.

Highlights

Natural Ingredients: All of Populum’s full-spectrum hemp is non-GMO and grown in Colorado. The brand’s products contain natural ingredients that include grapeseed oil, MCT oil, hemp seed oil, natural flavors, beneficial terpenes, and cold-pressed orange oil. Hemp Source — Non-GMO, Colorado-grown hemp

Large Potency Choices: Even though Populum’s oils only come in a natural orange flavor, they do come in a wide array of potencies that include 250mg, 500mg, 1000mg, and 2000mg strengths.

Strong Belief in Transparency: Populum strongly believes in being transparent with its customers. To that end, all of its products are thoroughly and regularly tested by an independent third-party lab.

Pros

  • All products tested by a third-party lab
  • Free shipping on all orders.

Cons

  • Ethanol extraction process
  • CBD oils only come in natural orange flavor

NuLeaf Naturals was first founded by a group of people who were passionate about plant medicine. The brand’s vision is to blaze a path for wellness through the creation of top-notch CBD products. NuLeaf Naturals began in 2014 and has always been committed to creating the best quality CBD products in the most potent and pure forms. All of the brand’s full-spectrum products are free from herbicides, pesticides, and other harmful additives.

NuLeaf Naturals is GMP certified (Good Manufacturing Practices certified) and ISO-compliant (International Organization for Standardization-compliant). The brand’s full-spectrum oils come in 300mg, 600mg, 1200mg, and 3000mg strengths. All of the CBD oils contain full-spectrum cannabinoids and are regularly lab tested. The oils, which contain 100 percent natural ingredients, were extracted using the industry preferred CO2 extraction process.

Highlights

Clean Farming Practices: NuLeaf Naturals uses sustainable and organic farming methods to cultivate its Colorado-grown hemp.

Clean Products: The brand’s full-spectrum oils are GMO-free, and do not contain any pesticides or artificial flavors. NuLeaf Naturals also uses the clean CO2 extraction process to obtain its extracts.

Quality-Focused: In order to ensure that the quality of its products meets and exceeds standards, the brand’s production lab is registered with the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and is inspected by the Colorado State Department of Public Health and Environment. All products are then tested by third-party labs to make sure that they are free from pesticides, fungicides, and heavy metals.

Pros

  • NuLeaf Naturals is involved in product creation from seed to sale
  • Offers a money-back guarantee on products
  • Organic hemp sources that are sustainably farmed

Cons

  • No flavor options for oils
  • No CBD isolate options
  • Limited product selection

Everyone at MedTerra believes that the cannabis plant holds tremendous healing powers. In fact, the brand was founded by a group of people who were passionate about CBD. Everyone who works for MedTerra does everything they can do to make sure that all people have access to CBD products regardless of financial status. In order to show customers that they believe in transparency and being accountable for the products they make, the MedTerra team is involved from seed to sale in the entire product creation process.

Highlights

Natural, Full-Spectrum CBD Oils: MedTerra’s full-spectrum CBD Oil Hemp Drops come in 750mg, 1500mg, 3000mg, and 6000mg strengths. The oils also come in interesting flavors like Citrus and Chocolate Mint. All of the brand’s extracts are obtained through the clean CO2 extraction process. As far as additional ingredients, MedTerra’s oils contain MCT oil, natural flavors, and stevia extract.

Clean Hemp Sources: MedTerra sources all of its hemp from Kentucky. The brand’s hemp is free from herbicides, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals and is also non-GMO. Each product that’s made from hemp is tested by an independent third-party lab.

Team of Experts: MedTerra spares no expense to create some of the cleanest, most potent CBD products in the industry. In fact, the brand employs experts in vegetable genetics, quality control, food-grade compound extraction, and best hemp farming practices.

Pros

  • Large array of CBD oil potencies
  • International shipping
  • Reward and assistance programs available

Cons

  • Limited flavor options available

Lazarus Naturals was founded on the belief that CBD can positively impact people’s lives through the cannabinoid’s many documented benefits. The brand works hard to keep its products priced affordably so that customers from all walks of life can have access to them. Lazarus Naturals also offers a 60 percent discount to veterans, active military personnel, people on long-term disability, low-income individuals, first responders, nurses, medical providers, social workers, caretakers, teachers, students, and non-profit groups and organizations.

Lazarus Naturals was founded in Washington in 2014 by Sequoia Price-Lazarus. Ever since its founding, the brand has been 100 percent owned by its employees. To that end, those who work for the brand are also wholeheartedly invested in the products they sell. The brand creates CBD oils in flavors of Classic, Yuzu, French Vanilla Mocha, and Chocolate Mint in potencies of 600mg, 1200mg, and 2400mg. For those who are not familiar with Yuzu, it is an East Asian citrus fruit. The brand also offers CBD isolate oils in flavors of Blood Orange, Unflavored, Mango Pineapple, Yuzu, and Wintermint, in strengths of 750mg, 1500mg, and 3000mg.

Highlights

Source of Hemp: The brand sources all of its hemp from its own Central Oregon farm. All of the hemp from that farm and any hemp gathered from neighboring farms is certified by the Oregon Department of Agriculture Hemp Research Pilot Program.

Strong Product Selection: Lazarus Naturals crafts a wide array of products including capsules, CBD isolate oils, full-spectrum CBD tinctures, capsules, pet products, balms, and lotions.

Independent Lab Testing: All of the brand’s products are regularly tested by an in-house third-party laboratory.

Pros

  • Discounts for veterans, disabled individuals, low-income households, and other groups
  • Uses an in-house lab and a third-party lab to test all of its products
  • Involved seed to sale in the product creation process

Cons

  • Does not offer international shipping
  • Some customers don’t like the earthy taste of the brand’s CBD tinctures

Cheef Botanicals was founded by health-conscious cannabis lovers who had many years of organic food industry experience. The brand works with Colorado hemp farms to craft its top-quality CBD products. The brand was created because the owners felt there was a definite lack of health-conscious, plant-based cannabis products in the state of California. Cheef Botanicals creates a line of plant-based, unique, organic products that contain vegan ingredients. All of Cheef Botanicals’ products are non-GMO, gluten-free, cruelty-free, and dairy-free. All of the products are free from artificial flavors and colors. The brand also offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee.

The brand’s tinctures are made from 100 percent natural ingredients. Its products are also free from additives or preservatives. Cheef Botanicals offers four different full-spectrum potencies ranging from 300mg to 3000mg strengths. The brand offers a wide array of products at extremely affordable prices.

Highlights

Transparency and Quality: The brand partners with organic hemp farms in Colorado. Cheef Botanicals creates a unique line of high-grade, clean CBD products that are free from artificial colors and flavors.

Third-Party Lab Testing: All products are regularly tested by an independent third-party lab. Those in-depth reports are then published on the brand’s website where customers can easily find them.

Affordable Prices: All products are affordably priced. Many customers commented that the quality of the products exceeded the prices that they paid.

Pros

  • Wide array of products
  • Verified positive customer reviews
  • The brand offers a 100 percent, money-back guarantee
  • Bundle & Save and Subscribe & Save options
  • Pleasant CBD oil flavor choices

Cons

  • There are no third-party tests for contaminants
  • Cheef Botanicals does not support any charities
  • The brand doesn’t offer any assistance programs
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What is Anxiety Disorder Anyway?

There are many different types of anxiety disorders. Some of the most common kinds of anxiety disorders include panic attacks, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder. People who have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder typically are plagued with constant worry for long periods of time about various things such as work, social interactions, daily happenings, health, and other issues.

Common symptoms that stem from generalized anxiety disorder are:

  • Trouble concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Restlessness
  • Excessive muscle tension
  • Easily fatigued
  • Sleep disturbances that include insomnia, restlessness, and sleep that isn’t refreshing or restorative

There are also different symptoms that come with other types of anxiety disorders. For example, if someone has been diagnosed with panic disorder, they may struggle with the immediate onset of panic attacks that bring about feelings of intense fear. The attacks are sometimes triggered by situations or objects with heavy meanings attached to them. Sometimes people who are diagnosed with panic disorders also experience heart palpitations, shortness of breath, trembling, shaking, feelings of impending doom, or feeling as though they’re losing control.

Lastly, some individuals with panic disorders have an intense desire to stay away from specific objects or social situations. Their perceived fears and aversions always tend to feel extremely overblown when compared to the danger caused by an actual situation or object. Specific phobia-related anxiety disorders include agoraphobia, separation anxiety disorder, selective mutism, and social anxiety disorder.

Commonly, phobias can also include a fear of:

  • Blood
  • Heights
  • Enclosed spaces
  • Flying
  • Insects or animals

A Word About Major Depressive Disorder

People who have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder typically feel great sadness, hopelessness, or worthlessness. They sometimes have a difficult time finding joy in their everyday lives and in activities like sports, work, or hobbies. Medical experts say that the signs and symptoms of major depressive disorder are strong enough to make a noticeable difference in the way that people function in activities such as work, social relationships, school, sports, or social activities and events.

In older adults, depression shows itself as:

  • Personality changes
  • Memory issues
  • Loss of appetite
  • Increased appetite
  • Immense fatigue
  • Sleep issues
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Suicidal thoughts or feelings
  • Social withdrawal
  • Decreased interest in sex

Prescription medications and talk therapy have been common forms of treatment for major depressive disorders. However, positive scientific studies are showing that CBD may exhibit anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects in animal models. Therefore, it makes sense that CBD can be a valid form of treatment in the fight against both anxiety and major depressive disorder.

What Causes Anxiety

There are many different factors that go into causing anxiety. Some of them include:

  • Trauma either as an adult or as a child
  • Stress caused by an illness
  • Stress buildup that’s not properly handled over time
  • Personality
  • Other mental health conditions such as depression
  • Family history of anxiety
  • Drug or alcohol abuse or withdrawal

Why are Pharmaceutical Anxiety Medications Dangerous to Our Health?

Pharmaceutical medications come with a host of side effects — many of them severe. In fact, some of the general side effects linked to anxiety medications include drowsiness, confusion, and clumsiness. These side effects typically happen with low doses. Conversely, the side effects become more intense as the dosage of the medication gets higher. For example, one of the major long-term side effects of benzodiazepines (a common anti-anxiety medication), includes becoming overly sedated. Because this type of medication takes a long time for the body to metabolize, it can build up in your system over time. Typically, when someone is overly sedated, they feel and act as if they are inebriated. After the over sedation wears off, it’s common for people to be left feeling hungover. In this hungover state, they can experience headaches, lethargy, and depression. When the medication is used for an extended period of time, people can experience flu-like symptoms, nausea, sleep disturbances, memory issues, emotional fog, and memory issues, among other things.

Other medications used to treat anxiety can sometimes cause symptoms like these if used incorrectly or abused:

  • Dizziness
  • Grogginess
  • Dry mouth
  • Headaches
  • Stomach pain
  • Vomiting
  • Agitation
  • Paranoia
  • Speech issues
  • Blurred vision
  • Tremors
  • Confusion
  • Profuse sweating
  • Seizures
  • Lack of appetite
  • Low blood pressure

Research on CBD and Anxiety

According to a 2015 review, CBD helps anxiety by interacting with the CB1R, or cannabinoid type 1 receptor, the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, and other receptors located in the brain that work to regulate fear and other behaviors caused by anxiety. The review’s authors also found that CBD is an effective treatment for many other anxiety disorders including:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Panic disorder

In an article written in 2020, the authors closely looked at eight studies that investigated CBD’s role in the treatment of different anxiety disorder types. In reviewing the studies, the authors found proof that supported CBD’s effective use in the treatment — whether as a sole treatment or a complementary therapy — of social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The authors also discovered that there was much variation in the doses that were used to treat these anxiety disorders. This also proved that everyone’s body is different and that a dose of CBD that works best for one person might not work that great for someone else.

CBD Oil vs CBD Gummies: Which One is Best for Anxiety

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. At the end of the day, it all comes down to preference. Both CBD oil and CBD gummies enter the body in different ways. While CBD oil enters the bloodstream through the thin membrane under the tongue, CBD gummies must travel through the digestive tract before entering into the bloodstream. As we stated earlier, there is no set dosage of CBD oil that will work best for everyone. Therefore, it takes time, patience, and consistency to find the dose of oil that will work best for your particular health and wellness needs. The dosage of CBD gummies, however, is predetermined, making dosing easier overall.

CBD oil is one of the most popular ways to consume CBD, however, some people prefer the taste and ease of CBD gummies over CBD oil. Gummies are sometimes more appetizing than oil, which can make CBD easier to take each and every day. Gummies are also a more discreet way of getting CBD into your body. Because of this, gummies can be consumed out in public without drawing attention to yourself.

The effects of CBD oil are stronger and more immediate, and can be great if someone feels a panic attack coming on. Conversely, the effects of CBD gummies will last longer and feel milder because they have to travel through the digestive tract. Therefore, some people may find it helpful to take a couple of CBD gummies at the start of their day so that they can better handle the stressors of everyday life. At the end of the day, you should always choose the best product for your particular health needs.

How Does CBD Oil Help with Anxiety?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the more commonly known compounds in the cannabis plant. It will not cause feelings of euphoria like the cannabis plant’s other main compound, THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, will. A number of studies show that CBD is a strong potential treatment for various types of anxiety disorders.

How Can CBD Specifically Work to Alleviate Anxiety?

When CBD is extracted from the hemp and cannabis plants, it’s used in the creation of CBD oils, topicals, edibles, gummies, salves, and other products. CBD can be an effective treatment in anxiety disorders because it is loaded with beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients that bind to specialized endocannabinoid receptors in the brain. Within the human body, there’s an endocannabinoid system that helps bring the body back into a state of balance. When CBD is taken into the body, the cannabinoids bind with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain to help alleviate conditions like anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, and other issues. There’s also an entourage effect that happens with cannabinoids.

During the entourage effect, the cannabinoids boost each other’s positive properties while lowering their negative ones. A study conducted in 2014 found that the antidepressant effects of cannabidiol helped to calm anxiety and depression. Moreover, another study conducted in 2015 found CBD to be a solid potential treatment for different types of anxiety disorders. Some of the disorders that CBD was effective against were generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and others.

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How Safe is it to Use CBD for Anxiety and Depression?

Many scientific studies are discovering that CBD oil is a safe and effective treatment for both anxiety and depression. When you think about all of the dangerous and potentially addictive prescription medications that are used to treat anxiety and depression, CBD rises to the top as one of the safest, most effective, and most natural alternative treatment methods.

If you are on prescription medication, then you might want to check with your primary care doctor or prescribing physician before beginning a CBD regimen. It’s always best to confirm any and all possible interactions of the CBD with your current prescriptions before you begin taking any CBD oil for anxiety or depression. Furthermore, if you’re taking a prescription medication with a grapefruit warning attached to it, then you should be aware that CBD can interact with that medication in very much the same way that grapefruit juice, grapefruit, or other citrus fruits can. Grapefruit juice, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits can interfere with the way the body metabolizes medications, thus allowing too much medication to enter into your system. Therefore, you need to discuss adding CBD into your daily supplement regimen with your primary care doctor or prescribing physician before taking any CBD oil on your own.

What Determines the Quality of CBD Oil?

There are many factors that go into determining the quality of CBD oil. Some of the factors that you should look at in trying to buy a high-quality CBD oil for your anxiety or depression include:

  • Extraction Process: Currently, the industry-preferred extraction method is the CO2 process because it produces extracts that are potent, pure, and free from harmful chemicals.
  • Hemp Source: Look for brands that create their products from organic, non-GMO hemp that’s free from herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, or other chemicals.
  • Product Labels: All reputable brands with top-quality CBD oil have product bottles that are clear to read with instructions that are easy to understand.
  • Third-Party Testing: Reputable brands believe in being transparent. Part of that transparency involves having each product regularly tested by an independent third-party lab and then posting those results on their website or making them easily accessible for customers.
  • Certificate of Analysis and Cannabinoid Profile: All lab reports should include a certificate of analysis that lists any and all findings. Likewise, look for a cannabinoid profile report so that you can see the percentage of cannabinoids and which cannabinoids are in the extract.
  • THC Percentage: In order for hemp-derived CBD oil to be federally legal in the United States, it has to contain 0.3% or less THC. Anything over that amount will be illegal, unless the state has recreational or medicinal marijuana laws on its books. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is one of the main compounds in the hemp and marijuana plants that can cause feelings of euphoria if ingested in large quantities. (Well over 0.3% THC, as is found in the marijuana plant.)

All top-quality CBD oils are created by reputable brands who follow these basic set of guidelines, and maybe a few more. The best way to find the highest quality CBD oil for your health and wellness needs is to take the time to thoroughly research both the product and the brand.

CBD Oil Dosage for Anxiety

When it comes to CBD dosage, everyone’s body is different. Therefore, there is not one set dose that will work best for everyone. It takes time and patience to find the best CBD oil dose for your body and your anxiety. It’s also good to remember that the highest dose isn’t always the best dose. Typically, mid-range doses work the best. Additionally, you may have to adjust your dose or your strength over time to suit your body and your needs.

When it comes to strengths, 300mg and 600mg strengths are perfect to help support general health, while 1200mg and 2400mg strengths are great for those who are struggling with difficult health issues like anxiety and depression. Consistency is also key when it comes to taking CBD oil. You will be able to get the most benefits from your CBD oil if you take it with some food in your stomach and around the same time(s) each and every day.

How to Use CBD Oil for Anxiety

Finding the best dose for your body and your needs is not an exact science. And as we stated earlier, there’s not one perfect dose for every person. When beginning a CBD oil regimen, the best rule of thumb is to start low and go slow. If you’re new to CBD, a great method to follow is to start with a dose once a week and stay with it for seven to ten days. For example, if you’ve purchased a 600mg bottle of FAB CBD full-spectrum CBD oil, take half a dropper full once a day for about one week. This will equal 10mg of CBD oil once a day. After one week, check-in with yourself to see how your body is feeling. It’s also a perfect time to keep a symptom journal so that you can keep track of your anxiety and depression symptoms and how you are doing while on the CBD oil.

If you aren’t noticing any changes, then it’s time to move up to a half dropper full twice a day. This will now equal 20mg of CBD a day or 10mg of CBD twice a day. Stick with this dose for an additional week, making notes of your signs and symptoms. At the end of this week, do another check-in with yourself to see how you are feeling. Keep following this pattern until you have found the best dose for your body. While you are finding the right CBD oil dose, be patient. It will take time for your body to get used to both the CBD oil as well as the dose.

Other Benefits of CBD Oil

Along with anxiety and depression, CBD oil is also used for other health issues such as pain, insomnia, arthritis, and much more.

  • Pain: Scientific studies have shown that CBD can help reduce pain by positively interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system to reduce inflammation. Interestingly, a study performed on rats found that CBD significantly lowered both sciatic nerve pain and inflammation.
  • May Help Alleviate Cancer-Related Symptoms: Studies have been conducted that prove CBD can help calm side effects from cancer treatment like vomiting, pain, and nausea. One such study found that cancer patients treated with both CBD and THC experienced a significant reduction in pain. Yet another study discovered that side effects from chemotherapy — nausea and vomiting — were eased in cancer patients.
  • Can Have Neuroprotective Benefits: Scientists believe that CBD’s ability to positively impact the endocannabinoid system may have great benefits to those diagnosed with neurological disorders. CBD has shown great promise as a treatment for those struggling with neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. One study found that when people with epilepsy were given CBD, their seizures were reduced by 36.5 percent.
  • May Have Heart Health Benefits: Research studies show that CBD may be able to help lower high blood pressure. One study discovered that when nine healthy men were given one dose of 600mg CBD oil, it reduced their resting blood pressure. Likewise, these same men, when given CBD, only had a small increase in blood pressure during stress tests that normally increase blood pressure.
  • Can Help with Sleep Issues and Insomnia: Many issues can disrupt sleep. For example, anxiety, depression, medication, caffeine, physical conditions, and certain environmental factors such as loud noises or an uncomfortable mattress can all disturb your sleep-wake cycle. A study conducted in 2019 discovered that CBD could improve sleep while reducing anxiety. In the study, 72 subjects were given CBD each day. Within the first month, 79.2 percent reported decreased anxiety levels and 66.7 percent reported better sleep.
  • Can Help to Control and Alleviate Epilepsy: CBD works with the body’s endocannabinoid system to help bring it back into a state of balance. Therefore, CBD can help control and alleviate epilepsy by having a therapeutic effect on the brain, thus calming down seizure activity.

CBD also can help with schizophrenia and other mental health disorders, substance abuse, diabetes, and tumors.

Possible Side Effects

CBD is generally well tolerated and considered safe among the general population. However, there are some minor side effects associated with it.

Some of these minor side effects include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Changes in appetite
  • Changes in weight
  • Fatigue
  • Sleepiness
  • Nausea

If you have any questions or concerns surrounding CBD or whether or not you should be starting a CBD regimen, then you should reach out to your primary care physician for the proper guidance.

Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD is federally legal across all 50 states. However, each state may have its own laws and regulations surrounding CBD. Therefore, before you purchase any CBD oil or other CBD products, it’s best to look into your state’s legislation regarding CBD. Moreover, if you will be traveling through different states and want to take your CBD oil along with you, then you should also look into the CBD laws of the states that you’ll be traveling through.

Many people today purchase their CBD oils online. If you do the right research, you can find a wealth of reputable brands, like FAB CBD, that create top-quality, effective, potent products. While there are many wonderful CBD brands online, beware that there are also many poor ones. Therefore, it’s important to thoroughly look at a brand’s website to read any third-party lab reports and verified customer reviews. Moreover, reputable brands will be very transparent and will publish all of their third-party lab reports online and make them easy for customers to find.

FAQ

What is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is what’s made when phytonutrients, cannabinoids, and terpenes are extracted from the cannabis plant and are mixed together with a carrier oil like MCT oil. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can buy CBD oil in full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolate varieties. Full-spectrum oils contain all of the phytonutrients, terpenes, and cannabinoids in the hemp plant. Broad-spectrum oils are the same as full-spectrum oils, except that all of the THC has been filtered out. Lastly, CBD isolate oils contain only 99% pure CBD as the rest of the plant parts have been filtered out using a special process. 

Does CBD Really Work for Anxiety and Depression?

A lot of anxiety and depression sufferers have found success through using CBD oil. A lot of people have found that their symptoms have either diminished completely or have been alleviated through regular and consistent use of CBD. In fact, scientific research has proven that CBD is effective against the symptoms of both anxiety and depression.

Is CBD Addictive?

CBD has been proven safe, effective, and non-addictive. In fact, a 2017 study that was published in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that CBD is about as addictive as a placebo pill. Additionally, a 2019 study discovered that CBD may help lower drug cravings, paranoia, impulsivity, and symptoms of withdrawal linked to crack-cocaine addiction. Lastly, the World Health Organization found that CBD has no abuse or dependence potential.

What is the Recommended Dose of CBD Oil for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

According to a study conducted in 2018, researchers found that PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, affects at least 10 percent of people during the course of their lifetime. PTSD comes out of a place of extreme trauma such as abuse, war, accidents, traumatic loss, or disasters. People who have been diagnosed with the condition become easily overwhelmed and have a hard time coping. Researchers have found that CBD can help alleviate PTSD by:

  • Eliminating nightmares
  • Preventing fear memories from forming
  • Reducing depression and anxiety
  • Helping with insomnia issues

In order for CBD to be effective in the treatment of PTSD, you have to find the best dose for your body and your needs. Everyone is different, therefore, a dose that works well for one person may not work that great for someone else. The best way to find the right dose for your PTSD is to start with a small dose of oil and then gradually increase over time. The dose of CBD depends on the product you choose, your weight, and the desired strength of your oil. Studies show that high doses of CBD ranging from 12mg to 25mg have the ability to significantly lower symptoms of anxiety. In starting low and going up slowly over time, you will eventually be able to find the ideal dose for your unique needs. It also helps to keep a journal while you’re going through this process so that you can pinpoint the exact dose when your symptoms begin to improve.

What’s the Difference Between a CBD Oil and a CBD Tincture?

Even though some brands use the terms CBD oil and CBD tincture interchangeably, they are not the same. CBD oils are typically made with CBD and a carrier oil like MCT oil. CBD tinctures are alcohol-based extracts that use high-proof alcohol as a medium to steep the cannabis plant material in.

How to Buy CBD Oil Legally

Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD oil can be legally purchased throughout the United States as long as it’s hemp-based and contains 0.3% or less THC. Therefore, you can legally buy CBD products either in a brick-and-mortar location or online from a reputable brand. It’s highly recommended to purchase CBD online from a reputable brand because doing this will afford you all the time you need to perform any research you need in order to have all of your questions thoroughly answered.

What Does it Mean to Take CBD Oil for Anxiety Sublingually?

Taking CBD oil sublingually is just a fancy way of saying that you should drop the CBD oil under your tongue and hold it there for about 60-seconds before swishing it around in your mouth and swallowing it. When you hold the oil sublingually, you’re allowing all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients to enter into your bloodstream through the thin membranes under your tongue. The same thing happens when you swish the oil around in your mouth prior to swallowing it. You’re simply allowing the cannabinoids to enter into your bloodstream through the soft tissue in your mouth.

The Bottom Line on CBD Oil for Anxiety

Even though it can be stressful and frustrating to deal with anxiety and depression on a daily basis, the good news is that there’s hope for a natural and safe alternative treatment by way of CBD oil. To that end, many who are diagnosed with anxiety and depression are actively exploring the use of CBD as an alternative treatment against social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorders, phobia disorders, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, seasonal depression, and many others.

Positive verified customer reviews and industry expert reviews show that FAB CBD full-spectrum oils are the best when it comes to calming and controlling the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Moreover, Joy Organics, our next choice, comes in as a strong second-place brand. All of the reputable brands in our top seven brands for the best CBD oil for anxiety have clean, potent, and effective products that you’ll want to use time and again.

Additionally, the strong results from a wealth of scientific studies confirm the reasons why CBD oil can be used as a natural treatment for anxiety and depression and the difficult symptoms that they create. Due to CBD’s fast rise in popularity, the market has become inundated with brands. Therefore, it’s important that you take the time to do the research into any brand and product that you’re interested in. Remember, not all brands are created equal. Sadly, there are brands on today’s market that use substandard ingredients and whose products are laden with harmful pesticides, solvents, herbicides, and other dangerous chemicals.

When looking into CBD oil brands, you should closely examine third-party lab results, whether the products contain the legal limit of 0.3% or less THC, hemp source, verified customer reviews, the words of respected CBD journalists, and much more. If you’ve been searching for a good place to start your research, then our guide is a great place to begin. CBD oil is a fantastic option for anxiety, depression, and a host of other conditions because of its low number of mild side effects and lack of intoxicating effects. However, if you’re unsure of whether you should be adding CBD oil into your existing supplement regimen, then you should never hesitate to reach out to your primary care doctor or medical specialist.

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