Breathe a sigh of relief (literally!) after a couple of “puffs” of hemp flower that may instantly alleviate your anxiety.
Last update: May 31, 2023
Article Summary
- Hemp flower is high in cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid that may help alleviate anxiousness.
- Studies show a positive correlation between cannabinoids and stress relief.
- Hemp flower can be smoked, vaped, or consumed in the form of oil or tincture. Inhalation methods provide the fastest results.
- Terpenes in hemp flower have properties that may ease anxiousness.
- The best terpenes for anxiety are those with calming features, like myrcene.
Worried about getting high? Well, you shouldn’t. Hemp flower contains trace amounts of THC that are not even close to getting you high.
With hemp flower, you are receiving the healing effects of CBD without the high. Discover why you should try hemp flower for anxiety.
Anxiety and Hemp
According to the American Psychological Association (APA) anxiety is
“an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” [1]
If these, at times very normal, anxious feelings last for a longer period or become more severe, we are likely talking about an anxiety disorder.
The person then experiences “intrusive thoughts or concerns” that interfere with their daily functioning. [1]
Anxiety can be caused by multiple things at once, including stressors at work, relationships and family issues, brain chemistry, and genetics.
The most common symptoms of anxiety are: [2]
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense
- Increased heart rate
- Uncontrollable feelings of worry
- Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
- Seating and trembling
- Feeling weak or tired
- Difficulties sleeping and concentrating
Does CBD Flower Work For Anxiety?
Hemp flower is used as an additional therapy aid or main natural remedy to combat anxiety.
The healing effects of hemp flower come from its naturally occurring components, including cannabinoids and terpenes. CBD, one of the main cannabinoids in hemp, offers stress-relieving and anti-anxiety properties.
Another way hemp flower helps relieve anxiety symptoms is through the presence of terpenes. Even if present in lower levels, terpenes produce healing effects.
Myrcene is a terpene also naturally found in wild thyme that shows anxiety-reducing traits, while limonene and caryophyllene reduce stress and help you relax.
CBD from Hemp: Benefits
Hemp is a variety of the cannabis plant that contains a higher level of cannabidiol (CBD) and less than 0.3% THC.
CBD will not cause a psychotropic “high,” but ease anxiety and stress without any side effects. Here are some of the biggest benefits of CBD:
Calms Social Anxiety
CBD may help. According to a 2011 study published in the journal Neurobiology, CBD may help people with social anxiety.
The study examined the effects of CBD compared to placebo on two groups of 12 participants diagnosed with social anxiety.
The group of 12 that was tested with 600 milligrams of CBD before a public speaking test showed less physiological signs of anxiety compared to the placebo group of other 12 participants. [4]
Proven Antipsychotic Properties
Many people with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia experience anxiety.
Studies show that CBD has helped patients with schizophrenia by positively impacting symptoms of the disorder.
By stabilizing symptoms such as racing thoughts, hallucinations, apathy, depression, CBD could be used in treating psychotic disorders. [5]
Therapy Aid
CBD offers anxiolytic properties that encourage relaxation.
This makes CBD a strong healing tool for people that have tried other treatment for anxiety and haven’t found relief or want to stay away from medication.
Combining talk therapy with CBD may help the user go through the therapy experience without feeling alerted or worried all the time.
Natural Antidepressant
Many times, anxiety and depression go hand in hand. The good news is, CBD is also a natural antidepressant.
A 2016 study published in Neuropharmacology found that CBD boosted serotonin in rats showing stress-induced depression.
Serotonin plays a crucial role in mood and stress management which makes this chemical a target of many antidepressant drugs. CBD also gave quicker relief compared to antidepressant medications that can take longer than two weeks to take effect. [7]
Reduces Learned Fear
Anxiety can also be a result of a learned response to some environmental and internal stimuli. A review published in Frontiers of Pharmacology suggests that CBD may reducing learned fear by: [6]
- Decreasing the expression of fear
- Disrupting the reconciliation of fearful memories
- Enhancing the process of eliminating learned fear
Hemp Flower: The Entourage Effect
The entourage effect is one of the best things about consuming hemp flower.
Simply put, the entourage effect means that hemp flower produces better results if taken as a whole rather than each compound in its isolated form.
The effects produced from the synergic interaction of all naturally found compounds in hemp—including cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and fatty acids—are stronger than each of these compounds taken in an isolated form.
A study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem backs up the efficiency of the hemp flower and broad-spectrum CBD compared to CBD isolates.
The study found that purified CBD shows desirable effects only at a highly targeted dose range, which can be very hard to achieve.
Compared to CBD isolates, CBD enriched extract showed a dose-dependent response, which means that its effects change when the dosage change.
The authors of the study recommend CBD extract for the treatment of various conditions. [8]
Ways of Consuming CBD from Hemp Flower
Smoking
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to consume hemp is to smoke it in a joint, bong, or bowl.
Inhaling CBD through smoking and vaping is also the fastest way to get CBD to the bloodstream and feel its effects.
Smoking can irritate the lungs, so many people prefer vaping as a healthier option.
Vaping
CBD from hemp can be vaped by using a vape pen. Smoking hemp flower can be done with a dry herb vaporizer.
The biggest advantage of smoking and vaping CBD from dried hemp flower is that the user is getting all of the benefits from the terpenes and cannabinoids working in synergy.
Hemp flower for oils and tinctures
Hemp flower can be used to create CBD oils and tinctures.
Both tinctures and oils are consumed sublingually and offer quick distribution of the component to the bloodstream and fast results.
The difference between CBD tinctures and oils is that the CBD in tinctures is suspended in a small amount of distilled alcohol.
High CBD Hemp Strains
FAQ on Hemp Flower for Anxiety
Is Hemp flower good for anxiety?
Hemp flower helps decrease anxiety because it is high in CBD and extremely low in THC. CBD has anti-anxiety properties and calms the body and mind, acting as a potent stress reliever.
What strain has the highest CBD?
Special Sauce CBD Hemp Flower is the highest CBD strain from Mr. Hemp Flower.
What CBD strain is best for anxiety?
Due to its high CBD content, Special Sauce CBD Hemp Flower is the best strain for anxiety. With similar CBD levels, Sour Space Candy is second best for anxiety.
Does CBD help with anxiety and panic attacks?
Some studies showed that CBD reduces stress and promotes relaxation by reducing fear and blocking unintentional memory retrieval, so it could potentially work for people with panic attacks.