CBD's burst into popularity in 2017 has continued to explode on into 2020, and shows no sign of slowing down. To the millions of newly aware Americans, a question crosses mind. "Is CBD a legitimate treatment for my condition?" And, with thousands of potential ailments needing treatment, it's very hard to say. But for more than 40 millions Americans suffering from anxiety, there has been talk of potential for serious relief.
Dan Wagener, Researcher at GoodRx, had some interesting findings when looking into statistics and polls on CBD. He found that:
A 2011 study showed that CBD reduced anxiety and discomfort during public speaking in people with social anxiety disorder.
Another 2011 study found that CBD reduced anxiety symptoms in people with social anxiety disorder.
A 2015 review of 49 studies found evidence that “strongly supported” CBD as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A study in 2019 used CBD to treat people who were struggling with anxiety and sleep. Almost 80% of people’s anxiety improved, and almost 70% reported improved sleep in the first month, but the results for sleep varied over time.
A 2017 study didn’t find any evidence that CBD improved anxiety or paranoia, and it actually increased anxiety in some people.
These results are generally positive, but there are a few things to keep in mind. First, many of these studies have small sample sizes (even the ones with negative results). So the results don’t necessarily represent the general population. Second, these studies don’t look at the long-term effects of taking CBD for anxiety. This means we aren’t sure if taking the drug over time consistently reduces anxiety.
