CBD The Anxiety Killer
Imagine this: you’re 21 years old, 3000 miles from home, going into anaphylactic shock at a work event.
You start to go into a panic attack on top of all that is happening around you.
Your heart starts to race so rapidly you can hear your pulse in your ears as your eye balls feel as though they are vibrating in their sockets.
Your hands are trembling as the paramedics try to get a blood sugar reading and your throat tightens not only from anaphylactic shock, but from the overstimulation of fear that you could possibly die alone on the other side of the country away from everyone you know and love.
This was supposed to be a fabulous trip; one with music and laughter, prizes and fun. Instead it has turned into a manic rush inside an ambulance with nothing but absolute panic coursing through your veins and mind.
This was the moment I realized I needed extra anti-anxiety help.
Most of us would have gone into an anxiety attack in any moment such as this one, however mine had flipped into an absolute panic attack, which immobilized me to the point of shaking violently and having the paramedics bring me to the ambulance on a gurney.
All my life I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks; often leading me to a hospital visit here and there to adjust my medications further. When I turned 22, I decided I wanted to go into a more holistic way of treating my panic attacks, a more plant based way.
Having explored many different options, I decided to give CBD a try due to a 2015 article* I read of 49 studies that 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). I figured I’d give it a go, as I had already tried to many different ways to cope with my panic disorders.
The first time I smoked CBD flower, it was right before a full-blown panic attack. I could feel the anxiety ramping up, and wanted to try and get it under control as soon as possible.
The first strain I ever tried was Hawaiian Haze; a more fruity taste to the otherwise very hemp-flavored smoke taste. Within 4-5 minutes, not only had my body jitters stopped, my mind was no longer racing with negativity about what could happen next.
I could sense my breath slowing down to a normal pace again and my pulse had gone from being able to sense it in my ears again, to sensing it beat peacefully in my chest.
I had never found any anti-anxiety prescription drug to do this level of work within that amount of time without massive side effects. I was truly astounded at how well CBD had worked for me that I went out and got more flower the next day.