Can CBD Cause Panic Attacks
The conversation surrounding the CBD has been on the rise over the last couple of years. Canada, the United States, and several other nations have witnessed significant growth in CBD usage, with many turning to hemp-derived CBD products as a natural alternative to manage conditions such as anxiety disorders. However, since CBD is connected to…
The conversation surrounding the CBD has been on the rise over the last couple of years. Canada, the United States, and several other nations have witnessed significant growth in CBD usage, with many turning to hemp-derived CBD products as a natural alternative to manage conditions such as anxiety disorders.
However, since CBD is connected to cannabis, the question remains: Can CBD cause panic attacks? The answer is no. CBD can help manage symptoms associated with panic attacks and anxiety. Let’s dive further into CBD and panic attacks.
Panic attack vs anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of worry and fear due to a real or perceived threat. People with anxiety usually experience increased heart rate, nervousness, and sweating. People who experience anxiety frequently may be suffering from anxiety disorder, which is a mental health condition.
A Panic attack is a form of anxiety disorder that occurs without a trigger, and the symptoms are usually more intense. Frequent and unexpected panic attacks are signs that you may have a condition called panic disorder.
Can CBD help with panic attacks?
Several studies have been conducted on CBD which can help us answer the question can CBD cause panic attacks? Existing preclinical evidence strongly favours CBD as an alternative treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder when administered accurately.
Reports from a 2011 study show that 400mg of CBD administered orally reduced anxiety levels in individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) (3). In 2020, researchers published the outcome of a study involving 397 adults suffering from anxiety and depression. The participants were prescribed CBD oil and after using it for three weeks the patients reported an improvement in their symptoms (4).
Also, according to a 2015 review of 49 studies, preclinical evidence suggests that CBD helped in treating generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder (5). None of the studies have found CBD to cause or to heighten panic attacks.
How to take CBD to avoid panic attacks?
Individuals suffering from panic attacks may not need to take CBD as frequently as other medications. CBD is available in many forms including tinctures, edibles, pills, lotions, and more. Individuals who suffer from panic attacks regularly may need to consume CBD more frequently.
Depending on your type of anxiety and the intensity of your attacks, you may need to consume more CBD to reduce the symptoms. Whatever happens, always start with the lowest dose, and slowly increase the dosage until you feel the effects. Starting with a small amount and a low level of CBD is the best way to obtain optimal soothing effects.
Bottom line
CBD shows a high potential to be a useful drug in a lot of neuropsychiatric disorders, and there’s a lot of good, proper, clinical trial evidence to back it. Even though there’s no good clinical trial evidence for panic attacks yet, it’s likely that it will happen in the future. Understanding its mechanism, supported by scientific evidence, is paramount for informed therapeutic decisions.
Sources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31866386/
https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-020-02518-2
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3079847/
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20030305
