Chill Out with Cannabis: Stress and Anxiety Relief
During times of uncertainty - about the economy, our livelihoods, or the health and safety of those we love - it is possible for a sense of calm to be cultivated, and our resilience to be restored. Finding ways to cope may include bursts of motivation, or periods of rest, depending on your individual circumstance. You may also be considering how cannabis can play a supportive role during this time. A growing body of research has echoed this interest and explored the connection between stress, anxiety, our immune response, and cannabis. Promising findings have led many to explore it as a tool in their emotional first aid kit.
Despite your best efforts to move your body, eat well, get enough rest, and human connection, anxious thoughts may still persist. If this is impacting your quality of life, or ability to maintain day-to-day responsibilities, it is time to seek support. This could take the form of talk therapy, natural supplements, or herbs including cannabis.
Anxiotropic compounds, such as cannabis, are those which have the ability to both inhibit and induce anxiety. Becoming well informed about what you are consuming could save you an uncomfortable outcome or avoid something that is contraindicated for your individual situation. We are only just at the precipice of understanding how the unique assortment of terpenes (aromatic compounds) and cannabinoids within specific cultivars of the plant impact the anxiety inhibiting or inducing effects.
A recent surge in scientific publications has found preclinical and clinical evidence documenting value for the non-intoxicating compound Cannabidiol (CBD) in anxiety-related disorders. Evidence points toward a calming effect for CBD in the central nervous system. In a 2019 study, 79% of participants administered CBD found anxiety decreased within the first month and remained decreased through the duration of the study (1).
As CBD is generally well tolerated with mild side effects, it’s best to start here and hold off on consumption of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at first - especially if you have a family history of mental illness or a pre-existing condition yourself. THC may be contraindicated, as it can induce negative psychiatric symptoms in certain individuals (2). Seek advice from a health professional who can best advise what may be appropriate for your individual circumstance. Direction on how to access medical cannabis through a telehealth consult can be found online through providers such as namastemd.com.
Currently, 22 controlled clinical trials have identified anxiety reducing effects with acute (lower dose) CBD administration (3). Based on this, the best approach is ‘start low and go slow’. Start with the lowest recommended dose or serving and increase gradually if symptoms persist. This approach will allow you to identify the lowest possible dose that delivers a result. No need to over-consume, it’s not only an unnecessary spend, but the research has also shown a higher dose may be counterproductive to the benefit sought.
Stress and anxiety are well known to wreak havoc on our immune system. During times of stress, physical or perceived, our body is in ‘fight or flight’ mode and our immune function can be compromised. When the source of our stress may be related to our health and sense of safety, think critically about any lifestyle behaviours that could help or hinder your overall health status. For some, cannabis exhibits the potential to help.
Our Endocannabinoid System (ECS) includes the innate and adaptive immune system. It is now recognized that cannabinoids such as THC, CBD and cannabinol (CBN) can alter the functional activities of the immune system4. Endocannabinoids (produced natively within our own bodies) have been identified in immune cells and are believed to be enzymatically released as needed.
Exogenous cannabinoids (found in cannabis) may offer additional intake by which to help recalibrate your immune system when under functioning. Cannabinoids have been shown to deeply influence immune functions by restoring homeostatic tone to the tissues5. This enables the immune system to regulate inflammation, autoimmunity, anti-tumor, as well as anti-pathogen immune responses.
One of the greatest challenges within therapeutic cannabis research is standardizing the cannabinoids and terpenes used, in order to identify not just if cannabis helps (as we have seen, it can), but more importantly which specific compounds make the difference. There is more to be discovered about the synergy of compounds, the ratios, and precise potency most helpful for alleviating anxiety, supporting a healthy immune response, or other conditions.
A bit of trial and error may still be involved for the canna-curious consumer. An intentional and informed approach starting with CBD based products and beginning with the lowest dose can help set you up for success. For those looking to access cannabis as an adult-use consumer (non-medical), the widest selection is available online through your provincial government’s e-commerce site. A province by province list can be found through the Government of Canada website, Canada.ca.
[This content was first published in Maple Magazine. Annual subscriptions via The Naturalist Publishing.]
References
“Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series”. Shannon, S. et all. Accessed online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30624194
“Psychiatric symptoms caused by cannabis constituents: a systematic review and meta-analysis”. Hindley, G. et all. Accessed online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32197092
“Dosage, Efficacy and Safety of Cannabidiol Administration in Adults: A Systematic Review of Human Trials”. Larsen, C. and Shahinas, J. Accessed online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32231748
“Turning Over a New Leaf: Cannabinoid and Endocannabinoid Modulation of Immune Function”. Cabral GA. et all. Accessed Online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26054900
“Targeting Cannabinoid Signaling in the Immune System: “High”-ly Exciting Questions, Possibilities, and Challenges”. Attila, O. et all. Accessed online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5686045/