Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health, over 31% of all Americans experience anxiety at some point in their lives. Anxiety that lasts more than a few days or weeks is called a disorder, and over six million Americans suffer daily.
Many people want help for their anxiety, but they don’t want to take medication daily for it. Increasingly, cannabis is seen as a way to relieve anxiety without taking medication daily. If you are thinking about trying cannabis for your anxiety, here are some of the best cannabis strains for anxiety out there.
How Cannabis Can Affect Anxiety
Cannabis has been growing naturally in North America for thousands of years. Indigenous peoples have been using cannabis for a variety of ailments for milennia. Cannabis has been used to treat pain and nausea for a very long time–one of the first recorded uses for cannabis was pain relief. You may not have heard of the cannabis plant itself, but most people have heard about marijuana, THC, and CBD, which all derive from the cannabis plant.
Cannabis comes in several types of strains of the plant. People grow cannabis plants to enhance the properties of cannabis strains. There are specific strains for anxiety found in cannabis plants. Companies name anxiety strains, but there are also ways you can take the cannabis other than smoking it. Cannabis comes in edibles, lotions and creams, tinctures, and drops as well for anxiety.
What Are the Best Strains for Anxiety?
If you are planning on vaping or smoking cannabis, people have recommended the following strains to help with the symptoms for anxiety. No matter which strain you might choose to help with your anxiety symptoms, you will want to look for cannabis products with high levels of CBD, or cannabinidol.
CBD acts as an anti-inflammatory and as a stress reliever. You want a high level of CBD compared to THC, which is the chemical in marijuana with hallucinagenic properties. In general, people who have high levels of anxiety need to avoid THC, as it can actually increase anxiety levels.
Some people ask, “Is a hybrid weed good for anxiety?” The answer is yes, with some qualifications. In general hybrid weed combines indica and sativa blends of cannabis. If you want to use a hybrid weed product, you will want to select an indica-heavy blend, because it acts to calm and relax you, rather than a high-sativa blend, which is more hallucinogenic.
- Remedy is a popular CBD strain for anxiety. It has about 14% CBD content, and many people find the smoke to smell like lemon and pine, which makes for a nice flavor. There is little to no THC in this product. People with anxiety noted that their breathing slowed, and they felt an overall sense of relaxation.
- Charlotte’s Web has a 13% CBD content, and is one of the best cbd strains for anxiety and depression. Charlotte’s Web is also known as a good anti-inflammatory as well as a pain reliever. Another great strain for anxiety and depression is Sour Space Candy. There is a sour taste, hence the name, but the high (17%) CBD level makes is great for treating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Ringo’s Gift is another strain with a high CBD content. It is a mixture of two different strains that are very popular: ACDC and Harle-Tsu. This blend in particular is one of the best strains for anxiety attacks, because of its calming properties.
- Suzy Q is one of the best strains for racing thoughts, if you suffer from that symptom of anxiety. Many people with anxiety have racing thoughts, especially at night, that make it very difficult to rest and relax. Suzy Q has enough CBD to calm and relax a racing mind, which will make it much easier to sleep. Another fan favorite cannabis strain to combat racing thoughts is Purple Urkle. This strain is especially good at relieving racing thoughts right before sleep as well, and the chemicals in the strain, myrcene and pinene, help people get to sleep faster and stay asleep for longer periods.
- Sour Tsunami is a favorite, rated one of the best strains for anxiety and ADHD. It has a 13:1 CBD to THC count, and people have reported feeling relaxed, focused, and happy without having a heavy feeling, or a feeling of being weighed down.
What Type of Marijuana Doesn’t Cause Paranoia
While individual responses to marijuana can vary, there are certain strains that are believed to have lower levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and higher levels of CBD (cannabidiol), which may be associated with a reduced likelihood of causing paranoia or anxiety in some people. THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana responsible for its intoxicating effects, while CBD is non-intoxicating and has potential calming properties.
Strains with higher CBD content relative to THC are often referred to as “high-CBD strains” or “CBD-dominant strains.” Some popular examples include:
- Charlotte’s Web
- ACDC
- Harlequin
- Cannatonic
- Ringo’s Gift
It’s important to note that individual responses to different strains can still vary, and what works well for one person may not have the same effect on another. If you’re concerned about experiencing paranoia or anxiety when using marijuana, it’s always a good idea to start with a low dosage, go slowly, and consult with a knowledgeable healthcare professional.
How Can I Take Advantage of Medical Cannabis Strains for Anxiety?
Medical marijuana is available in 39 states across the U.S. You will need to check your state’s laws regarding the use of medical cannabis. At Elite Alternative Medicine, we have locations in Ohio, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Here is a bit about the laws in each of those states.
In Ohio, medical cannabis is legal if you have one of 22 qualifying conditions, such as cancer, neurological disorders, ALS, AIDS, digestive issues such as inflammatory bowl disease or ulcerative colitis, chronic pain and PTSD. If you have one of the qualifying conditions, you can use medical cannabis in creams, edibles, lotions, oils, patches, plant material, and tinctures. To get a medical marijuana card, you can make an appointment to see us with your medical records, and we can begin the process with you of obtaining a medical marijuana card.
In Pennsylvania, you must suffer from one of 23 conditions in order to qualify for a medical marijuana card. Otherwise, the procedure to obtain a medical marijuana card is much the same in Pennsylvania is it is in Ohio. New Jersey also has much the same procedure. You will need to make an appointment with us at our office in Stanhope to let us help you get a medical marijuana card.
If you are suffering from anxiety, and you need help, you need to contact us today at Elite Alternative Medicine, and let us put you on the path to health and healing.