Does CBD oil make you feel paranoid?
Many people are affected with anxiety and paranoid thoughts. It makes sense in today’s world, where stressful events seem to be more regular than the climate. Therefore, it is no wonder that people are turning to more natural supplements to help them stay calm and manage their paranoia and anxiety. CBD oil has recently gained a reputation as a miraculous cure for anxiety, but is it true?
As you may know, CBD is another compound from cannabis, just like THC. Both THC and CBD are cannabinoids, a kind of molecule that interacts with the body and generates a “feel good” effect, like endorphins or serotonin. However, you may also know that THC can cause feelings of paranoia and are wondering whether CBD will have the same effect.
What is Paranoia?
Though it is often thought that anxiety and paranoia are similar, and yes, anxiety can cause paranoid thoughts, it also works in the reverse. Paranoia can lead to anxiety.
But what is paranoia if it is not considered anxiety? Simply put, paranoia is a feeling that you are in danger somehow, even when there is no proof that you are. A lot of people can have paranoid thoughts throughout their life, and some individuals may even develop clinical paranoia, which is much more severe.
Clinical paranoia will affect someone most of the time, not just once in a while. They may be able to function normally, but the paranoia could strain relationships. Signs of paranoia include suspicions, fears, mistrust in others, and feelings of betrayal. Paranoid behaviours manifest as hypervigilance, defensiveness, distrust, and inability to remain calm and composed.
Why Can Cannabis Cause Paranoia?
In 2014, British researchers from the University of Oxford looked into reasons why cannabis can make some people relaxed and others extremely paranoid [1]. The study had 121 volunteers between the ages 21 and 50. Every person had used cannabis at least once before. Two-thirds of the group received a high dose THC injection, while the remaining volunteers received a placebo.
After receiving the injection, half of the people who had gotten the THC developed paranoid thoughts. 30 percent who had received the placebo also became paranoid. The researchers concluded that THC could increase the levels of paranoia someone feels, especially when the paranoia started to lessen as THC left the bloodstream. Researchers also found that other psychological factors, such as anxiety, low self-esteem, and worry could be amplified by THC.
Although that is but one study on the nature of THC and paranoia, it does highlight one thing that many already know: that the THC in cannabis affects people uniquely—and not always positively.
Will CBD Cause Paranoia?
Now, we have talked about THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, but what about CBD? Cannabidiol (CBD) does not affect the endocannabinoid system within your body the same way that THC does. THC will cause a high. CBD does not. While both compounds can work together to create interesting results, it has been noted that CBD will enhance the ability of THC as analgesic (painkiller) while diminishing the paranoia THC sometimes causes [2, 3]. In fact, many of the negative side effects of THC, such as sleepiness, feelings of dysphoria, increased appetite, and so on, are augmented by CBD.
So does that mean that CBD can stop paranoia in its tracks? Is CBD truly the anti-anxiety miracle that many claim it is?
CBD is Anti-Anxiety
As mentioned earlier, CBD is the non-psychoactive compound present in all strains of cannabis, including industrial hemp. When CBD enters your body, it interacts with the CB1 receptor of the endocannabinoid system the same way a neurotransmitter would. For instance, CBD can inhibit a CB1 receptor and cause a decrease in serotonin uptake, which can help depressed people feel happier.
In the same way, CBD will react with receptors that signal anxiety by modulating just how much cannabinoid activity goes on within the body. That explains why CBD can be taken to counteract THC-induced anxiety, as well as paranoid, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Many psychological and mental conditions, like PTSD, are often characterized by overactive or underactive endocannabinoid systems. For example, people with PTSD have been found to produce very little amounts of anandamide, a natural endocannabinoid that functions like THC. So, when cannabinoids like CBD are introduced to the system, it can help regulate the underactive receptors and help those with PTSD deal with their anxiety.
Finding The Right CBD Product For You
If you are interested in trying CBD to treat paranoia, then you need to decide the best method for taking CBD oil. There are plenty of CBD products to try; Farmula has tinctures and salves and oils for every purpose. Yet, not every product is going to work exactly for you like it did someone else. To find the correct CBD product, consider the following:
• Tinctures and sublingual drops are one of the fastest ways to deliver CBD to your bloodstream quickly.
• Edibles take longer to digest into the body, but the overall calming effect will last longer than tinctures and ingestible oils.
• Topical products will do very little for anxiety and paranoid but can do wonders for muscle tension.
• Smoking or vaporizing CBD oil will provide the fastest relief. That said, vaping CBD oil can irritate the lungs and throat.
Keep Calm and Use CBD
So will CBD oil make you paranoid? The chances are very, very low. Most people have reported CBD oil making them feel less paranoid, and there is plenty of research going on to support these findings. Therefore, if you struggle with anxiety or paranoid thoughts and want to try a natural way to relax your body and mind, why not give CBD a try?
Farmula has a wide variety of products to suit all your needs. Give them a try! Want to learn more about CBD first? Check out our other blogs or get in touch with us. Fill out the contact form to get more information delivered right to your inbox.