How CBD Oil Helped My Anxiety
My experience with using CBD oil with my lifestyle
I'm not one to jump to a conclusion and talk about how something has miraculously changed my life, whereas this post differs as I talk about my experience with CBD Oil. You've no doubt seen people on Facebook selling it, or someone you know who might have tried it. If you haven't let me be your guiding beacon of hope and be the first to tell you that CBD oil is unexplainably like magic.
I've previously spoken about foolproof ways of combatting anxiety but now we discuss a topic that I feel isn't very highly covered on the internet, and my genuine experience trying and testing it out for all anxiety ridden souls out there who need a cure to settle their nerves. I can promise from the bottom of my heart, that CBD oil is not a fad like diet pills, it's scientifically proven and has had an incredible effect on myself. Before I jump into my experience, if after this story you are inspired to try it yourself, please do consult a doctor to discuss mixing your medications. Every doctor I've spoken to is pro-CBD, but they advise just to clarify it won't clash with anything you're taking - better to be safe than sorry. In today's post, I'll be highlighting where to find CBD for sale online, so that you can decide if investing in CBD is right for you or even your business if you are considering purchasing CBD products on a wholesale basis.
What is CBD oil?
If you're unfamiliar with what CBD oil is; CBD is one of many compounds, known as cannabinoids, that are found in the cannabis plant. Researchers have been looking at the potential therapeutic uses of CBD. Oils that contain concentrations of CBD are known as CBD oils. The concentration and uses of different oils vary, and is legal in the UK to buy online and over the counter. Unlike THC found in the cannabis plant, CBD is not psychoactive, so you don't get the sensation of being high, whilst keeping all the added benefits of lowering your levels of anxiety, depression, pain and can even battle cancers.
My first experience with CBD oil
After a notorious amount of research in a sea of products and strengths claiming to be the cure all I decided to start on Holland & Barretts's CBD Oil 2.75% which I picked up for half price. As H&B are incredible for doing deals just when you need them, thank you H&B! So with 2 bottles in my handbag I marched off home and immediately read the instructions "2-3 drops under the tongue, and let it sit for a minute before swallowing" with the indication of no more than 15 drops per day. I won't lie to you, the taste is awful, it's earthy and it's like putting a spoonful of mud under your tongue - however the taste is nothing by comparison to the results, so simply grab yourself a glass of water and sip after swallowing. I deliberately planned my shopping trip to coincide with a food shop I needed to do later that day, something that can cause me mild anxiety if I'm even in the best of moods. I wanted to see if I felt something as that day in the studio I was already quite calm, stress free and happy.
Most people I've read about online say that their experience starts two hours into having a few drops. I however felt the effect within half an hour, I felt a wave of calm, as if someone was pouring all of my worries down the drain, it's like sitting down after a long day and sighing. It made me smile much more (I'm already a very smiley person) as every decision I made wasn't ruled by the "but's" and "what if's" that usually pour around the mind of an over thinker.
So to give some context into my food shop anxiety that I usually feel, I am BRILLIANT at shopping, it's not the people or the social aspects that I know can be very common, it's my worry of forgetting things. It's the constant weight on my chest telling me that I've picked up the wrong version of potato for a dish, or kitten food instead of cat food. I'm very quick and speedy at doing everything, but sometimes I get to the checkout and have a mild panic attack as I feel committed to the queue and because I don't have a car, I can't throw everything in the boot and do a 180 back into the shop to pick up the thing I forgot. So you've probably got the gist, that this is very unnecessary and simple but can have a great effect on someone's mood.
However to my surprise, after the CBD oil worked, my shopping was a breeze, no stress, no worry and yes I did forget the odd item but it just didn't bother me. Miraculous. It was a great day, and many days to follow, even the stressful days still felt like a great day.
How CBD oil has helped my anxiety
So I'm now a month into reviewing CBD oil for social anxiety, and for me personally I've found the right dose after trying out different amounts during various situations, my personal preference after building up my tolerance, was by putting 6 drops under my tongue first thing in the morning, and maybe if I'm particularly stressed I'll return back to the oil and have another 6 drops. I even forget to take it sometimes, so I'll have a few days feeling neutral and stress free, and if any kind of tension comes back I always have it sitting on my studio desk. Personally, the benefits have been unreal, and I'm going to continue to explore other brands, percentages and drops per day.
Some of the benefits I found that helped me were; the decreased anxiety and panic during stressful situations, it's helped me get deeper sleep and knocked off my chronic insomnia that was creeping up again, which as a result has given me more dreams that I can remember. The nodding off process before bed is so much quicker, I'm no longer an over thinker who carries their work to bed. Finally it's made me make healthier choices to aid the CBD oil. It's made me adapt my lifestyle to becoming more pro-active as my concentration levels have improved. With anxiety beforehand it sometimes feels like there's too many people talking at the same time, there's no clarity, but now I'm more focused (I'm already a very focused person) and as a result I make better decisions. I find it easier to talk to people, and don't feel stupid after I say something, whether it was clever and correct, or embarrassing and ridiculous. I no longer get that tight feeling in my chest, and feel like I'm swallowing a brick choking on my words. Frankly I haven't put it to its true test of my worst fear - public speaking, learning how to become a motivational speaker and doing talks. But I'm sure with time I'll conquer that, but it's all baby steps right?
To be completely honest, for anyone who suffers with social anxiety I would really look into whether it could be a solution. It's not going to make you 100% all the time, because we're only human and no one is walking on sunshine 365 days of the years, but it certainly helps.
Important Information About CBD:
Mg's is more important than percentage
You're taking a certain mg per serving, so it's best to get the ideal mg for what you need, over the percentage of what's in the bottle. So check the info on any registered company and it'll usually tell you the amount per serving, and if it doesn't, divide the total mg content by the amount of servings of the bottle (it should be labelled). Starting out you should take the minimum amount, usually no more than 10mg a day. Over the coming days you can increase the amount to suit how you feel, with CBD there's literally no point into jumping straight into a large amount, as it works as a sweet spot supplement, so going over the amount that's right for your body will have no added benefits, and could induce side effects, as your body needs to be eased into anything.
So you'll not only save money and oil, but you'll be gradually learning the right dosage per serving for your needs. I've read in a few places that your body needs to get adjusted to it, just like medicine, it requires balancing out. So I would advise to keep pursuing CBD oil for more than a week to see if you're getting the benefits you wanted, if subtle changes have been made, then it'd be healthy to up your dosage per serving. CBD oil is all about experimenting and finding the right mg and time that suits you. Many people benefit having it before bed to get incredible rest during sleep, whilst others have it first thing in the morning to kick start their day (people like me!)
CBD oil is incredibly versatile, you can take it in many different forms, oil under the tongue, vaped, put in food, chewing gum - the list goes on, the important aspect is finding something that suits you and your lifestyle.
Choosing the best CBD oil
So I'm no expert on the best CBD oil in existence, but I can assure you that wherever you place your money, make sure it's a reputable company that is registered and fulfilling what the product is set out to do. Holland & Barrett were the first registered company in the UK to allow selling CBD oil - and it's incredibly popular there. In my local shop, an older couple bought 8 bottles in front of me whilst it was half price, I queried them if it works, as it was my first time using it, and the man stated that his back and leg pain is reduced down to nothing with CBD and it helped him sleep better at night. So if I wasn't sold already by idea, I had faith that Holland & Barrett must have produced a well made product.
CBD oil is an incredibly interesting product that has changed so many peoples lives, and become marketable to many in so many countries. So I'm really looking forward to what the future holds both for myself and others as they keep refining products to aid the lives of other people. I'm willing to experiment with different products to help find the right one for me, every person is different, but as time goes on I'll be keeping everyone updated on my CBD oil adventures so it can help many others out there.
