The job of a mom is an incredibly rewarding one, but it’s an exhausting and even stressful one at the same time. Crying babies, sleepless nights, and never-ending taxi rides to and from extra-curriculars coupled with the need to maintain a full-time job and a somewhat orderly household is enough to raise the stress level in just about anyone.
Stress seems to be part and parcel of motherhood, and many moms tend to deal with their stress in their own ways, including being part of what seems to be an ever-growing “wine-mom” culture1.
But there may be something else that can be very effective at countering the effects of stress that typically comes with being a mom: CBD.
Cannabidiol (CBD) – often referred to as “hemp oil” because of the specific cannabis plant it hails from – is one of the two main cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, with the other being THC. Yet while the latter has psychoactive properties, the former is increasingly being shown to be a potential medical phenomenon without any mind-altering effects.
Over recent years, the use of CBD in medical situations has become highly interesting to researchers and physicians. And with the increasing legality of cannabis in states across the US, the interest factor in CBD only continues to spike2.
Though CBD has been linked to the alleviation of a number of medical symptoms, it’s also associated with minimizing feelings of anxiety and stress3. In fact, studies have already been done on CBD and its effects on stress and anxiety, and the evidence suggests that CBD has incredible potential to treat several different anxiety disorders.
CBD and Stress
A lot of the current research on cannabis products that is currently out there has looked at the use of cannabis as a whole rather than specifically on CBD oil on its own.
But while there may be fewer studies on cannabidiol specifically, those that have been done have discovered that cannabis may be able to help with stress and anxiety. That said, the preliminary research that is already out there on cannabidiol is promising4.
For instance, a 2010 study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology discovered that CBD could potentially alleviate the symptoms associated with social anxiety disorder (SAD)5. Participants with the study took CBD to see how it would affect their feelings of anxiety.
After taking brain scans of the study participants to assess any alterations in the areas of the brain that is associated with anxiety, the researchers found that CBD changed how participants dealt with feelings of anxiety. They even reported fewer feelings of stress.
Another study published in 2015 in the journal Neurotherapeutics showed that CBD may be a breakthrough medical treatment for several types of anxiety disorders in addition to social anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)6.
Not only can CBD be a great way to alleviate all the stress that tends to come with being a mom, it also doesn’t come with the side effects that might come with drinking wine or taking pharmaceutical anti-anxiety meds that are commonly used to deal with anxiety and stress7.
The research that has been done on CBD has found few negative side effects, which means CBD could be a great option for moms who might prefer a more natural alternative to zapping their stress levels effectively.
References:
- Tracy, L, “Being a Sober Parent in a Wine Mom Culture” The New Yprk Times, March 2018.”
- Berke, J, et al, “Michigan is the 10th state to legalize recreational marijuana. This map shows every US state where pot is legal,” Business Insider, November 2018.
- Kogan, N, et al, “Cannabinoids in health and disease,” Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, December 2007, Volume 9.
- Volkow, N, “The Biology and Potential Therapeutic Effects of Cannabidiol,” National Institute on Drug Abuse, June 2015.
- Crippa, J, et al, “Neural basis of anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in generalized social anxiety disorder: a preliminary report,” Journal of Psychopharmacology, Volume 25, September 2010.
- Blessing, E, et al, “Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders,” Neurotherapeutics, October 2015, Volume 12.
- Iffland, K, et al, “An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies,” Cannabis Cannabinoid Research, June 2017, Volume 2.
