The Best Cannabis Strains for Anxiety Relief

Anxiety is a mental health issue that’s been on the rise in recent years, especially among young adults. In fact, both anxiety and depression saw a leap of 63 percent between 2005 and 2017.

At TeleLeaf, we understand how deeply anxiety can impact everything from your physical health to your mental and emotional well-being. We also know how frustrating it is to try time and time again to find anxiety-management tools that work for you.

In this guide, we’ll break down anxiety, its causes, and its manifestations. We’ll also take a look at various strains of medical cannabis for anxiety and how they can help you regain control of your life.

Understanding Anxiety

Broadly speaking, anxiety is a persistent sensation of unease, dread, or fear. Anxiety in and of itself is a perfectly normal part of life that everyone will experience at least once. When it works properly, it’s a self-protective defense mechanism.

However, you may have an anxiety disorder if you have these sensations even when there’s no threat. These symptoms often worsen over time, and they can interfere with your quality of life. Basically, your body and mind feel constantly at risk and under attack, no matter what you’re doing.

There are several categories of anxiety disorders, such as:

Generalized anxiety disorder – This persistent feeling of anxiety and unease can last for months or even years, and it isn’t prompted by any stressful situations.

• Social anxiety disorder – This form of anxiety involves a strong fear of other people watching or judging you. It can prevent you from spending time with friends, attending school, or going to work.
• Panic disorder – People living with panic disorders may experience panic attacks at random and unexpected intervals. They can occur from several times a year to several times a day.
• Phobia-related disorders – This broad category includes specific phobias (i.e. fear of heights), social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and agoraphobia.

Anxiety looks different in everyone, and it’s possible to have multiple anxiety disorders at once. This makes finding a compatible treatment a true trial-and-error process.

What Causes Anxiety?

To this day, doctors and mental health professionals aren’t sure of every cause behind anxiety. However, some triggers do appear frequently:

• Traumatizing life events in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Mental or physical health conditions
• The use of medication that triggers anxiety as a side effect

Your anxiety might have been triggered by one or several of these, or your trigger might lie elsewhere. Understanding the root of your symptoms is the first step toward long-term management of your anxiety.

How Anxiety Manifests

Anxiety is a hugely unique disorder, manifesting differently on a patient-to-patient basis and depending on the classification of the anxiety disorder itself.

However, many types of anxiety do share physical and mental effects that help doctors accurately diagnose them. For instance, you might experience the following physical symptoms:

• Body aches and headaches
• A thumping, fast, or irregular heartbeat
• Hot flashes and sweating
• Dyspnea or other breathing difficulties

Mentally and emotionally, you could also experience:

• Trouble concentrating
• Feelings of panic, dread, or impending doom
• Heightened alertness or irritability
• Racing thoughts and uncontrollable over-thinking

Regardless of how anxiety looks for you, one thing is true: it’s a hurdle on your path to getting the most out of life.

So, what can you do about it?

How Does Cannabis Help With Anxiety?

Can marijuana help anxiety? You’ll be happy to know that medical marijuana can help many people living with anxiety regain a high quality of life.

Medical marijuana isn’t a cure-all miracle, of course. One single smoke session isn’t going to reset your system and wipe your mind free of any and all anxieties.

However, cannabis can help you:

• Slow down and breathe, giving you the time to process emotions behind your panic
• Process any potential anxiety triggers you may have recently discovered
• Relax, even in the face of anxious moods

You can also use medical marijuana in tandem with other recovery tools like therapy and even pharmaceutical medications.

However, you’ll always want to discuss combining treatments with a doctor—and this is where TeleLeaf comes in, connecting you with health professionals who can guide you through the process of obtaining a medical cannabis recommendation.

Many patients lament not giving it a try sooner, as it’s so easy to use and saves potential months of wait time.

Incorporating Cannabis Into Your Healing

Of course, not all marijuana strains are the same. There are over 700 unique strains of cannabis on the current market, each boasting its own benefits.

If you’re looking to combat anxiety, you may have to do a little experimenting to see what works best for your needs and what takes you closer to your goal. However, there are a few tips you can keep in mind when looking for the best cannabis strains for anxiety relief.

Indica vs. Sativa

Indica strains tend to have higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), while sativa strains typically have higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD is a non-psychoactive component—in other words, it doesn’t leave you feeling high.

For this reason, some believe that indica strains are better for anxiety, and it’s certainly a favorite among individuals who experience sleep disturbances due to anxiety—indica often helps people relax, fall asleep, and stay asleep throughout the night.

Strains Best Suited for Anxiety

Since anxiety isn’t a one-size-fits-all disorder, the tools for recovery aren’t going to be one-size-fits-all, either.

If you’re looking for a place to start with marijuana for anxiety, patients often recommend the following CBD-heavy strains for relieving anxiety or stress:

• ACDC – A 14% CBD strain noted to create feelings of relaxation and happiness
• Lifter – A newer strain with 16% CBD
• Cherry Wine – With about 17% CBD, this strain offers mind and body-relaxing effects
• Remedy – A 14% CBD strain noted for mellowing effects without an intense high
• Harle-Tsu – With around 13% CBD, this award-winning strain boosts mood and focus

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a more even mix of THC and CBD, you may want to try:

Grandaddy Purple – A go-to option for sufferers of anxiety, insomnia, and gut problems
Sour Diesel – A sativa strain recommended for anxiety, PTSD, and mental fog.
White Widow – A strain that offers euphoric and energy-boosting effects that can help with social anxiety
Lemon OG Haze – A lethargy-free mood booster that can combat anxiety

Some of these are high-CBD strains, while others have high THC levels, too. It’s all about finding the right balance for you, whether that means the body relaxation that comes with CBD or the energetic buzz that can complement THC use.

Documenting Your Journey

Given the trial-and-error nature of medical marijuana, you’ll want to keep records of your use. Consider starting a daily tracker or journal where you can write down:

• The strains you try
• Your dose (or number of puffs or drops for smoking and oils/tinctures, respectively)
• Administration method
• The effects you felt

This detailed documentation can help you learn what you like and what to avoid as you move forward on your medical cannabis journey.

Start a Path to Healing With Cannabis

Anxiety is a difficult hurdle to overcome, but management and recovery are possible. The mindful and intentional incorporation of cannabis into your anxiety management toolbox can be incredibly helpful for grounding, self-reflection, relief, and growth.

At TeleLeaf, we aim to connect patients with the help they need on their healing journeys. Our goal is to build a bridge between patients and medical professionals who can provide informed advice about the use of medical cannabis as a recovery tool.

If you’re ready to get started, we’re here to help. Sign up today to start your medical marijuana card application and connect with an expert who’s ready to guide you.

Sources:

Ballard Brief. The Rise of Anxiety and Depression Among Young Adults in the United States.
https://ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/the-rise-of-anxiety-and-depression-among-young-adults-in-the-united-states
National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety Disorders.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
Healthline. 12 High-CBD Cannabis Strains to Ease Anxiety.
https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cbd-cannabis-strains-for-anxiety