A frequent topic of conversation among former marijuana users is the way cannabis used to make them feel. It used to make them giggle. It used to sedate and relax them. It used to promote feelings of bliss and put a smile on their face. But the early experience of smoking marijuana doesn’t always stay the same. As many former users will report, over time the experience became much more difficult, overshadowed by anxiety, disturbing thoughts, and paranoia.
Why the change? Why can some people continue a happy relationship with cannabis, while others have to stop? More importantly, is there a way to counterbalance the increasing sense of paranoia?
As we’ve uncovered more about the other cannabinoids in marijuana, beyond Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), we’ve also discovered the much gentler cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD). It turns out that Mother Nature has solved the problem for us. The cannabis plant contains the perfect solution for those struggling with the experience of THC: CBD for paranoia.
THC As Medicine: The Risks and The Benefits
By now, substantial evidence supports cannabinoid use for treatment of many medical issues. Each cannabinoid (possibly more than a hundred) has a unique effect on the human body. At the moment, most of the research is focused on a select few, and especially on the benefits of THC and CBD.
But what happens when patients using medical marijuana experience relief from their symptoms, but also experience the paranoia associated with THC? Where do people turn if they want to continue using marijuana as a safe alternative treatment, but struggle through the psychoactive ups and downs of THC heavy strains?
The research seems to link THC to the treatment of some health issues. Currently research documents THC in applications as broad as chronic pain, side effects associated with chemotherapy, possible treatment for many types of cancers, and for the prevention of neurological disorders.
But the research also clearly shows that some people are more susceptible than others to the increased paranoia triggered by ingesting THC. Even in people who tolerate the psychoactive high of THC quite well, when taken in too high a dosage (either on purpose or by accident), it's common to get altogether too high. While not dangerous, a marijuana ‘overdose’ still is extremely uncomfortable and unsettling.
How can you still reap the positive health benefits of cannabis, but avoid the possible anxieties? It turns out, CBD is the answer.
Comparing Apples to Oranges
Just like its sister cannabinoid, CBD has many positive attributes that benefit overall health and wellness. So far the research into CBD has demonstrated CBD’s influence over seizures, inflammation, cancer cell migration and tumor development, gastrointestinal distress, and mood disorders.
The most relevant benefit from CBD oil is the way it seems to mitigate the negative experience of THC. Even outside of marijuana use, CBD on its own continues to prove itself as an anti-anxiety compound. Cannabidiol already is used by many people for treating their anxiety disorders.
RELATED: How to Use CBD Hemp Oil for Anxiety Relief
For anyone unfamiliar with using CBD, the experience is altogether different from that of using THC. While THC alters perception, inhibits memory function, and triggers episodes of paranoia, CBD does not. Most people report that taking CBD, even in high doses, feels like nothing at all. A gentle feeling of relaxation (without sedation) is sometimes reported, but there is absolutely no associated high.
The difference in experience when using the two cannabinoids comes down to the fact that THC binds directly to the CB1 receptor, and CBD does not bind to any receptor at all. The relationship between THC and the CB1 receptor is robust. On the other hand, CBD is thought to activate and inhibit endocannabinoid receptor activity superficially, without a similarly stable connection.
CBD For Paranoia: The Perfect Antipsychotic
Through its external stimulation of the CB1 receptor site, CBD actively releases the THC molecule from its grasp. Thus, CBD acts as a powerful counterbalance to the experience of THC.
That is why many strains of potent medical marijuana now advertise that they contain both THC and CBD. Paranoia from THC is inhibited through a combination of the two cannabinoids.
Cannabidiols’ anti-paranoia potential goes far beyond its usefulness with THC. Many studies link CBD to reduced fear, anxiety, and paranoia when used on its own. Perhaps one of the most powerful demonstrations of its anti-paranoia potential is from a study on lab mice published in 2012.
Researchers compared the expression of anxiety between two groups of lab rats when exposed to a predator threat. One group received CBD, and the other received nothing. The experiment was designed to stimulate the experience of humans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to some extent.
The authors discovered that continued predator exposure led to long-lasting paranoia in the rats that received nothing. On the other hand, in the group of rats given repeated treatments of CBD, it seemed to prevent long-lasting anxiety caused by continued predator exposure. Their results concluded that CBD might be a beneficial treatment option for patients with PTSD.
The research on this topic doesn’t end there. An increasing body of evidence suggests cannabinoids do, in fact, offer relief from PTSD symptoms.
RELATED: Cannabinoids Offer Relief from PTSD Symptoms
CBD For Paranoia and Anxiety
There is much to learn about the paranoia associated with THC, as well as the possibility of CBD for the treatment of it. More research is required to determine the exact mechanisms through which CBD reduces anxiety. The preliminary research into CBD for paranoia hasn’t stopped people from relying on it for their anxieties, though.
Many patients purposely seek out strains of medical marijuana that contain measurable levels of CBD to reduce the risk of paranoia and anxiety. Others seek out CBD alone for treating anxiety disorders. Finding the perfect dosage isn’t easy, though. So, before getting started on your own CBD journey, learn exactly how to dose CBD oil for anxiety.
RELATED: Doing It Wrong? How to Dose CBD Oil for Anxiety
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Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21426373
http://www.journalofpsychiatricresearch.com/article/S0022-3956(12)00245-2/fulltext
https://drogriporter.hu/en/dose-of-science-can-cbd-inhibit-thc-induced-paranoia/
http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2014-07-16-how-cannabis-causes-paranoia
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/03/cannabis-connection-from-paranoia-and-panic-to-cal.html
