Panic attacks, anxiety, stress, anger, and depression rates, are usually higher in households during the holiday season. Whether you are visiting a new place or staying in, using CBD for anxiety promises numerous benefits, including mood regulation, better skin/well-moisturized skin, and lower stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. 

Why do holidays give me anxiety? Can CBD, a non-psychoactive extract of hemp help? Below is everything you need to know.

Is vacation anxiety a thing?

Vacation, holiday, or seasonal anxiety is an occurrence that affects one too many each year. Research suggests that about one in three Americans worry about “things” going wrong during the holidays. The fear of the unknown and interacting with family or friends that you only see once or twice a year may cause one to develop stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms, including:

• High blood pressure or circulatory problems.
• Sweating, trembling, or fatigue.
• Heavy breathing and poor posture. 
• A feeling of doom, hopelessness, or impending danger.

If you have agoraphobia, you will have a strong urge to avoid social situations or indulgences that may cause embarrassment. Panic attacks can happen, and selective mutism may cause children or adults to avoid interactions. 

That raises the question.

What causes holiday anxiety, and how can CBD for anxiety help?

Common triggers for holiday anxiety include:

• Traveling outside your safe space or changes to your routine. 
• Family dynamics. Some family members can cause one to develop anxiety.
• Social situations. Circumstances may put you in an uncomfortable situation.
• The fear of embarrassment or not living up to family expectations.
• Financial burdens.
• Hosting strangers.
• The fear of spending the holidays alone.

If you already have anxiety, the holiday season can or will exacerbate anxiety symptoms. 

What are the risk factors?

If you experience holiday anxiety coupled with excessive worry, insomnia, psychotic symptoms, appetite changes, social withdrawal, and changes in appearance -say you stop paying attention to hygiene or indulge in risky behavior- it could be a sign that the issue requires urgent care. 

What can you do?

Micro-dose CBD throughout the day to improve mood. 

According to medical research, CBD is a mood regulator. How does it work?

The linked study findings suggest that, quote:

“CBD produces an enduring reduction in learned fear expression when given in conjunction with fear memory reconsolidation or extinction by disrupting the former and facilitating the latter.”

For the majority of persons living with anxiety, fear is the central factor or trigger.

CBD for anxiety: what to remember 

• CBD dampens fear and reduces anxiety symptoms through interactions with the endocannabinoid system.
• THC can cause fear and panic attacks, meaning if you are at risk, consider avoiding cannabis. CBD products that contain below 0.3% THC do not constitute marijuana and will not cause a high. It is also worth noting that the effects of THC are person-specific, meaning some may develop a deep relaxation after consumption, and anxiety levels may spike in others. High-potency weed may also have the same effect. 

How do I get rid of holiday anxiety using CBD?

Your endocannabinoid system serves multiple functions, including anxiety and depression management. It regulates appetite, pain, and inflammation. Animal studies suggest that anxiety results from low levels of 2-Arachidonoylglycerol. Stress and depression may also result.

When ingested or inhaled, CBD supports the endocannabinoid system causing anxiety relief. 

Other benefits of CBD for anxiety include:

Insomnia relief. 

Being away from your bed, a change of environment, and stress can and will make it harder to get enough sleep.  Lack of sleep dampens your enjoyment of the holidays by causing symptoms including tiredness, daytime sleepiness, mood changes, irritability, slowed thinking, and reduced focus or concentration. 

CBD aids sleep by (1) calming the mind and body -research suggests that CBD encourages positive thoughts. (2) relieves aches, pains, and inflammation that may cause sleeping problems. (3) CBD improves circulatory health.

High blood pressure and improved circulatory health.

Headaches, shortness of breath, and blurry vision are all possible symptoms of high blood pressure. Medical research suggests that a single dose of CBD can reduce high blood pressure. There are conflicting studies that claim that some users can build a tolerance to CBD. 

However, to have and maintain healthy circulation, one must make several lifestyle changes, including:

• Reduce or limit alcohol consumption and nicotine smoking.
• Get at least 7 hours of sleep daily.
• Eat healthily and exercise. A thirty-minute walk daily should be enough.
• Lose extra pounds. 

Improve breathing.

Shortness of breath can result from anxiety due to heart rate changes; it may also stem from airway inflammation or allergic reactions. CBD is a bronchodilator, meaning it can open the airways making airflow easier. You may also use CBD to relieve allergic reactions, including inflammation. 

Better skin

Stress will make your skin appear older than it is. Anxiety may also elevate the risk of developing several inflammatory illnesses, including acne and blemishes. Cold or hot weather also impacts your skin.

How can CBD help?

(1) CBD exhibits antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activity. Consequently, regular application of CBD may lessen the risk of developing infections. (2) CBD traps moisture on the skin keeping it from drying out.  (3) CBD prevents and cures stress-induced fine lines and wrinkles. 

CBD for holiday anxiety: What to remember

CBD relieves anxiety, but if you do not identify and deal with triggers, anxiety may persist. Because of that, mental health experts recommend that during the holiday season one should not try to fulfill everyone’s expectations, try to keep everyone happy, overwork, or experience tension.

Reserve all that energy for enjoyment, and if negative thoughts, feelings, or symptoms pop up, CBD use is recommended.

How do you use CBD for holiday anxiety?

It depends on preference, meaning one may invest in CBD oil, CBD gummies, CBD pills, and so on. 

Tips:

• Vaping offers higher bioavailability compared to other methods of CBD consumption, and the effects on anxiety are almost immediate. However, some health concerns make vaping unsuitable for persons living with pulmonary health issues.
• The FDA discourages the use of cannabis products if one is pregnant or breastfeeding because some cannabinoids are fat soluble and may thus be passed to an infant or fetus.
• The side effects of CBD are mild.

CBD for social anxiety: does cannabidiol help socially?

Social anxiety refers to the irrational fear of socializing. It may manifest itself as introversion, shyness, or social anxiety disorder. Can you use CBD for social anxiety? Medical and anecdotal evidence suggest that CBD may have uses in the treatment or management of phobias, including people-related phobias. According to one study, persons who consume CBD exhibit higher confidence levels while public speaking.

What are the main causes of social anxiety, and how do you deal with anxiety using cannabidiol? 

CBD for social anxiety: how can I reduce my social anxiety?

Social anxiety is a condition that may cause emotional and behavioral symptoms. Shyness, introversion, and a dislike for human interaction do not necessarily mean that one has social anxiety. Signs that there exists an issue include (1) the fear of interaction with other people. (2) avoidance of school, work, or other daily activities/isolation. 

One may develop social anxiety at any age, but the issue is more common in teenagers.

How do you know if you have social anxiety?

Social anxiety can cause symptoms including:

• Intense fear of interaction or in social situations.
• Embarrassment, or the fear of embarrassment, may cause the voice to shake, and one may tremble, blush, or sweat.
• One may constantly worry about humiliation/fear of negative judgment.
• Avoiding being the center of social situations.
• Minors may cling to their parents, have temper tantrums, or avoid social situations.

In short, if you have intense fear of embarrassment, humiliation, speaking in public, or interacting, you may have a social anxiety issue. Physically, social anxiety will trigger symptoms including muscle tension, poor breathing, sweating, increased heartbeat, and gastrointestinal issues. 

Social symptoms include the fear of using public bathrooms or spaces, eating Infront of others, dating, making physical or eye contact, the fear of conversations, and so on. 

How do I reduce my social anxiety using CBD?

According to medical research, interactions between CBD and receptors in the brain cause a calming effect and help regulate anxiety symptoms. The compound also reduces high blood pressure. findings say CBD has uses in the treatment of multiple anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Reviews of multiple studies support the claims above. But the FDA is yet to approve CBD as a treatment for mental health issues because the long-term side effects are still under investigation.

What we do know is:

• CBD presents an insignificant risk of dependence or addiction.
• Persons on CBD exhibit increased confidence -while public speaking.
• CBD has effects on anxiety at high or low doses. 25 to 75 milligrams a day can be enough for some. 
• CBD has an excellent safety profile -meaning very few users experience adverse side effects. 

How can I calm social anxiety using CBD?

As mentioned, CBD can lower anxiety at high or low doses. At extremely high doses, the compound may harm the liver if use is sustained. For safety reasons, it is thus recommended that you keep the dose below 1500mg a day. 

That said.

Vaping CBD offers the highest bioavailability, and it helps relieve anxiety faster. However, vaping presents some issues, key among them, it may introduce toxins or irritants to the lungs. Consequently, it is recommended that you consume CBD in the following ways:

• Edibles. You may make your own or invest in gummies, cookies, and so on.
• CBD Capsules and pills make it easier to control dosage.
• Sublingual spray or drops.

CBD oil can be added to any food or beverage of choice, but the recommended method of consumption is sublingual placement.

What to remember

• CBD Ingestibles can take between 30 minutes to 2 hours to cause anxiety relief. Vaping may start working immediately or in as little as 15 to 30 minutes.
• You may use ingestible to prevent anxiety during the day. Recommend taking CBD in the morning and before bed.

Should I vape CBD for anxiety?

If you need immediate anxiety relief, vaping is the solution. CBD will calm your brain and muscles and relieve high blood pressure. 

Is CBD a long-term solution for social anxiety?

Anxiety is a problem that we all experience because of the stresses of life, factors we have no control over, and it could be illness related. CBD offers short-term and long-term anxiety relief. However, for it to work as it should, one must combine regular CBD use with the following lifestyle changes.

Create a support system

We all need a friend or someone to talk to. Medical research suggests that the average adult needs take six hours of human interaction daily. That way you can build confidence and give your mental health a boost. Remember, science says being around people is good for your brain, and it can help you feel happier.

You may build a support system in the following ways:

• Join an online support group.
• Volunteer.
• Go to church or other social events.
• Stay in touch with friends and family.
• Accept or seek help when you need it. 
• Open yourself up to the world. 

Get out of your comfort zone

Go to karaoke nights or engage in activities that are outside your comfort zone. Remember, anxiety is in your head, and you have no control over the thoughts or feelings of others. 

Tips:

• Start small. Gradually expose yourself to out-of-the-ordinary events. 
• Abandon toxic relationships. If you feel drained, need to prove yourself, or are with someone inconsiderate of your thoughts, time, and feelings, it is time to abandon that relationship because it contributes to your anxiety.