COVID-19 Anxiety: Coping with Cannabis

One in six Australians are living with anxiety, depression, or both. In the US alone, there are 40 million people that are suffering from anxiety disorders. And that was before the Corona virus rocked every continent. As restrictions start to loosen throughout Australia, it’s likely that a lot of people will feel even more anxious to ‘get on about their days’, knowing that we’re not completely out of the woods just yet.

Up until recently, cannabis had a long-standing relationship with the stoner stereotype. But with global legalization knocking on our doors, that stereotype is rapidly being given the boot. People of all ages and backgrounds are turning to cannabis to manage their anxiety and other mental health disorders.

An assortment of adverse side effects often accompany conventional pharmaceutical medications. These side effects are wide-ranging and include nausea, insomnia, and even erectile dysfunction.

And in times like these, we need something to help us calm down the anxious thoughts running at a thousand miles per second. The current global pandemic is unprecedented. For most of you, your lives have been upended, uprooted, and the future is unclear.

There are people that have never had anxiety before, beginning to feel their muscles tense up, their heart racing, and perhaps that frozen in time sensation that comes along with anxiety.

Cannabis is fast becoming known as an alternative option for people that struggle with anxiety. Many millennials and veterans living with anxiety and PTSD are medical marijuana patients for this very reason. And while clinical studies are still relatively new in this budding industry, we have a sea of research suggesting just how much potential cannabis really has. And every day, we see this potential validated in waves of anecdotal reports that come flowing in from the public.

But, if there is one thing we know for sure, it's that anxiety, like many other mental health disorders, can be complicated. And treating anxiety with CBD or cannabis can be complicated as well.

Higher amounts of THC can exacerbate anxiety while lower amounts help to ease anxiety. However, for those whose anxiety is closely connected to depression, the higher THC strains could be beneficial. CBD, on the other hand, shows promising results- in more than one way.

CBD is a non-intoxicating compound that researchers have begun connecting to a plethora of health benefits. And the best part? CBD could inhibit THC’s psycho stimulative effects. 

CBD is currently the darling of the alternative health and wellness market. Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a cannabinoid from the cannabis plant and is used for a diverse range of disorders and health challenges, including anxiety.

Research indicates CBD could help to minimize anticipatory anxiety, social anxiety, and even possibly alleviate panic disorders. This is all down to the way it interacts with the certain hormones and regulators in our bodies, including serotonin.

Tips on how to cope with anxiety:

• Get enough rest. Getting consistent quality sleep is the single most effective way to combat anxiety. The only trouble is, anxiety causes sleepless nights. CBD can ease your racing thoughts and not only help you to fall asleep but help to support quality sleep as well.  

• Most of us are at home, our routines are shaken up, and we aren't sure what day of the week it is. Set yourself a daily morning ritual that can help your mind and body trigger a waking response when it needs to and a restful state in the evening.

• Set intentions for the day, starting with a simple morning routine.
• Mediation is one of the most underrated ways to combat anxiety and fear. Check out these helpful apps to help kickstart your zen.  

• Keep screen time to a minimum. Yes, we all want to know what is going on around the world, and the news helps us feel connected to the rest of society. But this can become detrimental to your health if you find yourself on your cellphone, laptop, or tv every moment of the day. Give yourself some time away from the media. Allow your mind time to actually absorb and process all the information you are obsessively throwing at it.
• Even though we say limit your screen time, when do use your social networks, use them to have positive social interactions. That debate on Facebook? Think twice before you dive in. There are great exercise and fitness videos available on most social channels.
• Get a dose of mood-boosting sunshine at every opportunity, and take in a few deep breaths of fresh air every day.

• Get some support in the guise of a legal and readily available cannabis product with anxiolytic effects. These products include helpful terpenes and cannabinoids to help you cope with anxiety, manage stress, and encourage a healthy nights rest.

As researchers study cannabis as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders, we learn how CBD could work more efficiently when used in combination with other naturally occurring compounds, terpenes in specific.

Otherwise known as the entourage effect, terpenes and cannabinoids work together synergistically. Have you ever noticed the smell of jasmine in the dusk? Or caught a whiff of lavender while on your evening walk? Then you know about terpenes already, as they are the fragrant oils in plants that grant them a characterizing aroma. Look out for hemp products with high levels of limonene, linalool, and beta-caryophyllene as these all have anxiolytic effects (anti-anxiety effects).

Hemp doesn't only offer benefits for us as humans. They say that animals take on the stress of their humans - you’ve probably noticed it before! The great news is, your beloved pets can receive benefits from hemp oil for anxiety as well. Daily doses of has shown life-changing differences in pets all over Australia already - because their bodies are so much smaller, they can reap benefits easily without even needing a CBD product. offer some incredible benefits, and are a safe and affordable way to offer some relief for your pet.