A new study published in The Permanente Journal and on the website for the National Library of Medicine has found that the cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) may be a potential treatment option for anxiety.
Researcher for the study note that a “recent surge in scientific publications has found preclinical and clinical evidence documenting value for CBD in some neuropsychiatric disorders, including epilepsy, anxiety, and schizophrenia, with evidence pointing toward “a calming effect for CBD in the central nervous system.” They note that “Interest in CBD as a treatment of a wide range of disorders has exploded, yet few clinical studies of CBD exist in the psychiatric literature.”
With that in mind, the objective of this study was to “determine whether CBD helps improve sleep and/or anxiety in a clinical population.”
A “large retrospective case series at a psychiatric clinic involving clinical application of CBD for anxiety and sleep complaints as an adjunct to usual treatment” was conducted. The retrospective chart review included monthly documentation of anxiety and sleep quality in 103 adult patients.
The final sample consisted of 72 adults presenting with primary concerns of anxiety (n = 47) or poor sleep (n = 25).
“Anxiety scores decreased within the first month in 57 patients (79.2%) and remained decreased during the study duration”, researchers found. “Sleep scores improved within the first month in 48 patients (66.7%) but fluctuated over time. In this chart review, CBD was well tolerated in all but 3 patients.”
Researchers conclude that “Cannabidiol may hold benefit for anxiety-related disorders. Controlled clinical studies are needed.”
The full text of this study can be found by clicking here.
