What Is CBD?

You’ve probably heard people talking about CBD at some point, but you might not be totally clear on what exactly it is. It’ become a major player in the world of health and wellness and while there is still much more to be discovered about CBD and what all of it’s benefits are, there are some things that we already know for sure. 

CBD vs THC

CBD is short for Cannabidiol, one of the more than 100 cannabinoids found in marijuana. THC, which you probably have also heard of, is the most famous cannabinoid and the one that makes you “high”. While CBD is a main active ingredient in marijuana, it doesn’t have the same effect as THC does, but it does have many benefits. And while CBD can be derived from the marijuana plant itself, it can also be derived from hemp plants, which are essentially marijuana plants with a lower THC content.

Benefits of CBD

Anti-Anxiety:

While THC can cause anxiety, CBD may be just the answer to combating it. In fact of the main reasons why CBD is gaining popularity is due to it’s calming effect and the non-addictive way it helps people deal with anxiety. After my mom passed away several years ago, I was an emotional wreck and didn’t even realize that I was in fact suffering from anxiety, something that I had never experienced before. I felt like something was always wrong, always about to go wrong, and it made sitting still, making plans, and simply existing down right impossible. A friend of mine who had at times used Xanax to deal with anxiety recommended I try CBD and see if that helped at all. I found some CBD infused honey and began to add them to my morning coffees. I didn’t feel anything. 

But that was just the thing: I didn’t anything. I didn’t feel the sense of panic or dread that at any moment something was going to go horribly wrong. Instead I felt an absence of panic, an absence of dread, an absence of anxiety. I was able to sit and read a book without having a breakdown, and I was able to slowly get back into routines without my mind running a mile a minute. I didn’t develop an addiction or dependency to the CBD-infused honey sticks, like can happen with Xanax and other anti-anxiety medications. Rather, when enough time and healing had taken place, I was able to stop using the honey in my morning coffee, though I know use a CBD oil tincture for cramps and discomfort around my menstruation. 

Sleep Aid:

Falling right in line with CBD as an anti-anxiety aide, it’s not hard to imagine how it can help relax the body and the mind to assist in a good night’s sleep. Anxiety and trouble sleeping can often go hand in hand and while you might be fine throughout the day, your brain can still kick up on you in the last moments before closing your eyes, suddenly reminding you of all things you were supposed to do back in 2005 that you ever got around to. If this is the case, a little CBD in your bedtime routine might be just the thing. 

Pain Reliever:

CBD can be an effective pain reliever especially for chronic pain and can help to reduce inflammation in the body. In a world where more and more people are being prescribed and becoming addicted to opioid pain relievers, CBD might be the answer to what is a growing and horrifying problem we’re facing. 

While there is still much to learn about the benefits of uses of CBD what we do know is that is a medicine we are remembering. A plant that we have used throughout of collective history, which was once referred, then vilified and now returning to the forefront of healing.