According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are now the most common mental health condition in the U.S., and 18 percent of the population – about 40 million adults – experience them.
As concerning as that figure is, the National Institutes of Health also tell us that this number keeps growing. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health tracks various behaviors and environmental factors in different ages and demographic groups, and has observed that anxieties continued to increase annually, especially among younger adults (younger than age 50.) Between 2008 and 2018, the rate grew from 5.12 percent to 6.68 percent.
If you’re in this category, it’s probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise – there are so many negative factors in the world that can adversely affect mental health, from politics to finances to environmental concerns. Not to mention that it’s crowded and people are less patient.
Of course, the question does come up whether these increases in anxieties are due to more people feeling concerned about their lives, or that there’s more resources, more awareness, less stigma, and better tools for medical professionals to diagnose anxiety and other mental health conditions.
It’s also likely that future survey results will be similar or worse – the data was from 2018, well before COVID-19 devastated so much of our world and added to everyone’s concerns.
Both studies also point out that the actual number of people with anxiety disorders is much likely higher – the findings only indicate those who admitted this on a survey or were diagnosed by a medical professional.
In fact, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America said that less than 40 percent of people with anxiety disorders have sought treatment for them, even though there are many treatment options today, everything from counseling to tai chi. Some people try meditation, others try methods like biofeedback.
There are also a variety of pharmaceutical products that have been designed to improve moods and reduce stress, including anti-depressants and anti-psychotics.
More and more, however, people are turning to other solutions for relief, including CBD products such as oils, tinctures, and topicals. A Gallup poll in 2019 showed 14 percent of Americans are using hemp-based CBD products, especially younger users. Many of them are also going away from prescribed pharmaceuticals and trying CBD supplements.
Keylife CBD is one option for those seeking quality products. Its full-spectrum CBD and CBG choices are already recommended for a wide variety of physical aches and pains along with certain medical conditions, but growing numbers of people are also considering them as possible solutions for mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders.
Defining anxieties
An anxiety disorder is really a blanket term for a wide amount of mental health conditions, some of which can be experienced simultaneously. Some of us are already familiar with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, which can include a reliance on certain rituals or patterns, and feeling stressed if things are out of alignment or divert from this order. There’s also a general understanding of phobias, which are irrational fears, from spiders to clowns.
Other common conditions are Social Anxiety Disorders, which make interpersonal communication challenging whether it’s one person at a time or a large group; Panic Disorders, which produce intense feelings of fear and stronger reactions than anxieties; and General Anxiety Disorders, which include a variety of physical and mental conditions that often can be triggered by certain conditions or situations.
Although anxieties are technically classified as mental health disorders, they can be accompanied by physical symptoms, including fear and stress responses like high blood pressure, sweat, and bursts of adrenalin. These situations can be draining if they are chronic and can contribute to a perpetual sense of unease as well as general fatigue.
Plus, prolonged anxieties can also lead to depression, fatigue disorder, paranoia, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions.
Research continues into what causes anxieties. In the past, it was easy to dismiss them as the brain and body deal with a single stressful situation, but there’s more evidence showing that there may be other factors at play, including biochemical imbalances in the brain, a genetic history of anxiety, and mental health disorders, and reactions based on past physical or mental trauma that was never fully resolved
Interestingly, some cannabis products that claim to help people relax and ease anxiety sometimes do the opposite. High amounts of THC in some marijuana products may cause temporary strong feelings of paranoia and anxiety. Plus, people with anxiety who partake of pot may experience additional stress that other people – including the authorities – might discover what they’re doing.
Even some brands of CBD products may not necessarily be good for mental health due to undisclosed additives or incorrect percentages of CBD or even THC from what’s stated on the label.
Keylife CBD makes sure its CBD and CBG products are consistently formulated to be pure and not include any undisclosed ingredients or contaminants. We also take our percentages and the purity of our products seriously.
How CBD works
CBD, an abbreviation for cannabidiol, is one of more than 100 natural compounds in the hemp plant called cannabinoids. Each cannabinoid interacts differently with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which generally describes the nerve signaling system between the brain and the rest of the body.
This system includes a variety of receptors in the brain and other places, and when functioning properly, can provide emotional, physiological, and cognitive stability as well as helping balance the other body systems.
Toxins in the body and the environment can negatively affect the receptors. At the same time, certain products – including chocolate! – can improve the performance of these receptors.
One well-known cannabinoid that affects the receptors is THC, which creates the temporary mental and physical sensations that make people feel “high.” The strong reaction to products with high THC is why it’s restricted in several states. THC can naturally be found in tiny amounts in hemp, although it can be removed completely to create “broad spectrum” hemp.
CBD, another cannabinoid, has been observed to reduce pain, inflammation, and anxiety throughout the body, similar to a mild anesthetic.
A similar compound, CBG, or cannabigerol, interacts with two of the main endocannabinoid receptors in the brain to cause a blend of relaxation, enhanced mood, and more energy.
When combined, CBD and CBG are believed to help people feel less pain and feel better about life, but not in an addictive manner.
Though one or both of these compounds can be useful by themselves, some hemp-based CBD products contain dozens of types of cannabinoids that are selected to produce other positive reactions in the body. This is known as the entourage effect and can be found in what’s called full-spectrum CBD.
Different products deliver these compounds to the body in different ways. For instance, topical lotions can soothe muscle pain when rubbed into the skin but don’t absorb into the bloodstream. Tinctures can be swallowed or placed under the tongue and can get into the bloodstream faster.
If you’re looking for the best CBD oil for anxiety consider Keylife CBD, which offers a variety of combinations of products for consumers seeking relief of physical pain or anxieties including CBD oil and CBG oil. This can include a 1:1 CBD/CBG tincture that has the same percentage of both compounds.
is designed to provide a mental focus and a mood booster and could reduce feelings of depression.
Keylife CBD’s CBG tincture is intended to improve health in a variety of ways. Try Keylife’s CBG oil to experience enhanced mood and more energy.
The products used in Keylife CBD products come from a special organic blend of unfiltered cold-press hemp seed oil. The hemp is cultivated and processed free of heavy metals and pesticides and doesn’t include GMOs either. Manufacturing takes place in Portland, OR.
