Fifteen million adults in the US suffer from social anxiety. It’s a pervasive condition that can prevent you from enjoying all that life has to offer.
Talk therapy (or psychotherapy) and anti-anxiety medications are the traditional treatments for social anxiety. These approaches have varying degrees of success. They can work, but they aren’t always effective for everyone.
Also, social anxiety isn’t something you necessarily cure. Psychotherapy, for instance, focuses on offsetting symptoms and positively responding to triggers. Medications are much the same–taken to quell symptoms.
Instead of being curable, social anxiety is manageable for many sufferers. On that note, medical experts cite specific strains of cannabis as a remedy to offset anxiety symptoms.
Does that mean people with social anxiety should immediately go to the nearest dispensary and purchase the most potent flower? Not necessarily.
Along with research and knowledge, let caution be your guide when you have a condition like social anxiety. High levels of proactivity in managing your symptoms can significantly enhance your quality of life.
Stay Conscious Of Risk Factors
Before we start name-dropping the best cannabis strains for anxiety, we must address risk factors.
If you are on social anxiety medication, speak with your doctor before trying cannabis. Depending on where you live (for legal purposes), your physician may prescribe medical marijuana or make helpful recommendations.
Interestingly, some doctors may happily substitute a more severe anti-anxiety medication with a specific marijuana strain. Some anti-anxiety drugs contain highly addictive components, such as benzodiazepines, and cannabis may present a safer alternative.
We’ll also point out that we are not medical experts, and this article is not medical advice. Only your licensed healthcare providers are capable of providing such guidance.
Also, be wary of the types of cannabis that can exacerbate symptoms of anxiety. You don’t want to purchase a strain that worsens your social anxiety. Certain strains with elevated THC levels will kick your symptoms into full gear because THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis.
But doesn’t all cannabis contain THC? How else would you experience the desired effects?
We’ll explore the above two questions in the next section.
Finding The THC Balance
Think of THC levels in cannabis similarly to the alcohol percentage in beer.
There’s a world’s worth of difference between a 5% Coors Lights and an 11% butt-kicker you drink at a craft brewery. Both options are considered beer but lead to different experiences and effects.
So, a 30% THC strain of weed is bound to hit differently than 5%.
But high THC levels won’t always be harmful to your social anxiety. How the THC is balanced and how its psychoactive effects manifest themselves will make the difference.
Without further adieu, here are our best cannabis strains for social anxiety:
Cannabis With A High CBD-to-THC Ratio
CBD is the non-psychoactive component found in cannabis.
Moreover, mounting research suggests that CBD can help offset the harsher reactions to high-THC cannabis, such as anxiety and even more severe responses.
In layperson’s terms, studies indicate that CBD harnesses all the good parts of high THC levels into a mellow, euphoric experience. Strains with high CBD to THC ratios still offer the immersive psychoactive component many adult users desire while keeping things relaxed and pleasant.
Low-Dose Edibles
Eating too many edibles can trigger intense anxiety. However, controlling your dose will lead to a far chiller experience.
For those who’ve never tried edibles, don’t take more than 3mg for your first dose. Since you already deal with social anxiety, proceeding with care is your best bet. It’s even wiser to speak with a medical professional with knowledge in this field if you’re concerned about adverse reactions.
Indica-Dominant Hybrids
Indica’s well-known nickname is “in-da-couch.” It’s a more relaxing strain than a sativa, which fills you with energy and alertness.
However, on its own, indica is bound to make you too docile and quiet for a social scenario. Adding a little bit of sativa can make you alert, keeping you involved in conversations and on your toes. It’s Similar to CBD balancing out THC.
Sativa-Dominant Hybrids
Depending on the nature of your social anxiety, you may benefit from the added alertness and energy boost provided by sativa. Alternatively, a hybrid strain too heavy on the indica might not jive with you, leaving you a little too mellow and relaxed for socializing.
Therefore, a hybrid dominant in sativa could be your ticket to socialized paradise. You may feel empowered and outgoing, ready to crack jokes, make a positive impression, and–most importantly–enjoy yourself.
The little bit of indica in this type of strain will help balance your alertness with an underlying calm.
Don’t Be Afraid To Experiment (Safely)
Managing mental health symptoms is rarely ever simple. Finding the approaches, techniques, and treatments that best offset your symptoms takes trial and error.
It could take time to get things right if you’re testing the waters with cannabis to help your symptoms. You’ll need to experiment with doses, strains, and environments to decide what works best.
Once more, we’ll stress the need to discuss these issues with licensed professionals. There’s plenty of science to suggest cannabis can help with your condition. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s the appropriate solution for you.
Restore’s top priority is that our patients consume our products safely and lead happy and healthy lives. Find out more about our products, including the ones listed above, by checking out our online menu.
External Links:
- https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics#:~:text=Social%20Anxiety%20Disorder,typically%20begins%20around%20age%2013
- https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cbd-cannabis-strains-for-anxiety
- https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvq5vy/we-asked-experts-what-really-happens-when-you-mix-weed-with-anti-anxiety-meds
- https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/44/8762
- https://www.inverse.com/article/54190-smoking-weed-psychosis-habits
