Summary: Delta 8 may help reduce anxiety for some users, though it can cause anxiety for others. Factors like dosage, delivery method, and individual body chemistry all play a role. Alternatives like CBD, known for its calming effects without psychoactivity, are also worth considering for managing anxiety.
- Delta 8 Effects: Promotes relaxation but can trigger anxiety in some users.
- User Experience: Most Delta 8 users report no anxiety or paranoia.
- Dosing Tips: Smaller, slower-acting doses (like edibles) may reduce side effects.
- CBD Alternative: Non-psychoactive CBD is proven to help with anxiety.
- Delta 8 Resellers: Offers top-quality, lab-tested CBD and Delta 8 products.
Delta 8 is popular for a wide variety of reasons, from helping people relax to managing certain health and wellness issues. Some users report that Delta 8 does help with anxiety, among many other concerns.
However, the answer to the question “Does Delta 8 help with anxiety?” is more complex than it may seem at first. It appears to work and work well for some users, but it isn’t as effective for others.
Here’s the good news: There’s likely a cannabinoid that can help you with anxiety, whether it’s Delta 8 or another option. Let’s take a closer look.
Foundational Facts on Delta 8: Does it Help with Anxiety?
The Rundown on Delta 8
Let’s quickly review some basic information about Delta 8. That way, we can all be on the same page when we discuss the connection between Delta 8 and addressing anxiety.
Delta 8 is a cannabinoid, a chemical that occurs naturally in the human body as well as in cannabis and hemp plants. Like many cannabinoids, although not all (CBD is the most notable exception in this regard), Delta 8 causes a psychoactive effect that users commonly call a high.
The intended effects of Delta 8 include an elevated mood, a sense of relaxation, changes in perception, and an enhanced feeling of creativity. For recreational users, these are the reasons why they enjoy Delta 8. Other users turn to Delta 8 because they feel more practical benefits when using it, such as pain relief and management of anxiety.
Side effects are relatively minor, especially at lower doses, but can include dry mouth, red eyes, difficulty concentrating, increased appetite, and anxiety. That’s important to keep in mind, considering the focus of this blog is on Delta 8 for anxiety. However, not all users always or consistently experience these side effects.
Delta 8 is found naturally in small amounts in both cannabis and hemp plants. Most Delta 8 sold to users is derived from hemp plants, which is a crucial distinction in terms of legality.
Hemp-based products are federally legal thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. Some states restrict or ban the possession and sale of such products, but Delta 8 is legal at the federal level and in many states.
Focusing on Delta 8 and Anxiety
Delta 8 has only been widely available for under a decade, and research into its effects is still ongoing. However, survey data from Delta 8 users published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Cannabis Research shows that a strong majority of users do not experience anxiety (74%) or paranoia (83%) when under the effects of Delta 8.
Additionally, Delta 8 is less potent than Delta 9, the main cannabinoid found in cannabis plants. That/ difference may play a role in fewer Delta 8 users feeling anxiety as compared to users of stronger cannabinoids.
So, is Delta 8 good for anxiety? For some users, the answer is yes – Delta 8 delivers effects that either reduce anxiety or at least don’t increase it.
However, it is also true that, for some users, Delta 8 does cause anxiety. Anxiety is a possible side effect of Delta 8, although it’s certainly not a feeling that every user or even most users experience when they use Delta 8. In other words, Delta 8 can help with anxiety for some users, but not all users.
Cannabinoids That May Help with Anxiety, Delta 8 Included
We know that some users choose Delta 8 to help manage their anxiety, while it can cause anxiety in other users. If you fall into that second group, what other options do you have when it comes to cannabinoids and anxiety? If Delta 8 doesn’t help with anxiety, where should you turn?
One thing to keep in mind with Delta 8 is that both the dose and the form you take it in can affect your perceptions.
So, a large dose of smoked or vaped Delta 8, which goes to work almost immediately, might be too much – it could trigger feelings of anxiety. A smaller dose that gradually builds in terms of effects could have an opposite result.
So, if you had a less-than-ideal experience with vaping or smoking, consider edibles. For example, some users find that Delta 8 gummies help with anxiety. A small dose of a gummy or other edible, 1/2 or 1/4 of the recommended dose, may be worth trying if you only feel mild anxiety when smoking or vaping Delta 8.
CBD is another popular option to consider for managing anxiety. It’s been proven to help people deal with and mitigate anxiety, as the University of Colorado at Boulder explains. That’s true both in the short term – right after using CBD products – and in the long term.
A key fact to remember in this context is that CBD is not psychoactive, meaning it doesn’t cause a high. Users don’t feel changes in their mood or mental state in the same way that users of most other cannabinoids do. Those changes may be a factor in causing anxiety as a side effect when using Delta 8 and other psychoactive cannabinoids.
Instead of causing a high, CBD has more practical effects. It’s thought to help address chronic pain, inflammation, and sleeplessness, among other benefits. Most users don’t look at CBD as a recreational substance. To them, it’s a functional substance, something that helps to manage or reduce a specific issue or unwanted feeling.
At the end of the day, what’s most important is finding a cannabinoid that works for you in the way you want it to. Our suggestions for people trying to find a cannabinoid that offers a functional benefit in terms of dealing with anxiety are to:
- Stick to small doses with psychoactive cannabinoids.
- Consider slower-acting edibles instead of fast-acting smoking or vaping with psychoactive cannabinoids.
- Try out CBD for anxiety, whether or not you also try Delta 8 or other cannabinoids.
The Very Best Cannabinoids from Delta 8 Resellers
At Delta 8 Resellers, we bring you the very best cannabinoids from the industry’s top brands. Whenever available, we share the results of third-party lab testing on our products on their individual product pages. That way, you can check out their quality, purity, and potency for yourself!
