When you last heard from me, I was about to embark on the great CBD experiment: Would regular use of CBD help ease some anxiety, offering a gentle slope to help my mind slow from a gallop to a jog?
Here’s my one-word answer: Yes.
I tried it for four weeks, and I can report it brought me down a notch. When I squirted the Max Relief Oil under my tongue or chewed a gummy, I pictured CBD streaming through me, offering a thick salve on my nerves. (Not super scientific, I realize, but that’s how it felt.)
[To remind you, CBD is not THC, the mood-altering ingredient marijuana. Instead, CBD offers a soft, gradual step down to a calmer state, lessening anxiety in your head or inflammation in your knee. It’s non-addictive (phew) and won’t knock you out.]
Here’s a more detailed, improv-inspired answer: Yes and…
When I spoke with Lisa Baskfield, the founder of Nature’s Gem CBD, she suggested I check in with myself in the morning, then write down some quick words about how I was feeling. I combined that routine with my other morning routine: journaling a bit and looking at the day ahead.
February 17 was the kind of day we all appreciate: “Calm. Content. I’ve got this.” That Wednesday was, in the words of Lionel Richie, easy like Sunday morning.
Other days, in fact the day just prior to that lovely crystalline day, were quite the opposite. “Woke up feeling annoyed, tired, hot, stressed. 5th day of a 5-day weekend for kids.” I was also in the middle of a challenging 10-workout cycling challenge, a really heavy lift for me these days.
[Read the first blog post: CBD for Anxiety: Dimity Gives It a Go]
My body was tired, my mind was tapped…and it was 6 am. I was primed for an Alexander kind of day. The calming effects of CBD could potentially edit out the “very bad, no good” part. I took a half dropper at 6:30 am, before my workout, and then another half dropper at 8:30 am, before I started my workday.
As I navigated a busy day for me and an empty day for the kids, I still told the 14-year-old to stop whistling at least three times, and I used a disdainful tone when I reminded the 17 year-old to stop scrolling and empty the dishwasher like-I-asked-you-to-20- minutes-ago.
That said, I did not explode either internally or externally—and I did not move to Australia. That, my friends, is a win.
While I am confident CBD did its work, here’s the and part: I’m also confident the morning routine combination of checking in with myself in conjunction with what the day ahead looked like played a significant role in feeling more balanced.
When I previewed my day and saw, for instance, a day with 3 hours of Zooming, two deadlines, and a heap of starred emails requiring attention, I didn’t just think of the tasks. I also took into account my current mood and gave myself space to ponder how to pace myself to stay focused, thereby minimizing the mental chatter.
My daily prep was kind of like studying a half marathon course I wanted to run to the best of my ability. I didn’t just need to know the location of the climbs, I also needed to remember that running uphill is one of my least favorite things to do, so my mind will likely turn dark.
Even when my head is all doom and gloom, I still can purposefully climb a jacked-up hill. Even when I’m feeling jittery, I can still thoughtfully tackle those emails that have been lingering. Remembering I’m capable of executing despite not feeling all YAY feels good.
Here’s what also feels good: instead of pulling a GU out of my pocket for a burst of physical energy to get up the hill, I can grab a CBD gummy for a nudge to slow my mental roll.
And then I can take on the inbox—or the non-stop whistling or the grocery store for the fourth time in a week—with a little less intensity.
[Read the first blog post: CBD for Anxiety: Dimity Gives It a Go]
How did you figure out dosage? Did you work with your doctor at all?
Is there a limit to how much you can take in a day, and is there a difference between the strength of the oil and the gummies?
I have this question, too. 8 just purchased the hemp cbd oil as well as gummies. The oil says 1250mg with 41.67 mg per serving and the gummies say 25 mg of cbd…. Is it better to take oil in the morning and gummies at night? I’d just like a little more guidance on how to make the two products compliment each other.
Dimity! Seriously what is with the whistling?! My almost 13 year old son has discovered his love of it during this time as well and I can’t get away from it! In fact he just started whistling as I was writing this.
I have to thank you for this–when I read your first piece last month, I decided to also give it a go. And I am finding what you are finding! I could not be more surprised [and relieved]. Thank you! As for the daily a.m. check in, I just sat through a goal setting Zoom and am about to start a very similar process
The CBD world is pretty fascinating, huh? The AMR podcast on this topic (from last year?) really opened up my eyes to the science behind it and helped me understand that it’s not as taboo as some people think. I have absolutely benefitted from using the 1000mg CBD salves on sore muscles and am curious to see if the tinctures and gummies will help with irritability and anxiety. Thanks for sharing!
I love that you referenced the Alexander book. It’s one of my favorites!
Love this post, Dimity. My mom had knee replacement and couldn’t sleep (she is also an insomniac and often has trouble sleeping. She also got the drop of oil under the tongue and the gummies and they were the ONLY thing that worked to ease the pain and her anxiety so she could get a good night’s sleep. I did not realize CBD had anti-inflammatory properties. I’ll have to check it out for that, and to get through the virtual school days that cannot pass without multiple screaming matches and crying (kids and parents). thank you for this.
I am sure there are some benefits, but I do want to caution diabetics. I tried CBD and I cannot recommend it. It slowed my digestion and caused serious hypoglycemia. It was like nothing I have experienced before. It stayed dangerously low for hours. Please be careful.
Thanks for such a thoughtful and thought-provoking follow-up. It’s so true that the mindfulness practice is important, and I like how you evaluated the CBD in concert with it.
Thought if this and its sister post while watching The Big Bang Theiry re-runs last night. Part of the apartment interview was that “whistlers need not apply”. I don’t think you are alone in your disdain for whistling.
I just purchased the hemp cbd oil as well as gummies… Is it better to take oil in the morning and gummies at night? I’d just like a little more guidance on how to make the two products compliment each other. Life is so much more stressful than it ever was pre-covid and I’d like to keep these 2 products in my arsenal, but I’m not exactly certain on how to get started.