CBD May Decrease Social Anxiety

Sure, we all get the jitters in certain social situations, like going on a first date, having a job interview, giving a presentation at work or school. But social anxiety disorder (SAD) is much more than that—it’s an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others that can affect daily activities. Social anxiety disorder can be painful and debilitating, but there’s recent research that suggests that CBD may be able to help—and it may help with just the first-date kind of anxiety, too.

In 2019, a double-blind study of 37 teenagers diagnosed with social anxiety disorder in Japan showed extremely positive results, with those receiving the 300 mg of CBD showing significant decrease in their symptoms compared to the placebo group, which showed zero decrease of their symptoms. In the figure below, the red and blue bars on the left show the decrease in symptoms for the CBD group. The bars on the right show no change for the placebo group.  The study concluded that “CBD significantly decreased anxiety measured by both scales. The results indicate that CBD could be a useful option to treat social anxiety.”

Treatment for SAD has traditionally been paroxetine, a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that is also used to treat depression. Though paroxetine is effective, it has a host of unpleasant side effects. In the Japanese study, the CBD treatment showed nearly the same decrease in symptoms as the prescribed drug—with nearly zero side effects. 

While more research needs to be done, scientists believe that CBD effects the endocannabinoid system, which is our body’s regulatory system for emotional responses and is responsible for the brain’s processing of fear, anxiety, and stress. Other studies have shown positive results in reducing anxiety with a single dose, though further research suggests CBD is more effective when taken daily.

If you’d like to try CBD to see what it can do for you, read our Beginner’s Guide to CBD to get started. Miraflora’s CBD is 100% USDA-certified organic, and it’s all sourced from our organic hemp farm in Boulder County, Colorado. Our soil is the finest on the planet, fertilized by our alpaca herd, and it’s never been touched by pesticides or chemicals. All of our products are lab-tested and guaranteed. Miraflora is the CBD brand you can trust.