2023 Study: Cannabinoids for Social Anxiety

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Cannabinoids for Social Anxiety

An October 2023 study entitled "Subjective, Behavioral, and Neurobiological Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Social Anxiety" that was published in the journal Reviews in the Neurosciences explored the "subjective, behavioral, and neurobiological effects of cannabis and cannabinoids in social anxiety and social anxiety disorder (SAD)."

Does cannabis help social anxiety?

The study reported that SAD is a "debilitating disorder characterized by fear and anxiety in social situations" and that it is becoming more common, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. It explained that a "significant number" of anxiety patients do not respond well to traditional therapies such as pharmaceuticals (serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors and cognitive-behavioral therapy).

Cannabinoids for Social Anxiety Study Design

Cannabinoids for Social Anxiety. The study, in the form of a literature review of prior scientific investigations, searched the PubMed database for pertinent research for two decades between the years of 2003 and 2023. Of an original 117 studies identified, only 18 qualified for the study's relatively strict inclusion criteria.

"The studies investigated the effects of the cannabinoids THC and CBD in patients or healthy volunteers submitted to tasks that assessed social anxiety."

"The studies investigated the effects of the cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in patients or healthy volunteers submitted to tasks that assessed social anxiety" reported the scientists.

Does CBD reduce anxiety?

Cannabinoids for Social Anxiety Study Results

Cannabinoids for Social Anxiety. Results of the study indicated that both CBD and THC sometimes provide positive efficacy for anxiety patients and those suffering SAD. More specifically, CBD at intermediate doses was shown to decrease social anxiety, but not at low or high doses. Likewise, THC demonstrated a dose-dependent effect and reduced anxiety at lower doses (6-7.5 mg) but increased anxiety at larger doses. The study reported that CBD reduces the ability of THC to produce anxiety.

"CBD at intermediate doses decreased social anxiety, but not at low or high doses. THC demonstrated a dose-dependent effect and reduced anxiety at lower doses."

"The effects of THC and CBD in anxiety are associated to the modulation of fronto-limbic regions. Further clinical trials, conducted with male and female patients and larger cohorts, are still necessary to consolidate these results.

View the original study.

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