From the Guidelines
Cannabidiol (CBD) has no significant effect on anxiety.
Relationship Between CBD and Anxiety
- The current evidence does not support a significant relationship between CBD and anxiety reduction, as noted in a 2023 systematic review that found no recommendation was possible regarding the use of cannabis for anxiety or depression 1.
- A randomized controlled trial (RCT) published after the review also found that anxiety did not differ significantly between CBD oil and placebo arms in patients with advanced cancer 1.
- While CBD may have potential benefits in reducing cannabis use in adults with cannabinoid use disorder, its effect on anxiety is not well-established 1.
- Anxiety is a common comorbidity in patients with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, but the relationship between CBD and anxiety in this context is not clear 1.
- Overall, the evidence suggests that CBD is not a reliable treatment for anxiety, and further research is needed to fully understand its effects.
From the Research
Relationship Between Cannabidiol (CBD) and Anxiety
- The relationship between CBD and anxiety has been studied in various research papers, with some studies suggesting that CBD has anxiolytic effects 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- A study published in 2021 found that CBD expectancy alone could influence stress, anxiety, and mood, and that participants who endorsed strong a priori beliefs that CBD has anxiolytic properties reported significantly diminished anxiety in the CBD expectancy condition 2.
- A systematic review published in 2020 found that CBD has a promising role as alternative therapy in the management of anxiety disorders, with improved clinical outcomes and minimal adverse effects 3.
- Another study published in 2025 found that CBD abrogates cue-induced anxiety associated with normalization of mitochondria-specific transcripts and linoleic acid in the nucleus accumbens shell, suggesting that CBD may specifically alleviate salient, conditioned anxiety 4.
- A short synthesis of pre-clinical and clinical evidence published in 2020 found that CBD has potential therapeutic properties for anxiety disorders, with anxiolytic, antistress, anticompulsive, and panicolytic-like effects 5.
- A preliminary report published in 2011 found that CBD reduces anxiety in generalized social anxiety disorder, and that this is related to its effects on activity in limbic and paralimbic brain areas 6.
Key Findings
- CBD has been found to have anxiolytic effects in various studies, with reduced subjective anxiety and improved clinical outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The effects of CBD on anxiety may be related to its impact on limbic and paralimbic brain areas, as well as its ability to normalize mitochondria-specific transcripts and linoleic acid in the nucleus accumbens shell 4, 6.
- CBD has been found to be well-tolerated and associated with minimal adverse effects, with the most commonly noted adverse effects being fatigue and sedation 3.
- Further research is needed to determine the efficacy of CBD in other anxiety disorders, establish appropriate doses, and determine its long-term efficacy 3, 5.