Cannabis
How Does CBD Oil Make You Feel? 3 People Share Their Experiences
For some people, CBD oil offers relief from pain.
Others use it to ease symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety — without the feeling of being “high.”
Some users describe the feeling of CBD oil as bringing a feeling of relaxation and balance.
Taking cannabidiol — or CBD — can help some people with everything from seizures to anxiety to pain. But researchers are still trying to figure out whether the touted benefits of CBD actually do what companies say it will do.
CBD is a chemical compound, or cannabinoid, found in the cannabis plant. But it’s different from the other main ingredient of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD doesn’t cause the “high” that THC can. Instead, it seems to have a more calming, relaxing effect. And people take it for various medical issues.
The FDA has approved CBD for prescription use in Epidiolex, a medication that treats two types of epilepsy in children. But, many people use CBD sold over-the-counter to treat pain, anxiety, and sleep problems.
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Most commonly sold in oils, it can also be bought as an extract, a vaporized liquid or in an oil-based capsule. It’s in beauty products, like face creams and topical ointments. And CBD can also be found in many food and drink products, like gummies, chocolates, and honeys, even though the FDA doesn’t approve of CBD in food.
Brandon Dorsky, a 39-year-old veteran of the cannabis industry, says he takes CBD every day to help with a variety of conditions.
He was diagnosed with avascular necrosis in both of his hips in 2013. He began taking CBD occasionally for pain after discovering he was allergic to some over-the-counter medications. In 2019, he says he found CBD offered anti-inflammatory relief and started taking it daily to deal with his pain.
“I take CBD oil regularly to manage chronic pain and deal with anxiety, amongst other reasons,” he says. “I find consuming CBD to be a little relaxing and anxiety-reducing.”
Brandon says CBD oil does not make him feel sluggish or heavy the way some anti-anxiety prescription medications do.
“Consuming CBD for pain is more of an ongoing management process as opposed to popping a pill so the pain goes away,” he says.
“The result of consistently taking CBD is that my overall pain on a day-to-day basis is reduced. And when I am suffering from more pain, my peak pain moments are lower than they otherwise would be.”
David Kaplan, a 58-year-old voice actor in Huntington, New York, uses CBD oil to ease stress and anxiety. The rigors of his job create a need for him to be available 7 days a week to work, he says.
“My doctor recommended [an anti-anxiety prescription], but I really just was not happy with the side effects that I was reading about,” David says. “Going all natural seemed like the way to go. [Pharmaceuticals] would affect my job and would just make me feel crappy, slow, and tired. I was like, ‘Well I can’t have that.’ I need to be able to perform.”
CBD offered him a solution without the side effects, he says. And the results are almost instantaneous.
“Whenever I take it, those symptoms [of anxiety and stress] just go away,” he says.
![“Whenever I take it, those symptoms [of anxiety and stress] just go away.” — David Kaplan](http://images.ctfassets.net/4f3rgqwzdznj/6s8u0dOEgjypwL7usF8bsK/898e984766296c5f2a04d53d73b45f35/patient_stories_feel_cbd_quote_2.png)
David says he takes a full-spectrum CBD as a tincture under his tongue. The full-spectrum CBD has a weedy taste that some may not like, he says, but other versions have less of a taste to them.
The CBD products have worked well for him to relieve pain, as well, he says. About 4 years ago, CBD helped ease some of the pain from a broken foot.
“We were at the New York State Fair and there was somebody who was selling a very strong topical CBD,” he says. “I wasn't so much a believer in the topical nature of it, but my foot was killing me, so I took off my soft cast and rolled it on. The stuff worked. It was like the pain just lifted away.”
Veronica White, who’s 26 and lives in Seattle, says she uses CBD oil to help feel more balanced.
Diagnosed with adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, she uses CBD to help manage her symptoms. She says she saw results after using CBD consistently for a week.
“For me personally, CBD doesn’t feel like much. It’s not the same wave of euphoria you’d expect with prescription painkillers, and it definitely doesn’t make you ‘high.’ It's a lot more clear in the head than prescription anxiety medication I’ve tried in the past,” she says. “CBD honestly just brings me back to my baseline, which I think is what everyone is seeking from any treatment.”
Veronica also uses CBD to help alleviate symptoms of fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. Using a tincture, the treatment doesn’t upset her stomach or give her nausea, like some pharmaceuticals have.
“The tincture I use has other herbal inclusions that are helpful for settling your stomach, like peppermint,” she says. “I use the tincture to manage my symptoms for irritable bowel syndrome. Mine is pretty mild, but I have found it helps with that. I do kind of notice that when I don’t take it, the symptoms seem to be a little worse.”
As an employee in the cannabis industry, Veronica says it’s important to talk with professionals about what kinds of CBD applications — tinctures, edibles, or ointments — may be best for a particular situation.
“It’s mostly about figuring out what your goals are and then getting a product in a format that is well-suited to those goals,” she says.
Pharmacy Editor
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of more than 100 active ingredients found in the cannabis plant. A prescription-only form of CBD oil, called Epidiolex, is FDA-approved to treat certain forms of epilepsy in children. But most people take over-the-counter (OTC) forms of CBD.
Although it’s only FDA-approved to treat childhood seizures, many people claim that CBD helps with anxiety, pain, and inflammation. It’s also possible that CBD may help treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as fight certain kinds of cancer. But we don’t have enough clinical studies yet to know if these claims are backed by science.
CBD products come in several different forms: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate. Each form contains different ingredients — not just CBD and THC, but the other active ingredients of the cannabis plant, too. These can include terpenes, flavonoids, and other minor cannabinoids, like CBG.
Full-spectrum CBD contains all ingredients in the cannabis plant, including THC. But only products with less than 0.3% THC can be sold OTC.
Broad-spectrum CBD contains all ingredients in the cannabis plant except for THC.
CBD isolate contains only CBD, with no other plant ingredients. In some cases, CBD isolate may be man-made, and not taken from the cannabis plant at all.
Full- and broad-spectrum CBD are the closest to the natural plant, but they may cause you to test positive for THC on a drug test. CBD isolate products don’t run that risk, but they may not have the same benefits, since they don’t contain all of the other ingredients found in the cannabis plant.
Another thing to keep in mind is that cannabis-based products aren’t well regulated. Since most are made from plants, they can contain contaminants like pesticides, molds, and heavy metals if they aren’t properly made. And many products don’t contain what the label says they do. So, it’s hard to be sure that you’re actually taking what you think you are.
CBD also has side effects and drug interactions, just like any other medication or supplement. So, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider before you start taking it. And be sure to only buy CBD products from a trusted source. The best retailers make their lab results openly available, so you can see they’re testing their products regularly to make sure they don’t contain harmful levels of contaminants.
If you’re considering CBD as part of your wellness routine, the best place to start is with your pharmacist or healthcare provider. They can help make sure it’s safe for you and guide you to the best products for your needs.
