CBD mediates a neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a brain chemical that sends messages to the neurons to stop firing.
“GABA tells the body it’s time to power down,” Dr. Chin explained.
CBD is a GABA uptake inhibitor, meaning that it creates a surplus of GABA in the brain. The result: less anxiety, calming of the nervous system, help with sleep and relaxation.
Not only can CBD outperform anti-anxiety medications, but because it works differently, it doesn’t share some of the risks that come with benzo use, according to Dr. Burns. An overdose of benzos can cause fatal respiratory depression, she said, but Cannabis affects a different receptor that doesn’t present the same risk.
“CBD can be as effective as benzos and definitely safer,” she wrote.
For Leah, who has attempted unsuccessfully to manage her symptoms with pharmaceuticals, Cannabis – in the form of a nice green bud – has been critical to her treatment. Her physicians have been sympathetic and supportive – even when she lived in Montana, where getting a medical marijuana card was a challenge.
In the past, Leah said, she tried medications like trazodone and amitriptyline. They made her unable to retain any control of her emotions.
“But after smoking a nice joint out on the porch, I find I can go on with my day and be both productive and a person that other people want to be around,” she said.