As we begin to retire phrases like “the new normal,” gradually pull down our masks and step into the light of full-capacity restaurants, the effects of COVID-19 beyond obvious physical health concerns linger. One of which is anxiety, with 4 in 10 adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression amid the pandemic, up from 1 in 10 in 2019.1 The largest percentage of mental health sufferers fell into the 18-24 age group, where over 56 percent of those surveyed reported experiencing anxiety or depression during the pandemic,1 a time in which universities went virtual and the typical heightened socialization, parental freedom and celebrations for academic milestones fell to much dimmer Zoom alternatives.
All of this data combined with decades of anxiety-related research led Dr. Michael J. Telch, clinical psychology professor and Director of the Laboratory for the Study of Anxiety Disorders at The University of Texas at Austin, to take a deeper dive into CBD. In late 2020, Telch initiated a study for participants experiencing PTSD to test the effects of CBD oil for an 8-week period.2 Within the double-blind study, one sample group will be given a placebo; the other, 300mg of a fixed dose of purified CBD oil.2 Neither the participants nor the researchers will know if they are receiving the placebo or CBD oil and symptoms will be documented via detailed notes taken by participants before and after ingesting the oil.2
Telch estimates the study will take about a year to complete but is already excited for the results, which he hypothesizes will show CBD improving symptoms of PTSD.2 Those familiar with CBD tend to agree with its positive impact on anxiety, a top-cited reason for CBD use.
For us at Farmulated CBD, gaining critical research on a plant with so much untapped potential is pivotal to spreading its benefits to those hesitant to begin a CBD regimen, as well as to anxiety sufferers who may need it most. As COVID-19-related illness slows, the next battle may be the pandemic’s lasting impact on mental health, a battle in which promising new research could prove hemp farmers are equipped to help.
Sources:
- Kamal, R., Panchal, N., Cox, C., & Garfield, R. (2021, April 14). The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/.
- Telch, M. J. (2020, December 8). Use of CBD Oil in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - Full Text View. ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04197102.
