The facts are stark — men account for three quarters of all suicides in the UK. But as more and more of us open up about mental illness and get familiar with what good mental wellbeing looks like, we are having to adapt and find new tools to help us through the darkest times. CBD has rapidly become an essential component of many mental health toolkits and with good reason. A growing body of research and countless anecdotal reports suggest that it could be an invaluable ally in the battle for overall wellbeing fitness. That said, the CBD landscape is a minefield of pills and potions and it can be a challenge to understand which products to use. Gordon Stribling, assistant editor for The CANNAVIST, the UK’s only CBD and medical cannabis publication breaks down the most common uses for this plant-based lifestyle hack.
Anxiety Anxiety is something of a taboo subject for us us men, who may be reluctant to seek help, or to use the classic term, ‘open up’. The main NHS treatments for anxiety include SSRIs and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) which, let’s face it, may be intimidating or daunting to some. More and more British men are also finding relief from CBD-based products. For anxiety, you’ll want a formulation that kicks in quickly. You’ll get the fastest onset by vaping CBD e-liquid. If you don’t like the idea of vaping, the next best thing is to try a tincture or oral spray, which can be administered under the tongue for rapid absorption and relief.
Stress We live in incredibly stressful times with the pressures of work, family and staying fit and healthy all vying for our attention. When looking to combat stress with CBD, you might want something that you can add to your routine without the fuss. You have a lot of options here, from CBD-infused
coffee you can top-up throughout the day to CBD rum or gin to help you wind down. There are even CBD toothpicks popular among golf fans (or so we’re told).
Sleep Poor sleep is just a byproduct of daily life for many of us and is often related to the aforementioned conditions. But while many just put up with it, lack of rest can take its toll on our mental wellbeing overtime. We become irritable and find it hard to concentrate, which just perpetuates other stresses, anxieties and frustrations we may be feeling. For sleep, you’ll want a CBD product that metabolises slowly through the night. Products like capsules and gummies will work better in this regard than a vape or tincture. However, some people advocate taking a few drops of CBD oil during the day as opposed to an edible just before bed.
Pain Physical pain, especially that caused by injury, can massively impact our mental wellbeing because there’s no escape from it. Pain follows you around as you try to go about your daily life. It gets in the way which can be incredibly frustrating. You will want to tailor your CBD product to the type of pain that you are experiencing. Again, tinctures and vapes are great for responding to pain that comes and goes. But if you’re experiencing muscle pain from working out, for example, you can try CBD gels, rubs and transdermal patches, which include other soothing ingredients like tea tree, arnica and menthol. Whatever way you choose to take CBD, start with a low dose and monitor your body’s response. Build your dose accordingly. Don’t go for the strongest product on the shelf if you have never taken CBD before. Always consult your GP before taking CBD, especially if you are taking medication.
*Data sourced from The EU CBD Consumer Report 2019 by New Frontier Data.
