How to Use Weed for Anxiety: Tips for Feeling Peaceful, Not Paranoid

Weed was once reserved for burnouts, but now, it’s seen as an acceptable way to manage anxiety. Over 40 million adults in the United States have an anxiety disorder. Weed isn’t the cure, but countless people find it to be an enjoyable way of easing tension and quieting their thoughts, me included. 

Unfortunately, things can go sideways if you’re not sure how to use cannabis for anxiety. I have some tips to help you!

Be a Low-Doser

Research suggests that, while low doses of THC can help with anxiety, high doses can worsen it. How any cannabis product makes you feel depends heavily on the formula, which we’ll discuss more. But when in doubt, start with a microdose and go from there. If you’re brand spankin’ new to cannabis, find a 1-2mg product, like mints. 

The perfect dosage will depend on the person, but if you want to keep things low-dose, I would stick with 5mg once you feel comfortable. You can always take more, but you can’t take less. These are some of my favorite low-dose products to start you off slow:

Master Your Method and Timing

As far as creating or relieving anxiety, there’s no evidence that smoking versus consuming makes a difference. If you have never smoked anything in your life or don’t enjoy smoking, there’s no need to start now. You can stick with edibles. 

However, I (me and my personal opinion, not medical advice), find that smoking is more soothing for my anxiety. Here are my reasons why:

1. The effects are immediate; waiting for the high can make me anxious
2. The act of smoking can be a nice distraction from the anxiety
3. In general, I find the smell and feel of smoke to be soothing (candles, incense, campfires, etc.)

This is just how I feel. Edibles, especially ones that take effect quickly, are a wonderful option if you want to try using cannabis to manage anxiety. These are some reasons edibles might be the better option for you:

1. The effects last longer
2. It’s easier to manage dosing
3. They’re more discreet

If you’re confident with your tolerance and dosing, you can even dabble in a little bit of both. Take a gummy and then hit a THC vape while you wait for it to hit. Or get stoned off a joint and then eat a cookie. You have to find the right method for you. 

For discreet smoking, try this lowkey vape:

And for an easy edible, try:

Go Heavy on the CBD

There’s some evidence that CBD can help ease stress, anxiety, and tension. Of course, it’d be great if there were more research, but what we have now is promising. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t make you feel high or hazy, but can mitigate those uncomfy feelings. Many people use CBD-only products to manager their anxiety, which can be effective. 

You can try CBD vapes:

Or CBD-isolate gummies:

However, some people want the high feeling because that’s a big part of what calms their anxieties. If that’s the case, CBD is still an important factor. It can help mitigate the anxious or paranoid feelings that can occur if you take too much THC. Look for cannabis products with more CBD than THC. A 2:1 CBD-to-THC ratio is lovely.

SOUL Out of Office products have double the CBD for a comfier high:

Stick With Indica

This is up for debate, but if you’re battling anxiety and worried that smoking weed could make it worse, opt for indica strains. Indicas tend to have higher concentrations of CBD than sativas do, creating more of a 1:1 THC and CBD ratio. When picking cannabis flower or even strain-specific gummies, look for indica options:

Know Your Terpenes

Terpenes matter too! These compounds can also influence the type of high you experience, so they could be the difference between a calm high and an uncomfortable vibe. They’re the same compounds found in essential oils that people use to relieve stress.

Terpenes like linalool, myrcene, caryophyllene, and limonene have been known to produce calming effects. As always, everyone responds differently, so if citrus smells make you annoyed or anxious, skip the limonene. Linalool is the terpene found in lavender; that’s a great place to start, as most people find lavender soothing. 

Not all cannabis products contain natural terpenes, and some might not specify what terpenes are in the hemp extract. 

But these gummies are strain-specific and made with natural terpenes:

And this vape cart is also infused with natural terpenes:

Chill Out Instead of Bugging Out

Like anything, moderation is everything. You should take things low and slow when using cannabis for anxiety, and take the time to consider how different forms of cannabis, strains, terpenes, and formulas affect you. Maybe sativas actually calm you, or you don’t like how CBD feels. Everyone is different. 

I love using cannabis to ease anxiety, but I will say that it can’t be a cure-all. If you experience chronic anxiety, I recommend you seek professional help, as talking to a therapist can make a big difference. Being high 24/7 is not the answer. Weed can be a handy helper, but it’s not a substitute for responsible mental health management.