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How Does CBD Oil Make You Feel: Beginner’s Guide

Man holding various CBD supplements

CBD oil is a popular therapeutic oil used in wellness products like lotions, creams, vapes, and much more. For many, CBD oil provides a welcome relief from the stresses and strains of the average workday. It can also be a great therapeutic experience while relaxing on the weekend with friends or while enjoying some sunshine outdoors.

But if you’ve never tried CBD oil before, you might not know what to expect. This beginner’s guide will break down how CBD oil makes you feel and what effects it produces so you can be prepared and purchase CBD products responsibly. 

What Should I Know About CBD Oil? 

CBD oil contains cannabidiol, a type of cannabinoid. This is the same natural compound you can find in hemp and cannabis (aka, marijuana or weed). CBD oil is just one of several hundred compounds found in these plants. However, it’s also one of the most important because of its potential therapeutic effects.

CBD is primarily extracted from hemp or cannabis plants. Then it’s oftentimes added to products like oils, tinctures, and lotions. CBD oil, in turn, can be added to food products or beverages. Or it can be added to respirated vapors in some cases. 

All in all, CBD oil is one of the most popular products made from CBD.

Can You Get High From CBD Oil?

No. Although CBD oil is closely related to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), it doesn’t produce the same high feeling that recreational drug is known for. That’s because it doesn’t have tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. THC is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana that leads to the “high” feeling.

If you just ingest or use CBD oil, you won’t experience any high effects. However, you could experience other positive medical or therapeutic effects depending on your biochemistry and how you use CBD oil.

How Does CBD Oil Feel?

So, just what should you expect if you try CBD oil for the first time? By far, the most common effect of CBD oil is relaxation. As a non-intoxicating cannabinoid, CBD doesn’t get you high.

Instead, it calms you down and relaxes the mind and body. This is because of the unique chemical nature of CBD. CBD is a so-called adaptogen. That means it’s a unique compound that helps your body adapt to different biological changes or stresses.

CBD still connects to certain endocannabinoid receptors in the brain, similar to THC. As CBD interacts with your endocannabinoid system or ECS, the body undergoes a change in the balance between different physiological processes. The ECS, in turn, affects all other systems and organs in the body.

Once absorbed by the brain and body, CBD oil may produce effects like:

  • Elevated mood
  • Relaxing thoughts
  • Reduced stress
  • Reduced pain and discomfort, especially in terms of chronic pain
  • Improved attention (though this could be due to the other effects mentioned above)
  • Faster and deeper sleep
  • Enhanced physical comfort
  • Itchiness or pain relief when applied topically to specific areas

However, what you’ll feel depends on your body’s biochemistry, how much CBD oil you have ingested before, and other factors. No two people experience CBD oil and its effects the same way. That’s why it’s important to try CBD oil carefully and in moderation before jumping into this habit more fully.

Can CBD Oil Treat Anxiety or Depression?

Not by itself. However, some people use CBD oil as a temporary treatment for the symptoms of anxiety or depression. CBD oil relaxes the mind and helps to reduce anxiety in a short-term sense. CBD oil cannot “cure” neurological conditions. 

But it might be helpful if you are currently waiting for treatment or need a boost in conjunction with other antidepressant or antianxiety medication (provided that those medications don’t have warnings about using them with CBD oil, of course).

Does CBD Oil Cause Dependency?

No, not physiologically. That is to say, CBD oil doesn’t rewire your brain and make you physically dependent on it as a substance. In this sense, it’s less addictive than even something like alcohol or cannabis.

However, some people can become psychologically addicted to CBD oil and its effects. They might appreciate the relaxing effects and calming sensations so much that they feel they can’t go without a daily dose or more of CBD.

Therefore, you may want to keep your CBD oil consumption to a moderate amount, especially in the beginning. Psychological addiction to substances or activities can sneak up on you, which is why you should only seek to use CBD oil products responsibly and while you’re thinking clearly.

How Fast Do You Feel CBD Oil Effects?

That depends on your body and how used to CBD products you already are! If it’s your first time taking CBD oil, you’ll feel relaxed and some other effects within several minutes. For most people, CBD oil takes between 10 minutes and 15 minutes to kick in fully. 

After that, you could experience the relaxing or other effects for up to several hours. It depends on the quality of the CBD product and how your body absorbs it.

Dosage and CBD Oil Effects

In addition, CBD oil’s effects can vary based on the dosage. A higher dosage doesn’t necessarily equal better effects.

Instead, CBD oil’s effects roughly follow a bell curve shape. That means your effects start small as you absorb a mild amount of CBD. If you absorb a moderate dose of CBD, you’ll experience the peak therapeutic or beneficial effects of this product.

However, taking a high dose of CBD after taking a moderate dose won’t necessarily lead to more effectiveness or more relaxation. In fact, it could be the opposite! Many people find that high-dose CBD products have diminishing returns compared to moderate-dose products.

Feelings and Benefits Vary

Above all else, remember that your mileage may vary when ingesting any type of CBD product. CBD oil is generally relaxing and therapeutic, but its exact effects – and how powerful certain dosages are for you – depend on your body, mental state, and experience.

What Is Full Spectrum CBD Oil vs. Other CBD Oil?

Full-spectrum CBD products just tell you that the plant has the original cannabinoid compound profile. That means it includes compounds like terpenes and trace amounts of THC. Most CBD products don’t have any THC or have less than 0.3% THC during the extraction process.

On the other hand, full-spectrum CBD oil keeps this minor amount of THC. As a result, full-spectrum CBD products do induce mildly different effects than non-full spectrum CBD oil. That doesn’t mean full-spectrum CBD oil products result in a high.

Instead, full-spectrum CBD oil’s THC allows the cannabinoids and other compounds to be processed by your body more efficiently. That means higher doses of full-spectrum CBD oil products may produce more noticeable effects.

Still, it’s a good idea to only try full-spectrum CBD products after you had some experience with this product.

Is CBD Oil Right for Everyone?

CBD oil can be relaxing, therapeutic, and invigorating, especially if you deal with chronic stress, lack of sleep, or pain and discomfort. For lots of folks, CBD oil is the perfect way to cap off a long day at work or to enjoy some social time with friends in a controlled environment.

That said, some people don’t enjoy CBD oil for one reason or another. Maybe the relaxing effect isn’t as potent or noticeable as they expect. Or maybe their minds react differently to cannabinoids compared to others.

The bottom line is this: you should try CBD oil carefully and with a small dose before moving up to a moderate dose product. See how your body reacts to this unique therapeutic oil and then go from there. If your body absorbs CBD oil and you see the beneficial effects mentioned earlier, great! Try a moderate dose of oil, vapor, or food infused with CBD oil and see how you like it. 

Summary

CBD oil is, overall, reported to be a very effective and safe supplement and therapeutic solution. It’s great for relaxing at the end of a long day, helping you deal with the ramifications of depression and anxiety, and doesn’t come with many side effects when used properly.

CBD oil can even help your mental health when leveraged with other strategies and supplements. Check out 1AND1 Life today for more information about mental health practices, therapeutic remedies, and a variety of other wellness pursuits. 

Sources:

Cannabidiol (CBD)-what we know and what we don’t | Harvard Health

The Endocannabinoid System, Cannabinoids, and Pain – PMC | NCBI

An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies | NCBI