It’s easy to think anger is just an emotion, but nearly 1 in 10 Americans frequently experience problematic levels of anger.
But is hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) actually a beneficial natural supplement for anger management, or is it just a fad?
While CBD isn’t a proven treatment for anger, it’s been researched for depression, stress, and anxiety, all of which may contribute to feelings of anger.
In this article, we’ll explore the potential benefits of CBD for anger, how it works, and how to use it.
TAKEAWAYS:
- CBD may promote mental calmness by increasing the concentration of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a hormone that boosts your mood and reduces negative emotions.
- CBD may address factors that lead to anger, such as stress and physical discomfort.
- CBD should not be used in lieu of professional treatment for anger disorders. Rather, it should be used to supplement and complement more traditional methods.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally-occurring cannabinoid in the cannabis sativa plant (hemp is cannabis sativa containing less than 0.3% THC by dry weight).
CBD is very abundant in hemp, and as a result, it’s been the subject of considerable research investigating its therapeutic properties. Studies suggest CBD has therapeutic potential for pain, anxiety, sleep, and many other things.
What Causes Anger and Irritability?
Anger has a variety of potential causes. It can stem from other emotions, such as fear, grief, loneliness, stress, anxiety, guilt, sadness, or frustration.
Or, it can be caused by conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, alcoholism, and OCD.
If you’re experiencing prolonged bouts of anger that are negatively influencing your life, it’s likely that professional psychiatric attention is required. Anger can be intimately related to mental health disorders that must be addressed with professional treatment.
However, if you experience occasional feelings of anger, irritability, or upset as a byproduct of common negative events in life (e.g. temporary feelings of irritability as a result of work-related stress), natural supplements may be of some use to you.
CBD may promote a calm mind and relaxed body, which may help to level extreme emotions, including anger.
Can CBD Help With Anger?
No studies have directly investigated the use of CBD for anger and anger-related disorders. However, studies suggest CBD has therapeutic potential for many things that exacerbate anger, and CBD has been researched for aggression, which is closely related to anger.
One study done on mice found that CBD decreased aggressive behaviors stemming from social isolation [1].
The study concluded that CBD “may be therapeutically useful to treat aggressive behaviors that are usually associated with psychiatric disorders.”
There is also evidence that CBD can help with anger based on its interactions with the neurotransmitter serotonin.
While this study is promising, CBD is by no means a proven treatment for anger-related disorders, which often have multiple causes and require professional treatment.
However, the science so far indicates CBD may help to promote an everyday calm and relaxed mind, which may reduce occasional negative emotions.
Potential Benefits of CBD for Anger, According to Research
CBD hasn’t been researched specifically for anger, but it has been researched for other uses and mechanisms of action that suggest it has therapeutic potential for addressing anger.
Here’s what the research has to say on CBD for anger:
CBD’s impact on serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in your brain associated with feelings of happiness and well-being. Normal levels of serotonin are associated with normal emotions, while a lack of serotonin is associated with depression, anxiety, and aggression.
A 2014 study found that CBD may mimic the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of medications that inhibit serotonin-processing enzymes, thereby leading to higher serotonin concentrations in the brain [2].
Through this mechanism, CBD may influence serotonin concentrations, thereby promoting a normal, balanced mood.
CBD for depression-related anger
Depression may cause feelings of anger. The depression-anger link is most common in men, but it can happen in anyone.
A 2020 study found that CBD has antidepressant properties, indicating it may be therapeutically beneficial for people dealing with this condition [3].
In a 2018 survey of 2,409 CBD users, 62% were using CBD for medical conditions, and depression was among the top three.
Only 4.3% of the participants didn’t have good results with CBD, and 36% even reported that CBD was helpful by itself [4].
These studies suggest CBD has therapeutic potential for depression, which may suggest a potential benefit for anger. However, CBD isn’t a treatment for depression, and more research on this is needed.
CBD for stress-related anger
Stress is another cause of anger. A reasonable amount of stress is inevitable in life, and it’s sometimes necessary — but too much can make you feel overwhelmed and backed into a corner.
A 2021 trial of 232 participants found that CBD was effective at reducing the stress response. Some participants reported that CBD was as effective as comparable pharmaceuticals [5].
While CBD isn’t proven to reduce stress, this research indicates it may promote everyday balance, which may help with anger that results from occasional stress.
CBD for anxiety-related anger
Anger can be caused by anxiety.
A 2015 research review noted that CBD is a promising potential treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder [6].
While research on CBD as a treatment for anxiety disorders is still in very early stages, this review suggests CBD has calming benefits, which may be beneficial for people who experience feelings of anger as a result of anxiety.
CBD for Anger: How it Works
CBD works by interacting with your endocannabinoid system (ECS), a receptor system in your body that keeps your vital functions and systems in a state of balance.
The ECS regulates the nervous system, mood, motor control, sleep, and inflammation — among other things. According to Harvard Medical School, the “ECS is critical for almost every aspect of our moment-to-moment functioning.”
The ECS normally produces its own cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, but during times of mental or physical stress, introducing outside cannabinoids (such as CBD) can help it perform its job and keep your body in balance.
There are two main types of receptors in your ECS: CB1 and CB2. But surprisingly, CBD doesn’t interact heavily with either receptor. Rather, research suggests that CBD acts on a variety of bodily systems (within and outside of the ECS), and is therefore able to deliver a wide range of benefits.
Through its interactions with the ECS and with the neurotransmitter serotonin, CBD promotes feelings of calm and relaxation and may help stabilize your mind against negative emotions like anger.
CBD Dosage for Anger
To maintain a balanced mood, we recommend starting with a low-strength dosage of CBD. You can use this formula to calculate your precise dosage:
(0.1) x (your body weight in pounds) = your daily dosage of CBD in mg.
For example, if you’re 150 lbs., you’d start by taking 15mg of CBD each day to promote a calm and relaxed mood. Once you get a feel for the effects of CBD, you can adjust your dose as needed.
We recommend using a formula versus a general recommendation because the amount of CBD you’ll need depends on how much you weigh.
How to Use CBD for Anger: Product Types
There are a variety of ways you can take CBD for anger:
- CBD Oil: CBD oil consists of hemp extract and carrier oil. CBD oil is taken under the tongue and swallowed, rather than passing normally through the digestive system, which means it can begin rendering effects in just 10-15 minutes.
- CBD Edibles and CBD Drinks: CBD edibles and drinks provide a great-tasting way to get the benefits of CBD. However, since they have to be digested, they take 45 minutes to 1 hour to begin working.
- CBD Softgels: Softgel capsules are CBD oil enclosed in a gel capsule (think Advil). They provide a quick, tasteless way to take CBD. Like edibles, they’re digested, so you’ll begin feeling the effects in 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Smokeables and Vapes: Smoking CBD-rich flower or inhaling it through a vape are two additional ways you can take CBD. Smokeables and vapes deliver effects in just 10-15 minutes, since they deliver CBD through your lungs.
Conclusion: Can CBD Help With Anger?
Depending on what causes you to feel angry, CBD may be able to help. Research suggests it may influence serotonin levels in your brain, and that it may have therapeutic potential for depression, stress, and anxiety.
However, CBD is not a substitute for professional treatment if you’re dealing with chronic anger issues or anger as a result of a larger underlying problem. Still, in these cases, CBD may be able to supplement other treatment strategies.
Our best advice? Give CBD a try and see how it works for you. Or, if you’re already receiving treatment, speak to your therapist about using CBD — it may be able to help you.
CBD for Anger: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions we get asked about using CBD for anger.
Can CBD calm my anger?
While CBD isn’t proven to reduce anger, it may be beneficial in this capacity for some people. Research suggests CBD has therapeutic potential for stress and anxiety, both of which may induce feelings of anger. CBD may promote a calm and relaxed mind, helping to maintain everyday balance.
Does CBD reduce aggression?
Research suggests CBD may have aggression-reducing effects. A study on mice found CBD reduced anger and aggression caused by social isolation. Currently, studies on the efficacy of CBD for aggression in humans are lacking. Despite this, there is strong anecdotal evidence in this area.
How much CBD oil to take for anger management?
Starting out, we recommend taking a low-strength dosage of CBD oil for anger. You can use this formula: (0.1) x (your body weight in pounds) = your CBD dosage in mg. For most people, this is 10-20mg of CBD oil.
Is CBD a good mood enhancer?
CBD may be able to help improve your mood. CBD can promote calm and relaxation, although it won’t get you high or induce intense euphoria or relaxation as THC does.
Sources
[1] Hartmann, A., Lisboa, S. F., Sonego, A. B., Coutinho, D., Gomes, F. V., & Guimarães, F. S. (2019). Cannabidiol attenuates aggressive behavior induced by social isolation in mice: Involvement of 5-HT1A and CB1 receptors. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 94, 109637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109637
[2] de Mello Schier, A. R., de Oliveira Ribeiro, N. P., Coutinho, D. S., Machado, S., Arias-Carrión, O., Crippa, J. A., Zuardi, A. W., Nardi, A. E., & Silva, A. C. (2014). Antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects of cannabidiol: a chemical compound of Cannabis sativa. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets, 13(6), 953–960. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871527313666140612114838
[3] García-Gutiérrez, M. S., Navarrete, F., Gasparyan, A., Austrich-Olivares, A., Sala, F., & Manzanares, J. (2020). Cannabidiol: A Potential New Alternative for the Treatment of Anxiety, Depression, and Psychotic Disorders. Biomolecules, 10(11), 1575. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10111575
[4] Corroon, J., & Phillips, J. A. (2018). A Cross-Sectional Study of Cannabidiol Users. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 3(1), 152–161. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2018.0006
[5] Henson, J. D., Vitetta, L., Quezada, M., & Hall, S. (2021). Enhancing Endocannabinoid Control of Stress with Cannabidiol. Journal of clinical medicine, 10(24), 5852. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10245852
[6] Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 12(4), 825–836. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1
