17 Actually Helpful CBD Products, Recommended by an Anxious Person

Liza Sokol

Fri, April 30, 2021 at 1:00 PM UTC

3 min read

There's *a lot* of CBD out there, but not all of it is created equally.

I am a deeply, deeply anxious person. I don't mean that in a quirky, #relatable Instagram post way, I mean it in an "I pay a lot of money to a therapist and a psychiatrist and Big Pharma to try and not be" way. While my team of professionals and I try and unpack the root of all my Bad Brain stuff, I've also delved into the world of cannabinoids to seek some relief.

Since the federal government is taking its sweet time delaying the inevitable when it comes to legalizing cannabis (and the restorative justice that should absolutely come in tandem with that), I, like a lot of millennials, have gravitated to CBD. And I've tried a lot of different CBD products.

On this journey I've discovered one thing for certain: All CBD products are definitely not created equal. Sometimes I'll eat five gummies and might as well have eaten some tastier ones from the candy aisle; other times with one dropper-full, I can immediately feel my chest open up from the knot it had tied itself into. I generally prefer tinctures because I think ingesting CBD sublingually (meaning held under the tongue for about a minute) absorbs the best for my body, but I'm not opposed to other formulations.

For me, since CBD doesn't produce a high, I notice its effects more when I don't take it as opposed to when I do. When I skip it, I find it a little more difficult to get work done, and my ability to focus on anything other than my own neuroses goes out the window. With some super potent formulations, however, I do notice that it feels like I can physically breathe a little easier — like the metaphorical weight on my chest has been lifted. These are the sorts of things I look for in a CBD product to avoid the dreaded "this isn't doing anything for me" moment.

In the galleries below, I've rounded up the very best CBD products I've tried that have helped me feel a little less anxious throughout the day, giving me a little assist through Zoom meetings, Hinge conversations and everything in between. Some are tinctures, others taste like candy and some are pre-rolled joints (no loose CBD flower here, 100% because I'm the worst at rolling), some are fortified with vitamins — there's a formula for every type of anxious person. I hope they help you as much as they've helped me!

[Editor's note: The following product recommendations are based solely on the personal experience of the writer and are not intended to diagnose or treat any specific mental illness or condition. If you're experiencing anxiety, we urge you to turn to online resources such as those offered by the Anxiety & Depression Association of America or the National Alliance on Mental Illness or seek the help of a mental health professional.]