I’ve always had a bit of an anxious personality. For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt a constant low level of anxiety. I also have obsessive compulsive tendencies. I fixate on things and have a hard time letting go of recurring thoughts. When I groomed professionally that attention to detail could be really useful. I’d notice on subtle changes in the horses and could often detect a problem well before it became obvious. But I always had a hard time turning off my mind.

I’ve since been diagnosed as a “Highly Sensitive Person.” An HSP is someone who is more sensitive to the world and people around them. I tend to intuitively pick things up and can easily sense the emotions of others. I just feel things more than the average person. I am also pretty sensitive to external stimuli like loud noises.

The downside to being an HSP is that I tend to internalize all the feelings and stimuli coming at me, which makes my anxiety worse. A few years ago, we moved to our own farm and I took on the care of several retired Grand Prix horses that I used to look after. They had complicated health issues that I monitored very closely. Then I had two sons in the space of two years. It was a lot to manage and my anxiety got worse. When my oldest son started having serious medical problems of his own, my anxiety went through the roof.

At first, I didn’t even know that what I was experiencing were anxiety attacks. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and my whole body would feel electric, like a tingling sensation from my neck down, followed by shaking. Then I began to get tingling in my arms and hands, and a weird sensation in my legs that I can best describe as the “creepy crawlies.” My skin as a whole became more sensitive. As my symptoms worsened, I found myself stuck in a vicious cycle of getting anxious about the physical symptoms of my anxiety, which only made them worse. It was awful.

A friend recommended CBD for my anxiety. I was reluctant at first—I have no interest in feeling high. But I knew I needed something to help me get my body and mind back under control.

How it Helps

When I first started taking CBD, I used it only when I felt like I was going to get anxious. As soon as I took it, my whole body would become calm and almost heavy. My anxiety primarily affects my body, so having a product that helps with my physical symptoms makes a big difference in my quality of life.

Now, I take CBD in the mornings, and if I feel my anxiety creep up, I’ll take a bit more during the day.

For me, CBD helps me break out of my chronic fight or flight state. It helps me to steady my body and once I feel physically relaxed, my mind shortly follows. It’s become an important tool in managing my anxiety.