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Ever seen someone with a fidget pen? Or a lavender-scented vape pen? Or inhaling CBD oil from a pen? These are all forms on a spectrum of a new fad—anxiety pens. People use them for short-term management of anxiety. They’re all the rage on TikTok and now widely available in pharmacies or elsewhere. But do they work and are they safe? In this article, I explain what they are, how they work, and explore these important questions.
Anxiety pens are available in two forms with three types:
The actual products are largely untested, although often marketed as “science-backed”. The real evidence lies in their individual components, not the pens themselves.
These pens are hybrid tools: primarily a functional writing instrument, but integrated with discreet fidget mechanisms. With buttons to click, sliders to move, spinners to rotate, textured grips for rubbing, they provide a number of ways to channel restlessness to improve focus and self-regulation.
Yet they look like a normal pen used in a professional or social setting. So they are pens first, allowing their use to be justified anywhere.
They are actually a form of “stimming” (self-stimulatory behavior) in which the pen acts as a self-regulation tool, common in neurodivergent individuals (ADHD, autism) but also now prevalent in the general population. The rhythmic, repetitive action can be grounding, providing a sensory anchor (like a worry stone) that pulls focus away from cyclical anxious thoughts and into the physical present [1].
In fact, mild physical activity can help channel restless energy and increase focus by providing a minor cognitive distraction for the anxious part of the brain. There is still slim evidence and research on fidgeting is largely specific to ADHD.
One study reported that fidgeting may aid in sustained attention during the attention-demanding, cognitive control processes for adults with ADHD. It suggested fidgeting may provide self-stimulation to increase cortical arousal to optimal levels [B].
Other research suggests that fidgeting (e.g., doodling) can improve recall during a monotonous task but not during a complex one, highlighting its situational nature. Fidget pens can be a possible, though not universally effective, strategy for self-regulation.
These are marketed as “wellness” pens and have a chamber for essential oil-infused material (like a felt wick). These devices heat a liquid containing aromatherapy oils (like lavender or chamomile for destressing, peppermint for focus), or other non-nicotine compounds into vapor for active or passive inhalation, promoting relaxation or focus via the sensory distraction.
While using the pen, slow, deliberate breathing mimics mindfulness techniques, enhancing the calming response.
They activate direct neural pathways from scent molecules to the olfactory bulb to the amygdala and hippocampus (emotional and memory centers in the brain). There is some research on lavender’s demonstrated anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects in clinical settings.
A rigorous 2010 study tested oral lavender oil capsules (Silexan) for anxiety. It found significant reductions in generalized anxiety disorder symptoms comparable to an antidepressant. This established a strong basis for lavender’s anxiolytic properties [3].
Another study in post-partum women found that inhaling lavender essential oil during labor significantly reduced anxiety levels [4].
However, the effects are subtle, dose-dependent, and individual. A faint scent may not overcome acute anxiety. They use a delivery method (inhalation) and a substance (lavender) with solid clinical evidence for reducing situational anxiety but potency and dosage in pens are unstandardized.
CBD inhaler pens look like asthma inhalers. They deliver a specific dose of CBD vapor, a non-intoxicating compound from cannabis. They don’t use psychoactive THC or nicotine.
Unlike aromatherapy pens, CBD is a bioactive compound. It interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, helping to regulate stress responses and affecting mood and sleep. But it is unregulated.
There are preliminary studies showing that CBD alleviates anxiety, but the FDA has not approved CBD for anxiety treatment.
CBD has been shown to reduce acute anxiety symptoms with some users reporting calmer states within minutes [5] [6] [7]. However, evidence is limited.
The need for therapy, medication, or professional care is not replaced by anxiety pens. Long-term safety data on vaping is lacking. The market is largely unregulated. Potential risks include:
While CBD has substantial clinical promise for anxiety, the commercial market is a “wild west.” An unregulated, deceptively labeled CBD pen’s effectiveness and safety are unknown.
Only consider CBD products with transparent, up-to-date, third-party lab results. For more serious anxiety, especially if you are on other medications, consult a doctor.
For sustained or more severe anxiety management, consider evidence-based options such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), deep breathing exercises, or prescribed medications [9].
Safer relief without vaping risks can be obtained with fidget tools, weighted blankets, or aromatherapy roll-ons.
Treatment for mental health conditions and trauma is available in Utah. Are you or a loved one looking for a compassionate space to heal from anxiety, trauma, PTSD, CPTSD, other mental health conditions, or addictions? Our licensed trauma-informed professional therapists and counselors at Corner Canyon Health Centers can provide compassionate help using a range of therapeutic and holistic techniques.
Reach out to our Admissions team now at Corner Canyon. We’re in a peaceful setting bordered by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains.
[1] Walter S. 2025. Anxiety Pens Under Scrutiny: What’s Real and What’s Hype?
[2 Son, H. et al. (2024). A quantitative analysis of fidgeting in ADHD and its relation to performance and sustained attention on a cognitive task. Frontiers in psychiatry, 15, 1394096.]
[3] Kasper S, et al. 2014. Lavender oil preparation Silexan is effective in generalized anxiety disorder–a randomized, double-blind comparison to placebo and paroxetine. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2014 Jun;17(6):859-69.
[4] Kianpour, M., et al. (2016). Effect of lavender scent inhalation on prevention of stress, anxiety and depression in the postpartum period. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, 21(2), 197–201.
[5] Bergamaschi M. et al. 2011. Cannabidiol reduces the anxiety induced by simulated public speaking in treatment-naïve social phobia patients. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2011 May;36(6):1219-26. doi: 10.1038/npp.2011.6.
[6] Skelley, Jessica W. et al. 2020. Use of cannabidiol in anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, Volume 60, Issue 1, 253 – 261
[7] Han K. 2024.Therapeutic potential of cannabidiol (CBD) in anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research. Volume 339 2024. 116049,
[8] Bonn-Miller M., et al. 2017. Labeling Accuracy of Cannabidiol Extracts Sold Online. JAMA
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[I9] The Practical Psych. nd. The Anxiety Pen- A New Tool in the Fight Against Anxiety?
