I was going to chime in on this thread when it was initially active, but life, as usual got in the way. So couple of months later, here goes...

I've used cannabis for sleep & for relaxation, specifically indica strains with relatively high THC percentages. I don't use it regularly, mostly because though legal where I am, it's too expensive for regular use. On the plus side that keeps my tolerance lower. That all said, I find it quite helpful - with careful dosing, I get a period of calm & serenity that allows me to someway reset the otherwise pervasive sense of fight & flight that I find cumulatively builds up over time, without becoming dysfunctional. Even after it's worn off, I'll be in a calmer mental state for some time afterwards (multiple days?) - depending on when life next selects a juicy curve-ball for me.

Now the usual disclaimer - this is not a recommendation, merely an educated observation of my personal experience.

However, my somewhat tangential question is - are there any pharmaceutical options readily available (which rules out benzos these days) that could get me that same sense of calm without any of the issues of cannabis (cost/can't drive/may be a problem for employment)? The anxiety meds I've taken thus far (buspar, hydroxyzine & trazadone) honestly don't seem to do much more than scratch the surface for me.