CBD Oil for Mental Health—Should You Take It Carefully?

More and more Americans are seeking healthful ways to deal with stress, especially after the pandemic. An estimated 21 million Americans had at least one major depressive episode in the past year, according to the National Institute for Mental Health. To solve the problem, CBD has become widespread as a treatment for anxiety in the market. Recent studies suggest that it may also help improve depression. Evidence suggests CBD has been used for mental health treatment for a very long time because CBD affects serotonin levels in the brain. Here are some deep insights that can help you know more about releasing stress, anxiety, and whatever else may be bothering you. Please be aware that before taking CBD products, consult a doctor if you experience anxiety or depression.

What Should You Know About Mental Disorders?

It is just as true and valid for people to suffer from mental illness as they do from physical illness. People need proper diagnosis and treatment regardless of whether their brains or bodies malfunction.

You can identify when you or someone you care about needs help by learning these symptoms of mental illness:

1.Sadness, frustration, or feeling useless. There are also symptoms such as sleep issues or lack of self-esteem.

2. Concerns and fears that continue to persist. 

3. Signs of physical distress including headaches, stomachaches, and chronic pain (especially backaches).

4. Strong mood swings. In bipolar disorder, behaviors that vary from low energy, low motivation can manifest as both high energy and high motivation.

If you have mental disorders, you do not have to suffer alone. Various treatment options are being tested, and mental health professionals can successfully treat many mental health disorders. One of those treatment options is CBD therapy.

The Historical Development of CBD Treatment for Mental Health Issues

While the easing of cannabis regulations has only recently increased interest in CBD, the cannabis plant has been around for thousands of years. Through the ages, it has been a helpful healing tool. The Chinese Emperor Sheng Neng employed a cannabis-infused beverage to treat several diseases, including memory loss, gout, rheumatism, and malaria, in 2737 BC. It is also believed that Queen Victoria took cannabis during her reign to ease menstruation cramps.

American scientist Roger Adams identified the cannabidiol (CBD) component of cannabis in the 1940s. However, stigmas surrounding the cannabis plant resulted in fewer studies into CBD’s potential health advantages. Scientists only began investigating more closely after California and a few other states legalized medical cannabis.

Even yet, since most studies were conducted on animals and in laboratories, it was impossible to draw any conclusions on the benefits of CBD. Most praises came from anecdotal reports. But more recently, human trials have been carried out, and most of them point to the potential advantages of CBD for various conditions, including mental health disorders.

The studies reveal that CBD’s interactions with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) may be what causes those effects to be beneficial (ECS). The ECS is the body’s natural cannabinoid receptor (CB1 and CB2) and regulator system.

Among other things, it controls mood, sleep, and pain perception. Research shows that in anxious and depressed individuals, there are fewer cannabinoid receptors and that CBD helps restore these levels, helping them cope with their mental health issues.

Some of the Mental Health Issues That May Be Treated with CBD

Anxiety

A typical mental health issue for many folks is anxiety. A reported 19.1% of American adults suffer from anxiety problems each year. According to some research, CBD may be able to reduce anxiety symptoms.

An analysis of CBD’s usage for anxiety reported in the Neurotherapeutics journal in 2015 revealed that CBD was efficient for a range of anxiety disorders, including:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Panic attacks
• Social anxiety disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Trauma-related stress disorder (PTSD)

However, the study’s authors point out that even though the compound has a lot of potentials, more investigation is necessary to pinpoint its therapeutic advantages and long-term impacts.

Seizures

According to laboratory studies conducted at universities and colleges and anecdotal reports, CBD may help lessen the severity of seizures. One of these reports is about Charlotte Figi.

She made headlines in 2011 when her doctors successfully treated her epileptic seizures using CBD from a particular cannabis strain, raising interest in the product. Currently, the FDA has approved some CBD products for people who suffer from Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet-related seizures.

PTSD

Loss of short-term memory is one of the side effects of cannabis use. This is often seen as a negative side effect by many. However, it’s a blessing for individuals with PTSD and other psychological problems characterized by reliving traumatic events, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts. These people tend to avoid situations that could bring back the trauma.

However, CBD therapy for PTSD has shown encouraging results. According to preliminary findings, CBD can be used to help people forget unpleasant experiences.

Findings from a study that appeared in the Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine show that combining oral CBD with standard psychiatric care for PTSD results in reduced symptoms.

Insomnia

A disrupted sleep cycle is just one of depression’s many adverse effects. Depression can cause early morning awakenings, restless evenings, or excessive sleep. Studies show that CBD may help anxious and depressed individuals sleep better. Better sleep can be achieved by taking CBD capsules containing calming terpenes to achieve physical and mental relaxation.

Depression

Like anxiety, depression is a common mental health issue too. It’s characterized by sleep apnea, sadness, mood swings, and loss of interest in hobbies or normal activities. Some of the treatments for depression include medication and psychotherapy. But research into alternative and complementary therapies is being carried out too.

According to preliminary studies into the effects of CBD against depression, the compound affects how the body processes serotonin. In depressed individuals, there are low levels of serotonin. Although CBD doesn’t directly increase quantities of serotonin in the body, it may change how the brain’s receptors react to the already available chemical levels.

The Uncertainties and Controversies

CBD products exist in many forms on the market. It is essential to remember that these solutions could differ in ingredients and potency because the medical cannabis industry isn’t well regulated yet. Some brands may add different ingredients to encourage dependency.

Always check the ingredients list and third-party lab results to ensure no pesticides and that the THC content is below 0.03%. Also, avoid products containing avocado carrier oil as this may boost inflammations. Price is important, too; compare different brands and select the best product for your budget.

CBD testing is also still in the preliminary stages, and there isn’t much information regarding its effectiveness and official serving sizes. You’d be wise to work with a doctor familiar with this kind of therapy. Just because some CBD medications have been approved for some seizures doesn’t mean CBD should be used for all types of seizures. Doctors warn about extrapolation.

People differ in body chemistry and physical characteristics. What worked for the other person may not work for you. Talk to a doctor familiar with this kind of therapy first. They’ll will help determine what is right for you and in what amount.