Cannabinoids are natural composites of the hemp plant used by our ancestors to treat many conditions. From
some points of view, they had more advantages as they only needed to extract it from the hemp plant and use
it. Today, the legal statute of CBD is contested by many because of the confusion with THC. But this is
another compound of the hemp plant with different effects.
THC consumed by smoking or as edible gives the ?high’ sensation, sometimes followed by a state of
depression. It is why this substance is illegal in many countries, with a bad name for CBD as well, which is
totally harmless and even beneficial.
CBD or Cannabinoids are used with success to treat a large number of conditions, one of them being depression.
Identifying and treating depression – Medical vs. Natural treatments
Depression and anxiety are medical problems with long effects on health, social life, and the capacity to
work. People suffering from depression even have difficulties in realizing the problem, which makes treating
it even harder.
Depression is more frequent than we believe. It is caused by hormonal issues, loneliness, relationships,
stress, or financial worries. Moreover, depression also comes with other medical problems such as heart
problems.
Doctors and psychiatrists prescribe strong medication for these conditions. These treatments come with
significant side effects such as mood swings, insomnia, and even sexual dysfunctions. Many times, the
patient has to take these pills for years without substantial or visible results.
CBD showed promising results in the early stages of treating depression and anxiety without the side effects
given by medical treatments. Studies show that cannabinoids help the brain in releasing serotonin, the
?substance of happiness,’ responsible for our wellbeing and good mood.
The goal of any depression treatment is to regulate the levels of serotonin, and this means not only to help
the body releasing it. When a person takes a drug, the brain will release all the serotonin in a short time,
giving the feeling of ?high’ that is wanted by people receiving them. Shortly after, the brain remains without
any reserve of this substance, and an acute state of depression follows.
This property of drugs gives its addiction, as the consumer has to take another dose fast to keep the ?high’ up. CBD has the feature to regulate the levels of serotonin throughout the day. It does not give addiction, and it can have better results than medical treatments against depression.
How does CBD work?
The endocannabinoid system is an essential part of the body, responsible for producing natural chemical composites with the same structure as the one of CBD. A state of depression installs when the body is not able to provide these substances naturally. These substances are of utmost importance for the body, and if they lack, the body will feel it instantly. It is when you can complete these substances with CBD, as it will have the same effect of improving the wellbeing and mood.
Stress, bad eating and lack of exercise are the main reasons for which the body cannot produce these natural
substances. When this happens, you will feel hopeless and in a bad mood. CBD can help you to get through
awkward moments by improving your mood and preventing the installment of depression.
Don’t neglect these problems and try to treat them as soon as they appear. Anxiety and depression affect us every day and can have long-lasting effects on our lives. Depression affects the way you feel for yourself but also the way you treat others. Many people don’t realize it, and this makes it harder to treat. CBD can be the first treatment someone can try, as it is non-invasive and can have rapid effects.
CBD and depression
Many times, we think we only have a bad mood, and it will go away with the weather. These states had their
origins in the first defense mechanisms of the human body when fear used to keep people awake and to
defend against wild animals. In the modern world, we don’t live in caves, and we are not afraid of another
tribe, but these fear feelings remained and were transformed in what modern world calls anxiety.
Anxiety leads to some neuropsychiatric diseases, including Generalized Anxiety (GAD), Panic Attacks
(PD), and post-traumatic stress (PSTD). In time, these problems force the individual to withdraw from
society and to develop acute depression.
Many people that are in this phase already tried medicine and other treatments without significant effects.
CBD is a natural substance extracted from hemp, without side effects and with additional benefits on your
body.
It is not doctors who realized the benefits of CBD to treat depression, but people using it. CBD was illegal in
some countries such as the EU ones and the UK for decades, so studies about the effects of cannabinoids on
depression were not possible.
But with more people trying CBD and asking why such a food supplement is not studied more, authorities
from many countries were forced to give cannabinoids some kind of legal state.
The USA was one of the first countries to acknowledge the benefits of hemp, and which also gave CBD a
medical status. Today, doctors commonly prescribe CBD for depression, but also other affections such as
pain and anxiety.
In the UK, CBD is classified as novel foods. It only a food supplement, and no one is allowed to
talk about the benefits it offers. Websites selling CBD are not allowed to talk about their effects, but people
are free to study and check by themselves and to buy them after.
CBD can treat depression by itself, but it can also help in medical treatments for this condition. Ask your
doctor about the effects of CBD on your current medication. Cannabinoids interfere with other therapies
sometimes, and the doctor knows if CBD is suited as a completion for your treatment or not.
Do not consider CBD as the only replacement for your medical treatment. Don’t stop taking medicine prescribed by a specialist, as this might come with severe consequences that can’t be solved by CBD solely.
How much CBD to take for depression?
The recommended dosage of CBD daily is 200mg, no matter the problem you are treating. However, it also
depends on the ingestion method. For example, CBD oils are natural to take, but they are assimilated by
digestion, which means some of the beneficial properties of cannabinoids disappear before getting into the
bloodstream. By comparison, CBD vaping allows cannabinoids to get straight into your bloodstream through
your lungs, making it a more efficient way to benefit from CBD.
Many people prefer capsules, as these allow them to control the daily dosage of CBD correctly. You can find
CBD capsules of 10 to 50 mg of CBD. It means you can reach your daily dosage of CBD daily with four
tablets of 50mg.
CBD vaping is an excellent method to quit smoking as well. Depression and smoking are connected, as
some of the people suffering from depression find a little help in tobacco. However, this bad habit comes
with many problems for your health, accentuating the state of depression in time.
With CBD vaping, you can quit smoking easier and replace this habit with a healthy and efficient way to ingest CBD.
CBD side effects in treating addiction
CBD does not come with significant side effects, but some people taking it noticed some minor problems
such as:
- Diarrhea
- Modification of appetite
- Tiredness
However, these effects are only in the short term. In the long run, even a study from the World Health
Organization showed that CBD can be beneficial and does not have noticeable side effects.
If you want to minimize the risks of taking CBD, consult your doctor before, especially if you are taking other food supplements and medicines for depression.
Is CBD legal?
Sometimes, CBD extracts also have a low concentration of THC. After all, they are extracted from the same
plant. It is possible to obliterate THC, but this means the rich oil goes through another refining process,
making the CBD less effective as well. If you want this type of oil, look for Broad Spectrum CBD.
Full Spectrum CBD is oil rich in cannabinoids, but which might also have some concentrations of THC.
As long as this concentration is less than 0, 2%, the product is legal, and it should not have any psychoactive
effects.
CBD becomes more prevalent in treating depression, no matter how you are taking it. It is possible to get a prescription of CBD from your doctor in the USA and to buy oils with a high level of cannabinoids. If you want to buy CBD in the UK, you can find many online websites for this, but you can’t find a decent study to read about the benefits of this food supplement.
However, as there is no wonder cure for complicated conditions such as depression, don’t consider CBD as
the wonder cure for any problem.
Cannabinoids have a proven effect in improving the mood and general wellbeing. Combined with the results of this substance on the endocannabinoid system, it might have implications in treating depression and anxiety as well.
