CBD stands for Cannabidiol. It is a type of natural compound that is found in Cannabis Sativa plants. You would know this plant by Hemp of Marijuana depending on the level of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is believed that you can use CBD for depression treatment.
THC is associated with a feeling called HIGH; however, it does not cause a psychoactive effect as Marijuana does. CBD can be easily derived from Hemp or Marijuana.
CBD has seen a surge in popularity in recent years due to its medicinal properties. This has led to new research works towards finding the medical potential of the CBD. While going through the research, some experts stated that people could use CBD for depression treatment.
How Can You Use CBD For Depression?
If you are looking into CBD for a therapeutic process, you must also consider that CBD is new to industries with limited research work. Yes, there had been a lot of research works in the last decade, but all were done on animals. We are yet to see any prominent research that includes human beings.
With that being said, we can consider that the use of CBD for depression treatments is only on a speculative level. Well, that changes the whole perception of CBD and its medical values!
Despite being a speculative medication, it has been seen that CBD holds some benefits when it comes down to treating depressions. Apart from depression, you can even use CBD to treat the followings:
- Cognitive impairment.
- Discomfort while addressing a large audience.
- Anxiety.
- Mental disorder.
- Chronic pain.
What Researchers Have To Say?
Researchers believe that consuming CBD activates the serotonin receptor in the brain, which creates a positive impact, helping people fight depression.
According to experts, low Serotonin level is associated with depression. So, activating the serotonin receptor helps the brain give a happy sensation. Remember that CBD is not directly involved with serotonin releases. It just stimulates the receptors to do so.
In 2014 researchers found that consuming CBD stimulates the Serotonin receptors to create an effect anti-depression and anti-anxiety effects. Furthermore, in recent studies, it has been found that CBD also carter to antistress effects.
As mentioned, CBD and its medical effects are still a new area, and researchers are still in the process of seeing the full potential of CBD.
How Does CBD Compare To Antidepressant Medicines?
Frankly speaking, when it comes down to taking care of depression, CBD is more effective than antidepressant medication in the market.
Most antidepressant medicine takes weeks to start showing their effects. On the other hand, a 2019 animal study shows that the effects of CBD are almost immediate.
The best part of CBD is that it has fewer side effects compared to antidepressant medicines. For instance, if you are taking antidepressant medication, you will come across the following problems:
- Insomnia.
- Mood Swings.
- Dysfunctions.
- Agitation.
- Emotional distress.
However, CBD has yet to show any of these side effects.
Caution
You might have started considering replacing antidepressant medicine with CBD for depression by now. That will not be the right thing to do. While CBD offers a great advantage over antidepressant medicine, it is not a replacement.
Do not stop tracking antidepressant medicine, at least not without taking consideration from your healthcare provider. Abruptly stopping your medication course in between can trigger other health-related issues.
If you want to stop taking an antidepressant, talk with your healthcare provider and come with a plan to gradually decrease your dodgers.
Does It Cause Any Side Effects?
So far, there have not been any cases where we would say that CBD has some major side effects. However, you will find people who are more sensitive to these things and have accrued minor side effects.
The side effects can vary from person to person. Here are some of the side effects sensitive people can encounter.
- Fatigue.
- Change in weight.
- Loss of appetite.
- Diarrhea.
During the research, some of the mice were found to have damaged livers. But the reason is not clear as to why they had damaged livers. Some experts believe that it could be the result of high CBD dosage.
We are still in the first phase of the research work, so it is hard to know whether CBD has any long-term side effects. Keep in mind that CBD is not risk-free; it is just researchers are yet to find the side effects.
To minimize the risk, it is important that you talk with your health care provider to ensure that away from harm’s reach.
Read Also: Is CBD Safe? Learn Of The Side Effects
Where Can You Get CBD For Depression?
If you truly want to test the extent of CBD for depression, you will need to find a reputable seller. CBD derived from Hemp is widely available in several areas but has restrictions on it. On the other hand, Marijuana-derived CBD is available only in dispensary stores.
While you are out there in the market to buy CBD, look for reputable brands. You check their credibility by going through third-party lab testing of their products. You can find the CBD products in the form of:
- Gummies.
- Lotions.
- Gels.
- Oils.
- Edibles.
- Tinctures.
The Bottom Line
CBD is certainly becoming popular for its remedies for a range of medical problems. If you are interested in trying the effect of CBD, try talking with their healthcare professionals and see if you get permission.
Although the studies state that it is safe for use, it might interact with the other medication and create a medical complication for you.
Furthermore, some states are very strict with the regulation of Cannabis in the market. If you are not aware of the laws and are caught red-handed, you might be in big trouble. Generally, you can carry Cannabis with 0.3% of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol).
