Can CBD help with Depression?
If you suffer from untreated depression, it is important to first seek professional support. Many doctors suggest counselling alongside prescribing varying strengths of pharmaceutical medication. This course of support and medication does help many start to regain their life again and start to feel ‘normal’. However, many anti-depressants have severe side effects such as; nausea, tiredness, mood swings, sexual dysfunction, weight gain and can be very difficult to withdraw from.
A growing number of people are now turning to cannabidiol (CBD) products to assist in their recovering from depression. If you’re considering adding CBD oil to your self-care routine, this article may help you understand the current scientific research about CBD and depression. Currently CBD, has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is a chemical found in marijuana, but it doesn’t contain THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana. The typical formulation of CBD is a liquid that you take orally. CBD is also sold as an extract, a vaporized liquid and an oil-based capsule. Foods, drinks and beauty products are among the many CBD-infused products growing in popularity.
What Does The Research Say
Although clinical trials are ongoing, there is good early evidence that CBD could help your brain recover from depression alongside a more holistic life style choice.
Since the 1970’s there has been a number of scientific articles showing the therapeutic effects of CBD. In recent years there has been an increase in interest in researching CBD as a form of medication. Although the research into human consumption is in very early stages there has been papers published into using animal models.
In 2014 a review from animal studies found that CBD’s effects on these receptors in the brain produced both anti-depressant and anti-anxiety compounds in models of depression.
A Review published from 2018 has clearly shown the benefits that CBD “…does not produce the typical subjective effects of marijuana induced by THC…has clearly shown anxiolytic, antiepileptic, and antipsychotic properties, among other effects.”
Most antidepressant medications take a substantial time to start working. However, one of the most recent studies in 2019, found that CBD has a fast and sustained antidepressant like effect. The results showed that a single dose of CBD induced antidepressant-like effect.
Animal research has now shown that serotonin receptors are improved by CBD. Serotonin in the brain is thought to regulate anxiety, happiness, and mood. Low levels of the chemical have been associated with depression, and increased serotonin levels brought on by medication are thought to decrease the negative effects. These receptors control a wide variety of other neurotransmitters, so it’s likely that CBD could have a similar effect.
Looking to the Future
While CBD is being investigated for the benefits over anti-depressant medications, it is still very early days. Whilst there are an abundance of positive feedback for those whom suffer from anxiety and stress disorders. Depression is a complex disease and for those with it, is yet to be proven as a replacement for all depressive disorders.
There are many forms that depression can take and there is no single miracle cure for it. What ends up helping a person recover from depression is highly individual, and people who take a multi-pronged approach to recovery often have better results than those who depend on a single solution.
Abruptly stopping medication prescribed for depression can cause serious effects and it must always consult with your medical advisor for a safe and supported path.
Sources:
- ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- researchgate.net
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235406334_The_Pharmacologic_and_Clinical_Effects_of_Medical_Cannabis