CBD Oil for Depression

There is increasing evidence that CBD might help deal with depression. This article discusses CBD, how CBD works for depression, how to use CBD for depression and how it compares to other medications for depression.

CBD products are majorly known for offering relief from pain and inflammation. However, people don't know how to help with some symptoms of depression. Although most of the research is still based on animals, more research is going on to know how CBD might be effective in helping with depression. Depression is usually characterized by losing interest in the things you once loved and feeling sadness or hopelessness. CBD products include CBD oil, edibles and vape pens that come in various designs and flavours. Learn more about cbd oil for vertigo

What is CBD?

CBD is one of the compounds found in the cannabis plant. Although you can isolate over 100 compounds from the plant, this compound has various health benefits. Unlike THC, CBD has no psychoactive effects. Rather, the compound has several benefits, such as pain relief, anxiety and insomnia. CBD is usually extracted from the Hemp plant because it's found in high levels, while the plant has low levels of THC.

A lot has been discovered about CBD, but more research still needs to be done to know its various benefits. CBD oil is one of the most popular products of Cannabidiol. It is usually an extract mixed with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or hemp oil. You can take CBD oil sublingually or orally. Because it has an earthy taste when raw, you can add it to your favourite food or beverages.

How CBD works for depression

Depression is a medical illness that affects how you act and feel. Although this disease is relatively common, it can adversely affect your life and sometimes lead to suicide or self-harm. This disease is usually known for having symptoms such as sadness, loneliness and loss of interest in the things you once loved. This can affect how you do normal things and your quality of life. Although several medications are used to treat depression, they normally have side effects, and some can be addictive. While more research on CBD and depression is needed, evidence suggests that CBD might be a better option with minimal side effects. Learn more about cbd oil for tmj

CBD as an anti-depressant

Most animal research has shown CBD to have properties of anti-depressant effect, although there is a need for more research to be done; existing research shows positive results. According to Sales et al. (2018), the anti-depressant effect depends on the serotonin levels in the brain. It's believed that CBD's interaction with serotonin receptors causes this effect. A low serotonin level is associated with depression. In contrast, a high serotonin level is associated with an intense feeling of happiness.

CBD for stress and anxiety

Anxiety and depression are usually associated with each other, and people with depression usually have increased anxiety. CBD is thought to have properties of reducing anxiety levels, and this might help those with depression. According to De Gregorio et al. (2019), CBDs' ability to interact with the body's receptors is thought to make CBDs' ability to reduce anxiety possible. Since anxiety is also linked to serotonin levels in the brain, CBD's interaction with serotonin receptors might be helpful for both those with anxiety and depression.

Stress is one of the causes of depression, and CBD has been found to have anti-stress effects. Spinella et al. (2021) state that CBDs can reduce stress. You can easily use this ability to reduce stress levels in the body to help those with stress-induced depression. Most of the research in this area is animal-based. However, some might find this enough evidence to try CBD for depression.

How to use CBD for depression

CBD is found in several products online, and you can find oil, edibles, topicals and vapes. This wide variety of products fits your preference, and since you can take them in various ways, the time you feel the effects of CBD differs.

CBD edibles usually include pills, cookies and infused food and beverages. Since they taste the flavour used, they are perfect for those unable to handle CBD oil's earthy, raw taste. CBD edibles usually take about 30 minutes to 1 hour before you feel the effects of CBD because they need to pass through the digestive system.

CBD vapes usually refer to devices that allow you to inhale CBD. This is the fastest way of feeling the effects of CBD and can usually take about 15 minutes before the full effects of CBD kick.

CBD oil usually refers to naturally extracted oil from the hemp plant. You can take CBD orally or sublingual according to what you prefer. However, taking CBD sublingually allows you to feel the effects of CBD quicker and takes only about 30 to 45 minutes.

How does CBD compare to other depression treatments

Although you can find other pharmaceutical drugs used for depression, most users of these drugs normally report feeling some negative effects that might include increased anxiety, insomnia, mood changes and erectile dysfunction. Unlike these medications, CBD doesn't have these side effects and usually has fewer side effects.

Another potential benefit Of CBD is that it might work faster than most anti-depressant medications. Other depression medications can take about a week before they work, while CBD has a fast anti-depressant effect. However, this doesn't mean you can stop taking the depression treatments you were prescribed. Rather you should first discuss with your healthcare provider your decision to take CBD to prevent any interaction of CBD with some of the drugs you are taking for CBD.

CBD is usually thought to have side effects, although they are not connected to those from pharmaceutical drugs. As stated by Souza et al. (2022), the side effects of CBD might include diarrhoea, dry mouth, fatigue, a change in appetite and nausea. However, these side effects are normally tolerable and rare.

Conclusion

CBD relieves many health issues, such as pain, anxiety and stress. However, recent research has suggested that CBD might have properties that experts can use to help those with symptoms of depression. Stress is one of the major causes of depression; CBD has been found to reduce stress and anxiety, which can come in handy for people with depression. Furthermore, research has shown that CBD has been found to interact with the serotonin levels in the brain. Although most of the research is animal-based, a growing number of people find existing evidence enough to try various CBD products such as CBD oil.

References    

De Gregorio, D., McLaughlin, R. J., Posa, L., Ochoa-Sanchez, R., Enns, J., Lopez-Canul, M., ... & Gobbi, G. (2019). Cannabidiol modulates serotonergic transmission and reverses allodynia and anxiety-like behaviour in a model of neuropathic pain. Pain, 160(1), 136.

Sales, A. J., Crestani, C. C., Guimarães, F. S., & Joca, S. R. (2018). The antidepressant-like effect induced by Cannabidiol is dependent on brain serotonin levels. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 86, 255-261.

Souza, J. D. R., Pacheco, J. C., Rossi, G. N., de-Paulo, B. O., Zuardi, A. W., Guimarães, F. S., ... & Dos Santos, R. G. (2022). Adverse Effects of Oral Cannabidiol: An Updated Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials (2020–2022). Pharmaceutics, 14(12), 2598.

Spinella, T. C., Stewart, S. H., Naugler, J., Yakovenko, I., & Barrett, S. P. (2021). Evaluating Cannabidiol (CBD) expectancy effects on acute stress and anxiety in healthy adults: a randomized crossover study. Psychopharmacology, 238(7), 1965-1977.