CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of the naturally occurring compounds derived from the hemp plant, and this compound has been proven effective at managing various health problems, particularly mental diseases.
One of the mental disorders that most people struggle with is depression, and although it’s typical to have depression from time to time, especially in the face of hardships, regular occurrence of the condition can have serious health implications.
For the longest time, the only remedy against depression used to be prescription and over-the-counter drugs, but now we also have CBD. Many people have confessed that CBD helped them overcome their depression.
CBD is legal in many countries across Europe and North America. As more evidence comes to light about the effectiveness of CBD, there’s a good chance it will soon be legal across the planet.
How CBD Works
In the 90s, scientists discovered that the endocannabinoid system is present in every organism with a spinal column, and that the endocannabinoid system can interact with cannabinoids to regulate various body processes.
Cannabinoid receptors are in different parts of the body and belong in two categories: CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are found in the central nervous system and regulate processes like emotions, movement, pain, and memory, whereas CB2 receptors are located in the peripheral nervous system and control the inflammatory response.
When you ingest CBD, it causes the receptors to bind cannabinoids produced by the endocannabinoid system, a critical process that helps regulate the body and physiological functions.
Proven Benefits of CBD Oil in Depression
If you are planning to use CBD oil as a treatment for depression, you want to be aware of its benefits. The following are six advantages of using CBD oil to eliminate depression:
- Non-psychoactive properties
CBD is derived from hemp, a cousin of marijuana, but surprisingly it has no psychoactive properties, and so it cannot make you high or euphoric. Unlike the marijuana plant, hemp contains minuscule THC, the psychotropic chemical compound. Using hemp-derived CBD to treat depression wouldn’t distort your mannerisms as it happens when you get high, and this enables you to be discreet, considering that some workplace environments are not accepting.
- Highly effective
There are several ways of treating depression, including OTC drugs, prescription drugs, and also talk therapy, but none is as effective as CBD. Depression can be seasonal, meaning that if you overcome it today, you are still aware that you might have to fight it someday. With drugs and therapy, you’d potentially go back to step one, but with CBD, if you incorporate it in your health routine, your defense against depression is always up. Does it mean that CBD makes you invisible to depression? By no means! But regular CBD ingestion is an effective means of combating depression.
- Not addictive
If you are taking certain prescription or over-the-counter drugs, and you get the dosage wrong, there’s a chance of becoming addicted. An addiction, more so a drug addiction gets in the way of your freedom, but CBD oil is not addictive, and if you decide to stop using it, your brain will not crave for more CBD. Some people prefer using CBD to manage their depression, and once the symptoms subside, they stop using it. CBD is not addictive and they have it easy moving on.
- Eliminates stress and anxiety
The thing about mental illnesses is that they overlap each other. For instance, if you get anxiety, it may very well metastasize into depression, and vice versa. And both stress and anxiety can be caused by even minor issues. Taking CBD regularly increases your emotional stability so that you are not easily derailed by challenges, which is usually the precursor to stress and anxiety. Cannabinoids promote brain health, and thus they help you solve problems, and gain more mental energy, factors that minimize stress and anxiety. You can ingest CBD in various forms including CBD edibles. It’s in order to bring infused sweets or gummies to work for the sake of your mental wellbeing.
- Affordable
Depression can be costly to treat if you use drugs and talk therapies; I mean, the bills keep adding up, and if you relapse somewhere down the road, you spend a fortune again. But with CBD, you simply identify your favorite method of administration, thus reducing the cost of treatment. Also, you don’t have to buy industrially prepared CBD products. For instance, you may extract CBD oil and prepare CBD edibles at your home, but you cannot possibly have homemade drugs. When you swallow a drug, it solves just one problem, but CBD oil has a range of health benefits and enhances holistic wellness.
- It is safe
If a drug is effective at eliminating symptoms of an illness, but afterward the sufferer experiences side effects like diarrhea, dizziness, skin rash, headache, insomnia, and constipation, the quality of that drug can be debatable. Sadly, some drugs for treating depression usually come with numerous side effects. But CBD oil has practically no side effects, and a big percentage of those who report minor side effects, usually have pre-existing health problems or overdose.
How To Take CBD Oil
There are several ways of ingesting CBD oil, and each of these methods has its pros and cons. If you are new to CBD, you might want to try out different methods and settle for what appeals to you. The following are some of the common ways of ingestion:
- Edibles
Raw CBD oil has a nutty and grassy flavor, and some people are not fond of this taste, but CBD infused edibles provide an escape from this problem. It involves preparing edibles in the normal process but then adding CBD oil. This method of ingestion has a low bioavailability rate, though. The CBD passes through your gut where it’s metabolized before entering your bloodstream and transported to your brain.
- Sublingual
As the name suggests, this method of ingestion involves the tongue. Whether you are taking a tincture or a concentrate, you place it beneath your tongue and hold for at least a minute. The CBD oil gets absorbed into your bloodstream. This method makes for the highest bioavailability rate and most of the CBD is taken to your brain.
- Inhalation
You can also use a device to inhale CBD. Vaping devices can be disposable or reusable. Just like sublingual ingestion, inhaling CBD makes for great bioavailability, because the vapor travels to your lungs, and then to your brain, enabling quick effects onset.
The use of CBD oil in treating depression is slowly becoming widespread, but if you are new to this, only buy CBD oil sourced from organically-grown hemp, and also ensure that it is 3rd party lab-tested. Avoid getting scammed by getting your CBD oil only from reputable sellers.