CBD Oil for Mental Health: Can It Help?

CBD Oil for Mental Health

CBD is one of the most prolifically used cannabis products, primarily thanks to the online distribution of the product. As long as the THC content is deleted or less than 0.3 percent, it’s legal to sell it and purchase it online, and hundreds of thousands of people do so in the United States. As a result of its popularity, CBD oil prices are dropping, and it’s becoming more available to the public. 

Because more people are obtaining CBD, we’re hearing more claims about its effectiveness. Those who use it regularly claim that it helps a number of physical health problems including pain and inflammation management. Most, however, claim that it improves their mental health. Can it do the same for you? 

How CBD Works 

Your body has a hormone regulation system called the endocannabinoid system. It’s made up of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids in your body, which accept and relay signals about hormonal changes and immune responses. 

When you take CBD, it’s believed that the number of cannabinoids that enter your body are optimized, producing a greater effect of health and wellness. The production of disturbing hormones is stalled while the production of positive hormones is heightened. 

Overall, it can produce something called the entourage effect, which is a sense of general health and wellness that can chase away many mental health problems. It’s this effect on the brain that is believed to make CBD so effective. 

CBD for Anxiety and Depression 

Perhaps the most commonly reported use of CBD oil is for the treatment of anxiety and depression. Lately, consumer interest in mental health problem like anxiety and depression has heightened significantly, and as individuals are more willing to admit to their condition, they’re more likely to seek out help. 

Anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications are not great for everyone. They can have nasty side effects, and it can be difficult to get off of them. So, a lot of patients dealing with these two very common mental health problems are turning to CBD.

It’s believed that CBD can calm the nerves and promote relaxation for the users. This has been shown in studies on mice, but more importantly, there have been thousands of anecdotal reports that CBD helped an individual’s anxiety. Some individuals report that CBD is so effective for treating anxiety that they have replaced their prescription medications with CBD. 

CBD for Stress 

Stress is another common mental health problem with more than half of the United States reporting feeling stress on a daily basis. Unfortunately, those who feel stress daily find that it enters their personal lives, affecting both emotional and physical health. 

CBD could be an effective treatment for the stress that crowds the lives of everyday people. Stress is triggered by similar hormones as anxiety and depression, and it’s believed that CBD can help individuals who are stressed in the same way—by regulating the hormones in the endocannabinoid system. 

CBD for Sleep 

The link between quality sleep and mental health is undeniable. In some cases, sleep problems are a side effect of a mental health problem. In other cases, it’s the cause of worsening mental health. Many individuals experience both, and it becomes a never-ending cycle. 

An article from Harvard Health states that chronic sleep problems affect up to 80 percent of patients in a typical psychiatric practice. This is shocking compared to the number of adults who experience sleep problems in the general population: 15-18 percent. 

CBD is the chosen sleep aid of many individuals who are suffering from mental health problems or other conditions. There are reports that it has helped individuals fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. It’s believed that the link between CBD and the treatment of anxiety may be the biggest factor in affecting sleep cycles. 

CBD for Other Mental Illnesses 

The mental health conditions mentioned above are the most commonly discussed when it comes to CBD, but they aren’t the only conditions that CBD can treat. There are potential links between CBD and the following list of mental health conditions: 

• ADHD
• Bipolar disorder 
• PTSD
• Psychosis
• Tourette syndrome 
• Suicidal thoughts 
• Eating disorders 

There are even preliminary indicators that CBD might help with memory problems that lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s. Some researchers think that CBD might have cell restorative properties, stimulating lost cells that would usually be lost in Alzheimer’s patients. 

CBD as a Placebo?

Right now, so little is known about CBD and how it affects the body. We have some studies that show positive effects in health and wellness for CBD users, but nothing is conclusive. Unfortunately, restrictions on studying the product for many years has significantly delayed our understanding on the use of it. 

For that reason, many believe that CBD is simply a placebo for treating mental health. Some mental health professionals argue that CBD could work simply because those who use it trick their brains into believing it works, thus changing the chemistry of their brains. 

It’s hard to tell at this stage of the game if that’s what happens when individuals take CBD. Certain studies would indicate that physical changes take place that maximize the brain’s output, improving the overall wellness of those struggling from mental health challenges. 

At this point in the game, it doesn’t seem to matter if CBD is a placebo or if it actually changes something about the brain’s chemical makeup. It’s providing relief for those who experience severe anxiety, stress, and depression, and that’s something worth smiling about!