Mental health is a prevalent topic in society. According to the CBDNorth and the National Institute of Mental Health, mental health problems are constantly increasing, especially among young adults. Aside from conventional psychotherapy, people are interested in CBD oil as a therapeutic solution for mental health problems.
CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the compounds found in cannabis, most commonly known as marijuana. Cannabis contains more than 100 cannabinoid compounds, one of which is CBD. Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD does not have a psychoactive or ‘high’ effect.
While there are reported studies of the benefits of CBD for mental health, more evidence is needed to substantiate these claims. But, so far, here are some of the mental health issues that may be treated with CBD substances or CBD oil.
Sleep disorder, sleep difficulty, or insomnia
The most common trigger of mental health problems is a sleeping lifestyle. Lack of sleep potentially impacts health, including mental health and well-being. Since CBD oil has a calming effect on the nerves, some experts suggest benefiting people suffering from sleep difficulty.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is caused by a severely traumatic experience, memories of past trauma, nightmares, and disturbing thoughts. According to the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers found that an oral intake of CBD reduces PTSD symptoms among patients.
Anxiety
A study suggests CBD as a possible treatment for reducing symptoms of social anxiety disorder. The Neurotherapeutics journal published a study analyzing the preclinical studies on CBD use for anxiety. It found out that CBD was effective in some anxiety conditions.
Depression
Based on clinical investigations, CBD has been found to have a potential antidepressant effect. Low serotonin levels cause depression in the brain. Most antidepressants increase the level of serotonin in the brain.
However, a study showed that cannabidiol does not increase serotonin levels for CBD. Instead, it stimulates the brain to respond to serotonin already present in the body.
A body of evidence published by the Journal of Cannabis Research concluded that CBD and CBD-containing compound nabiximol helps alleviate symptoms of mental disorders such as schizophrenia, comorbidities of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social anxiety disorder. However, the evidence for CBD use for psychiatric disorders is yet to be explored on a larger scale.
Here are the recommendations from the journal on the use of CBD in the following:
- Grade B recommendation for schizophrenia, ASD, ADHD, and social anxiety disorder
- Grade C recommendation for anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic disease disorder, bipolar disorder, and Tourette syndrome.
The levels of recommendations are taken from the stories of evidence found in the study, such as Grade A (vital), Grade B (moderate), Grade C (weak), and Grade D (weakest).
Final Words
Mental health is something that you should not take for granted. If you think you are experiencing symptoms of mental health problems. Reach out to people who care for you and seek immediate medical advice by talking to a doctor or mental health professional.