Can CBD Help With Symptoms of Depression?

If you’re new to the world of wellness, you’ve probably heard the term ‘CBD’ often and wondered what it meant.

Contrary to popular belief, CBD isn’t a drug used to get “high”; it has various health benefits you may be unaware of. 

Not only is it a new and organic way to improve your physical health, but CBD may also somewhat help mental health problems.

Depression can seriously deteriorate a person’s overall performance and well-being.

And while CBD products are not intended as an alternative to prescribed pharmaceutical drugs, they can help with symptoms of depression.

How Does CBD Help With Depression?

The health benefits of CBD are endless. It can also help with mental health problems. It’s also a great way to help overcome addiction as it may lower cravings for tobacco, heroin, alcohol, opiates, and stimulants.

There is some evidence that shows CBD can help cope with symptoms of depression. It alters the serotonin levels in your brain to regulate your emotions and reduce stress.

However, we’d recommend talking to your physician or psychiatrist before deciding to use CBD.

Not only is CBD helpful for depression, but it may also help with symptoms of anxiety, cognitive impairment, and nervousness before public speaking.

Research on CBD’s Effects on Symptoms of Depression

A 2019 study on rats showed decreased helplessness and improved coping abilities after using CBD.

Other than that, a 2018 study on medical cannabis users revealed a 50% decrease in depressive symptoms.

According to this research, larger amounts of CBD combined with smaller amounts of THC create the best results. 

In 2019, researchers studied a person with multiple use disorders, anxiety, and depression over eight weeks of their CBD treatment.

As a result, they could abstain from all these substances and quit taking antidepressants. 

Yet, there’s still room for more research to show CBD’s capability to treat or at least reduce the symptoms of depression.

CBD vs. Antidepressants

Both antidepressants and CBD reduce depressive symptoms by interacting with the serotonin levels in your brain.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that modulates your mood, cognition, learning, reward, memory, and emotions. 

However, CBD has some benefits over antidepressant medication. Typically, antidepressants take a few weeks before showing actual results, while CBD has shown faster and more sustained results. 

Other than that, CBD also has much fewer side effects than antidepressants.

For example, you won’t experience insomnia, sexual dysfunction, mood swings, and agitation as you may with antidepressants. 

If you’re already taking antidepressants, we wouldn’t recommend using CBD simultaneously. CBD also does not work well with anti-seizure medicines as it significantly increases side effects (drowsiness, sedation). 

How Long Does It Take for CBD to Help With Symptoms of Depression?

Antidepressant medicines usually take a few weeks before affecting your serotonin levels and reducing depressive symptoms.

Contrastingly, CBD causes similar effects but is much faster and more sustained.

A 2018 study on rats tells us that you can expect reduced depressive symptoms for up to a week after just one dose of CBD.

Simply put, the effects of CBD are rapid and almost instant, even despite its organic nature. 

How to Take CBD To Cope With Symptoms of Depression?

The advantage of CBD is that you can take it in many different ways, including oils, vapor, nasal sprays, capsules, edibles, and creams.

Ultimately, the decision is based on your preference, but you should also consider your medical history, routine, and sensitivity to CBD.

Here are some of the different forms of CBD products you can take:

Oral

Firstly, you can consume CBD orally in the form of tinctures, capsules, sprays, and oils. If you’re consuming CBD via capsules, the best time to do so is in the morning.

You can take any of these mixes on their own or fix them in your drinks and food. 

Edible

CBD-infused snacks are now available on Target and Walmart. That includes gummies, granola bars, hemp seeds, and more.

This form is easily the most hassle-free and enjoyable way to add CBD to your routine. 

Vaping

If you want to ingest CBD quickly, vaping is one way. However, CDC advises against this method since it can result in an e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI).

Simply put, the long-term safety of this method is debatable.

Topical

You can also use CBD in the form of lotions, creams, serums, or other beauty products. 

However, this method won’t help much with depression and is better suited for easing discomfort.

How Much CBD Should I Take?

There is no exact formula to knowing how much CBD would help treat your depression. That’s why it’s best to consult your physician or psychiatrist first.

However, it’s best to take CBD daily to get better results. 

As a beginner, you may start with a smaller dose and increase it once your tolerance builds. Taking two or three small doses of CBD a day may help reduce depressive symptoms significantly. 

Some Side Effects of CBD

The side effects of CBD may include the following.

Drowsiness

When using CBD, you may experience drowsiness and sedation. For those taking CBD to help with symptoms of anxiety and panic, this may be a benefit.

However, beware if you’re taking any other sedating medicines as they may strengthen the effects too much.

Nausea

You may also experience nausea if you’re taking CBD via supplements, but that depends ultimately on your sensitivity to CBD. 

Gastrointestinal Issues

Diarrhea and liver problems are common side effects of CBD, but that depends on your medical history. That’s why it’s essential to research how your body will react to CBD intake.

Dry Mouth

A dry mouth is one of the most common side effects people experience after using CBD. This side effect is also known as “cotton mouth.”

In addition, CBD can cause your eyes to feel dry as well. However, this symptom is more common with THC. 

Can Interact With Other Medications

Talking to your doctor before using CBD is essential as they’ll know how it will interact with other medications you may be taking.

For example, taking antidepressants and anti-seizure medicines with CBD can cause excessive sedation.

Some rare side effects of CBD include vomiting, decreased appetite, weight loss, and abnormal liver function blood tests. 

Conclusion

Studies show that CBD has qualities that may help people cope with symptoms of depression.

Yet, there’s still some research to be done to determine whether it’s a guaranteed and effective method of treating depression. 

If you’re interested in trying out an organic way of reducing depressive symptoms, CBD may work out for you.

Follow our complete guide to stay in the know about its research and side effects before consulting your doctor.

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