There is an enormous selection of CBD products on the market, but only those backed by credible scientific studies demonstrating therapeutic benefit can be considered legitimate.
Epidiolex, a medication containing CBD developed through rigorous human clinical trials, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat seizures caused by Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes in children over two years of age.
Depression
Depression is an all too familiar mental health disorder. It manifests with feelings of sadness and worthlessness, leading to lack of motivation or interest in activities you once enjoyed. If you find yourself experiencing depressive symptoms it is vital that treatment be sought immediately; other signs include aches and pains, sleeping issues or problems eating; teens suffering from depression are likely to act out and have difficulty focusing at school; CBD could potentially serve as an antidepressant medication, making an antidepressant treatment useful against conditions like PTSD anxiety and inflammatory diseases among others.
In 2018, the FDA granted Epidiolex FDA approval as a treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes in people over two years old, following results of multiple large, phase 3 clinical trials with statistically significant results. Research is ongoing in other conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic pain and PTSD and it has been reported that CBD may reduce anxiety in stressful situations while improving sleep quality for people suffering from both.
PTSD
Although it’s natural to feel anxious after experiencing trauma such as car accidents, military combat, serious accidents or sexual assault, most people can recover over time from their symptoms; if these don’t go away however, this may indicate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Although PTSD cannot be fully cured, therapy can provide valuable tools for managing emotions and dealing with experiences more constructively. Psychotherapie includes group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and eye desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), which specializes in dealing with painful memories.
CBD has been demonstrated to have antidepressant effects, providing relief from anxiety associated with PTSD. One small study showed that those taking pharmaceutical CBD experienced reduced levels of anxiety and better sleep. Discuss the possible uses of CBD with your healthcare provider and they can recommend other treatment options, including combination treatments with psychotherapy to suit your individual situation.
Anxiety
CBD has quickly made waves in the wellness scene as an “instant fix” for anxiety. Although research findings are mixed, CBD appears to provide relief in certain circumstances.
CBD appears to help reduce anxiety by acting upon CB1 receptors in your brain and altering serotonin signals – an essential neurotransmitter in mental health whose low levels have been linked with depression and anxiety – making CBD an alternative treatment solution to traditional antidepressant drugs such as sertraline (Zoloft) or fluoxetine (Prozac).
CBD may help with anxiety and sleep quality issues, while also improving quality. To achieve maximum effectiveness, look for full-spectrum CBD products containing terpenes such as linalool and alpha-pinene to combat anxiety and stress; other terpenes, such as beta-caryophyllene can provide emotional support when necessary in stressful situations. You’ll find these products from capsules to edibles; choose what is right for you by consulting your physician first before beginning a supplement regimen.
Pain
CBD’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties make it an invaluable aid to people suffering from any variety of pain conditions, from arthritis to multiple sclerosis neuropathic conditions. CBD also can alleviate nerve dysfunction pain caused by loss.
CBD has been demonstrated to effectively mitigate peripheral neuropathy in rats by attenuating mechanical allodynia, decreasing anxiety-like behaviors, and normalizing 5-HT levels [71]. When tested against an experimental model of cisplatin-induced neuropathy, CBD administration prevented painful allodynia development as well as decreasing withdrawal threshold threshold. This effect can be explained through potentiation of serotonin receptor a3 activation and enhancement of dorsal horn neurons’ glycine currents which can be blocked via CB1& CB2 antagonist WAY100635 as well as capsazepine [72].
However, controlled clinical research on CBD as a treatment for arthritis pain is limited. However, a clinical trial on Sativex (a cannabis-based pharmaceutical that contains both THC and CBD in equal proportion) demonstrated statistically significant improvements when compared with placebo for managing rheumatoid arthritis pain.
