A rapidly growing market in alternative healthcare, the CBD industry is expected to worth 20 billion USD by 2024. CBD is also used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and beverage, sports and more. But what is CBD, and can it help to improve your mental health?
What Is CBD?
Cannabinoids are compounds found within the plant called cannabis. Among the most prevalent and notable of cannabinoids, by a large margin, are THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol). THC is deemed to be the most psychoactive constituent in cannabis, and although originally listed as a schedule 1, the psychoactive drug has been recommended to be downgraded to schedule 3.
What does CBD do? CBD, although being psychoactive, is not regulated - CBD does not get you 'high'. Furthermore, to assume that CBD is not psychoactive would be to misinterpret current evidence. Medical experts have found that CBD does change your consciousness; you experience less pain, are more comfortable and feel more mellow. CBD is also considered non-addictive and well-tolerated by most users, causing only mild side effects.
It's only natural that the role of cannabinoids and how we have eventually begun to utilise them has become so important. In our day-to day-lives, we experience many difficult situations; some may even be quite serious health-wise. So it is some comfort that cannabinoids' role in alleviating our pain and helping with other conditions associated with our central nervous system has been tested.
But what are the CBD benefits? Let's take it step by step.
CBD Benefits For Human Health
The list of CBD benefits is exhaustive as it applies to almost all aspects of our lives. Take any age group, and you can find a CBD product available fit for the purpose. From nasal sprays and oils to suppositories and mouth sprays like VAAY CBD oil 5%, the versatility of CBD covers them all.
CBD promises plenteous therapeutic avenues as depicted by old and new research efforts. In 2006, a young girl born in Colorado was cured of Dravet Syndrome (a chronic form of epilepsy). The girl was experiencing 300 seizures per week. With the consumption of a tiny dose of CBD oil derived from high-CBD cannabis breed, the seizures stopped almost instantly.
All CBD products generate strong effects on our body by interacting with cannabinoid receptors, which build a portion of the endocannabinoid system. In addition to its many health benefits and uses, CBD is considered an ideal medication for:
Typical medicines can help to relieve pain and stiffness, but some people believe that CBD is a more natural substitute. CBD has proven to be an efficient medicine to alleviate skin inflammation and scarring as well.
Doctors usually advise people with severe anxiety against using cannabis because THC can trigger paranoia, anxiousness and other feelings. At the same time, it has been found that CBD oil might help to reduce stress-related behaviour in people with PTSD, panic disorder, stress or social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
CBD And Anxiety
In our modern age, anxiety disorders have become one of the most prevalent and disabling psychiatric disorders, with approximately a quarter of adults suffering some kind of anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Anxiety disorders can encompass a wide range of behavioural disturbances, including agoraphobia, panic disorders, SAD (social anxiety disorder), GAD (generalised anxiety disorder), separation anxiety disorder, specific phobias and medication or substance-induced anxiety disorders. To treat the anxiety that many of us feel in our daily lives, we might naturally turn to our GP.
In 2016, the NHS prescribed a record number of antidepressants for anxiety, depression and panic attacks. 64.7m antidepressants were prescribed that year at the cost of £266.6m. More recently, it is thought more than 25 million people in the UK have been adversely affected by the compulsory national lockdown and report low levels of happiness and high anxiety.
Can we use CBD oil for anxiety?
Many studies have been done into the positive effects of using CBD oil for anxiety. Although these are only preliminary studies, all seem to agree that further research would yield positive results.
A study done this year suggest that the use of cannabidiol for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders plays a promising role as an alternative therapy in their management. Another study into the effects of CBD on generalised social anxiety disorder found that CBD helps to reduce anxiety for those suffering from SAD.
CBD And Sleep
Nowadays, many people suffer from insomnia and related sleep disorders. Approximately 25% of the adult population have some kind of problem sleeping.
Anxiety and stress may both be the symptom or reason behind poor sleep quality, so both go hand in hand. If you're looking to decrease or manage stress and anxiety, your sleeping habits aren't something you ought to neglect, and incorporating CBD into some kind of routine might help your sleep schedule.
Can we use CBD oil for insomnia?
A review of the relevant literature founds that the early stages of academic research into insomnia and the potential benefits of cannabis in treating it suggest that CBD may have some therapeutic potential for the treatment of insomnia. Also, REM sleep behaviour disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness might be treatable with CBD. However, research on cannabis and sleep has yielded mixed results as it is still in its early stages. To fully understand CBD's potential in this domain, we will need more controlled research.
So, if we're looking to combat the ever-increasing stress of these tumultuous times, we should certainly nurture robust mental health. There's a growing interest in its therapeutic qualities across the world, and that is why CBD is definitely something that we should also consider. CBD oil and other products can be a significant step towards an anxiety-free future for you. However, it is highly advised to consult a licensed physician and opt for reliable brands like VAAY before you begin using it.
