Marijuana has had a bad rep for the past few decades and people have held very extreme views about the substance. However, all of this started changing after 2013 when governments slowly started lifting the ban on the use of medical marijuana, and now several states have passed legislation that makes it possible for people to carry and use marijuana regularly. This is a great win not just for people who enjoy marijuana, but for people in the field of medicine as well.
The number of people in the scientific community that is vouching for the benefits of the marijuana has been growing over the past 2 decades, and there has been research done to study the possible medicinal effects for marijuana, and the results have been promising. Of course, the effects do not come from smoking marijuana and getting high, but from other compounds instead.
What is CBD?
CBD, also known as cannabidiol is a compound that is extracted from marijuana. CBD is not to be confused with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is another cannabinoid derivative like CBD. THC has psychoactive properties that help to create the effect of being high, however, CBD does not do that.
CBD instead has been found to bind to other important receptors in our brain, and this binding property has been under scientific scrutiny for a while.
Consuming CBD
There are several ways that you can consume CBD. One of the most common ones is to use the CBD oil which is extracted from the marijuana and/or hemp plant. The oil is edible and can be used for cooking, drizzling, or just putting directly in your mouth. Other ways to consume CBD include:
- Pills
- Vapes
- Gummies and other edibles
- Topical creams
- Ointments
- Lip Balms and so on.
Benefits of CBD
The number of people advocating for the Health benefits of CBD has been growing over the years and has turned conservatives and former critics into advocates. There are a number of ailments and problems that have found to be drastically improved after the use of CBD, and we will be listing them down below, however, before anything else, it is important that you remember that the research that been done on the subject so far has been limited, so there is still not enough scientific evidence on the matter.
A range of problems that have found to benefit from the use of CBD includes:
- Seizures
- Cancer (growth of cancer cells)
- Pain management for people suffering from chronic pain
- A range of psychiatric disorders ranging from depression, anxiety, PTSD and so on.
- Soothing inflammatory pain and so on.
A Look at Anxiety
Anxiety and anxiety-related disorders are very common and can start affecting people from a very young age. Anxiety can range from manageable to crippling depending on the type and severity of anxiety levels. Having any sort of anxiety disorder be it Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, etc. can start becoming a problem if the person has
a) Had it for a long period of time.
b) Had it affect their normal functioning in more than one area of life.
c) Have undergone therapy and/or drug treatment but still find themselves struggling
d) Consider their anxiety to be unmanageable or are having a lot of problems because of it.
How CBD Can Help Anxiety
There has been research done on the subject of the effects of the CBD on anxiety, and the results have been promising thus far. However, before we talk about those, it is important to understand exactly how CBD works to help anxiety.
There are two important receptors in our brain called the CB1 and CB2 receptors. CBD has been found to bind and interact with these two receptors, and while the science behind the phenomenon is still not clear, it is strongly believed that CBD ends up affecting serotonin.
Serotonin is a very famous neurotransmitter that is important for regulating our moods. Low levels of serotonin can lead to many mental health-related issues including depression and anxiety. It will believed that CBD helps to alter our brain’s serotonin signals which in turn helps our brain to absorb and regulate serotonin better, which in turn can help limit and minimize the effects of anxiety.
Understanding The Side Effects
There happen to be many websites and people that advocate for the fact that CBD heals and promote it as a Wellness product, and that is fine because it is their right. However, if you want to start taking CBD oil as a form of alternative medicine, or to replace your current medicine entirely, we would firstly advise you to refrain from doing the latter. Secondly, we would also strongly advise that you talk to and consult with your primary healthcare advisor before you take this step.
Yes, there are several studies on the subject of CBD oil and its many benefits, and there have been multiple studies that have found CBD to be very useful in limiting and reducing the symptoms of anxiety in people who suffer from a range of different anxiety disorders. At the same time, caution is advised because some studies have found that CBD can end up heightening symptoms of anxiety in people who happen to have paranoid traits and tendencies. This is why you must consult with a medical professional first so that you do not end up potentially having a negative experience.
Not everyone who uses CBD has faced side effects, but there are still some other notable side effects that people have experienced after using CBD and these side effects can include:
- Fatigue
- Changes in appetite
- Weight fluctuation
- Diarrhea
You also need to mindful of the possible drug interaction effects that might occur when CBD comes in contact with other drugs in your system like blood thinners and so on. This is why you need to make sure to consult with doctors and other medical personnel to make sure that you are staying safe when you experimenting with CBD.