Should CBD Be Used to Treat Mental Health caused by Pandemic-induced stress?

(Cannabidiol, via Wikipedia)

Regardless of what you believe of the danger of Covid-19 and how governments are responding, being stuck in quarantine is not good for our mental health. In fact, the latent mental health crisis could be more devastating than the virus itself.

With loosened hemp restrictions worldwide, CBD oil is quite a mainstream form of alternative medicine, even for mental health. Simultaneously, people are still being loaded up with antipsychotics, anti-depressants, stimulants, sedatives, and a whole lot more with plenty of life-changing side effects.

Here are a few main points why I think cannabidiol is worth a try for those having trouble managing stress & anxiety nowadays:

SLEEP

Not only is sleep deprivation a symptom of depression, but perhaps also the root cause. Being stressed about a dozen different news headlines, financial issues, and pondering about the future is likely keeping most of us up late.

Aside from a general calming effect from CBD, it also prevents tryptophan degeneration, which allows this amino acid to be readily available in your blood. In case you didn’t know, tryptophan is an essential component to create seretonin, which is then made into melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone controlling your sleep cycle, making sure you get to bed & rise early.

Anti-depressant

A research study from 2014 found that cannabidiol had similar effects as anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds on the animals they were tested on. They were put through tests to benchmark their ability to handle stress, including the elevated plus maze test and a forced swimming test.

While animal studies may not be convincing enough, just check out all the anecdotal evidence on Reddit, Steemit, and other online communities with people experiencing possitive effects on their depression.

Regulating Stress

The lateral septal area of the brain is associated to how you respond to stress. In both humans and animals, there are physiological responses (like an accelerated heart rate) and/or behavioral responses (like anxiety). Some of us handle stress better than others, but chronic stress can shorten your lifespan and make you fly off the handle.

One study on rats showed that CBD activated the 5-HT1A receptors, alleviating behavioral and cardiovascular effects of stress. While varying doses were given, even the lowest dosage had an effect stress management.

With or Without THC?

Some people are able to manage THC just fine, while others with pre-existing mental health conditions can relapse with marijuana usage. THC is indeed useful to treat some diseases, but there is medical evidence that it can make conditions like bi-polar disorder or psychosis even worse.

Isolated CBD, or broad-spectrum oils made from low-THC plants can avoid this problem. Even studies using excessive dosages had little-to-no negative effects. That doesn’t mean it isn’t free from side effects, or feeling unusual, but it is benign in most cases.

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I may be preaching to the choir in this section of the website, but considering many people are not leaving the house for standard mental health treatment, you should spread the word about CBD or hemp-based products. It’s easy to purchase & receive online without fear of it getting confiscated, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill.