CBD Oil for Depression
Whether diagnosed or not, depression is a common and serious medical condition. The MFMER defines depression as: “a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called a major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.”
If you have regular feelings of excessive worry, self-consciousness, panic attacks or extreme anxiety, you could be suffering from depression.
What are the common signs and symptoms of depression?
Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person and can be quite complex to diagnose. If you’re depressed, you may have a feeling of constantly feeling hopeless, and sad and might even lose interest in activities you used to enjoy.
You may experience the following feelings when you suffer from depression:
- down, upset or constantly tearful
- Restless and irritable
- guilty, worthless and hard on yourself
- isolated and unable to relate to other people
- finding no enjoyment in activities you used to love
- a sense of unreality
- A very low or no self-confidence or self-esteem
- hopeless and despairing
- suicidal.
Common treatments for depression
There are various types of treatments for depression, your doctor may recommend:
- Seeing a professional
- Talking about your feelings can be helpful to understand why you’re feeling depressed. Talking to a psychologist can help you deal with your depression and assist you in finding ways to cope with the different feelings you may be having.
- Starting an exercise regime
- When you’re depressed, you can be left feeling low in energy and put off from being active. Regular exercise can boost your mood, concentration and alertness as the levels of endorphins increase, which is the chemical in the brain responsible for feelings of happiness.
- Using anti-depressants
- Anti-depressants are medicines used to treat the various symptoms of depression. These have to be prescribed by a medical doctor and are usually to treat moderate to severe depression.
- Making use of a combination
- Sometimes, your doctor may recommend that you use anti-depressants as well as talk to a therapist. Sometimes, a combination of therapy and using medication can work better than just one treatment.
If you have tried any of the conventional treatments or depressants and you’re looking for a more natural supplement to help you with your symptoms, you might want to consider using CBD oil.
If you’re looking into using CBD for therapeutic purposes, it’s important to understand that the research around CBD is limited but various studies have reported positive results from people using CBD to treat depression.
CBD does appear to have some benefits for depression, especially for dealing with:
- anxiety
- cognitive impairment
- discomfort before public speaking
- THC and CBD may also be helpful for conditions potentially related to depression, such as chronic pain
How to use CBD for depression?
CBD may be the most effective if you use it regularly. It’s not a once-off solution. There are a variety of CBD oil products available so it is important to do your research and purchase a high-quality product.
There are a few different options. CBD comes in the form of:
- oils and tinctures
- edibles
- vapes
- smokable CBD hemp flower
- beverages
- topicals, like lotions and body oils
The general rule with CBD is to start with a small amount per day and gradually increase it. This allows you to explore the possible benefits while minimizing the risk of side effects.
Many CBD brands recommend starting with 10 to 20 milligrams per day. From there, you can gradually increase your dosage until you feel some relief or experience an intolerable side effect.
It’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional before using any new health product, including CBD products. A CBD-friendly doctor might be able to suggest a dosage.