CBD, anxiety and depression: What you need to know

The benefits of CBD oil and CBD e-liquid are talked about often on this website, and for good reason – they’re genuine and impactful. We’re now, at last, seeing acceptance of CBD and cannabis enter the mainstream, with research and government adoption increasing each year. 

In the spirit of continuing that push, we wanted to talk today about one of the most significant mental health subjects facing our current generation: anxiety and depression. According to Mind, no fewer than one in four people in the UK will experience a health issue each year. One in six say they struggle with common mental health complications like anxiety and depression every single week.

CBD helps with that. Here’s how.

What it is

Let’s kick off with a brief breakdown of what many readers know: CBD (cannabidiol) is a compound naturally found in cannabis. It contains no psychoactive element and is able to be derived from hemp or marijuana. It has varying medical benefits and, in varying doses, induces a further sense of calm and peace.

Therapeutic applications

So, how can CBD help people in a therapeutic manner? 

Although CBD research was initially limited due to the legal status of cannabis as a whole, there has been a surge of research globally in recent years – particularly in America. We’re now seeing what we have known from animal testing for years: CBD is powerful in alleviating symptoms of anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment. It’s also tremendously useful in the management of chronic pain from a variety of sources.

It’s also useful in helping muscle recovery. Previously a strictly prohibited substance, many global organisations such as the UFC are reviewing their approach to allowing CBD use by their athletes in a bid to improve their ability to recover faster. CBD e-liquid and other forms of consumption like tinctures are increasingly common.

Serotonin and the brain

Interestingly, it’s now coming to light that the key benefits of using CBD e-liquid for the treatment of depression and anxiety lie in the brain’s receptors. We’ve known for quite some time that low serotonin levels in the brain are strongly linked to your likelihood of having or developing depression.

Here’s the kicker: CBD was found in a 2014 study to work on those receptors positively, helping the brain to produce, essentially, an anti-anxiety and antidepressant effect upon consumption via CBD e-liquid or any other common method of use. 

A 2018 study also showed that CBD has consistent effects on reducing stress – a sensation that many CBD users report upon consumption. This is important too in the fight against depression, with anti-stress effects being strongly tied to the alleviation and management of depression. The two mental health issues are, as science shows, tied closely to each other. By addressing one, the other may be alleviated.

Is it a substitute for antidepressants?

We can’t say for sure – and it’s important to trust your GP or doctor in what they say when consulting with you. CBD e-liquid and CBD in general is proving its value in the medical sense, but it’s dangerous to consider it an entire replacement to taking your prescribed medicine for anxiety or depression.

Always remember that the medical professionals who help and support your recovery from anxiety and depression have decades of training and research behind them. CBD e-liquid and the CBD compound in general is exciting and shows real promise to help people – and it’s available commercially, which is a significant bonus.

What it is not is a miracle substitute for what your health professionals recommend to you. If you’re battling depression and anxiety and have been prescribed medication, it’s important to keep taking that. If you’d like to experiment with e-liquids with CBD content, start that journey by having an honest discussion with your GP or doctor about your plans and any potential risk therein.