CBD has been a powerful remedy for different ailments, including anxiety and depression. But how does this work, and is it as effective as it is said to be? These are some critical questions you must ask yourself before trying. It is always advisable to talk to your physician or doctor before trying out any other unconventional remedies. Below are some of the different ways CBD can be helpful to your condition. Keep reading to learn more and decide if CBD is for you.

How Does CBD Help?

If you are looking for a CBD hemp guide for anxiety, then you are on the right path. However, it helps to note that there is limited research on the subject, especially its effects on humans. Much more must be done to ascertain and help people embrace CBD as a remedy that works for them. Most of the research done over the years has mainly been on animals. Nonetheless, it appears that CBD has tangible benefits for people suffering from different forms of depression. It seems to be effective for the following cases:

• Anxiety
• Public speaking fear
• Cognitive impairment
  

Besides this, CBD has also been effective in treating pain. Many people have experienced some form of relief after using CBD to calm their chronic pain. 

Research Findings

There seems to be a connection between CBD’s effect on anxiety and depression to serotonin levels in the body. For example, when the brain experiences lower serotonin levels, one may experience symptoms of depression. While CBD may not influence serotonin levels in your brain, it works on the receptors in your brain.

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It may influence how these chemical receptors in your brain react to the already existing serotonin. According to a study done on animals in 2014, it was discovered that CBD causes these receptors to act as antidepressants and has anti-stress effects. 

In a 2018 review, it was concluded that CBD has anti-stress effects, which are instrumental in dealing with stress and depressing feelings. However, there is a lot more research being done in this area, and it is possible that over time, a lot more published research findings will come out to strengthen these claims. 

How Does CBD Differ From Anti-Depression Medication?

It seems as though CBD has an advantage over some of these antidepressants. For one, it seems as though CBD acts faster and has a better-sustained effect than any conventional antidepressant, as proven in research findings.

It is also believed that CBD has fewer side effects since it is often associated with antidepressant medication. You may not experience mood swings, insomnia, sexual dysfunctions, and agitation, which are all linked to antidepressants.

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However, a word of caution should be not to replace CBD as an antidepressant. Instead, work with your doctor/physician to help you introduce CBD as a boost to your treatment. Never should you stop taking your prescribed antidepressants without your doctor’s consent.

If you are interested in replacing your medication, have your doctor’s advice on how to do this. Abrupt switches can have serious adverse effects that may be difficult to reverse.

Can CBD Help with Anxiety Too?

It is not surprising for people with depression to also suffer from anxiety. People suffering from one of these conditions can also easily suffer from the other. A study on how CBD helps with anxiety discovered that those on a 600mg CBD dosage were less likely to struggle with social anxiety than those who did not use CBD.

In a different study where reduced doses of CBD were used (300mg), they still posted similar results with anxiety patients experiencing less anxiety when using CBD. Anxiety may have an impact on serotonin levels. The positive gains when using CBD oil for the same could be due to the effect of CBD on serotonin receptors, as mentioned earlier.

What are the Potential Side Effects of CBD?

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Generally, it appears as though CBD does not have any side effects. However, some people have posted experiences of some levels of sensitivity. This thus leads to specific symptoms after consuming CBD in different forms. Some of these symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Weight changes 
• Appetite changes
  

A study on mice showed that consuming CBD-rich extracts leads to liver toxicity. However, it helps to note that the affected mice in these experiments were put under extremely high doses of CBD at a time.

This may be subject to future research on the long-term side effects. However, experts have not yet come up with findings that indicate this outcome. There is still a need for more research to confirm this. It is, therefore, impossible to conclude how CBD affects users in the long term.

A review done in 2017 by the WHO shows that CBD is generally safe to use. However, they noted that CBD might have adverse effects when combined with other medications since they have a not-so-good interaction. Therefore, talking to your doctor before making any move on CBD use for depression is always advisable.

Pay attention to this concern if you take over-the-counter medication and supplements, especially those with a grapefruit warning. Usually, CBD and grapefruit affect cytochromes P450 enzymes. This means they affect the metabolism of certain medications. Therefore, you want to talk to your doctor first before adopting any supplements, especially if they are CBD related and you are still taking antidepressants.

How CBD is Used

Now that you understand CBD’s potential gains and side effects, your next move should be to find out how best to use it. CBD is available in different formulations. Standard formulations are as follows:

1. Oral: These are sprays, oils, tinctures, and capsules, all consumed orally. You can also use them to prepare other ingested substances such as smoothies and beverages. But, again, the point is that they are consumed orally.
2. Edibles: These refer to CBD -infused consumable products such as beverages, foods, cookies, and gummies.
3. Vaping: This happens to be the quickest way to ingest CBD
4. Topical use: This is used topically and often infused in lotions, skin balms, and other products applied on the skin.

Final Thoughts

CBD is good and comes with numerous gains. However, it matters how you consume it and where you get it. Buy your CBD from reliable sources and always talk to your physician before using it to help relieve anxiety and depression.