In the last few years, CBD has made considerable strides in the health and wellness world. But how does this cannabinoid really help someone enhance their wellbeing?
Our brains are complex, but the secret is, CBD can work with those complexities and may improve our mental state. If you battle with depression, this may be an excellent option for some relief.
Ready to learn more? If you want to know about how CBD gummies can be your secret weapon against battling depression, then keep on reading. We’ll cover what CBD is, how it works with our brains, and how it relates to depression.
Let’s get started.
CBD Basics
As previously mentioned, CBD is a cannabinoid, which means that it is a cannabis derivative. Though the infamous marijuana comes from cannabis as well, it has higher concentrations of the psychoactive chemical THC. CBD does not have THC present in its chemical makeup, so CBD users to not experience hallucinations or highs while in use.
However, various types of CBD oil may have less than 0.3% of THC present, but these are legal across all fifty states. This type of CBD is known as full-spectrum, which means that it encompasses all elements of the cannabis plant and may contribute to the phenomena known as the “entourage effect.”
Though the “entourage effect” still needs to be further studied, there is evidence that it may provide significant improvement to the effectiveness of CBD on a user. Additionally, CBD comes in an isolated form and a broad-spectrum form, the latter of which includes every element of the cannabis plant except THC.
As far as consuming CBD, there are various options. From oils, lotions, and gummies, there is a medium sure to work best for your use cases.
It’s also imperative to keep in mind how CBD works differently on everyone. Your body is unique, and it may take some research to find what method and form of CBD work best for you.
Now that you know the basics let’s dive into how CBD and depression work together.
Our Depressed Brain
Have you ever felt an uncontrollable sadness or like you didn’t have any motivation to accomplish your goals?
Maybe it was a one-off experience, or perhaps you are feeling drained and depressed regularly; no matter the case, our depressed brain can leave us feeling hopeless and in need of a healthy solution.
If you battle with depression, you are not alone. Millions of people in the world suffer from it daily, but there are ways to combat it.
Depression occurs in our brain, supposedly by a probable chemical imbalance. However, that does not tell the whole story. Chemical imbalances don’t exclusively cause depression, and many outside factors can contribute to its development.
According to Harvard Health, other outside factors such as stressful life events, medications, and overall medical problems may be a factor in the rise of depression.
Our brains are the epicenter of our emotions, and there is a suggestion that our neurotransmitters are responsible for the input and output of our brain’s chemicals.
These chemical messengers communicate with our bodies, signaling good and bad feelings. For example, the neurotransmitter serotonin plays a significant role in our mood, appetite, sleep, and more.
Since our neurotransmitters are responsible for delivering chemicals to our brain, think of depression as a roadblock or “incorrect order.” These neurotransmitters are supposed to help regulate our moods and functions. When you get more than you ordered or too little, you can be left feeling disarrayed, and your body reacts to it.
Now that we know the basics of a depressed brain, how can one remedy this? Well, with CBD and its interaction with our neurotransmitters, there are suggestions that CBD may be able to help aid some of these unwanted side effects.
CBD and Depression
Though the research is new, there is a CBD depression study that suggests that cannabinoids can bring anti-depressive effects to our brains. So, how does this work? Well, it’s all in our brain chemistry.
On a scientific level, there is a suggestion that CBD works with our neurotransmitters to help level out the possible chemical imbalances that lead to depression. The neurological effects of CBD still need further analysis, but it looks promising based on the research conducted.
Though CBD is not individually responsible for producing positive-chemicals in our brains, these studies suggest that it certainly helps with regulation and making sure our minds get the right amount of chemicals inside of teetering on too much or too little.
Additionally, CBD can also assist in aiding other causes of depression as well. As previously cited by Harvard Health, many factors can lead to depression. This is also why CBD is beneficial because it can assist in aiding other side effects or causes of depression.
For example, there is a strong correlation between lack of sleep and mental health, so if you cannot get the right amount of shut-eye, your mood may suffer as a result. However, CBD is suggested to possibly be a method to help treat poor sleep or even insomnia.
Additionally, CBD has said to help improve anxiety, another mental health issue that can lead to feelings of depression. Between the chemicals in our brain to outside factors like lack of sleep and anxiety, adding CBD gummies to your wellness routine has promising research. This suggests that it can be your secret weapon in a battle to aid in the relief of depression.
Conquer Your Battle With Depression
You are not alone in this fight. And though it may seem like it is never-ending, there are resources to help you conquer your battle with depression. CBD may be the resource that can help alleviate symptoms and sources of depression and may be able to help you live your life with an overall better mental state.
If you want to learn more about the right CBD product for you, or to learn more about CBD benefits, check out our shop and blog for more information.