The statistics on mental health in the UK makes for sober reading. According to research, one-quarter of the UK’s population – one in every four people – will experience a mental health issue at some point in their life. Meanwhile, good mental health has been declining over the last 30 years.
Maybe it’s no surprise, then, that while more and more people are taking prescription medication for mental health problems, more and more are also seeking alternative treatments – an increasingly popular one of which being the chemical cannabidiol, not least in the form of CBD vape juice UK. But why CBD, exactly…?
Why CBD might help with depression
CBD has the capacity to help sufferers with depression because of the facts that, as a chemical, it’s a phyto-cannabinoid and that the body has its own natural endocannabinoid system (ECS), ensuring CBD can positively, naturally affect the human body.
Being a cannabinoid, then, CBD can operate in conjunction with the body’s own endocannabinoids, which play a crucial role in regulating functions such as sleep, appetite, pain response and mood. They do this by binding to other chemicals called cannabinoid receptors and, in doing so, they can detect any imbalance in these functions and trigger chemical reactions to try and restore balance.
CBD and serotonin
A good example of the above is how endocannabinoids – and, again in conjunction with them, CBD – can step in when we lack serotonin, the important ‘happy chemical’, thereby ensuring we don’t fall victim to symptoms like anxiety, insomnia and depression.
To be specific, it would be wrong to assume CBD produces serotonin to make up for the serotonin the body might not be producing. What it’s believed CBD can do is behave as a sort of natural antidepressant – but without the side-effects so often associated with anti-depressant drugs.
What CBD may do for bipolar disorder mania
Bipolar disorder is fairly well treated by meds, isn’t it? Well, for many people, that’s true, yet while bipolar sufferers are prescribed antidepressants to treat the ‘down’ cycle (rather than the well-known ‘up’ cycle) of bipolar disorder, other sufferers might also be prescribed mood stabilisers such as lithium to prevent or lessen the intensity of their manic episodes.
However, such mood stabilisers can deliver nasty side effects (including the likes of reduced thyroid and kidney function). Hardly sounds like an ideal treatment, does it? Given these facts, it’s hardly surprising experts are looking into alternative potential treatments, such as whether it may possible to treat bipolar disorder via manipulation of the ECS.
Indeed, research suggests there may be abnormalities in the ECS of, at least, some people with bipolar disorder variants. This is where CBD comes in. It’s been postulated that CBD could be called on to manipulate bipolar sufferers’ ECS, helping pharmaceutical medications’ attempts to regulate bipolar disorders and manage manic episodes. More research here is needed here, for sure, but the omens look good.
Staying safe when using CBD for mood disorders
To reiterate, being that CBD products contain cannabinoids, there’s no reason to believe that, if they’re high-quality, reliable products (such as highly-recommended CBD edibles UK), they’ll harm you, given the fact that cannabinoids, as noted, naturally occur in the human body and are essential for its good health.
That said, though, should you already be taking a course of prescribed medication, it’s critically important you speak to a GP or relevant doctor before you start consuming CBD. Moreover, if you go on to purchase and consume CBD goods, be sure the products you plump for are reliable, well-reviewed and of a high-quality.
Good luck – and take care of yourself!
