For centuries, the cannabis plant has been used in medicine. The plant itself is made up of over 80 different compounds, known as cannabinoids. You may be more familiar with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the chemical responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana, one of the oldest hallucinogenic drugs around. But, cannabidiol, or CBD, is growing in popularity as a treatment for physical and mental health conditions all of the time.
Cannabidiol is another compound found in the cannabis plant, which has a similar chemical structure to THC. However, CBD doesn’t affect us in the same way. While CBD can act as a calming agent, it doesn’t create the same high and doesn’t offer any hallucinogenic effects.
CBD can be used legally across the country (and in most others) and is often bought to relieve pain, reduce the symptoms of serious illnesses such as cancer, improve the symptoms of acne, prevent diabetes, and improve existing heart conditions. In the world of growing antibiotic tolerance, many people are turning to CBD oil to manage their symptoms more naturally, and as an often-cheaper alternative to pharmaceutical medication.
But, did you know that CBD oil, especially when used in one of these tasty recipes from Minny Grown, can have massive benefits to your mental health? Here’s a look at some of them.
Improved Quality of Life
Mental health issues are a common side effect of physical conditions which cause unpleasant symptoms, chronic pain and limit our lifestyle. Being ill and in pain can be lonely and frightening, and it can feel as though there is no escape. By reducing your symptoms and helping you to control your pain, CBD can improve your quality of life, and so your mental health.
Ease Symptoms of Anxiety
While the research is currently somewhat limited, early studies show that CBD oil can have a positive impact on anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and social anxiety disorder. It’s thought that CBD helps you to control your thoughts and block out any intrusive thought patterns more effectively.
Improve Feelings of Depression
A common cause of depression is low serotonin levels in the brain. While CBD oil can’t boost serotonin levels, it’s thought that it could act on the serotonin receptors in the brain to affect how your brain responds to the serotonin already present.
Sleep Benefits
CBD oil has a calming effect, which can help you to get to sleep or stay asleep for longer. Better sleep, in turn, can help you to feel better, reducing stress, as well as the symptoms of mental health conditions.
At some point in our lives, more than one in three of us will suffer from a mental health condition. These range from mild to life-altering, and the truth is, our mental health services aren’t offering the support that we need. CBD oil can provide a great way to take more control over your own mental health care, reduce symptoms, and improve your quality of life. But, it’s important to remember that we are all different, and what works for someone else may not work for you.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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