Can CBD Replace your Anxiety and Depression Medication?
The article “Can CBD Replace your Anxiety and Depression Medication?” by Sanjay Gupta was published in 2018. The article suggests the use of cannabidiol in the treatment of anxiety and depression. The author claims that cannabidiol is useful in the treatment of psychiatric illness and other psychological related diseases. In the article, the author argues that cannabidiol has powerful anti-anxiety and anti-depression properties. Some drugs used in the treatment of anxiety and depression have a detrimental health effect on users. The article claims that cannabidiol is a promising natural supplement that is safe for those suffering from related mental diseases. Recent research on the use of cannabidiol has supported the effectiveness of its use in the treatment of anxiety and depression, as claimed in the article by Gupta.
The first claim is that cannabidiol can be used to treat psychiatric illness and psychological diseases. Anxiety and depression are common mental related diseases that have detrimental effects on the affected individuals. Due to the adverse effects of anxiety and depression, several treatment procedures have been developed. The use of drugs in the treatment of anxiety and depression have been found to have numerous side effects. The ineffectiveness of medicines in the treatment of anxiety has resulted in increased research on the use of cannabidiol. A survey by Perm proved the effectiveness of cannabidiol oil in the treatment of mental diseases (Corroon, 2018). A ten-year-old girl was used in the survey. The girl had been sexually abused, and she had minimal parental supervision, which made her suffer from anxiety and depression. Pharmaceutical medications were used in the treatment of the girl. The drugs used did not provide long-lasting treatment to the girl and had significant side effects. Cannabidiol oil was also used in the treatment of the girl. After the use of cannabidiol, the impact of anxiety on the girl was relieved without significant side effects. Therefore, there is evidence that cannabidiol is useful in the treatment of depression and anxiety.
The second claim is that cannabidiol has anti-anxiety and anti-depression properties. An explorative by Gerth was aimed to establish whether the antipsychotic agent present in cannabidiol has anti-anxiety properties (Soares, 2017). A controlled clinical trial was conducted using both cannabidiol and amisulpride drug in the treatment of anxiety disorder. The response and side-effects of using both treatment methods were investigated. Forty-two patients showing symptoms of anxiety were used in the explorative study. Both treatments were used on the patients, and the side effects were closely monitored. Four weeks after treatment, the anxiety symptoms decreased upon the use of the two treatment methods. However, cannabidiol imposed fewer side effects as compared to the use of the amisulpride drug in the treatment of anxiety. A survey by Raymond aimed at establishing the effectiveness of cannabidiol in protection against psychological effects. The study established that non-recreational use of cannabidiol suppresses the effects of mental related disorders. The observation in this explorative is in line with the claim presented in the original claim that cannabidiol has anti-anxiety properties.
Cannabidiol is also claimed to be a natural supplement that is safe for those who are suffering from mental related diseases. A comprehensive survey by Bergamaschi used animal experiments to investigate the side effects of the use of cannabidiol in the treatment of anxiety and depression (Iffland, 2017). Also, the survey focused on the interaction of cannabidiol with other drugs in the treatment of mental related diseases. The survey results revealed that the treatment of associated psychiatric disorders using cannabidiol has several side effects. The side effects reported were loss of appetite, loss of weight, diarrhea, and tiredness. Also, the survey established that cannabidiol interacts with other drugs in the treatment of anxiety resulting in more negative side effects on the user. Therefore, in contrast with the claim, cannabidiol is not hundred percent safe on the users. However, side effects caused by the use of cannabidiol in the treatment of anxiety and depression are less as compared by the use of drugs in treating mentally related disorders. Therefore, patients’ compliance and adherence are improved by the use of cannabidiol as opposed to the use of other medications.
In conclusion, research on the effectiveness of the use of cannabidiol in the treatment of depression and anxiety has intensified in recent. The article by Gupta claims that cannabidiol can be used to treat psychological disorders. The claim has been supported by different studies hence proofing that cannabidiol can be used to replace medication in the treatment of anxiety and depression. The article also claims that cannabidiol is a natural supplement that is safe for users. Several surveys have gone against this claim as cannabidiol treatment is associated with several side effects. However, the use of cannabidiol in the treatment of anxiety and depression has minimal side effects, which improves the patient’s compliance with the treatment. Therefore, cannabidiol can replace medication in the treatment of anxiety and depression.
References
Corroon, J., & Phillips, J. A. (2018). A cross-sectional study of cannabidiol users. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 3(1), 152-161.
Iffland, K., & Grotenhermen, F. (2017). An update on safety and side effects of cannabidiol: a review of clinical data and relevant animal studies. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 2(1), 139-154.
P Soares, V., & C Campos, A. (2017). Evidences for the anti-panic actions of Cannabidiol. Current neuropharmacology, 15(2), 291-299.