Can CBD Offer Relief to People Suffering from Depression?

Feeling down when you do not get what you want from life is part of our daily deal. Most people can handle this condition and overcome the sadness within a couple of days or weeks. However, when you feel stuck in the never-ending sea of sadness without any end in sight, it can easily turn into depression. 

While there are different medicines in the market that can treat depression, a growing number of people are leaning towards the CBD International products to recover from the drastic effects of depression. 

If you are thinking about incorporating CBD products in your self-care routine, you should read this article. We have put together several current articles that can help you to the scientific findings of the relationship between CBD and depression. 

What Is The Cause of Depression? 

Most people blame the hormonal imbalance as the culprit for depression. The pharmaceutical advertisements also perpetuated the idea of serotonin imbalance as the cause of depression. While serotonin is definitely a part of the bigger picture, other neurotransmitters imbalances can also cause depression. 

The depression can also be caused by structural brain changes and inflammation, which is generated by chronic stress and trauma. The other factors that can cause depression are as follows.

• Genetics
• Illness.
• Stressful life events. 
• Chronic Stress
• Past Trauma
• Physical Pain
• Emotional disorders 
• Social Isolation

These as the causes of depression can vary widely, it is not surprising that there is no single miracle medicine for this problem. The medicines or the treatments that help people suffering from depression to recover is highly individual. That means people who take a multi-pronged approach often get better results than the ones who only depend on a single solution. 

Healing Your Brain Naturally

Studies have found that while SSRIs spike the serotonin level almost immediately, it can take weeks to improve the mood of the depressed person. Sometimes, the depression might not subside even though serotonin levels are high. That indicates that serotonin is not directly responsible for the depression. The question is, what is? 

Researchers find out that when people suffer from depression, the hippocampus area of the brain, which is responsible for memory, learning and emotion, can get shrunken or atrophied. Fortunately, this part of the brain can also start forming new connections as well as neurons, which is known as neural regeneration. 

This is why the anti-depressant can take weeks to lift the depression. It stimulates this part of the brain, helps it to heal and form new connections. The researches have also established that along with the anti-depressants, lifestyle changes and supplements can also help with this process. 

Can CBD Stimulate Neural regeneration? 

Many developed countries, including Canada and the Us, have approved the use of cannabidiol as a medicine to treat epileptic seizures. The researchers found out that the CBD International products protect the neurons of the hippocampus region of the brain. This is the area that gets atrophied and causes depression. Studies on animals as well as humans brought almost the same results in this area.

The scientists think that the CBD oil can regenerate and protect the hippocampus in the following way. 

• Endocannabinoids: CBD affects the endocannabinoid system and enhances the natural level of endocannabinoids in the brain. In mice, the CBD enhances the levels of anandamide in the hippocampus region which stokes the neuron growth of the brain. 
• Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNTF): Researchers conducting different studies on the rodents found that CBD enhances the BDNF levels of the hippocampus while lessening the depressive symptoms of the mice at the same time. However, not all the studies reach the same results, indicating the need for further researches in this field. 
• Serotonin Receptors: CBD stimulates a type of serotonin receptor, which controls a wide range of another neurotransmitter. Researchers think that this phenomenon helps it to reduce the signs of depression. 

Clues That CBD Could Help

It is one thing to show that CBD can protect and heal the neurons of the brain. However, proving that CBD can help in treating a complex disorder like depression is difficult. Even though large scale human trials on the effect of CBD are not available yet, some preliminary studies have shown positive results. 

• Circumstantial Evidence: The reports about the fact of whether CBD can help relieve the depression are very conflicting. However, since medical marijuana has been available in the market, the suicide rate of the young American men have dropped significantly.

• Experimental evidence: Clinical trials are going on to check whether CBD can relieve anxiety effectively, which is one of the biggest factors that lead to depression. While there is no empirical data about the impact of CBD on depressed humans, the tests conducted on the mice have shown promising results. 

Depression works as a mental trap. It takes time, patience and dedication to rewire a depressed brain. While the CBD International products can help to protect the neurons and reconnect them, you are still in charge of how that happens. If you focus on the therapies, and the self-help books to form new habits, you can grow your brain into a new and more loving direction.