DOES CBD OIL HELP WITH ANGER MANAGEMENT?

DOES CBD OIL HELP WITH ANGER MANAGEMENT?

Anger has positive and negative effects. While many people view it as a negative emotion because it can cause a whole avalanche of many problems, it may prepare the body for flight and fight, making it a vital survival mechanism. When anger is uncontrolled, it may send one to act without thinking, causing future regrets. Since anger also impairs judgment, there is every need to control it. Even with therapies and conventional medications, some people cannot control anger or manage it when it occurs. As such, you might be like many others wondering whether CBD oil may help with anger. Some studies suggest that taking CBD oil may help one manage pain, anxiety, stress, inflammation, and many other things that give rise to anger, but scientific studies do not support the use of CBD oil for anger management.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is one of the hundreds of active compounds called cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. Like THC, CBD oil has been studied, yet there is much to be known about it since what we know about it is far less than what we do not know. However, studies have fully established that, unlike THC, CBD oil is not psychoactive and does not have the ‘high’ effect linked to THC, which is why CBD oil is marketed to help with just about anything.

What Causes Anger?

Instead of perceiving anger as a bad emotion, it helps to know that it does not come out of nowhere, and often-times, it is an indication of an underlying condition. Stress, depression, anxiety, annoyance, pain, frustration, and irritation are among the many things that cause and exacerbate anger. Still, the economic situations get harder every other day, and stressors increase, subjecting more people to increased bursts of anger. There are many types of anger, including overwhelmed, volatile, judgmental, self-inflicted, chronic, and passive anger. Either of the mentioned conditions interferes with catecholamines (CAs), chemical compounds that control moods and emotions.

What CAs are There, and How Do They Affect Anger Bursts?

Generally, the body has three catecholamines or neurotransmitters that affect anger: dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. The CAs themselves have nothing to do with anger, but having too much or too little of these neurotransmitters affects anger management in one way or another. For instance, dopamine helps with cognitive functions, and it’s right amounts bring about compassion and problem solving. Yet too little or too much of it results in concentration problems and difficulty in focusing. Epinephrine helps with emotions but too little or too much results in hyperactivity and fatigue or low recovery rates.

Can CBD Oil Help With Anger Management?

No scientific studies can claim that taking CBD oil will help a person handle his anger attacks better. This partly stems from the knowledge gap of one study by Steinberg, et al., (2002), but much is yet to be unveiled about this cannabinoid. Besides, CBD oil and hemp were illegal for a long time, and legal issues resulting from many restrictions around the cannabinoid barred studies.  CBD oil is not advised for managing anger. However, studies suggest that the human body has a network of receptors, cannabinoids, and enzymes forming the endocannabinoid system, which is claimed to interact with CBD to help manage neuro-challenges, including impulsive anger. In fact, the ECS seems to interact with the CAs discussed above to prevent their excess or low amounts that would result in anger. Even so, more scientific studies are needed to confirm the existence of an endocannabinoid system in the human system and that it has an impact on anger.

Other Reasons Why CBD Oil May Help With Anger Management

Because of the supposed existence of the endocannabinoid system and its interaction with cannabinoids from plants, including CBD oil, CBD oil may have several mechanisms which help with anger management. For instance;

CBD Oil May Help With Pain

This claim is true based on a claim by Piermarini & Viswanath, (2019). One major cause of anger is pain. When one is affected by pain, feelings of frustration may cause anger. One study involving rats noted that using CBD oil gel on male rats with osteoarthritis led to reduced pain markers. As such, it seems that CBD oil may help relieve pain and prevent the anger that would stem from it. Even so, the FDA has not approved CBD oil for any form of pain, nor have scientific studies confirmed that CBD oil products may lead to pain management. This study focused on animals, and we cannot be 100% certain that the same results realized in rats would be translated to human beings.

CBD Oil May Have Some Anti-inflammatory Effects

The other causes of anger are stress, anxiety, and depression, which also sets one into a frustrated state of mind, possibly resulting in anger. Although several factors may cause stress, depression, and anxiety, they may have something to do with inflammation. Yet, one study involving rats indicates that CBD oil may help fight inflammation. With better inflammation control, CBD oil could help control anger. Still, one scientific study by Gallily, et al.,(2018) shows that CBD can help with anti-inflammatory effects. 

CBD Oil May Help With Sleep

Lack of sleep for a long time may leave a person tired and easily angered. Yet, people take CBD oil to help them sleep better. It all goes down to the CBD-body interaction.  A scientific study by Kuhathasan, et al., (2019). backs up CBD oil for better sleep. However, if CBD oil indeed helps with sleep, it could help manage sleep-related anger.

CBD Oil May Relieve the Body of Pressure Hormones

The other common cause of anger is excess amounts of pressure hormones. These may make the body and brain hyperactive, easily resulting in anger. Still, CBD oil is reported to help relieve the body of pressure hormones, although no scientific studies can attest to this.

Conclusion

Anger may seem like a bad emotion, but it can serve as a survival mechanism when it helps send the body into a flight or fight mode. CBD oil is marketed to help with just about anything, including anger management. However, this blog shows that no scientific studies provide enough evidence to show that CBD oil is effective for anger management. While the cannabinoid may help reduce pain, stress, and inflammation that triggers anger, there is not enough scientific evidence to back up these claims.

References

Gallily, R., Yekhtin, Z., & Hanuš, L. O. (2018). The Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Terpenoids From Cannabis. Cannabis And Cannabinoid Research, 3(1), 282-290.

Kuhathasan, N., Dufort, A., Mackillop, J., Gottschalk,

R., Minuzzi, L., & Frey, B. N. (2019). The Use Of Cannabinoids For Sleep: A

Critical Review On Clinical Trials. Experimental And Clinical

Psychopharmacology, 27(4), 383.

Piermarini, C., & Viswanath, O. (2019). CBD

As The New Medicine In The Pain Provider’s Armamentarium. Pain And Therapy, 8(1), 157-158.

Steinberg, K. L., Roffman, R. A., Carroll, K. M.,

Kabela, E., Kadden, R., Miller, M., … & Marijuana Treatment Project

Research Group. (2002). Tailoring Cannabis Dependence Treatment For A Diverse Population. Addiction, 97, 135-142.

Mental health expert
MS, University of Latvia

I am deeply convinced that each patient needs a unique, individual approach. Therefore, I use different psychotherapy methods in my work. During my studies, I discovered an in-depth interest in people as a whole and the belief in the inseparability of mind and body, and the importance of emotional health in physical health. In my spare time, I enjoy reading (a big fan of thrillers) and going on hikes.

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