Novel information on CBD products is exponentially on the rise. The uses of CBD products in pain relief, anxiety treatment, and stress relief are just the tip of the iceberg. The current article assesses the potential of CBD products as a possible treatment for substance addiction.
There are several understudied uses of CBD oil and CBD products that are probably unknown to many. For years, scientists have only explored the potential of CBD products to treat chronic pain, alleviate stress and anxiety, treat muscle spasms, stimulate appetite, and among other ordinary uses. Several interesting findings continue to emerge, relating the CBD oil and CBD products to behavioral disorders. Currently, CBD products are known to treat pain, anxiety, depression and insomnia. This article explores CBD for treatment of substance addiction among other psychoactive behavior.
What we don’t know
Did you know CBD is a treatment for tobacco and heroin addiction? People who use tobacco and heroin develop addiction but are unable to quit despite experiencing health challenges. Biener & Hargraves (2015) noted that only smaller number of the drugs quit in a year Tobacco and heroin contain pharmacokinetic properties responsible for addiction. It is worth noting that when smokers try to stop, they experience withdrawal symptoms such as headache and anxiety, among other symptoms. For years, doctors have prescribed drugs like varenicline and bupropion for users of such drugs. Unfortunately, these drugs have not produced the desired results. CBD products kick in as a treatment for addiction
Drugs such as rimonabant were used to stop addiction. These drugs worked by binding into cannabinoid receptors. However, the drug is not used as it contributes to neuropsychological side effects. Remarkably, CBD is an effective treatment for addiction and anxiety. The psychological and anxiolytic properties of CBD which suppress addiction and prevent the anxiety that comes with tobacco and heroin withdrawal. Studies have reported that addicts can use CBD inhalers every time they crave smoking. CBD helped smokers minimize the number of cigarettes they consume. Researchers are working hard to understand CBD’s therapeutic effects in the hope of using it as a treatment for addiction. Unarguably, there is a need to develop a new treatment for addiction since existing prescription medications have proved ineffective and have been associated with high mortality rates.
Gold (2020) suggested CBD is a non-opioid medication effective for treating craving and anxiety. Even though research on CBD as a treatment for addiction is scant and inconclusive, preclinical animal studies have shown that CBD reduced drug-related stimuli. Further studies have found that CBD is effective and safe. From the few studies, CBD give optimism for better medication for patients suffering from tobacco and heroin addiction. The bottom line is if you are looking for ways to quit tobacco and heroin, CBD oil and products will help in your recovery journey.
CBD oil and CBD products as a treatment for epileptic seizures in children
Studies have shown that CBD oil and its products treat epilepsy in children. Notably, anti-epilepsy drugs currently used are associated with severe risks that hinder child development. Research has shown that CBD interacts with 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A to treat anticonvulsant effects. In 2018, the FDA approved “Epidiolex” as a medication for epilepsy (Abu-Sawwa et al.,2020). A double-blinded study administered 20mg of CBD to epileptic children for two weeks. The dosage was adjusted to last 12 weeks. 43% of the children showed a significant improvement in convulsive seizures. Based on these trials, there is more robust evidence that CBD is a promising treatment for epilepsy.
CBD oil and CBD products as a treatment for autism
Besides the common uses of CBD, it has a therapeutic benefit for autism. While the research is still limited, available knowledge suggests that CBD oil and products cannot treat autism. The oil can ease autism symptoms like communication problems and repetitive behaviors. CBD oil offers immediate outcomes and is non-psychoactive. According to Martig et al (2019), children with autism minimize self-injurious behaviors and report improved social interactions after taking the recommended dosage of CBD. Parents say that after taking CBD oil, children become calm, relaxed, and less aggressive. Therefore, CBD provides hope for families with cases of autism. However, this evidence is still anecdotal. CBD oil is a welcome and effective treatment for parents whose children have this condition. Future research should investigate other effective ways to manage aggressive autism behaviors through CBD oil.
Conclusion
The current article provides insight into the uncommon uses of CBD oil and products. It indicates that the application of CBD oil and products is growing exponentially. This growth will lead to more CBD products that supplement or substitute existing prescription drugs that bring adverse side effects. For example, the majority take opioids to treat pains. Opioids are linked to adverse side effects and diseases. Thankfully, CBD is proving an effective therapy for many clinical conditions. While further proof is needed, available studies point to a better outcome.
References
Biener, L., & Hargraves, J. L. (2015). A longitudinal study of electronic cigarette use
among a population-based sample of adult smokers: association with smoking cessation and motivation to quit. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 17(2), 127-133.
Martig, K., Reid, K., & Kaplan, J. S. (2019). Emerging Clinical and Mechanistic Support
for CBD Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. In Cannabis as Medicine (pp. 117-128). CRC Press.
Sleep specialist
Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.
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