Can Mothers Turn to CBD to Ease Postpartum Depression?

Giving birth to a new life is supposed to be the happiest and most proud thing of a new mother. But for mothers with postpartum depression, the feeling is completely different. They only have anxiety, stress, loneliness, and sadness.

According to reports, nearly 950,000 women in the United States experience postpartum depression every year. A self-reported study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2004/2005 showed that 11.7% to 15% of new mothers experienced PPD. This is a large-scale study covering mothers in 17 states. If you use a 15% figure, this is equivalent to about 900,000 women with PPD each year. Anxiety disorders such as PPD still have a stigma, so it is likely that many women have not even reported it. Therefore, the proportion of new PPD women may be higher than 15%.

What is postpartum depression（PPD）?

PPD is a mentally major depression that changes significantly in the hormone levels of women during pregnancy and after pregnancy. Rising and falling hormones can lead to emotional problems, including thoughts of depression and unstable behavior. In the first few weeks after giving birth, it is normal for up to 85% of mothers to experience “baby depression”. From a biochemical point of view, women have a sharp decline in both estrogen and progesterone during childbirth. These two levels of hormone reduction can cause mood swings, sleep problems, anxiety and depression for a period of time. Being a mother is a major turmoil in the brain and body. There are plenty of changes and physical trauma that takes time to heal. Not to mention that new mothers usually sleep and are undernourished. These two things can make women more susceptible to infant depression and eventually lead to PPD.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the causes and symptoms of PPD are as follows:

the reasons

Severe depression before or during pregnancy
Anxiety during pregnancy
Medical complications during pregnancy or childbirth
Nervous life events during pregnancy
Poor social support
Marital conflict
Low income
Past alcohol or substance abuse issues
Mother is young

symptoms

Emotional depression
Guilt as a mother’s performance
Lack of interaction with the baby
anger
Reduced thinking or distracted
Lack of appetite or need to overeat
Sleep too much or too little
Thoughts about suicide or violence
Lack of interest in hobbies or activities
Fatigue or fatigue

The above 5 or more symptoms occur within 4 weeks after delivery, Please draw attention.

How does the CBD alleviate PPD?

New mother has mood fluctuation becuase of the Progesterone and estrogen levels in the body are lower than pregnant，low estrogen means low anandamide level .(Anandamide is an endogenous cannabinoid that helps regulate mood and appetite and creates a feeling of happiness). Fortunately, marijuana can help correct this imbalance. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that is a substitute for THC (or can be used in conjunction with THC). It works simultaneously with THC at the same time. THC replaces the endogenous cannabinoid naturally produced by the body (THC has almost the same chemical structure as anandamide and interacts with the same receptor throughout the body), CBD resistance Breaking the decomposition of anandamide and 2-AG and maximizing the body’s innate cannabinoids helps to alleviate negative emotions.

According to a study published in the journal Neuroscience, low doses of THC help to alleviate the symptoms of depression, and high doses of THC may worsen depression.

There are many studies showing that cannabinoids such as THC and CBD may contribute to the regulation of the endocannabinoid system and can alleviate depression. Related research includes Ashton & Moore in 2011 and de Mello in 2014. Perhaps the biggest advocates of treating PPD with CBD are women who use it to improve their lives.

Dr. Goldstein said: “This is very safe, it may work, there may be such an imbalance in our brain, this plant may be the answer to make it back to balance.” “At the moment, we have not been able to replace Good medicine for drugs used in cannabis plants.”

CBD vs Traditional medicine

Traditional medicine: Most of common treatments to PPD offered by doctors today are Prozac, Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Ambien. These drugs are designed to counteract depression thoughts and anxiety and encourage sleep. But these drugs：

1.It takes a few weeks to produce an effect.

2.Side effects, from blurred vision to cognitive impairment, can also lead to insomnia,dizziness, weight gain and diarrhea.

3.these drugs can also cause dependence and addiction. If a woman decides to try a drug to treat a PPD, they may work for a while. But in the end, you can build tolerance to these drugs, thereby weakening their effectiveness.

The combination of these factors has made some women feel helpless, but there is no viable solution.

CBD:

1.Natural product

2.It works with the human endogenous cannabinoids and does not have resistance.

3.Low mental activity, will not let you high

4.Will not be addicted and produce drug dependence

5.work quickly

How to use it

The dosage of CBD is different from placebo. Usually, the dose of placebo is 400mg. The CBD is gradually increased. The initial dose is 5-10mg. Then observe your emotional changes and decide whether you need to increase the dose according to the mood changes. Increase the does of 5mg and slowly find the most suitable dosage for you. You can use vape, or add CBD oil to your food, or you can put a few drops directly under your tongue.

Precautions

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, women with PPD often have breastfeeding problems. If your condition is so severe that it may harm you and your baby, you must weigh the risk and return. The CBD will help you with PPD, but there is not enough information to determine how it will affect your breast milk and your baby. But for non-breastfeeding moms, CBD is the best natural treatment for relieving PPD.