Does CBD Help with Depression
If you’ve been reading the news, you’ve probably heard that CBD is helpful for a variety of illnesses and health conditions. The use of CBD as a holistic treatment has grown in popularity. This is partly because of the growing popularity of CBD oil, which is applied to the skin, ingested orally or even vaped (yes, vaping).
Can CBD help with depression?
If you’ve ever been depressed, you know that it can be one of the most difficult things to get through. Depression is a serious mental health condition that affects millions of people every year. It’s estimated that about one in seven adults suffers from depression at some point in their lifetime.
The good news is that there are many different ways to treat depression, including medication and therapy. But what about cannabis? Can CBD help with depression?
What is Depression?

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, difficulty concentrating and making decisions, low energy levels, changes in appetite or sleep patterns and increased anxiety or irritability. These symptoms must cause significant distress or impact daily life for at least two weeks before being diagnosed as depression.
The causes of depression are not completely understood but doctors think it may involve an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters (neurotransmitter). Medications such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) work to correct this imbalance by increasing the amount of serotonin available in the brain.
What Is CBD?
CBD is one of more than 80 active compounds in the cannabis sativa plant, and is one of the most abundant cannabinoid that can be extracted from hemp. Hemp is not the same as marijuana; it contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, while marijuana contains anywhere between 5 and 30 percent.
CBD is known to interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in our body, which regulates a variety of physiological processes including pain sensation, immune response and inflammation. It does this by mimicking the effects of naturally occurring cannabinoids produced by our bodies (endocannabinoids).
The ECS is distributed throughout our body tissues and organs, but it can also be found in our skin, connective tissues and immune cells. The ECS has two receptors: CB1, which are predominantly located in the brain and central nervous system; and CB2 which are located in peripheral tissues such as lymphoid tissue (e.g., spleen), bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract but also on some neurons like microglia.
How Does CBD Interact with the Body?
CBD is a chemical compound that comes from the cannabis plant. It does not contain THC, which is the part of the cannabis plant that gets people high. Instead, it contains a non-psychoactive cannabinoid called cannabidiol (CBD).
CBD interacts with the body in many ways. To understand how CBD interacts with depression, it’s important to understand how CBD works in the brain and body.
The human body has an endocannabinoid system, which is comprised of receptors that are spread throughout the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and other parts of the body. These receptors help regulate how we feel by interacting with our body’s natural cannabinoids — chemicals that are similar to those found in cannabis plants such as hemp or marijuana.
When cannabinoids like CBD enter our bodies, they bind to these receptors, causing different reactions throughout the central nervous system depending on which receptors they bind to and what effects they have on them.
CBD Depression
There are many different types of depression. The two most common types are major depressive disorder (MDD) and persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia).
MDD is characterized by a persistently low mood that lasts for at least two weeks. It’s also associated with other symptoms like poor appetite or overeating, sleep problems, low energy or fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, trouble concentrating on tasks and thoughts of death or suicide.
Persistent depressive disorder is a chronic condition that features depressed mood for most days for at least two years. People with this type of depression have less severe symptoms than those with MDD but still experience symptoms such as low self-esteem, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, and difficulty sleeping for more than three nights in a row.
CBD may help people with depression by boosting serotonin production in the brain and promoting neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells).
Clinical Studies on CBD and Depression
CBD is a non-intoxicating compound found in the cannabis plant. It has gained prominence for its medical applications in recent years, with numerous studies showing that it has the ability to treat a wide range of health conditions. One of the most promising areas of research is CBD’s potential as an antidepressant.
A number of clinical studies have been conducted into CBD’s effects on depression and anxiety, with some suggesting that it may be an effective treatment for both conditions.
In one study, researchers from Brazil examined whether cannabidiol could be used as an anti-depressant for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). They gave 24 patients either 400mg or 800mg daily doses of CBD or placebo over a period of six weeks. The results showed that both groups had similar levels of improvement in depression scores by the end of the trial period, although there was no significant difference between them.
Final Thoughts
CBD is a very promising compound for the treatment of depression. It has a number of advantages over traditional pharmaceuticals, including being non-addictive and showing no toxic side effects.
The main caveat is that CBD can take several weeks to take effect, so it’s important to be patient and monitor how you feel before and after taking CBD. If you don’t notice any improvement after 4-6 weeks, you should try another product or try increasing your dosage.
There are many different types of CBD products available on the market today. I recommend trying different brands and dosages until you find one that works for you.
If you are considering using CBD to treat depression symptoms, always consult your doctor first.
CBD is a cannabinoid that has been noted for its possible benefits in treating depression. Cannabidiol is one of over 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, but unlike other cannabinoids like THC, it does not have psychoactive properties. This means CBD will not make you feel “high” or “stoned.”
According to a 2014 study published in Psychopharmacology, CBD oil may help treat depression symptoms by impacting the endocannabinoid system in the brain. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating mood, appetite and sleep. The study involved administering small doses of CBD oil to patients with treatment-resistant depression over a six-week period. Results showed that patients experienced significant improvements in their depressive symptoms after taking CBD oil compared to those who were given a placebo instead.
Other studies have suggested that CBD may also be useful as an anti-anxiety treatment due to its ability to reduce cortisol levels (the hormone associated with stress). Additionally, research has shown that marijuana users experience less anxiety than nonusers, which suggests that marijuana may be beneficial for people suffering from anxiety disorders as well as depression.
If you are considering using CBD to treat depression symptoms, always consult your doctor first.
Review Does CBD Help with Depression.