Our lives are always presenting new adventures and we always find a way to persevere through the difficult moments so that we can experience the remarkable moments. Sometimes you reach a point when, no matter how much personal effort or inner reflection, your life can still feel overwhelmingly uncertain or unbalanced. You might find yourself unable to manage everyday activities like making dinner or going to work without it having a substantial effect on your mood. There might be times when you find your mood fluctuating so intensely that it disrupts your ability to adequately deal with daily activities.
In cases where your mood feels as uncontrollable as the world around you, or you feel that your mood dips too low or spikes too high, you may experience what is called a “mood disorder”. You may have a mood disorder if your usual emotional or mental state is inconsistent with your circumstances and those reactions make it difficult to function in your daily life. Many people are now seeking organic and natural means like CBD to combat disordered moods and the serious impact they have on health and well-being.
Whether you feel you have a classified mood disorder or simply have a difficult time finding control or stability in your moods, there are a variety of reasons to take CBD. The effects of this simple natural aid may give you the extra hand you needed to maintain emotional and mental balance.
What is Cannabidiol (CBD)?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a promising and natural way to address disordered moods. CBD is a compound derived from plants in the cannabis family that interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which has receptors throughout the body. When this complex system of nerve pathways is not working at full capacity, disordered and uncontrollable moods may result. CBD is known to:
- Improve blood flow
- Support brain recovery
- Reduce Stress response
- Boost serotonin levels
- Lower inflammation in the brain
Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which may cause euphoria or the associated “high”, full spectrum CBD oil tinctures have little or no psychoactive effects and are more likely to sooth negative emotions.
How Can CBD Help?
In all scenarios, the inability to regulate our mood leads to many challenges in our day-to-day experiences and, ultimately, results in a reduced quality of life. Mood disorders come in many different forms, from abnormally low moods, like depression, to extreme highs, like mania or anxiety. Sometimes we experience symptoms from both ends of the spectrum, like PTSD or Bipolar Disorder. Even for those who are experiencing a case of the blues, CBD provides improved relaxation and gentle improvement of mood.
Here are the benefits of CBD on common Mood Disorders:
1. Depression + CBD
Depression affects millions of people around the world and is considered the most common mood disorder. Depression can be characterized differently depending on the presence and duration of symptoms. Symptoms of both Depression Type I and Type II include:
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Hopelessness
- Anxiety
Experts assert that CBD has positive effects on serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is believed to help regulate mood, social behaviour, memory, among other mental processes. Low serotonin levels are one of the main causes of depression. While CBD does not necessarily increase levels of serotonin in the brain, it does increase the ability of your chemical receptors to respond to serotonin.
Along with this, the anti-inflammatory benefits of CBD help alleviate depression being that inflammation is considered a major factor in this mood disorder.
CBD is also helpful for conditions that relate to depression, such as chronic pain. CBD pain relief rub is a topical option that can provide relief for targeted areas of the body that may cause you daily pain and frustration that negatively impacts your mood.
2. Anxiety + CBD
Anxiety can be an extremely difficult feeling to control and almost everyone will experience an anxiety-related mood disorder at some point in their lives. Anxiety is characterized by a constant “fight-or-flight” response, which kicks in during normal circumstances such as being in an unfamiliar place or having an urgent deadline. There are many factors that can lead to anxiety, such as stress, serotonin dysfunction, or traumatic life events. Symptoms of anxiety include:
- Fear
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Nausea
Research indicates that CBD may help with anxiety as it activates the hippocampus neurogenesis, an area in the prefrontal cortex that is directly related to planning and personality development. Similar to the effects of depression, low serotonin levels are linked with those who experience anxiety. CBD can lower a person’s social anxiety so that it can help them with things like public speaking or social gatherings. While anxiety comes in many forms, CBD provides general and gentle relief for those whose anxiety interferes with regular activities.
3. PTSD + CBD
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, occurs when people experience a traumatic event that results in reoccurring negative associations. These events are associated with military combat but can be even more commonplace such as witnessing or experiencing abuse or assault. Symptoms of PTSD include:
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Anger
- Depression
- Negative triggers
CBD has been associated with soothing fear and negative memories, which makes it a promising natural intervention for PTSD. It can prevent the brain from experiencing intense emotional reactions to triggers, like loud noises or other traumatic associations. PTSD is often paired with symptoms of both depression and anxiety, for which CBD acts as a gentle assist in dealing with those mood irregularities.
Overall Mood Improvement
Whether you consider yourself someone who experiences a classified mood disorder such as those above, or one of the multitudes that exist to characterize mood imbalances, CBD can provide a huge relief and largely improve your quality of life. In cases of those who experience severe mood disorders, CBD can be used as both a standalone treatment as well as a supplement to other therapeutic or medicinal treatment.
Any method– CBD oil, topical treatment, or edible products– can help bring you back to the emotional balance you need to navigate the ups and downs of everyday life and make those remarkable moments all the more satisfying.
