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CBD Oil- Mental Health & Wellbeing
I am a long-term survivor of Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. From the tine of my diagnosis in early 1994 until my oncologist told me “there is nothing more we can do for you, “ I have struggled to find evidence-based, non-toxic, non-conventional therapies to manage not only my incurable blood cancer but my:
- chemotherapy-induced cognitive disfunction (chemobrain)
- chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy
- chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)
- radiation-induced lumbosacral plexopathy (RILP)
Each one of those adverse events happened months or years after the conventional treatment. In other words, I was fine both physically and mentally immediately following the radiation and chemotherapy treatments that caused the side effects above.
You may be thinking that chemotherapy and radiation is required for a serious disease like multiple myeloma. First and foremost, my conventional therapies did nothing for me. Secondly, the issue is a matter of dose- chemotherapy and radiation in moderate doses with evidence-based integrative therapies have been shown to be much less toxic.
Which brings me to the main point.
Cannabinoids, CBD oil, has shown serious promise as an evidence-based, non-toxic, non-conventional therapy for a host of different medical challenges. I say “challenges” because my PTSD and anxiety is self-diagnosed and slides down the list compared to the bigger health issues listed above.
But CBD oil has shown real potential in minimizing the muscle and nerve pain I deal with daily. Cannabinoids have been shown to synergize aka enhance the efficacy of one of the key chemotherapy regimens that MM patients use.
My goal as a cancer survivor and cancer coach is to find evidence-based therapies that will help people like me manage our physical and mental health…for the rest of our lives.
To Learn More about Cannabinoids and C-B-D oil- click now-
For more information about evidence-base but non-conventional therapies like cannabinoids, scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply to you ASAP.
Thanks,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
- CBD Oil For My Father’s Multiple Myeloma?
- Heavily Treated Multiple Myeloma Patients Have Options
- Multiple Myeloma Therapy- C-B-D Becomes F.D.A. Approved AKA Mainstream?
Mental health ailments are now more prevalent than ever. Anyone is susceptible to a particular mental illness, whether male or female, young or old. Research shows that in the United States alone, one in every five individuals has a mental illness. It is equivalent to 51.5 million people. Mental conditions manifest differently on individuals depending on their suffering and the severity of the situation.
Mental illnesses take various forms. It could be anxiety, which is most prevalent, depression, eating disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, schizophrenia, and panic disorders. Risk factors like genetic reasons, painful life experiences, natural causes like chemical imbalances in the brain, substance abuse, or other medical conditions.
Mental Health Treatment
While these illnesses are detrimental, when detected early and the person seeks help, they are treatable. Mental health professionals use varying treatment approaches, depending on the severity and the symptoms the person exhibits. The most common ones are therapies and medications such as antidepressants. While these means have been used for years and have been fruitful, they take time, and sometimes, especially in the use of medicines, it could lead to dependency.
It is why people prefer natural remedies like CBD to enhance their mental wellbeing. The use of CBD as a treatment for different illnesses began centuries ago. CBD is a hemp plant product that contains more than fifty compounds, the most popular ones being THC and CBD. What differentiates THC from CBD is that THC has psychoactive effects on the body, while CBD brings therapeutic and relaxing effects when consumed.
However, you will need to choose the right product that offers beneficial effects. Research reveals that a user may reap overwhelming physical and mental health benefits from using just the right CBD product.
CBD has anti-inflammatory effects that help relieve joint pains quickly and release muscle tension when it comes to physical health. As for its influence on mental health, here are some of the issues it can help with.
Sleeping Problems
Many people have trouble sleeping due to anxiety, stress, and other mental conditions. However, it could be due to other causes like pain, too much caffeine intake, and an uncomfortable environment. A 2019 research revealed that 47 individuals who have sleeping problems due to anxiety were issued a 25 mg CBD dose and worked effectively.
In another, individuals who had Parkinson’s disease and exhibited REM sleeping disorder as one of the symptoms, took CBD which helped reduce their excessive daytime dizziness. This enabled them to enjoy some sound sleep at night.
The calming effect of CBD is what helps the brain and entire body shut down, enabling one to fall asleep. Consumption of CBD could help reduce the risks of getting illnesses like obesity, diabetes, heart attack, and depression associated with lack of enough sleep.
Anxiety
While the effects of CBD on alleviating anxiety symptoms are a work in progress, doctors say that its therapeutic properties may help to reduce the symptoms. This is after 24 individuals with a social anxiety disorder took 400 mg of CBD oil, and in one and half hours, they were able to interact with others freely.
Once consumed, CBD gets to the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body, influencing serotonin receptivity. Serotonin is a hormone that plays a significant role in maintaining proper mental health. If the body produces low serotonin levels, a person is at risk of getting depression or anxiety. CBD shows more power in reducing anxiety than other medications like SSRIs.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is a mental condition that develops after a person experiences a traumatic event. Research shows that at least 10% of the population has PTSD at some point in their lives. Although it is not yet concrete how CBD helps reduce PTSD symptoms, research shows that taking CBD products after a terrifying event prevents the brain from forming pictures and storing memories.
CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the body to maintain homeostasis. It plays a significant role in the fight/ flight mode in a frightening occurrence, which is how the body responds to prevent an individual from physical harm. The inability of the brain to induce these responses is what results in PTSD. Taking CBD strains may help the brain get from shock to a calm state, allowing it to respond appropriately to the incidence without causing trauma to the person.
Conclusion
As more and more research takes place, there are discoveries of the effect of CBD on mental health. The use of CBD enables one’s cognitive ability, which can reduce dementia and schizophrenia, a common condition among seniors. Its ability to relax the mind also means that it can help people with depression to have a favorable view of life.
Mental illnesses require a professional approach to reduce their enormity to the patient. Self-medication is a big no in mental health concerns. Even though CBD is a natural remedy and has a massive influence on mental health, you should first seek the doctor’s advice before using it.