Depression is a common mental disorder that affects people from all walks of life. The World Health Organization estimates that 5% of adults around the globe suffer from depression, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide. Though there are existing treatment plans, there’s a need for a more natural solution.

With all eyes on hemp-derived products in recent years, researchers have started looking into how CBD can make an impact on this global health concern. While studies are still limited, CBD has shown great potential. In order to understand how CBD and treatment for depression are connected, we have to understand what serotonin is, the common symptoms of depression, and how CBD plays a role.

Serotonin & Depression

Serotonin is a chemical that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and throughout the body. It plays a key role in health, affecting a person’s mood, sleep, memory, digestion, nausea, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting, and sexual desire. When a person’s serotonin levels are too high or too low, their health can be impacted.

Low levels of serotonin are linked to depression, which is why many antidepressants are designed to increase serotonin levels. As stated by Harvard Medical School, there are natural ways to increase serotonin levels without medication, such as working out, getting exposure to the sun, and in some cases, eating certain foods.

This makes it clear that stabilizing serotonin levels is key to living a healthier life, helping your body function better, and preventing or managing depression.

Does CBD Help With Depression?

There are some studies that suggest that CBD can help with depression. Now that we’ve discussed the importance of serotonin on our health and overall mood, we can better understand the importance of it in terms of mental health disorders.

Evidence points to CBD’s interaction with the body’s serotonergic system—the system of serotonin neurotransmitters. And as mentioned, this is the system that regulates many things, including depression. By interacting with the 5-HT1a receptors, the receptors that control serotonin levels in the brain and body, CBD can potentially regulate serotonin levels.

This previous study supports these claims, stating:

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a constituent non-psychotomimetic of Cannabis sativa with great psychiatric potential, including uses as an antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like compound… Studies involving animal models, performing a variety of experiments on the above-mentioned disorders, such as the forced swimming test (FST), elevated plus maze (EPM) and Vogel conflict test (VCT), suggest that CBD exhibited an anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects in animal models discussed.

CBD & Symptoms of Depression

Aside from regulating an individual’s serotonin levels, CBD can also help them manage their symptoms of depression and anxiety. The symptoms of these conditions include:

• Sleep problems
• Body aches
• Anxiety
• Sadness

And if you follow our blog, you may have read previous articles about how CBD can manage many of these symptoms. To dive deeper into each topic, we invite you to read more in-depth about CBD and how it can help relieve various side effects that are related to depression.

Sources:

Improve Your Quality of Sleep with CBD

How CBD Helps Relieve Anxiety

Does CBD Cream Help Relieve Pain?

By helping manage these symptoms, CBD could also indirectly help a person overcome or manage their depression and have an overall better quality of life.

Final Thoughts

Depression affects millions of people around the world, and the need to improve treatment options sparked interest in the use of CBD oil for depression. Previous research on CBD seems to suggest that it can be helpful in reducing depression, making it a great addition to a treatment plan. Before a person starts taking CBD for depression, it’s recommended that they speak to their healthcare provider, especially if they are consuming other medications.

If your healthcare provider approves your CBD use, visit our site and explore our various products. We have organic CBD oil and CBD salves available.