Almost every one of us heard of the word ‘depression’! Fact says it bothers modern society more than any other illness. Mental illnesses like depression often manifest through common physical ailments like indigestion, breathing troubles, sleep deprivation, lack of appetite. The exact reasons behind depression are not yet evident to psychologists and scientists, but anyone can suffer from mental illnesses, from children to elders. So, dealing with mental wellness is everyone’s responsibility.
Mental illness, depression: the state of mind
Depression is a medical problem of the human mind. It is no different from physical ailments and diseases, only with far fetched and complex implications. Usually, a person suffers from mood swings, persistently gloomy, melancholy moods, loss of interest in work, daily chores, and other activities. However, many people fail to recognise symptoms of poor mental health. Even when they feel the abnormality, they avoid discussing it with others or taking help from professionals. It is crucial to acknowledge mental illnesses to overcome the problems.
Effects of Poor mental health
Though depression and other mental illnesses are the states of the mind, they can severely impact the regular functioning of our body and brain. Medical professionals have regularly witnessed and recorded the following effects in persons dealing with poor mental health.
- Disturbed appetite – mental health can lead to loss of hunger or cause an excessive craving for food, especially junk and comfort foods. Both mental states can have harmful effects on health and hygiene. Lack of appetite causes sudden weight loss; excess craving for food leads to weight gains.
- Mood swings – A characteristic symptom of poor mental health is mood swings. People start feeling elated and miserable inconsistently throughout the day, causing self-doubt.
- Lack of interest in work – People suffering from depression often become reluctant to engage in social and family interactions; they fail to enjoy work or engage in regular life activities. The situation may lead to poor attention, lowered self-esteem and lack of confidence in decision making.
- Sleeplessness – Anxiety can also lead to disturbances in sleep, including poor quality of sleep, lowered sleep duration and insomnia.
The list is definitely not complete, as fresh scientific observations are being made as we speak and discuss this topic. It’s an evolving field.
Use of CBD for better Mental health and battling anxiety
Psychiatrists, psychologists and neuroscientists working on human cognition and neural functioning are continuously looking for pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for depression and anxiety. Many medicines have been tested and approved for effective and long term treatment of the illness. One of the latest and safest treatments is CBD/THC. Cannabinoids extracted from cannabis plants are pharmacological compounds used to treat several health conditions and diseases for a very long time. Recently, CBD or cannabinoids have shown good responses in laboratory tests with nearly zero side effects.
How do cannabinoids treat depression and anxiety?
As we said, the field is evolving, and new data are pouring in from different universities and research institutes around the world working on CBD. The two most prominent mechanisms of action are discussed here.
- Affecting serotonin receptors – Serotonin is a hormone that affects our mood, happiness and mental state of well-being. Multiple research studies prove that a low level of serotonin can cause depression and anxiety. A 2014 lab test verifies that CBD impacts chemical receptors in our brains reacting to serotonin. And thus, CBD is capable of producing anti-depressant effects.
- Endocannabinoid system – Several research studies from 2011 and 2018 indicate that CBD relieves stress, especially in the cases of social anxiety and post-trauma disorder. CBD’s primary mechanism affects mental stress through our bodies’ cannabinoid receptors, regulating our anxiety and behaviour. CBD specifically influence cannabinoid type 1 (CB1R), serotonin 5-HT1A and the TRP vanilloid type 1 receptor.
Is it medically advisable to try CBD for treatment?
CBD is a potent medicinal compound. Despite having no documented adverse side effects, CBD should be taken with proper medical advice and, preferably, with prescription. You can buy medicine-grade CBD oil online in India. People generally take drops of CBD oil sublingually/orally. It is essential to understand that people suffering from depression should never neglect their conditions. They should consult and take the help of professional medical practitioners before trying any medicine or therapy.
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