Before COVID-19 hit, the number of people in the United States who reported depression was a little more than 17 million, which represents about one in 19 people. Today, more than one in five people report symptoms of clinical depression.
With the recent increase in mental health issues, treatment options are expanding, which includes the use of CBD to regulate moods.
At McHugh Plastic Surgery, Dr. Thomas McHugh offers CBD products for a wide range of uses, including chronic pain and depression and anxiety.
In the following, we explore why using CBD to improve mental health is gaining favor.
First, we want to underscore the point that CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is derived from the cannabis plant, but this ingredient carries no psychoactive properties. In other words, CBD won’t get you high like the other ingredient in marijuana — tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Every human body is equipped with an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is a complex cell-signaling network made up of endocannabinoids, which are neurotransmitters that bind to endocannabinoid receptors in your nervous system.
When you use CBD, the cannabidiol ingredient interacts with your ECS, which means that it’s working with your central and peripheral nervous systems.
As an example, when you introduce CBD, it interacts favorably with serotonin receptors in your brain. This is important because serotonin plays no small role in regulating your moods and is even referred to as the “feel-good” hormone.
When people take antidepressants for depression, the medications are designed to have the same effect — to keep your serotonin levels up.
When your serotonin level is normal, it can help prevent higher levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress.
Another great benefit of CBD is that it’s fast-acting because it works naturally with your ECS system. With antidepressants, you often have to wait weeks, or even months, for the medications to take effect.
If you’re interested in CBD for your depression, we first recommend that you talk with your primary care or mental health provider. If you’re currently taking antidepressants, it’s important not to stop taking them abruptly.
Once you get the greenlight, we offer CBD products by UltraCell®, which are refined in a way to optimize absorption. These CBD products come in different forms, such as sublingual drops and creams, and we’re happy to sit down with you to figure out the right delivery method and dosing.
If you’d like to learn more about our CBD products and how they may help with your depression symptoms, please contact our office in The Woodlands, Texas, to set up a consultation.
