Battling Against the Stigma of CBD

06/21/19: Addiction \ Addiction Recovery \ Relapse Prevention
CBD is touted as being a miracle cure by a lot of people nowadays. However, because CBD comes from a plant in the cannabis family, many people think that it can cause the same lifestyle problems that marijuana does. However, CBD can be a very effective asset in the battle against addiction and in treating other medical issues. With that in mind, there are some things everyone needs to know about CBD and how to battle the stigma.

What is the Difference Between CBD and Marijuana?

Marijuana is a full plant, while CBD is just one of more than 100 cannabinoids that are found in it. THC is the other major cannabinoid that has become part of treatments and is what causes the high that comes from marijuana. CBD’s full name is cannabidiol and it has no psychoactive effects for humans. It is usually derived from cannabis sativa, also known as hemp, instead of the marijuana plant. Hemp has a much lower natural percentage of THC in it, making it easier to distill pure CBD from it. It’s non-addictive and works well with a lot of other medications, making it great for those who struggle with nasty side effects from other short-acting medications. The body has two receptors for cannabinoids, CB1 and CB2 receptors. Recent research suggests CBD doesn’t attach to either one of these receptors and instead appears to direct the body to use more of its own cannabinoids as a way to relieve inflammation, pain, and other related medical issue which is contrary to what happens to the body when THC is introduced. CBD can also be taken and used in various forms. The most common topical creams, oils, tablets, vapes, and edibles. Keep in mind that all forms still remove the TCH, or "high", factor from the product so ingesting or partaking in any of these forms is still considered a plant based form of healing. For the purposes of recovery and sobriety, taking the pill or oil forms work the best, at it gets in to the whole body through the blood stream, versus a cream that is directly on the skin. The latter option is best used for muscle pains and other physical ailments.

How Do Cannabinoids Work With the Human Body?

Cannabinoids attach themselves to the endocannabinoid receptors that are spread throughout every other system in the human body. Because these receptors are all over your body, they help the body’s other systems to return to homeostasis or a state of rest, which is when they are healthiest. This leads to a lot of different benefits throughout the human body.

What Medical Conditions Can CBD Help With?

As discussed above, CBD is helpful in a lot of cases for a lot of different medical issues. It acts as a mild sedative, which helps to lower blood pressure, lower heart rates, reduce anxiety and even reduce inflammation. All of these are usually symptoms of other disorders that are often treated with heavy-duty medication that creates even more side effects for the person to deal with. Because it reduces many of the main causes of sleeplessness, CBD can also help people to create works for them by triggering melatonin production. This is helpful to help them get to sleep and also stay asleep for longer periods of time, which will help them to need fewer medications for their problems in the long run.

Proven and Tested Results

While it still has some skepticism attached to it, there have been numerous studies, focus groups, and tests done to prove the legitimacy of the benefits of CBD across the board. This is true not only of those in recovery and treatment programs, but of all medical and physical cases. Specifically for those in the recover space, one particular study showed that using CBD oil can prevent relapses of drug use. One case study showed researchers that a series of test determined the anti-relapse potential of a patient when using transdermal CBD. After administering CBD oil to the group every 24 hours for a full week – which is 7 days – it was determined that the oil prevented “addiction-like” characteristics from developing and it helped to deter relapses for as long as five months after the last use. But, the CBD itself wasn’t traceable in the body and brain within three days after having been stopped.

What Should CBD Users Watch Out For?

As with any supplement, there are always chances for a medication interaction, allergy or medical issue when taking CBD. Anyone wanting to try CBD should talk to their doctor first to make sure that it is safe to take with their other medications. People who might see problems are those with pre-existing issues with their livers and kidneys since that is where CBD is metabolized. If someone smokes or vapes their CBD product, they should also be careful with their lungs, throat, and mouth, as this transmission method creates an additional risk. In addition to seeking a medical and trained professional on this decision, it is important to understand that there are "bad brands" out there. To ensure your safety and health, be sure to only use products from a reputable company with proven results and a positive reputation. Low quality CBD can have adverse affects on the body, which can ultimately stunt the journey towards sobriety instead of support it. There may be instances which the product has been watered down or diluted with other ingredients which will detract from its potency and effectiveness. If you’re seeking to use CBD as a way to help with withdrawal symptoms, you may want to consider working with a trusted rehab facility which can offer addiction services in addition to CBD such as SRC. Scottsdale Recovery Center has found time, and time again, that CBD has a positive affect on the recovery process. This is especially true when it comes to kicking withdrawal symptoms. There is no one way that all former users experience withdrawal, similar to how each addiction and sobriety varies person to person. However, these are a few of the major ways in which a withdrawal is seen: anxiety, headaches, shaky hands, and insomnia. These can be incredibly debilitating at times, and even discouraging to the process, so to combat those negative effects, it has been shown that CBD oils help.How is that possible? CBD has the ability to help with pain, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and muscle recovery all without the addictive power of the THC found in marijuana and other similar drugs.  
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