What is OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)?
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is a mental and neurological disorder in which patients feel compulsions. Patients suffering from OCD do some certain routine things again and again without noticing and against his/her will. Patient feel obsession also, in which he/she has certain thoughts repeatedly. Anxiety another big symptom of OCD that leads to unwanted thoughts beyond the control of the patient. Some examples of OCD disorder symptoms are washing hands, again and again, locking and checking the lock with uncertainty repeatedly, and unlocking doors several times. The patient has simply no choice with these actions because the brain guides the patient towards these actions telling him/her that these actions are compulsory. It is a very unusual situation for human beings.
OCD Can be life-threatening in some cases in which a patient has the fear of not doing repetitive actions. According to an estimate, approximately 1.1% of the people of the USA are suffering from OCD in several forms. The diagnosing process is very difficult for OCD because symptoms are totally hidden.
Can CBD help people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
CBD (Cannabidiol) is a chemical extract of the cannabis (hemp) plant. CBD is favorable and might be effective in treating many physiological conditions such as pain, inflammation, and insomnia, etc. But our main topic is related to the use of CBD for the treatment of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Recent research studies have shown that CBD has a very positive impact on OCD. It can effectively reduce anxiety which is a major symptom of OCD.
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Mechanism of working of CBD in OCD:
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter chemical responsible for mood change and emotions. Serotonin has approximately 114 receptors located in different parts of the body. CBD has a very strong attraction for receptors of Serotonin. CBD binds with one of 114 receptors of Serotonin and reduces anxiety which is highly beneficial in the treatment of OCD. There is another chemical hormone that is responsible for the regulation of mood levels and emotions. This chemical is known as Anandamide. The main purpose of Anandamide is to produce happy feelings and reduction of anxiety. CBD enhances the secretion of Anandamide which is very helpful in the reduction of anxiety. Once anxiety is reduced, the treatment of OCD becomes very easy. CBD actually affects the enzyme responsible for the degradation of Anandamide, hence increasing its concentration in the body.
If Serotonin stays for a longer time in the cells and tissues of the brain, it produces happy feeling and relieve anxiety. There are certain medications and drugs which can act as Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. These medicines stop reuptake of the Serotonin. But there are many serious side effects of using these medicines for the treatment of OCD such as,
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Stomach Upset
- Muscle and joints pain and inflammation
- Nausea
- Anemia
CBD helps in the treatment of OCD with these medicines by countering the above-given side effects. CBD being completely non-psychoactive reduces the side effects of medicine by mimicking the body's natural process. CBD is completely non-toxic, that is why there are zero chances of its overdosing.
Different ways of taking CBD for OCD treatment
CBD is available in different ways and conditions in the market making its application simple. Following are some popular ways of taking CBD for the treatment of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
- CBD Oil Drops:
CBD Oil is a pure extract of cannabis (hemp) plant. Taking CBD in the form of Oil is a very much easy process. You just have to place 3-4 drops on your tongue and it will automatically dissolve and produce effects. CBD Oil is free of any kind of contamination and that is why it requires less time to react.
- CBD Capsules:
CBD also available in capsule form. This way of taking CBD is best for those people who don't want to taste it. It is the best way for stress-free-ingestion. Due to capsule covering around CBD in capsule, it requires more time to react than CBD Oil.
- CBD Vaping:
CBD vaping is a process of taking CBD in the form of vapors. CBD vapors quickly enter in bloodstream and brain, for this reason, it requires far less time of reaction than CBD Oil. CBD vaping method is vulnerable to contamination because vapors pass through air before entering the human body.
Conclusion:
CBD helps in the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder by interacting with Serotonin and regulating the secretion of Anandamide. By regulating both these chemicals, CBD relieves anxiety and produced a happy feeling. This mechanism is very helpful in the treatment of OCD. There are different ways of taking CBD for the treatment of OCD such as CBD Oil, Capsule, and CBD vaping. According to our observation, CBD Oil is the best method of taking CBD for the treatment of OCD because there is not vulnerability to contamination in this method. It requires less reaction time also.
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