Mental illness, unfortunately, comes with a stigma attached to it and it can be difficult to treat.
Due to the stigma, many people forgo being treated and because of the difficulty sufferers often have to go through a multitude of therapies in order to find something that works. The drugs available take weeks or months to even start to see any relief. Additionally, many anti-depressants can be dangerous, have numerous side effects, and are addictive.
On top of all of that, 1 in 3 people will find no relief from pharmaceutical anti-depressants at all.
Enter alternative medicine.
With the rise of medical marijuana, many who suffer from mental illness are finding relief from their depression symptoms by using cannabis or CBD oil.
CBD has shown promise at treating seizures, and now a new study on modified mice has shown effectiveness at treating depression. The mice were injected with CBD and within half an hour showed signs of relief from their affliction. The mice were engineered to show hyperactivity, a common anxiety and depression symptom.
“Our findings indicate that CBD could represent a novel fast antidepressant drug, via enhancing both serotonergic and glutamate cortical signaling through a 5-HT1A receptor-dependent mechanism,” researchers wrote.
Until more studies confirm these finding and Congress lightens up regulations, CBD oil won’t be considered a viable treatment for depression. But no doubt is an exciting start!