According to WHO (The World Health Organisation), 3.8% of all global population suffers from some form of depression. This is a staggering number of people when you consider today's global population numbers of 7.9 billion. This includes 5% of all adults and 5.7% among adults over the age of 60 years old. In total, 280 million people in the world suffer from depression.
So What is Depression?
Depression is not the same thing as the usual mood changes and short-lived emotional responses to general challenges we experience daily. Constant occurrences and severe intensity of these can lead to serious health conditions and even suicide. Over 700,000 people die from this annually, and this is the fourth leading cause of death in the age groups amongst 15-29- year olds.
Symptoms of Depression
There are a number of symptoms and patterns that can help you identify a depressive episode. During such an episode, the person affected experiences a feeling of sadness, unfulfillment and emptiness, irritable and a complete loss of pleasure or interest in the activities they used to love. When such signs occur for more than two weeks, it is clear that a level of depression exists. Other signs may also include feeling constant guilt, hopelessness, thoughts of committing suicide, insomnia and feeling a constant lack of energy and exhaustion.
Patterns of Depression
There are a number of patterns to look out for including:
- Single Episode Event - This generally occurs once and last for a day
- Reoccurring Episodes - This type of episode is historic and keeps on reoccurring over and over.
- Bipolar Disorder - This is the extreme of both sides, meaning the individual may experience episodes of manic symptoms such as irritability, increased energy levels, racing thoughts, increased-self esteem or feeling quite the opposite including feeling the need to sleep less or impulsive and reckless behaviours.
Depression may result from a number of interactions of biological factors, psychological or social. Generally speaking, people who have gone through adverse or stressful life events such as looking for their jobs or traumatic events such as losing a family member are more likely to develop a level of depression.
Diagnosis and Treatment for Depression
Today, there are a number of treatments to help prevent depression, but depending on the severity of such and the pattern of occurrences over a period of time, healthcare professionals are able to offer a number of treatment options including:
- Behavioural Activation
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy
- Antidepressant Medication such as selective SSRI and TCA
When health-care professionals offer such treatments, they must be highly alert to the possibilities of the adverse effects associated with antidepressants medication including dependency and addiction. This option should not be considered as the first line of treatment, especially for light or mild depression.
Can CBD help with Depression?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of over 180 active compounds found within the Cannabis plant, known for supporting the body and mind. THC otherwise known as Tetrahydrocannabinol is another active compound and the most well-known, because of its psychoactive properties.
If you are exploring the possibilities of consuming CBD for general wellness or therapeutic purposes, it is highly important to understand that the research in this field is quite limited. However, many people around the world are currently using CBD as an alternative to traditional medications to treat a number of health conditions including pain, anxiety, stress, insomnia and even cancer. CBD and THC, the most popular cannabinoids naturally found in the hemp plant, may be very useful with other health conditions including depression and tremors.
What Does Research Say About CBD and Treatment of Depression?
Experts and healthcare professionals believe that CBD has the potential to aid those who suffer from this health condition. According to a study published in the Medical Express, studies show that medical cannabis products can help with depression and improve your quality of life.
In the research above, a team of medical professionals and researchers found evidence that medical cannabis products are able to relieve depression and improve the patient's quality of life. Their paper was published in the Frontiers in Psychiatry, the group describes a study involving online studies and surveys of the benefits of cannabis products. This study also showed that many people who took part in the survey began consuming CBD products to help them with their depression, anxiety, chronic pain and insomnia.
This research was carried out for a period of four years and over 368 people took part. In addition to these, an additional 170 people responded by confirming that they were not currently using CBD products to deal with their existing health conditions, but were considering doing so due to their problems with anxiety and stress.
Additionally, the study showed that people who were consuming CBD and cannabis products mostly those containing CBD reported lower levels of depression and enhanced quality of life and better sleep.
Whilst CBD may be able to offer some enhancing health benefits over antidepressant medications, it shouldn't be a replacement. At Oxocan we advise not to stop taking prescribed medication, especially antidepressants, without consulting with your GP or healthcare professional.
Stopping or pausing prescribed medication can cause serious side effects. If you are considering stopping the prescribed medication, work with your healthcare provider to come up with a plan for gradually decreasing your dosage and introducing CBD as an alternative.
Where to Buy High-Quality CBD Products
At Oxocan we offer our consumers a range of premium British CBD products that we believe will enhance their overall well-being. These are truly loved by our consumers. Don't believe us? Read Our Trustpilot Reviews. All of our products are made in the UK, are 100% natural, are GMO-free, cruelty-free and ethically made and sourced.