CBD Oil For Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes drastic periodic mood changes, which go from depression to euphoria. Due to its complex conditions, bipolar disorder often goes misdiagnosed or undiagnosed at all. When detected, its treatment requires a combination of support programs, counselling, medications, such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants or anti-psychotic and it’s a bit overwhelming. So is there a possibility that cannabis, or its active ingredient CBD, may have some potential benefits in order to manage some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder? Read on and find out.

What is CBD? How does it affect my mood?

CBD (cannabidiol) is a compound that comes from the Cannabis sativa plant, which is also known as marijuana. CBD is not psychoactive, unlike THC. CBD oil is made of cannabinoids. It is proved that cannabinoids are also formed in the human brain and there are special receptors, which are located throughout the body that are influenced by these cannabinoids. So when you get cannabinoids from outside, they naturally fit into those receptors.  As we know, CBD influences the receptors, which regulate emotions, mood, increasing the feeling of relaxation. CBD has been shown to boost serotonin levels through mechanism, which is quite similar to antidepressants. Moreover, CBD improves the health of hippocampus that is responsible for the emotions. Some researches suggest that CBD is shown to have value as low-risk antidepressant, so from that we understand its popularity. CBD has less harmful side effects compared to antidepressants, so some people choose it instead of the medication. But, of course, it depends on the situation. In some cases prescription medications need to be taken and should not be replaced.

Is CBD good for bipolar?

Many people say that CBD oil has amazing benefits, but research is still in its infancy. However, it appears from some of the current studies on CBD that it may generate similar response in the body as some of the medications required for treatment of the bipolar condition. There are many different testimonies from people, who share their experience with CBD, while struggling with bipolar disorder all over the internet. From some of the testimonies I’ve seen, CBD helped people by reliving some symptoms, reducing side effects of the actual disorder medications.

I also recommend you to keep in mind that CBD can interact with some medications, so please discuss this with your doctor, because you might be taking some type of medications, which may cause harmful effects if they interact with CBD. It is good to know that bipolar disorder has several episodes of emotions: manic, hypomanic or depressive. Hypomanic episodes can end up with hospitalization, as during this episode person feels euphoria, can’t sleep and may engage in dangerous activities. There is no evidence that CBD will help to slow down during this manic episode. The difference between hypomanic and manic episode is that hypomanic episode is less severe. And depressive episode is characterized with lack of interest in doing any activities, feeling of hopelessness – the same conditions that people experience during depression.

CBD has shown to be a very good treatment during depressive episode, but in cases of manic and hypomanic it is not recommended, as it may make a person more vulnerable, which can cause certain consequences.

CBD and bipolar medicines: Can you take CBD oil with lithium?

There is no actual evidence that CBD oil has any negative effects when it’s taken with lithium. Although, CBD oil may slow the processing of some medications, lithium is not one of them. CBD oil and lithium both are used to treat bipolar disorder. There are many testimonies online from people struggling with bipolar disorder proving that people are actively using this combination of  CBD and lithium for their bipolar disorder treatment and most of the people’s thoughts are positive on this usage, as they believe it definitely works for them. There are no side effects that appear from their interaction, but still you should keep in mind possible side effects of CBD oil and lithium separately. Before starting to take CBD oil with lithium I recommend you to consult about this decision with your doctor to be sure that will work for you. Also, remember that there are some prescription medications, which are not good to take with CBD, so a proper consultation with medical professional is a must.

Studies on CBD and bipolar disorder

As I mentioned above, the research on CBD is still in its early days. However here are some studies I’ve found.

Researchers Ashton C.H., Moore P.B., Gallagher P., Young A.H. in “ Cannabinoids in bipolar affective disorder: a review and discussion of their therapeutic potential ” analysed literature reviews of cannabis use by the patients struggling with bipolar disorder, summarised them and found some tendencies.

Nathalie Bally, Daniele Zullino Jean-Michel Aubry also did some research on cannabis use and first manic episode , which is common in bipolar disorder. From the research, we see that the lifetime use of cannabis by patients, who suffer from bipolar disorder appears to be around 70% and 30% of the patients show cannabis abuse or addiction.

The third piece I found interesting is by Susan A. Stoner called “ Effects of Marijuana on Mental Health: Bipolar Disorder ” , where, after analyzing behavior of patients with bipolar disorder, Stoner concluded that marijuana and cannabis use disorders are more prevalent among those with BD or other mental illness rather than the general population. Of course, the studies on CBD are in progress and with the development of the medicine, we get more and more researches done on benefits of CBD.

Does CBD have side effects?

CBD has some side effects, which include nausea, diarrhoea, irritability and fatigue. It can also increase the level of blood thinner Coumadin in your blood. But generally CBD is considered safe and not harmful for health, but still may cause different reactions in some of the people. CBD can interact with some prescription medication, so you should definitely discuss taking CBD with your doctor to be sure you are safe to do this and that won’t affect your condition.

CBD Oil

The best CBD oils for bipolar

CBD oil is the most commonly used form of cannabis. It is plant-based and natural extract, which is made of phytochemicals also known as cannabinoids. Looking for the best oils to try for bipolar disorder? Here is the list of some of the best oils on the market right now, so definitely check them out.

  1. Kanibi – made of hemp organically grown in Kentucky. 2 flavours available: lemon and mint chocolate.
  2. Charlotte’s Web CBD oil – available in 2 different flavours: mint chocolate and olive oil
  3. Lazarus Naturals CBD tincture – includes hempseed oil, coconut oil and hemp extract.
  4. Endoca – extracted from hemp at Endoca. GMP certified.
  5. Elixinol – high quality brand with CBD products made of organic hemp.

CBD oils are the most convenient to use, as they already have a certain dosage, meaning that there are different concentrations available, depends on what you need. Moreover, these oils are very easy to use, as they have a good package.

Final verdict: Is CBD oil good for bipolar?

From all that was being said above, I can conclude that CBD oil is very popular among those, who suffer from bipolar disorder. Of course, CBD oil is not a separate treatment from the disorder and can not help you itself with this mental illness. CBD is not a cure or medication, it is rather a dietary supplement, which may slightly influence your emotions. Most of the information on CBD is based on animal studies, testimonies and some research, but still it is very limited to make any accurate conclusion of the benefits of the CBD oil. It is not proved to be good, neither bad for bipolar people. Many people with bipolar disorder say it helps them to calm down and relax, by reliving pain and unrest. In my opinion, it is better to consult with a doctor for a better safety in this situation and to be more confident in any actions, as bipolar disorder is a very complex mental illness, so any wrong action may cause unpredictable consequences.

Now it’s your turn

Checking out comments section is always important, as you get some reviews and stories from the people who have already done this and when through something. If you have any valuable stories about your journey with CBD and how it affected your treatment, feel free to share them with us in the comments. Or maybe after reading the article you got some questions or concerns, just leave a comment and I will reply and help you out with that. Exchange of information and experience is amazing tool, which can help us avoid some mistakes, that is why platform is great for these purposes. Your opinions and thought are welcomed here!