How Can You Use CBD To Treat Schizophrenia?

CBD oil users take it to treat a range of symptoms, and as a person with schizophrenia, you might be curious to know if CBD for schizophrenia can work. CBD oil is fast flourishing, and it occurs in many forms like oils, capsules, and edibles like gummies. 

Schizophrenia is a long-term mental disorder that does not have a known cure, but the patients use pharmaceutical medicine to regulate it. This article will focus more on what schizophrenia is, the symptoms, and how they relate to CBD. 

Let's dive straight into it.

CBD and Schizophrenia 

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a disorder that affects a person's brain responsible for thought, emotion, and behavior. The condition leads to a false perception of things, and the patient will display symptoms like inappropriate actions and feelings and withdrawal.

Those with schizophrenia also suffer from fantasy and delusion. Scientists don't know the cause of this disorder yet. However, the researchers believe that some of the possible significant causes are genetics, environment, and altered brain chemistry. 

A stressful and emotional life can also lead to the condition. The other symptoms of schizophrenia are delusions, hallucination, disorganized behavior, and speech. However, the symptoms are not familiar to all patients.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol CBD comes from the cannabis plant, and it contains 0.3 percent of THC. THC is the compound in cannabis that makes people high. However, in low amounts like this, THC will not cause hyperactivity. 

CBD has many health benefits to the body. Patients with chronic pain, anxiety and depression, epilepsy, and sleep troubles use this compound to relieve symptoms. The product also treats seizures and stress disorders. 

Cannabidiol occurs in many forms like oils and tinctures, capsules, beverages like coffee and tea, and edibles like gummies. There is no exact dosage for CBD because the compound reacts differently with different people. 

CBD Oil and Schizophrenia

Some studies show that CBD oil for schizophrenia can work. However, the patient must take the most concentrated form of CBD, which can be dangerous because there is the possibility of overdosing. Here is how the compound works for schizophrenia symptoms. 

THC, the compound responsible for making people high in cannabis, can cause mental health issues for some long-term users. This effect falls mainly on people who started using THC products when young. 

One of CBD's roles in the body is to oppose the effects of THC in the brain, hence helping to treat some symptoms of serious mental health issues. CBD also has similar properties to antipsychotic drugs, which is further evidence of its potential to mitigate symptoms. 

Excess production of certain neurotransmitters in the brain like noradrenaline and dopamine increases the chances of causing serious mental health issues. Antipsychotic drugs reduce the production of these neurotransmitters in the brain.

For example, this drug binds to dopamine receptors to reduce dopamine production, alleviating symptoms of mental health issues. CBD can also normalize the changes in the brain parts that can lead to the development of psychosis.

However, since the research to find out if CBD cures schizophrenia is still ongoing, those with schizophrenia are advised against taking the compound independently. 

It is also risky for the patients to take CBD products on their own because some of these products don't go through third-party lab testing, making it challenging to know the exact compounds in the CBD product. 

The benefits of CBD products favor patients with positive symptoms only. These symptoms are hallucinations and delusions. Patients who experience adverse symptoms might not get much help from CBD. 

Those with schizophrenia should continue with their antipsychotic drugs alongside CBD. This is because CBD only acts as an adjunct treatment.

Be Aware Of CBD Products You Buy

As a schizophrenia patient who wants to use CBD to cure the condition's symptoms, you should know that THC is out of bounds for you. It is not even safe to take anything containing THC if schizophrenia runs in your family. 

Different CBD brands add various THC levels to their products, so you need to know what you buy. You can choose the CBD products from the three categories: Full-spectrum CBD, Broad-spectrum CBD, and isolates. 

• Full-spectrum CBD

Full-spectrum CBD has all the compounds available in the cannabis plant. This includes all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. The compound also contains 0.3 percent of THC. Although the amounts of THC are less, this product is still not safe.

• Broad-spectrum CBD

This type of CBD contains most of the compounds and cannabinoids from the cannabis plant like cannabinol, terpenes but no traces of THC. Some CBD oil brands might have traces of THC in them, but the type of CBD can work well with schizophrenia symptoms. 

• Isolate

CBD isolate is very pure. The products contain only CBD, without any traces of THC. However, due to the fast-growing market of CBD, some brands label their CBD oil as isolate, yet it has traces of THC. 

How to Know the Best Products to Use

The only way you can know if the CBD product is safe is by doing your research on how the CBD company grows, tests, processes, and packages its CBD products. 

Also, pure and broad-spectrum CBD products manufactured by companies that deal with THC can be contaminated during packaging or transportation. Ensure the products you buy are from a reputable brand. 

CBD products should have a certificate of analysis to show a third-party lab test. Check the label to identify what compounds are in the product. 

Side Effects of CBD

As CBD cures your symptoms, you will suffer some side effects. Most people complain of dry mouth, dizziness, irritability, diarrhea, a change in appetite, and nausea. These side effects are different with different people.

Final Thoughts

The symptoms of schizophrenia can be devastating. The causes of the condition are genetics and alteration of brain chemistry. While CBD oil is known to alleviate symptoms pertaining to many mental health issues, studies about how CBD and schizophrenia relate are still ongoing. To check out Canada’s best source for CBD products online, click here.