Does CBD oil help you with your depression and/or anxiety?

Posted by lalyfa @lalyfa, Feb 24, 2018

I am curious to know if anyone has had success with CBD or Hemp oil helping with depression/anxiety? I’ve been reading a lot about it and am curious.
I've been reading about this and am very interested but would like thoughts/opinions from anyone who has actually tried it or knows someone who has. TIA

Thank you,
Laura

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

@nodepression - I take 150 mgs of wellbutrin. I also take zoloft, but ti's not enough alone. My life is improving too so I'm keeping options open if it stays this way. No matter what we should all expect and occasional rotten day here and there, and although it may feel it, It's not the end of the world. Think back on how many we've been through already!

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@gingerw

@nodepression Welcome to Connect! Every person is different and how well CBD works, or doesn't, varies widely. Very happy to hear you found a dose that works for you, and are cognizant that you can taper off after a while.
Ginger

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Hi Ginger, yes, it absolutely works for me...the strangest thing for me though is not only the emotional stability it provides but more so the clarity of thought (or maybe that is just because of the emotional stability - who knows) but the overwhelming sense of loss and free fall into another depressive episode were of course accompanied by devastating thoughts, thoughts that life is over, no future, all that was built is lost again after finally getting well, where is the next bridge and so on...within hours those got replaced by totally constructive thoughts: yes, this suck but you can deal with it, so what went wrong and where is your responsibility, there is nothing you can do to force a change in the situation but you can improve, you will be alright in the future, let's start by doing this right now...its just weird how that happened (perhaps my ADHD that I started to question I even have at the end?)...listen, I still get very sad and cry at times but at no point do I have the feeling that I am losing the ground under my feet...just the opposite, I deliberately let the emotion happen and can the just carefully return to normal...its not that I am ignoring the event or that I let it destroy me, I am actually fully participating in it and doing so in a controlled and calm manner...

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@merpreb

@nodepression - I take 150 mgs of wellbutrin. I also take zoloft, but ti's not enough alone. My life is improving too so I'm keeping options open if it stays this way. No matter what we should all expect and occasional rotten day here and there, and although it may feel it, It's not the end of the world. Think back on how many we've been through already!

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Hi Merry, this is so great to hear...life can be so wonderful even though (like in my case 2 weeks ago) it can throw hell at you again...I am so careful not to push the CBD thing too far for other people because under no circumstances do I want to be misunderstood as making a suggestion and something goes wrong (I know how dangerous it is to take treatment recommendations from people with different experiences)...but I am telling you that for me this thing is close to a miracle cure (as in my reply to Ginger a minute ago - awesome)

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We really indeed need to be careful!

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@nodepression

Hi Ginger, yes, it absolutely works for me...the strangest thing for me though is not only the emotional stability it provides but more so the clarity of thought (or maybe that is just because of the emotional stability - who knows) but the overwhelming sense of loss and free fall into another depressive episode were of course accompanied by devastating thoughts, thoughts that life is over, no future, all that was built is lost again after finally getting well, where is the next bridge and so on...within hours those got replaced by totally constructive thoughts: yes, this suck but you can deal with it, so what went wrong and where is your responsibility, there is nothing you can do to force a change in the situation but you can improve, you will be alright in the future, let's start by doing this right now...its just weird how that happened (perhaps my ADHD that I started to question I even have at the end?)...listen, I still get very sad and cry at times but at no point do I have the feeling that I am losing the ground under my feet...just the opposite, I deliberately let the emotion happen and can the just carefully return to normal...its not that I am ignoring the event or that I let it destroy me, I am actually fully participating in it and doing so in a controlled and calm manner...

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Hi, @nodepression. I wanted to add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect and mention that depending on where you decide things are at with you and an ADHD diagnosis, you may be interested in checking out this thread called "ADHD." https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/adhd

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@merpreb

@nodepression - I take 150 mgs of wellbutrin. I also take zoloft, but ti's not enough alone. My life is improving too so I'm keeping options open if it stays this way. No matter what we should all expect and occasional rotten day here and there, and although it may feel it, It's not the end of the world. Think back on how many we've been through already!

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@merpreb Do you experience weight gain with these medications?

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@parus

@merpreb Do you experience weight gain with these medications?

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Regarding weight gain, My son experienced wt gain with Risperidal, and perhaps some of the other psych meds. Hard to determine since he was taking so much poly pharmacy

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@stephanieann

Regarding weight gain, My son experienced wt gain with Risperidal, and perhaps some of the other psych meds. Hard to determine since he was taking so much poly pharmacy

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Regarding weaning off psychiatric medications and using CBD as a substitute. Please remember that everyone's body chemistry is different and also physical and mental situation. My son who has autism has so far been successful getting off guanfacine and clonazepam and is doing better with less anxiety with the CBD. l am concerned that as I lower the psychiatric medications , will increasing the CBD be enough to counter his anxiety which can lead to behaviors and more irritability?? . My advice - consult with your MD (Keeping in mind that many MD;s are not at all familiar with CBD and therefore may be very negative in recommending it). I saw a nurse practitioner who was familiar with making recommendations on this. To find a reputable CBD company, I went to a reputable marijuana dispensary and consulted with them. To find a reputable dispensary I searched on internet and also word of mouth. Generally speaking most MD;s won't know which CBD brand and dosing to recommend unless they are experienced with it. California recently approved recreational use and we are seeing a multitude of companies making all types of products, can be very confusing. It is important to find a brand that has a good lab and consistency but marijuana is a plant and so I suppose it might be harder to assure consistency in comparison to a pharmaceutical that is artificially made. I feel like it is the wild west but eventually CBD will be researched further and become mainstream INMHO. Meanwhile, I am having success with my son regarding reduced irriitibility and anxiety which has resulted in less problematic behaviors and I believe he is happier as well.

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@parus

@merpreb Do you experience weight gain with these medications?

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Actually I fight weight gain. I think that if I ate as much as I want it would be all the time. loll. But I don't think so Parus

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@stephanieann

Regarding weaning off psychiatric medications and using CBD as a substitute. Please remember that everyone's body chemistry is different and also physical and mental situation. My son who has autism has so far been successful getting off guanfacine and clonazepam and is doing better with less anxiety with the CBD. l am concerned that as I lower the psychiatric medications , will increasing the CBD be enough to counter his anxiety which can lead to behaviors and more irritability?? . My advice - consult with your MD (Keeping in mind that many MD;s are not at all familiar with CBD and therefore may be very negative in recommending it). I saw a nurse practitioner who was familiar with making recommendations on this. To find a reputable CBD company, I went to a reputable marijuana dispensary and consulted with them. To find a reputable dispensary I searched on internet and also word of mouth. Generally speaking most MD;s won't know which CBD brand and dosing to recommend unless they are experienced with it. California recently approved recreational use and we are seeing a multitude of companies making all types of products, can be very confusing. It is important to find a brand that has a good lab and consistency but marijuana is a plant and so I suppose it might be harder to assure consistency in comparison to a pharmaceutical that is artificially made. I feel like it is the wild west but eventually CBD will be researched further and become mainstream INMHO. Meanwhile, I am having success with my son regarding reduced irriitibility and anxiety which has resulted in less problematic behaviors and I believe he is happier as well.

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I totally agree with you @stepanieann, Anyone who takes mind-altering drugs need to consider so many things, even age, weight, other meds, and any and all other conditions. BTW this is a very short list. I found my dispensary by googling compassion centers in my state. That's what they are are called here. The people who work there are all well trained. But before you look make sure that your doctor ok's them. On-line stores and pop-up businesses will sell you their oldest child if it makes money. I would exhaust your home centers before going on line. Please be very careful.

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