Which is Better? CBD vs. Antidepressants
Depression is one of the leading causes of suicide worldwide. In the United States alone, 22% of adults nearly 50 million people are diagnosed with depression.
Luckily there are many options for help, both natural and synthetic at our disposal to help us get through those tough moments.
Both CBD oil and antidepressants have shown positive effects on easing the symptoms of depression.
What are the pros and cons of each remedy? Today, we will break it down for you and show you why we prefer CBD over antidepressants.
Natural vs Synthetic
CBD and antidepressants may work similarly, but the similarities stop there.
What is CBD?
CBD (Cannabidiol) is a natural compound found in nature. It can be derived from hemp or marijuana (cannabis). Unlike THC (another famous natural compound), CBD does not have the psychoactive effect.
CBD has been linked to many health benefits including:
- Relieving pain
- Helping reduce anxiety and depression
- Protecting the nervous system
- Lowering blood pressure
These are just some of the amazing benefits CBD has to offer.
What is Antidepressant?
Antidepressants are synthetic medications that were first developed in the 1950s to help relieve some of the symptoms associated with depression. The idea behind them is to help correct the imbalances of brain chemicals. The problem with the antidepressants is that they come with some pretty serious side effects such as:
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Withdrawal symptoms
The World Health Organization has stated that CBD is generally well-tolerated and that there is no evidence of health-related problems that can be attributed to the use of CBD.
What are the different types of antidepressants?
There are many types of antidepressants. Each one works differently. Providers usually prescribe newer antidepressants first because they don’t cause as many side effects as older types. They also seem to help more kinds of depression and anxiety problems.
Most of the newer antidepressants belong to one of these three groups:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
- Atypical antidepressants, which are newer antidepressants that don’t fit into the other groups
The Facts
Both CBD and antidepressants have been known to be effective when it comes to relieving the symptoms associated with depression. The difference comes in the way they work.
A study that was done on mice in 2019 concluded that CBD oil has antidepressant-like effects and works much faster than antidepressants. The promising new data determines that CBD has therapeutic uses, and in some ways may be superior to taking antidepressants.
Another study was conducted to show the link between CBD and generalised social anxiety disorder or SAD. Social anxiety disorder is a disorder in which individuals have an intense fear of social situations. The study shows that the subjects who were given CBD before a simulated public speaking test had significantly less anxiety than the placebo group.
Anxiety and depression have both been linked to low serotonin levels. This is why there is a strong correlation between CBD helping both anxiety and depression.
There have also been various studies done to show the effectiveness of antidepressants. The studies concluded that people with moderate to severe depression have about a 20% chance of relieving symptoms from taking antidepressants.
CBD and Antidepressants: What to Choose
With the information given on the differences between CBD and antidepressants, it is clear why we prefer CBD. CBD has become more popular than ever as an alternative treatment for relieving symptoms associated with various health conditions like depression with minimal side effects.
CBD is known for helping us stay calm and relaxed by working with our Endocannabinoid System (EOS). Make sure you choose premium quality CBD products for yourself and experience some of the amazing benefits associated with it.
Check out our best selling CBD products for depression.
