Are you or someone you know an addict? If so, you shouldn’t be surprised. About 21 million Americans struggle with some
form of addiction, whether it be alcohol or shopping. Addiction is extremely prevalent in our
society, and yet it’s extremely misunderstood.
Even worse, it remains stigmatized, making it that much harder for
addicts to get the help that they deserve.
Because of the stigmatized nature of addiction, many
people feel ashamed to look for treatment in order to recover. However, the reality is that there is more
access to and a wider variety of treatment now than ever before. This means that addicts have real hope if
they choose to decide to get help.
And, amazingly, new studies show that hemp may be able
to aid in the treatment process. That’s
right – CBD, that little compound natural to the hemp plant, may be able to
make one’s treatment goals more achievable.
CBD’s potential ability to aid in recovery from addiction has to do with
the way in which this compound works with the body’s endocannabinoid system,
which we will be getting into later.
Before we discuss the unique relationship between CBD
and addiction, let’s discuss addiction as a clinical condition so that we may better
understand it, and thus treat it accordingly.
The Basics of Addiction
Addiction has been around since the beginning of human
existence, but only recently has it been considered a clinical condition and a
disease rather than a shameful inability to control one’s self. We now know that certain parts of an addict’s
brain are organized in a unique way that increases their chances of becoming
addicted to something.
Now, addiction is a pretty broad term. To be a true addict, you must be dependent on
something that activates your brain’s reward center. And, you must be so dependent on it that you
are unable to control your impulses and unwilling to consider the long-term
consequences of your actions. For
instance, a drug addict knows that their drug use is harmful, but they cannot
stop themselves from consuming the drug, even when they’ve lost their jobs and
their relationships in the process.
All of us have vices, whether they be buying clothes,
having a drink after work or smoking cigarettes. However, not all vices are addictions. When a person becomes an addict, they need
legitimate clinical help.
Also, addictions can affect us both physically and
mentally. For instance, gambling is
considered a mental addiction as our body does not crave the act of betting
money. However, heavy drugs like heroin
are mental addictions as well as physical.
The body gets used to the presence of heroin in the body, and so it
craves it physically. This is why a
person withdrawing from heroin will have many physical symptoms as their body
adjusts to not having the drug in its system.
How a Person May Become an Addict
Like we said earlier, it’s possible that people are
genetically predisposed to becoming addicts.
Some researchers believe that a person is more likely to become an
addict if their parent was an addict, because addiction may lie in the genetic
makeup of a human being. However, there
are other ways in which a person can develop an addiction as well.
For instance, if they utilize a physically addictive
substance habitually, it can be a matter of time before their body is dependent
on that substance. Opioids are a great
example. A patient may be prescribed an
opioid for a pain condition. After
taking the opioid regularly, they may become addicted because the drug causes
physical dependency.
Also, addiction statistics show that people with
mental health disorders are more likely to become addicts. For example, a person with depression may
turn to alcohol because when they are drunk, they don’t feel their depression
symptoms as intensely. This is why
someone who is an addict is urged to seek psychotherapy as well, in order to
work through the underlying factors that may have led to their addictive
behavior.
The Effects and Consequences of Addiction
Addiction can be devastating to a person’s life, as
well as the lives around them. For
instance, a gambling addict may end up losing all of their savings, leaving
both them and their family without any money.
And, an alcoholic may destroy their physical health while losing the
relationships that they have because of the inappropriate behavior that they
display when they are intoxicated.
How Addiction Can Be Diagnosed
There is no clear diagnostic method for addiction in
the physical sense. In other words,
addiction will not show up on a person’s blood test. However, a psychotherapist can determine
whether or not a person is an addict by asking a series of questions and
observing a patient’s behavior. It’s
worth noting that many addicts are in denial of the fact that they have an
addiction, because they hold on to the belief that they are still in control of
their lives.
Ways in Which Addiction Can Be Treated
There are many different methods for treating
addiction, and often, an addict will rely on several different treatments that
are utilized together in order to improve their chances of recovery.
Withdrawal and Cessation
Of course, in order for a person to recover from being
an addict, the first thing that they must do is withdraw completely from that
which they are addicted to. It’s rare
that an addict can resume their previous addictive behavior on a smaller
scale. For instance, alcoholics are
advised to refrain from alcohol completely, as it’s very likely that one small
drink will eventually reignite the addiction.
Outpatient Services
Outpatient services are available to addicts in the
form of treatment centers. These
treatment centers offer a wide array of services such as individual therapy,
group therapy and hypnosis.
Inpatient Services
Inpatient services allow an addict to stay for a long
period of time at a treatment facility where they have access to a wide array
of therapies.
Programs
Programs such as twelve-step programs are typically
for patients who have surpassed the withdrawal period. These programs allow former addicts to meet
together and motivate each other to live addiction-free lives.
Psychotherapy
Many addicts need to undergo psychotherapy to
determine any underlying factors that have contributed to the addictive
behavior.
CBD: A Possible Treatment for Addiction?
We now know that CBD may be able to aid in the
addiction recovery process. CBD works
with the body’s endocannabinoid system that regulates every important bodily
function, including dopamine production.
Dopamine is the neurochemical that is released when an addict engages in
their addictive behavior, producing a feeling of pleasure and excitement. CBD may be able to help the endocannabinoid
system bring dopamine back to a healthy level so that the drive to engage in
addictive behavior diminishes.
CBD may also be able to reduce anxiety, depression and
stress because of its potential effects on the neurotransmitters. This means that if a person is an addict due
to an underlying mental health condition, CBD may help. In fact, a recent
study found that CBD may be an effective treatment for addiction
due to these factors.
How to Go About Using CBD as Part of Your
Addiction Treatment
Doing it properly and accordingly is very important.
Don’t Stop Your Other Methods
If you’re already receiving treatment for addiction,
don’t stop what you’re doing because you started taking CBD. Instead, see CBD as a supplemental therapy
alongside more conventional methods.
Find the Right CBD Product for You
Feel free to experiment with different CBD products
before choosing the right one for you.
Use it Habitually
It’s believed that CBD is most effective when taken
daily. This is because the
endocannabinoid system may need to accumulate CBD before it begins using it to
regulate the many bodily processes.
Let Your Doctor Know
Lastly, always tell your doctor before using a new
treatment for addiction.
Addiction Can Be a Crippling Condition,
But It Doesn’t Have to Last Forever
Today, more and more treatments are available for
those who are looking to overcome addiction.
And, we now know that CBD may be able to help the recovery process be
smoother than we ever thought possible.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, consider
getting help, and also consider giving CBD a try. You never know if this compound may be able
to help you recover once and for all.
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