Will CBD Oil Help With Your ADHD?
Though you’re taking your prescribed medications for ADHD and you feel pretty good most days, you’ve been wondering if there’s something more you can do.
As you search online you keep finding people praising cannabidiol (CBD) oil as helpful for their ADHD. You wonder, could there be something to this stuff?
And just what is it, anyway? How does it work?
CBD, Explained
CBD is derived from the marijuana (cannabis) plant, but the compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compound that makes you high has been removed. It doesn’t make you feel stoned because CBD and THC act in different ways on different receptors in the brain and body, making CBD very useful as a therapeutic treatment without risk of intoxication.
The cannabis plant itself has been used for thousands of years as medicine, and we’re just now starting to understand that it supports a range of physiological processes that affect things like your mood, energy level, and how you experience stress. You see why CBD oil holds promise for treatment of ADHD.
Scant Evidence That CBD Oil Helps With ADHD
CBD anecdotally has been said to reduce anxiety, which you know comes along so often with ADHD. You may be delighted to find something that lessens your anxiety.
There are few studies so far on whether CBD oil manages such symptoms as impulsivity and hyperactivity. The studies are small and the results inconclusive but hold a glimmer of promise. For example, researchers in Germany examined 30 people with ADD, all of whom said they experienced better sleep, better concentration, and reduced impulsivity while using the cannabis products.
Although the German research is an eye opener, even the drug’s biggest advocates, including members of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), concede there’s no research that supports the use of CBD for ADHD.
Yet, even with vary little evidence based data on the benefits of CBD oil The cannabis industry predicts the market to be over 3 billion in the next few years with the government quickly reacting to definitions, cannabis sources, and concentration levels deemed acceptable for medications.
You’d think all that potential profit would have led to more studies; but, obtaining federal funding to study a federally illegal drug is nearly impossible. And of course, illegal drug therapy is a political hot button, along with public perception that cannabis is a gateway drug to more hardcore ones. As laws and policies change with more regulation, I expect research to happen on a large scale across many sectors.
The Unknown
When word started going around that CBD might be beneficial for ADD, people with ADHD began to self-medicate. You may be one of them, or may be considering it for you or someone you care about. If so, I want you to be aware that because there is almost no regulatory control of CBD products you can’t really be confident of the quality of the product you buy.
As well, the risks of long-term effects are unknown. Vulnerable groups such as children are particularly at risk.
CBD’s interaction with other medications is also unknown and potentially harmful, particularly when you don’t have any way of knowing all of the ingredients in your oil. Even CBD oil labeled as pure may also contain other ingredients such as pesticides, additives, herbs, and THC.
More Research Needed on How CBD Really Works
While research shows that CBD oil positively affects some physiological processes, we don’t really know how it really works in the brain, and especially over many years.
None of this will stop some people from self-medicating with CBD or trying it on their children. Although CBD oil seems promising, please use caution.
Assess the potential risks versus the benefits for treating your ADHD. If you’re seriously considering trying CBD oil, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Make sure you’re clear on what it is and what benefit you’d like to get from taking it.
It is yet to be a clear cut journey for someone pursuing an alternative treatment for ADHD, but expect to hear a lot more about it’s safety and health benefits in the near future with so much potential for making a large impact on our economy.
Raz Coaching specializes in helping people with executive function challenges associated with ADHD, PTSD, Stress, TBI’s and ASD find careers they will love and land them. Read more at www.razcoaching.com/about Or sign up for the weekly blog or purchase my new book Happiness+Passion+Purpose.
