Schizophrenia is a major and chronic mental disorder in which people lose touch with reality and tend to have psychosis. We all have negative thoughts from time to time, but if we take them to be true and they become beliefs, it would quickly be very frightening.
The reasons why schizophrenia develops are not yet fully understood, but they may be due to genetic or environmental factors. Certain life situations can also trigger schizophrenia in certain cases, such as trauma, stress or drug abuse.
The types of schizophrenia vary, but all have common symptoms:
- Hallucinations such as hearing, seeing, smelling or feeling things that are not there in reality.
- A common hallucination is hearing voices and believing they are real.
- Delusions, that is, beliefs that are not real.
- A common symptom of paranoid schizophrenia is that the person believes that they are being watched or followed.
- Sometimes she may think that she is being harassed.
- Other delusions can consist of believing that someone or something is communicating with her in some way, such as hidden messages in everyday events.
- Some may believe that someone or something else is controlling their behavior.
- Confused thoughts, conversations that are difficult for others to follow or understand.
- Withdrawing from usual activities avoiding people and friends.
- Being awake but unresponsive is a symptom of catatonic schizophrenia. This extreme form of schizophrenia is characterized by a lack of movement or particular movements, such as holding positions for long periods of time, staying in place until someone moves them, not moving everything from adopting strange postures, imitating the movements or speech of others, being agitated or being mute. Catatonic episodes can last for several days or weeks.
The signs of schizophrenia often develop slowly, so the disease may not be noticeable at first. Early signs include withdrawal, disregard for appearance or personal hygiene, reluctance to leave home, or change in sleep patterns.
Some people may experience periods of severe schizophrenic symptoms, followed by quieter periods where there are few or no symptoms, called acute schizophrenia.
Traditional treatment options for schizophrenia
Once the diagnosis of schizophrenia is made, the person will probably need support from psychologists, psychiatrists and especially the accompaniment of friends and family.
A doctor may prescribe antipsychotic drugs to reduce symptoms, but they may take some time to work for hallucinations and delusions. Antipsychotic medications may only need to be taken until the end of an acute episode, or may be needed longer term, depending on the severity of the illness. In more extreme cases, interventions may be necessary, such as forced or voluntary treatment in a residential psychiatric hospital.
A network of mental health staff, friends and family is essential for people with schizophrenia. This makes it possible to monitor the person's condition and to prescribe the right medications on time to prevent the psychotic symptoms from turning into a serious crisis.
CBT therapy can be helpful in helping a person with schizophrenia recognize when their symptoms are getting worse, so that they do not act on their delusions or hallucinations and prevent their behavior from spiraling out of control.
An overall healthy lifestyle helps regulate emotions and can help control schizophrenia. This includes eating a healthy diet, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, and exercising regularly. Supplements can also be helpful in supporting health and wellness naturally, like CBD oil.
CBD oil for schizophrenia
CBD oil is a dietary supplement made from hemp, a variety of cannabis. Hemp has been used for a long time medicinally and does not seem to get high. People generally associate cannabis with recreational drugs, but hemp is a plant that contains only very low levels of THC, the cannabinoid found in high amounts in marijuana. These plants are strains of cannabis but are very different in their composition. Hemp is rich in CBD and beneficial cannabinoids, and is used as a supplement to support the treatment of many physical and mental health issues.
CBD oil is well documented as being beneficial for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, which has sparked additional interest in CBD as a treatment for other mental conditions, such as psychosis.
This study compared the use of CBD oil for schizophrenia with the antipsychotic drug Amisulpride. She concluded that “CBD is as effective as Amisulpride for treat psychotic symptoms and has fewer side effects, including fewer additional pyramidal symptoms and weight gain. This shows that CBD oil may be preferable to some antipsychotic drugs because it is also effective but does not come with unwanted side effects of the drugs.
In another study2, researchers evaluated the safety and effectiveness of CBD oil for schizophrenia. They found that, "compared to the placebo group, the CBD group showed greater improvement in positive psychotic symptoms during treatment ... In addition, at the end of treatment, more patients in the CBD group were rated as" improved ”on the CGI-I scale compared to those in the placebo group (78,6% and 54,6%, respectively). "
This shows that CBD is a valuable cannabinoid in treating symptoms of schizophrenia, as well as helping to reduce the need for antipsychotic medication in some cases.
To get the best results from CBD oil, you need to find the right dosage for each individual. Because people are all different, there is no one dosage that works for everyone. Factors such as height, weight and age should be taken into consideration. Our CBD Oil Calculator makes finding your starting dose quick and easy. Just enter a little information about yourself to get a personalized CBD dosage in minutes!
The more we learn about schizophrenia and CBD, the more the potential of this treatment increases. So far, both scientific research and anecdotal evidence are promising. In addition to its direct effects on schizophrenia, CBD supports a number of bodily processes and functions, thereby contributing to overall health and well-being. When people feel good about their bodies, it also has a positive effect on mental health. What you need to know about schizophrenia and CBD oil
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that can progress to psychosis. People with schizophrenia may not be able to separate irrational and unusual thoughts from reality. Although schizophrenia is chronic, symptoms can often be controlled with the right treatment.
What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?
Common symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, confused thoughts, and withdrawal from friends and activities. Other symptoms can include a lack of personal care and changes in behavior such as sleep patterns. In some cases, people develop catatonic symptoms, meaning that they do not react to those around them, make unusual movements or poses, or copy the speech or movements of other people.
Is CBD Effective Against Schizophrenia?
CBD oil has been shown to be helpful in treating symptoms of schizophrenia. It has potent antipsychotic properties and alleviates coexisting disorders such as depression and anxiety. CBD is also beneficial for a number of processes and functions in the body, helping to improve overall health.
What dosage of CBD is beneficial for schizophrenia?
The correct dosage that brings the best therapeutic results differs among individuals. Weight, height, and age are all factors to consider when determining the optimal dosage of CBD for schizophrenia.
sources:
http://www.nature.com/articles/tp201215
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17030325
