Have you fallen into a rut of sadness where nothing you do brings you joy? You might not have other symptoms of depression, but for some reason nothing is satisfying. You may have developed melancholic depression, and CBD oil may be able to help.
CBD oil has shown in studies to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression, including symptoms that also occur in melancholic depression. By elevating chemicals that are usually lacking, elevating chemicals that offer a boosted mood, and elevating chemicals that promote neurogenesis, CBD oil may be a valid treatment for melancholic depression.
What is Melancholia
Melancholia is a type of depression, but it has a distinct quality of mood that cannot be diagnosed as severe depression. When you have melancholia, you are unable to experience the sensation of pleasure no matter what you are doing. Old hobbies don’t interest you, being around friends and family is a drag, and you don’t even perk up when your favorite song pops up on the radio anymore.
To be diagnosed with melancholic features, you must have at least three of the following symptoms:
- Feeling despondency, despair, or emptiness
- Feeling extreme sadness due to a life event
- Waking up at least two hours earlier than you normally do
- Psychomotor issues like retardation, slowing of normal movement, agitation, or increase/irregular movement
- Anorexia or weight loss
- Feeling excessive or inappropriate guilt
(You might not have melancholia but general depression. To learn eight symptoms of depression, check out this article!)
How is Melancholic Depression Treated?
Scientists believe that melancholic depression has a biological root, which is why medication is almost always suggested for this mental illness. Unlike some other mental health issues, this isn’t caused by an outside force or circumstance, but the genetic makeup of the individual. The most common medication prescribed are antidepressants like:
- SSRIs or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
- SNRIs or Serotonin-norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors
- NDRIs or Norepinephrine and Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors
- Atypical Antidepressants
- TCAs or Tricyclic Antidepressants
- MAOIs or Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
The biggest issue with many antidepressants is the side-effects that come along. While you want to feel happy, you may not want to sacrifice your libido or have drastic weight changes. This is why many people, scientists, and patients alike, are looking into CBD oil to help with depression symptoms, including the ones associated with melancholic depression.
Can CBD Help?
Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown in studies that it may be a fast-acting antidepressant that may be able to help reduce the symptoms and possibly even reverse damage or loss of brain mass that causes certain types of depression. In the study, the first thing they realized in the rodent models is that chemicals that are usually lacking in the depressed brain were elevated in as little as thirty minutes. The chemical BDNF, a chemical that acts as our brains fertilizer, also was elevated suggesting that CBD oil may be able to help promote cell growth and repair.
CBD oil also elevates a chemical called anandamide. Anandamide is an endocannabinoid which is a chemical that your body makes to help regulate some of the systems that make you tick. When anandamide is elevated, it binds to your CB1 receptor which helps to mediate the neurological functions including your sensitivity to pain, appetite, sleep cycle, and your mood. By elevating anandamide, CBD oil is able to give you a boosted mood that is often compared to runners high.
Talk to Your Doctor
If you are experiencing extreme sadness and loss of pleasure, this isn’t normal! You need to get in touch with a doctor so they can help you find the right treatment route which may be CBD hemp oil! If you are already on medication, still talk to your doctor when wanting to take CBD oil. CBD can interfere with medication you are already taking if it is metabolized by the P-450 enzyme. If you want to get off of your antidepressants completely, you should still talk to your doctor because going off of them without professional assistance can make your symptoms a lot worse.
