A prevalent symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder is intrusive thoughts, also known as obsessions. However, this doesn’t mean you have to have OCD in order to experience this way of thinking. Many people who suffer from anxiety have had intrusive thoughts, and CBD oil may be able to help.

Cannabidiol (CBD) may be able to help with intrusive thoughts by strengthening bonds and reducing overactivity in the brain. People who struggle with mental health have areas in their brain that work differently than those who don’t have mental health issues, and CBD may be a solution to many of the symptoms that arise because of those differences.

What Are Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome thoughts that you can’t help but think about, and they make you feel uncomfortable, sad, or angry. This can be constantly playing random scenarios in your head before going to or after a social event. This can be thinking all day about whether or not you locked your front door, feeling anxious until you get home to see you did, in fact, lock it. Intrusive thoughts can also be negatively thinking about yourself, without the ability to snap yourself out of it constantly bringing yourself down.

Intrusive Thoughts And The Brain

Scientists believe that people who experience intrusive thoughts have a stronger inner-speech process. When studying the brain of people who suffer from unwanted thoughts, they found that the inferior frontal gyrus was active, which is where language processing occurs. They also found that the cingulate cortex was engaged, which control emotion, memory, and learning.

Intrusive thoughts are also associated with hippocampal overactivity. The hippocampus is in charge of short-term and long-term memories, as well as spatial navigation. Studies show that the hippocampal GABA receptors are what helps stop unwanted thinking.

How CBD May Be Able To Help

Studies have shown that CBD oil may be able to disrupt the overactivity in the cingulate cortex, without causing impairment of cognitive functions. Researchers believe this is one of the primary ways CBD can reduce anxiety, which may be able to help with intrusive thoughts.

Cannabidiol also may be able to help with the hippocampus and its involvement with intrusive thoughts. Studies suggest that CBD oil may be able to help strengthen the binding of GABA receptors. This stronger connection may be able to help your brain deal with intrusive thoughts instead of letting them manifest in your head.

Talk To Your Doctor

If you are suffering from intrusive thoughts and anxiety, you should look into getting a therapist. They are so good at figuring out your triggers and helping you learn coping skills that can help you overcome them. And talk to them about CBD oil. Go in with information to back up your claims, because some doctors aren’t educated on medical marijuana yet even with its growing popularity. They can help you monitor your progress to determine whether or not this is the right route for you to take.

Have you struggled with intrusive thoughts? What are coping mechanisms that you have used that actually work? We would love to hear about them in the comment section below!