The mental health benefit offered by CBD is a topic that excites many researchers. This is because many studies have found promising results for the effectiveness of CBD on mental health problems. Even though CBD cannot directly cure mental problems like schizophrenia, it might help to manage many symptoms associated with it. Before explaining how CBD can help with schizophrenia symptoms, let us discuss what schizophrenia is.
About Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that impairs one’s ability to understand reality. People diagnosed with schizophrenia experience hallucinations, and delusions, and they cannot think or speak clearly. It is found that more than 69% of schizophrenia patients worldwide don’t get appropriate care. Antipsychotics are generally prescribed for schizophrenia but have significant side effects and some are unable to take these medicines.
So the treatments available for schizophrenia are not suitable for everyone and those who opt for these treatments have to suffer severe side effects. This led people to look up alternative solutions for schizophrenia treatment. Is CBD effective against schizophrenia symptoms? Let us find it below.
CBD For Schizophrenia Symptoms
Some research has been conducted on CBD and schizophrenia, but they didn’t generate ample evidence to conclude that CBD can be used for schizophrenia. But the results obtained are positive and with further research, we may be able to make CBD-based drugs for schizophrenia.
A 2021 study found that CBD can offer cognitive benefits for a schizophrenia patient. In this study, 42 schizophrenia patients were included and divided into two groups. Amisulpride, a medication that helps to improve cognition, was given to one group of people whereas the other group used CBD. Both treatments showed improvement in cognition of the schizophrenia patients, but the group that used CBD had fewer side effects than the other drug.
Psychosis refers to the problem one faces to connect to reality. People who are diagnosed with schizophrenia experience psychosis. Studies conducted revealed that CBD is effective in improving psychotic symptoms.
Even though these studies showed positive results, we cannot conclude the effectiveness of CBD for schizophrenia and psychosis just by these results. It requires large-scale trials to approve the use of CBD for both these problems.
Is It Safe To Take CBD For Schizophrenia?
If you take schizophrenia medicines, you need to consult your doctor and seek approval for using CBD along with other medicines. This is crucial because some medicines may interact with CBD and may produce toxic chemicals.