Question: I drink because I am anxious. I drink because I’m depressed. I drink because…well, I don’t know anymore. I just drink, and it’s destroying my marriage. Help!
CBD can be instrumental is helping to control the early withdrawal symptoms, as well as address some of the emotional issues that caused the drinking to start in the first place. In addition, a solid social support network is very important.
Excessive alcohol causes neurodegeneration, which means that the alcohol slowly starts to kill the nerves that help your brain to function. This causes temporary and then eventually permanent behavioral & cognitive changes in the brain.
When you drink steadily and excessively, you build up a tolerance to the alcohol. You need to consume more & more alcohol to get the same effect. Then, when you try to quit, you experience withdrawal symptoms as soon as the effect of his last drink wears off.
These withdrawal symptoms include irritability, anxiety, and fatigue. In severe cases, it can be followed by seizures, hallucinations, and is some cases – death.
When you drink chronically, the alcohol causes the CB1 receptors to decrease in amount and because of this, the anandamide level drops, and then depression sets in. CBD raises the anandamide, thereby lifting the depression. CBD is an excellent anxiolytic thereby treating at least one of the reasons (usually the main reason) that started the drinking in the first place. CBD suppresses the social cues that trigger you to continue drinking.
And finally, and most importantly, CBD returns you to a state of emotional balance.
It is recommenced that CBD be continued long-term at a low dose as this will keep you in a state of emotional balance so you never feel the need to return to alcohol.
Ref: “Transdermal delivery of cannabidiol attenuates binge alcohol-induced neurodegeneration in a rodent model of an alcohol us disorder.” Pharmacology Biochemistry& Behavior. Volume 111, October 2013, pgs. 120-127
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If you want to read more from Dr Zachar, check out: ”Ask A Doctor – CBD For Kids Is Safe – THC Is Not‘
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