It was all fun and games until alcohol went from being a leisurely drink to an addiction. The National Council on alcoholism and drug dependence, or NCADD, accounts that 17.6 million Americans suffer from some sort of alcohol abuse. Perhaps, even scarier is that the Centers for Disease Control or CDC attributes over 88,000 deaths each year to complexities stemming from alcohol withdrawal. So, if you want to get rid of your alcohol addiction and wonder about the relation between CBD and alcohol, this article is for you.
Overcoming your alcohol addiction is a difficult passage, but with willpower and determination, you can do it. Be careful while beating such an addiction; you can get all the help you want, but make sure you aren’t being addicted to something new that can be alarming for your well-being.
This article will focus on how Redwood Reserves CBD products may alleviate post-alcohol withdrawal and alcohol cravings.
Firstly, we will briefly discuss CBD and why it might help with alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal. We will then highlight research relevant to CBD use for alcohol withdrawal and further considerations for people who want to use CBD for alcoholism.
What is CBD?
Cannabinol (CBD) is a natural component obtained from the same species of plant as marijuana. You may find that these two natural compounds have several similarities except for one substantial difference, i.e., THC content. While marijuana contains up to 30 percent THC and makes the user high, legal CBD products only have less than 0.3 percent THC. As a result, CBD users do not feel high or undergo paranoia, anxiety, or hallucinations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared CBD as a non-toxic and safe cannabinoid.
Head to our blog to read about hemp smokes.
With heightened interest, the cannabis industry has been developing and bringing high-quality CBD products to consumers. Nowadays, you can buy CBD far more efficiently and safely in the US than a few years ago.
Get your hands on our CBD cigarettes for the ultimate experience.
What Is Alcoholism?
Alcoholism, alcohol addiction or abuse, and alcohol withdrawal are commonly exclusive terms with notable differences.
When a person’s lifestyle is negatively affected by alcohol consumption, it is known as alcohol abuse. It can affect your relationships and professional life too.
In contrast, alcoholism is the full-blown display of alcohol abuse; according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, it is a “primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors [that influence] its development.”
Alcohol Withdrawal: What is it and Common Treatment Plans:
The classic manifestations of alcohol withdrawal are wide-ranging and can differ significantly from person to person. Commonly include:
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Irritability
In more severe cases, alcohol withdrawal might cause:
- Increased heart rate
- Tremors or seizures
- Disorientation
- Hallucinations
Make sure to seek medical attention when you experience any of these symptoms in your withdrawal journey.
As far as conventional treatment methods are concerned, one of the most traditional and valuable measures is getting a rehabilitation center. However, many people find treatment facilities ineffective due to financial constraints, personal or other unavoidable reasons.
It is one of the possible reasons CBD and alcohol are gaining popularity; it’s more affordable than admittance into a therapy facility.
CBD and Alcohol: How Can CBD Help with Alcoholism?
Although limited research links CBD to alcoholism, specialists suggest that CBD might be capable of inhibiting that part of the brain, usually stimulated by alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or other addictive substances. In another study connecting CBD and opioid addiction, researchers mentioned that users find it more comfortable to overlook their yearnings after taking a CBD dose.
CBD is a cannabinoid helpful in reducing your alcohol cravings. Sometimes, users also report that it even lessens the usual sense of pleasure or euphoria experienced while drinking alcohol. Hence it becomes more manageable to cut back on your drinking because you are not enjoying it as much as you used to. CBD is also a potent component packed with antioxidants. These essential molecules help neutralize the damaging cells, also known as free radicals, which enter your body through unhealthy means, including alcohol consumption.
When you drink alcohol, the free radicals level in your body is significantly high, and you are required to reverse the damage by providing your body with more potent antioxidants. In another exciting study, researchers recorded how CBD could change brain toxicity caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
Why CBD Helps With Alcohol Withdrawal:
Exciting new research revealed the potential for a 1-week administration of CBD reduces alcohol cravings following relapse for up to 5 months. According to experts, alcohol consumption for a shorter duration can cause artificial boosts in feel-good brain chemicals. However, heavy drinking leads to severe deficiencies in essential neurotransmitters needed to sustain a healthy living. It happens because alcohol tricks the brain to rely on alcohol instead of producing optimal amounts of brain substances on its own.
Also, long-term alcohol consumption causes deficiencies in nutrients required for the production of neurotransmitters in optimal quantities. It leads to activating pro-inflammatory compounds that quickly inhibit the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine, GABA, and serotonin.
According to the limited data we have, it suggests that CBD works with alcohol withdrawal for two primary reasons:
- A study revealed that CBD reduces the presence of pro-inflammatory compounds in your body and brain. As a result, it promotes the production of feel-good brain chemicals. It may do this by repairing oxidative stress.
CBD interacts with your natural endocannabinoids and restores them. According to Healthline, experts are unsure how CBD interacts with ECS, but many consider it prevents them from being destroyed. Whereas with heavy drinking, endocannabinoids are severely depleted and annihilated.
Research: Does CBD Help with Alcoholism?
As discussed earlier, researchers have been keenly studying CBD and exploring its effects on the body and addictive behaviors.
Redwood Reserves has combined a few studies that you may find relevant if struggling with alcohol dependence.
- A study published in the journal of neuroscience revealed that people with alcohol dependence have severely diminished levels of CB-1 receptors in the brain; it also suggested that endocannabinoids can disappear altogether in heavy drinking.
- A research was conducted, scientists administered a non-THC version of CBD in rats. The results show a reduction in their alcohol-seeking habits; they also found that CBD blocked high impulsivity often observed with alcohol withdrawal. A 1-week administration of CBD delivered these effects for five months, even though CBD leaves the system after three days on average.
- Another published study showed CBD modifies glutamate toxicity in the brain by binding to CB1 receptors and decreasing oxidative stress.
- An interpretation of scientific studies found that CBD directly influences addictive behaviors; it might be by replenishing endocannabinoids that may be missing from the body and indirectly by improving stress vulnerability and diminishing neurotoxicity.
- Some other sources indicate CBD cigarettes might be a beneficial alternative to tobacco smoking.
How to quit smoking with CBD cigarettes? Read our blog
- Another study revealed that CBD decreases longings for cannabis following heavy usage.
- According to research, CBD is not associated with severe side effects even when you take it in higher doses.
However, we need more research on CBD and alcohol withdrawal, specifically in humans, to establish a conclusion.
CBD and Alcohol: Takeaway
As discussed earlier, CBD may have curative benefits on alcoholism and its withdrawal; it also has promising effects on neurodegenerative damage caused by alcohol. Moreover, most studies that have been conducted on animal models showed CBD has characteristics that may help lessen alcohol abuse and relapse. Nonetheless, if you want to use CBD to overcome your alcohol addiction, we recommend speaking to your doctor to help you choose the best CBD products and the correct dosage.
Here’s how Redwood Reserves might help you!
