More people are turning to CBD to treat mental conditions like Seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder, also known as Major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern, can appear in adults and young people as the days become shorter and outdoor temperatures drop. It impacts at least 15 million adults in the U.S., or about 7 percent of the country’s population, each year. The condition is equally common among males and females and often begins in adolescence. 

Chemical changes that take place in the brain and body due to decreasing sunlight hours and lower temperatures can trigger SAD. Symptoms include feelings of depression, low energy, issues with sleeping, changes in weight or appetite, difficulty concentrating, feelings of sluggishness or agitation and loss of interest in daily activities. SAD can even cause major depressive episodes in certain people. 

SAD impacts people in different ways – some may experience severe symptoms that impact their jobs and ability to socialize, while others display milder symptoms that go unnoticed by their friends and family members. 

While many people use prescription drugs to treat mental illnesses like SAD, some health-conscious consumers are opting for more natural ways to treat the seasonal condition. 

CBD, or cannabidiol, has been shown to positively impact certain receptors in the brain, creating a sense of calm and well-being in some users. 

When treating SAD, doctors will typically prescribe antidepressant medications like Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil. These drugs often cause a slew of negative side effects in patients, such as insomnia, nausea, changes in appetite, dry mouth, dizziness, sweating, constipation, vision changes and more. 

However, studies have shown that CBD can help improve a person’s mental well-being by decreasing inflammation in the body. The naturally-occuring substance has antioxidant properties that reduce oxidative stress, which could be caused by autoimmune disorders, infections or illnesses. Chronic inflammation has been linked to health conditions like depression, asthma, cancer and diabetes. 

CBD users have been utilizing the hemp-derived substance to treat mental health issues for years, and many say it’s truly improved their mental health.

Previous studies have found that CBD helped relieve symptoms in patients living with PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, and another medical trial found that CBD improved anxiety and insomnia in some patients. 

Past studies even showed that CBD could help with mental conditions like ADHD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. 

CBD is taken from the Cannabis sativa plant. While it comes from the same source as recreational marijuana, it’s non-psychoactive, non-addictive and won’t make users feel high, making it a safe way to target health issues without side effects. As consumers search for holistic ways to treat ailments, more look to CBD for its healing properties, and the CBD oil market is expected to pull in a total of $1.9 billion from 2018 to 2022.