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Did you know that one in seven adults use CBD products? The reason more and more people are using CBD products is because of the benefits that come with using CBD. If you are considering using CBD but are wondering “is CBD addictive?” We are here to clear up any confusion you might have about CBD and CBD oil.
Keep reading to learn more about CBD and addiction
What Is Addiction?
Before we dive into CBD being addictive or not, it is important to understand what addiction is. Addiction is the response to external stimuli. According to research both brain function and the brain structure are changed.
Most addictive processes begin with three states which include pleasure triggers, learned behaviors, and continued exposure to certain substances. The person experiences an intense desire to use a substance no matter how harmful or detrimental it might be.
With pleasure triggers when the brain is first triggered by a substance it is immersed in neurotransmitters like dopamine that cause a surge of pleasurable sensations and pleasure feelings. This dopamine rush then builds up in a part of the hypothalamus that is thought to play a role in addiction. These pleasure triggers cause a person to want more of that same feeling because it is being craved by the brain.
Learned behaviors are another part of addiction. Addiction is not only seeking pleasure but also the activities that lead up to the release of the dopamine. The brain ends up associating the activity of taking the substance with pleasurable sensations and feelings, which makes it want more of those same feelings and it leaves the person craving for more.
When a person has continued exposure to substances over time it can cause the nerve cells to become dependent on being activated by the same substances. This causes users to seek out those substances that gave the nerve cells those feelings. Here is where addicts cross into the danger zone because it can end up causing an overdose over time.
Is CBD Addictive?
Now that you have a clearer understanding of what addiction is, it brings us to the original question about CBD being addictive. CBD has not shown to give people these types of problems in their daily lives. Instead, CBD has shown to enhance people’s lives in different ways rather than come between them and their families.
Unlike substances like opioids and heroin that cause intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms, CBD does not cause either of those. A person’s judgments, behavior, nor decision making have shown to be affected by using CBD.
It is believed that because CBD does not contain the THC found in marijuana that causes the psychoactive effect in the brain, it does not make the person feel like they need another dose right away. This is why people use legal CBD, they are not afraid of getting addicted and dealing with addictive side effects.
CBD for Addiction
Research has found CBD to not be addictive and it has also found CBD to be helpful for those that are fighting addiction. There was a study done in 2013 where 24 tobacco smokers were observed. Half of the subjects had a CBD inhaler and the other half had a placebo.
The subjects were told to use the inhaler when they felt that they had to smoke. After a week of observation and testing, they found that those treated with CBD smoked 40% fewer cigarettes than the people that had the placebo inhaler.
There was another study done in 2018 where CBD gel was applied to lab rats that had a history of voluntary cocaine or alcohol use and had addiction-like behavior. After the study, they noted that the CBD was effective in reducing drug use in the rodents. They also concluded that it reduced the common side effects of drug dependency like impulsivity and anxiety.
In 2019 another study done on human subjects showed that CBD could be effective when it comes to reducing cravings that are associated with heroin addiction. Researchers had 42 adults who had been using heroin for an average of 13 years.
The subjects were divided into three different groups. One group was given 800 milligrams of CBD, the second group was given 400 milligrams of CBD, and the third group was given a placebo. What they found was that those given the real CBD had much less anxiety and fewer cravings for the drug.
Are There Any Side Effects?
After learning about several studies that have found CBD to help with addiction rather than being addictive, you might be wondering if there are any negative side effects. CBD use can come with a few side effects. These can include things such as dry mouth, reduced appetite, drowsiness, fatigue, and diarrhea.
This is why it is best to start with a lower dose amount and work your way up. Learning how CBD affects you little by little is always recommended to not feel adverse reactions. Thankfully CBD works more towards giving people a therapeutic effect rather than feeling addicted.
Feeling Like a CBD Pro?
Now that you know the answer to the question “is CBD addictive?” you can make an informed decision whether CBD is for you or not. As we can see current research has not shown CBD to be addictive and instead there have been many health benefits found from using it.
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