Can you take antidepressants and CBD?
What is depression?
Depression is a long-term psychological disorder in which a person loses the ability to experience pleasure and joy, has no will to change anything, sees no way out and suffers from pathological sadness. It is a very broad term with many manifestations. Each person reacts differently to stress, pressure and psychological discomfort, and depressive and anxious states manifest themselves differently. What one person finds annoying, another finds insurmountable. What one passes with a wave of the hand, the other experiences to the core and cannot fight. It depends on the individual's sensitivity, his ability to withstand stress and emotionally stressful situations, his character, his health, his financial or personal situation.
How does depression manifest itself?
- Decline in energy, disinterest
- Ahedonia (inability to rejoice)
- Disturbances in concentration
- Sleep problems
- Unappetite or excessive appetite
- Decrease in sexual activity
- Low self-esteem
- No vision of a good future
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Suicidal thoughts
- Feelings of guilt and inferiority
- Chest tightness and restless legs
In the most severe forms of depression, psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations, or disorganisation, inability to look after oneself and unwarranted thought constructions may occur.
There are two main methods of treatment. The first is antidepressants, the second is psychotherapy. But the most effective is, of course, a combination of both methods.
The effect of psychotherapy sessions is not immediately apparent, so antidepressants must be taken at the same time to keep the patient in a state of depression. Emotions and factors exacerbating the course of depression, such as excessive stress, lack of sleep, loss of life or trauma, may be alleviated. The patient becomes "distanced" from reality. On the other hand, antidepressants can have countless side effects and the negative impact on human health cannot be ignored. Thus, people are increasingly seeking natural help as well.
Possible side effects of antidepressants:
- Nausea
- Headaches and apathy
- Vivid dreams and nightmares
- Dizziness
- Difficulty reaching orgasm
- Muscle tremors
- Weight fluctuations and lack of appetite
In recent years, attention has been focused on CBD. Research suggests that it could have antidepressant effects. It appears to be a set of properties through which cannabidiol acts on the user's psyche and attempts to maintain homeostasis throughout the body, which may indirectly alleviate symptoms of depression. It uses various 'mechanisms' to do this and prevents anxiety and depression from developing.
How can CBD help prevent depression?
- Activates the GABA receptor (the brain's "handbrake" that prevents neurotoxicity, and higher levels of GABA help better manage stress)
- Interacts with serotonin receptors (CBD increases production of the "happiness hormone", thus improving mood and preventing emotional swings)
- Acts on the endocannabinoid system (CBD maintains homeostasis in the body and affects memory, mood, emotion processing, sleep cycles, appetite or pain perception)
- Stimulates the production of neurons in the brain (CBD improves hippocampal plasticity and has a positive effect on cognitive function, experience of emotions and mood)
At least 600,000 people in the Czech Republic are taking antidepressants. Unfortunately, medication is becoming an integral part of life. However, the risks associated with their intake are often downplayed. This is also because medication helps to overcome stress and difficult times, which is more important to many people than the numerous side effects. But at the same time, patients try to support the "treatment" with natural products to speed up the process. However, this is what takes a big hit on the liver. The latter contains a number of enzymes and, for example, those of cytochrome P450 metabolize (the process of metabolism) with antidepressants. In addition, experts have revealed CBD's strong ability to inhibit liver enzymes, which could lead to negative interactions with the very drugs used for depression. This leads to an excessive burden and, in extreme cases, to impaired liver function.
CBD itself is safe, as confirmed by the WHO, but its effects on the body when other substances are used are still largely unstudied. Taking cannabidiol and antidepressants at the same time can increase the likelihood of side effects and amplify them.
What are the risks of taking CBD along with antidepressants:
- CBD can produce side effects more quickly, and with greater intensity
- CBD can affect (alter) the effects of antidepressants
When taking substances that promote drowsiness and sedation (CNS depressant effect), such as benzodiazepines, antipsychotics or antidepressants, CBD can enhance the negative effects - causing increased fatigue and rapid loss of energy. In extreme cases, it can even cause an inability to drive a car. Taking stimulants with CBD reduces appetite, cannabidiol with diabetes or indigestion medication causes diarrhoea. Both can cause serious health complications, such as sudden weight loss and starvation or dehydration, when very strong.
CBD can also alter the blood concentration of the drugs you take. While liver enzymes break down some drugs, which can lead to insufficient amounts of the substance in the body and subtherapy (a weaker manifestation of the treatment), CBD increases the concentration of antidepressants in the blood and can cause toxicity and more frequent and intense side effects. To be precise, this is how blood thinners or heart rhythm drugs are preserved. Antidepressants have not been the subject of research, but are thought to work on the same principle.
Summary
Antidepressants carry a range of possible side effects, but on the other hand, together with psychotherapy, they are the only possible option to alleviate depression. The use of CBD is not recommended. The effects on the body and contraindications are not well understood and there is a risk that the substances interfere with each other or amplify negative effects on bodily functions.
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