A new study commissioned by Eos Scientific has examined growing concerns about mental health treatment in the UK, as well as the changing perception of CBD oil as a potential remedy for mental health issues.
CBD oil is one of two active substances in the cannabis plant, the other being THC. A simplistic view of the two is that THC is what gets you high (the buzzed, elevated feeling usually gained from smoking cannabis) whereas CBD provides medicinal effects such as pain relief, anti-inflammation, and more.
Nobody can deny the world is coming around to cannabis treatment. A recent study out of the UK has proved just how prevalent CBD acceptance is becoming.
Where mental health is concerned, CBD oil, edibles, or the like have recently emerged as treatment options for those suffering from anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. Some studies suggest it could even be more effective than current treatments – although the research is still new.
Eos Scientific’s study surveyed 2000 adults in the UK, publishing the below as their key findings:
- 30% of Brits, representing almost 15 million of the population, are wary of approaching a doctor about their mental health as they don’t want to be prescribed medication that may be too severe for their symptoms (47% of those aged 18-34)
- 24% of Brits, or roughly 11.3 million people, prefer to manage their mental health with holistic remedies (35% of those aged 18-34)
- 38% of Brits, representing almost 17.5 million UK adults, would use CBD oil to manage their mental health (50% of those aged 18-34)
Mental health is a growing concern not just in Britain. Stigma around treatment is undeniably being broken down, but as this study shows, there are still far too many sufferers who are concerned about seeking treatment for their disorders or are uninformed about their situation.
CBD certainly does not work for everybody, and should be treated with as much caution as any currently legal treatment. Where possible, seek advice from a medical professional about using CBD to treat a mental health issue, and be wary of how it effects you if you decide to try it.
Yet the fact remains, there are those for whom it works brilliantly. If a regulated CBD treatment regime could be introduced in Britain and elsewhere in the world to help even a minority of mental health sufferers, then it’s something that should surely be considered.
If you need help or information surrounding your own mental health or a friend’s, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.