CBD as a solution to alcoholism?

In France, forty thousand people die every year from alcohol-related causes. It is with great regret that we are writing an article today on this subject, which is claiming far too many victims. Addiction to alcohol, but also to all other drugs, is a scourge that has always been present in our society. Most of the time, people suffering from this disease experience a rapid deterioration in their health and their lives. There are many ways to stop drinking, and while in many cases it's our own determination that will play a major role in stopping this addiction, sometimes the temptation is just too great. We'll then have to turn to a variety of techniques, and why not try CBD, for example? For alcohol, really? In this article, we'll try to explain how taking this molecule can play a role in your drinking habits!

What is alcoholism?

Alcoholism syndrome is defined as a serious disorder related to dependence. Alcoholism leads the dependent person to lose total control over the amount of alcohol he or she consumes. Under normal circumstances, an alcoholic will not only have problems with his or her drinking habits, but also with his or her life in general. Unfortunately, there are moral problems as well as physical ones. If people with alcoholism let themselves go too far, they may even risk death. Sometimes, alcoholics are rather discreet, and we don't even realize they're suffering. So how do you recognize someone with alcohol addiction problems? We can give you a few examples that will help you realize that a person is suffering from alcoholism. For example, a desire to drink more and more, or at least more than others, almost daily consumption, sometimes in large quantities, and so on. The signs of alcoholism are not exhaustive, but they can be used to identify a person with alcoholism. These non-exhaustive signs can help you understand how an alcoholic functions.

It only makes sense for us to talk to you about this scourge on our CBD Shop blog, because the consequences of alcoholism can cause major health problems. As a general rule, one of the organs most affected by alcoholism syndrome is the liver. The liver needs to absorb a minimum amount of water, averaging around two liters a day, in order to function properly. Alcohol dehydrates, and is more commonly known as a diuretic. It's often after consuming large quantities of alcohol that our organ, the liver, has water supply problems. Since it can't find any, it will automatically pump water from other parts of the body, causing fatigue. Once present in our organ, alcohol will produce toxic enzymes inside the liver called ethanal. Over time, these enzymes will degrade other organs and parts of the human body.

A video explaining alcohol and the liver:

We'd like to thank Médecine TV for this intervention!

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol or CBD is a molecule found in cannabis. On average, hemp plants contain over a hundred cannabinoids, which makes cannabis very interesting, since many of them have never been the subject of scientific research. The best-known compounds at present are THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, and CBD, or Cannabidiol. THC is the forbidden molecule above 0.3% that makes you "high", which is why cannabis has such a bad reputation. But let's not stop at just one molecule, because as we've just seen, the hundred or so molecules present in cannabis can be very interesting for science. And in just a few years, CBD has become an alternative solution for soothing or treating certain everyday ailments. Possessing virtues that are truly beneficial to the body, CBD can be used to treat anxiety and stress. It is therefore an excellent asset for treating addictions. One of our articles details the full benefits of CBD.

CBD and alcoholism, let's talk!

Taking a closer look at cannabidiol research, we realize that CBD really will assist and accompany people prone to addictions. For alcoholism, cannabidiol could prove to be a very good ally, as studies on the subject are promising. It should be remembered, however, that these are still only clinical trials on laboratory rats, and cannot be used to fully validate human experience. There are still results to be obtained and research to be carried out on humans. In any case, these studies and their progress provide a much clearer understanding of why CBD is such a credible alternative treatment for alcoholism.

In fact, in the case of research carried out on laboratory rats, a number of points were raised to better understand CBD's effect on alcoholism. Researchers were able to note that CBD is a neuroprotector for the brain, helping to combat the effect of alcohol on the brain. CBD also protects the liver of these rodents from the effects of alcohol, which can weaken it through intoxication. Last but not least, CBD has been shown to significantly reduce the withdrawal caused by alcohol dependence. This is particularly true at the behavioural level, in the constant search for a drink.

Today, we can confirm that CBD is showing very encouraging results on addictive behaviors, including alcoholism. Have any side effects been reported? Studies on this subject show that there are no side effects, or that they are very rare. However, we would like to point out that, at present, there is very little research on human beings.

Research will multiply over time, and the results should speak for themselves in the years to come, as a real alternative to drug treatment or as a complement to it.

In fact, people using CBD to combat alcoholism are giving us very good feedback. We'll have to wait a long time yet before CBD is recognized as a medicine by the French pharmaceutical and medical sector, enabling us to help as many people as possible. Who knows, maybe CBD will never be recognized as a medicine, but rather as a dietary supplement.

How does CBD affect alcoholism syndrome?

Every human being has an endocannabinoid system. When CBD is consumed, it binds to the CB1 and CB2 receptors of our SEC (Endocannabinoid System). In the case of excessive alcohol consumption, our SEC receptors are also activated, acting on the brain. Ultimately, once a person stops drinking, alcohol withdrawal symptoms appear. This is why people with alcoholism are increasingly choosing to take CBD. As CBD is a neuroprotective agent on the brain, the latter calms down much more easily when withdrawal is felt. Normally, it's extreme excitement that comes along with alcohol withdrawal. But this excitement is calmed thanks to CBD consumption. CBD won't make any difference if you're in a very advanced state of addiction or not. In either case, it will help you in your battle. Whether or not you're already under a doctor's care for your addiction, we recommend that you consult a healthcare professional before taking CBD.

How can CBD be used to manage addictions?

It all depends on you and your preferences! To begin with, it's important to understand that CBD can be consumed in several different ways. If you choose to consume CBD flowers, then you'll have two options for safely assimilating the CBD they contain. Firstly, using a dedicated vaporizer that will allow you to heat up the cheap CBD flowers without burning them, and you can then inhale the vapour that emerges. Secondly, you can consume your CBD flowers in the form of infusions. We've written a full article on this subject to help you discover all the benefits of cannabidiol in infusions! Various products are available, such as our magnificent Big Bud CBD or our famous Moon Rock CBD.

The easiest way to consume CBD is, of course, in the form of CBD oil. Simply choose from our various flavours and CBD percentages (CBD concentration). Another of our articles is also available to give you more information on the subject of dosage.

The Cali Weed team