With the advancement of medicine, new medications have been discovered and CBD is one of them, being useful for the treatment of more than 50 diseases, improving people's quality of life and considerably reducing the symptoms associated with them.
In attention deficit, CBD has also been used, but has it had good results? Does science approve the use of CBD for the treatment of this disease? What happens if CBD is combined with conventional medications?
These and many more unknowns are the most frequent when talking about CBD for ADD and ADHD, which is why in this article we will develop them and through studies and testimonies we will be able to determine whether or not it is ideal to use Cannabidiol for people. with this disorder.
ADD/ADHD. Causes and Signs.
Attention deficit disorders are neurological conditions that make it more difficult to stay focused on the activity being carried out. They are also characterized by attacks of hyperactivity and impulsivity, usually occurs more often in children, however, it is not exclusive to them, since it can transcend time, so there is also a large number of adults who suffer from it.
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are the most common disorders and occur in children over 6 years of age, although there may be symptoms prior to that age. Specialists do not diagnose younger children with ADD/ADHD.
It is more common to see children with ADD than with diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolarity, affects a total of 5,29% of school-age children worldwide; In Spain, it is estimated that the figure is equivalent to 6,8%, at ages ranging from 6 years to 17 years.
This condition is caused by genetic factors, being hereditary in 76% of diagnoses, which represents a 5 times greater risk for people whose family history is not related to people with ADD/ADHD. Other factors are, alcoholism o Smoking during pregnancy, trauma, premature birth and others.
It is necessary to correctly inform people about this disorder, since, if not treated in time, it can cause them to develop other conditions that can further complicate the disease, such as behavioral disorder, anxiety, mood disorder, tics, learning problems and others, negatively affecting the person's quality of life.
Warning signs about the presence of ADD/ADHD
Most diseases have ways of being identified, in the case of attention deficit, it can only be diagnosed under the progressive observation of a psychiatrist, however, there are signs that help parents to determine if your child has this disorder.
The symptom that prevails in most people with ADD is lack of concentration in the task at hand, is easily distracted, usually ignores whoever is speaking to him, does not follow instructions and is very often they forget things.
When talking about ADHD, symptoms such as impulsivity, high levels of restlessness, constant movement, talking a lot and very fast, almost without thinking about what is being said and on many occasions interrupts other people, they can also keep repeating the same word many times, boredom, emotional ups and downs, anxiety, anger or excitement, these are just a few of the most common.
The ideal is to go to the pediatrician first, and have him refer the patient to specialists such as psychologists, pediatric neurologists or psychiatrists, depending on the stage of progression of the symptoms.
The treatment applied to this disease It's not a cure, but yes.Helps control symptoms, improving the patient's quality of life; however, there are many side effects associated with conventional medications.
Uses of CBD for ADD and ADHD
CBD is a cannabinoid capable of providing a wide range of benefits for both children and adults, and those people who have ADD/ADHD will be able to considerably improve their quality of life thanks to this compound.
Because attention deficit is not a disease in itself, but a disorder where certain symptoms prevail, CBD can reduce them thanks to the properties it has.
Through the use of CBD, the over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system is regulated, and it relaxes the parasympathetic nervous system, counteracting hyperactivity, it also acts as an anxiolytic, reducing the anxiety that usually occurs in patients with ADD, which in turn helps you sleep better and improves mood, works as an oxygenator, reducing the possibility of new neurological diseases appearing.
People with ADD/ADHD are more likely to suffer from addictions, so conventional medications are often a problem for these patients, CBD not addictive nor does it cause overdose, making it the best option.
Sativex is the medicine created from CBD, it is used to treat this condition, it has a 1:1 ratio of CBD and THC, in a study carried out on 30 adults with ADHD, improvements were observed in the symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and attention deficit, because CBD was able to suppress the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and raise dopamine levels naturally. There was also a higher level on measures of cognitive performance and emotional stability.
It has been shown on many occasions that CBD can be used by children, as long as it is under the supervision of a doctor, in order to establish appropriate doses and evaluate the disease process.
Testimonials from Patients and Doctors on the Use of CBD for ADD
More and more parents are deciding to use CBD for the treatment of ADD and ADHD in their children, as well as those adults who suffer from this condition and doctors who recommend its use.
Such is the case of Dr. David Bearman, who admits to having been full of doubts about whether CBD or marijuana itself, were useful for the treatment of patients with attention deficit and hyperactivity, however, upon seeing that it was a topic that was being talked about and defended more and more, he decided to educate himself, in order to know why many patients managed to improve their lives with CBD. He looked for all the studies carried out before the year 2000, interviewed people who assured him that their academic and professional merits were due to CBD.
Thanks to everything Dr. Bearman learned, he decided to start prescribing CBD and even medical marijuana to his patients, however, due to legal terms he is limited to only serving people over 21 years of age. The Doctor affirms that many of his patients went from being people with instability to being full of creativity, being great businessmen, being better students and much more.
Another is the case of Dr. Claudia Jensen, a pediatrician who advocates the use of CBD and medicinal cannabis, who teaches students at the University of Southern California, also had her doubts regarding the use of this Cannabis compound, and after having participated in studies, read and learned about all the benefits that CBD oil has in the body, he decided to prescribe this cannabinoid to his patients, having favorable results, improvements in the quality of life of people, especially those whose attention deficit It is much more advanced.
She has been able to observe how her patients have gone from being impulsive, hyperactive and even very unsociable people, to being great people, with incredible aptitudes and abilities, patients who have gone from having the worst grades in school, to being brilliant minds capable of to create and invent new things.
We have Adam, a contractor who grew up with ADD and had to learn to deal with the disease on his own. At first it was difficult, he had a hard time staying focused, he sometimes suffered from impulsiveness, until he decided to use medicinal cannabis on his own. , he extracts his own hemp oil, and takes his doses daily. On days when he knows he will have a lot of work, he usually prepares brownies or cookies with this oil, in order to stay focused, since otherwise it would be a problem for his employees.
This patient used to use medications such as Ritalin, however, he had to face many side effects that were affecting his quality of life. Once he started using hemp oil, he explains that he had no side symptoms of any kind. On the contrary, this oil made him perform better in his work and in his daily tasks.
Studies of the action of CBD on ADD/ADHD
Theories, testimonies, and studies are the basis of all medicines, these serve to demonstrate how useful they can be in the treatment of various diseases.
A study carried out in 2012 of more than 2000 people who self-medicated with Cannabidiol and another group that did not, determined that those who were not users of CBD, but rather a conventional treatment, had the typical hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of ADHD.
King College London conducted a randomized, pilot, placebo-controlled experimental study with Sativex Oromucosal Spray in 30 adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The group was divided into 2, with 15 people receiving a placebo, while the other 15 received Sativex for a month.
The results determined that for the placebo group, no differences were seen in the behavior and symptoms associated with the condition, while, with Sativex, there was a significant improvement in terms of reductions in hyperactivity and impulsivity, people They stated that they felt more focused on their daily tasks, as well as their professional lives.
Through many other studies, it has been determined that ADD and ADHD are associated to a certain extent with low levels of dopamine, which is why most of the medications created for the treatment of these conditions have been designed to stimulate dopamine production. One study determined that CBD stimulates the mesolimbic dopamine system.
Other studies have focused on investigating whether there is any adverse reaction after the use of CBD in combination with Ritalin or amphetamines, having unfavorable results, where heart rate was considerably increased in animal models. On the other hand, patients have very rarely been seen taking these medications, since, with the help of their doctors, they abandon conventional drugs as the doses of CBD increase, in order to avoid a negative impact on the people's lives by withdrawing their regular treatment completely.
Conclusion Does CBD work for ADD/ADHD?
CBD has once again proven to be effective for the treatment of a disease, in this case, CBD is a safe alternative for patients with attention deficit, having better results in those who are advanced. Despite not having a cure, you can live peacefully with ADD/ADHD, as long as they are controlled with medications. However, conventional medications have shown on many occasions that their side effects are usually even worse than the disease itself.
CBD and even marijuana are so far the best options for patients with this condition. In the case of children, it is advisable to use About our CBD oil, place it directly in their meals or prepare sweets based on it, in order to prevent them from smoking or vaping, since it can encourage the child to be a smoker in the future.
For adults who do not have problems with THC, it is more advisable to use 1:1 ratios of THC and CBD, since, together, they are more potent in helping people with ADD.
Although most cases are due to self-medication, it is advisable to avoid it, and consume CBD only on the recommendation of a doctor.