Can CBD help with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

• Can CBD help with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
• The benefits of CBD oil in combating OCD
• What type of CBD products are suitable for OCD?
• What dosage of CBD oil should be used?
• What is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
• What causes obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
• The importance of adapting to stress and OCD
• How is OCD treated?
• What the research says: CBD for OCD
• Conclusion: Can CBD help with OCD?
• Tips for effective use of CBD for OCD symptoms

OCD is a subcategory of anxiety that is estimated to affect up to 29% of the public at some point in their lives. Here, you will learn how CBD can be used to alleviate common OCD symptoms, what dosage to take, and what else you can do to maximise its benefits.

Can CBD help with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

OCD is clinically characterised as an anxiety disorder. There isn’t a great deal of research on how effective CBD is for OCD specifically — however, there are studies that suggest potential benefits for addressing anxiety as a whole.

There are several mechanisms that CBD uses to alleviate anxiety symptoms, many of which can be linked to the pathology associated with OCD.

The benefits of CBD oil in combating OCD include:

– Promotes sleep
– Reduces cortisol levels to relieve stress
– Reduces brain inflammation
– May help stabilise mood (serotonin support)
– Relieves pain
– Relieves muscle tension
– Relieves nausea
– Protects neurons from oxidative damage
– Improves appetite

What type of CBD products are suitable for OCD?

Capsules, oils, tinctures, edibles and topical products are available. Each has its own set of pros and cons, and not all are suitable for everyone. The most common choice is CBD oil, but capsules and edibles are also excellent forms of CBD for people suffering from OCD or other forms of anxiety.

CBD oil is taken by measuring the desired dose using the dropper provided. You can place the oil under your tongue for faster absorption or swallow it immediately – both methods are fine.

Capsules and edibles make dosing easier because they contain pre-measured doses. The disadvantage is that edibles and capsules tend to be slightly more expensive than oils, and the dose cannot be adjusted with the same level of precision.

What dose of CBD oil should you use?

Everyone reacts differently to CBD. Some people need a minimal dose, others a large dose – it all depends on your genes and specific symptoms. Therefore, there is no single recommendation for dosage.

In general, people with mild to moderate OCD report that a low to medium strength dose is sufficient to relieve their symptoms. For more severe OCD, a high strength dose is needed to achieve the same benefits.

The dosage can vary greatly from person to person, so always start with a low dose and gradually increase it to higher doses once you know how it affects you individually.

What is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

OCD is an anxiety disorder involving frequent, recurring negative thoughts and obsessions. It often causes people to feel a strong urge to do things repeatedly – often referred to as tics.

The obsessions and compulsions of those affected can disrupt their normal lives – social interactions, changes in routine and productivity at work are more difficult than usual.

Examples of obsessive behaviour that may be influenced by OCD:

– Checking things
– Cleaning
– Frequent throat clearing
– Counting things over and over
– Enforcing specific routines
– Forcing others to follow strict routines
– Gambling addiction
– Hair pulling (trichotillomania)
– Washing hands
– Hoarding
– Nervous tics (blinking, muscle spasms)
– Repeating words or phrases
– Skin picking (excoriation)

What causes obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

Fear and anxiety are normal human responses. These responses help us cope with threats to our survival, such as coming face to face with a hungry animal.

Feelings of fear and anxiety are meant to be short-lived and appropriate to the situation. This means that the level of anxiety and stress we experience should be enough to give us the ability to get out of danger (for example, fighting a hungry animal or running away), but not so much that it completely immobilises us.

Once the danger has passed and we are back in safety, feelings of anxiety and stress should subside. The stress response can be dysfunctional in several different ways, leading to anxiety disorders such as OCD.

Signs of a dysfunctional stress response:

– The stress response lasts too long
– The intensity of the stress response is excessive relative to the level of danger
– The stress response is activated more often than we need

Any problems with the stress response can lead to problems over time. We refer to these difficulties as “poor stress adaptation” – the ability to adapt to and respond to stress is no longer functioning properly. The umbrella term for this form of neurological disorder is anxiety, but many different conditions are associated with maladaptive stress adaptation, including OCD.

Difficulties associated with dysfunctional stress adaptation:

– Generalised anxiety disorder
– Social anxiety disorder
– Panic disorder
– Post-traumatic stress disorder
– Obsessive-compulsive disorder

The importance of adapting to stress and OCD

All life on Earth faces some form of stress. In the natural world, this stress usually came in the form of changes in environment, temperature, hunger, and encounters with other humans or animals. Our ability to adapt to stress helps us cope with these situations. When it is too cold outside, our stress response activates our metabolic system to raise our body temperature.

When we encounter a dangerous animal or person, our stress response increases our energy levels to help us fight or flee to safety. In the modern world, the same stress response is activated by stressors that are not life-threatening — sometimes throughout the day. If our adaptation to stress is not working optimally, we begin to experience the debilitating side effects of the stress response when we shouldn’t.

Think for a moment about road rage—this is a prime example of a stress response that does not serve us. It is triggered by being cut off by another driver or sitting in stationary traffic. Despite the fact that other drivers cannot hear us, we yell or swear—the situation does not change. A person who has strong stress adaptation skills is more likely to avoid road rage.

Factors that can reduce our ability to cope with stress:

– Recreational and medicinal drug use
– Nutritional deficiencies
– Smoking
– Exposure to heavy metals
– Asperger syndrome
– Autism spectrum disorder
– Post-traumatic stress disorder
– Huntington’s disease
– Drug addiction
– Regular experiences of high stress

How is OCD treated?

Treatment for OCD can vary greatly. It often takes a lot of trial and error to figure out which medications or lifestyle changes work and which do not. In the process of combating this disorder, it can take several months to find an effective treatment.

The most common medications used for OCD include:

– Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Zoloft)
– Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (Pristiq, Khedezla)
– Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Klonopin, Librium)
– Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (Marplan, Nardil, Emsam)
– Tricyclic antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Doxepin)
– Partial agonists of the 5-HT1A receptor
– Anticonvulsants (clonazepam)

What the research says: CBD for OCD

There is almost no research specifically addressing the interaction between CBD and OCD. However, there is a wealth of excellent research supporting the use of CBD for other anxiety disorders. A 2015 preclinical study investigating a potential new treatment for anxiety disorders using CBD concluded that:

“Preclinical evidence convincingly demonstrates the efficacy of CBD in reducing anxiety-related behaviours associated with multiple disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, without any anxiogenic effects.”

Although more detailed research is needed to explore the use of CBD in OCD, the current findings are promising. However, OCD often comes with other health issues, which complicates diagnosis.

Conclusion: Can CBD help with OCD?

There are still no specialised studies on the use of CBD for OCD, so we cannot say conclusively whether it helps or not — however, there are many excellent studies published on CBD for anxiety. Because OCD is a form of anxiety and involves many of the same side effects and pathologies as other forms of anxiety, it is highly likely that CBD supplementation can improve OCD symptoms.

To get the most out of CBD, we recommend taking additional measures to alleviate symptoms and following your doctor’s advice. If you decide to use CBD for OCD symptoms, use a high-quality product free of contaminants, as some compounds (such as pesticides or heavy metals) can worsen symptoms.

Tips for effective use of CBD for OCD symptoms

– Choose a full-spectrum extract containing other cannabinoids such as THC, CBC, and CBG

– Use oral CBD products – avoid smoking

– Combine CBD use with other dietary and lifestyle changes that reduce OCD symptoms

– Seek medical advice, especially if you are taking other medications

Author: Elena Moreau

Photo: Shutterstock

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