Substance use, abuse and addiction are very serious problems in the United States and are responsible for significant physical and mental health problems, loss of income, marital and relationship difficulties and premature death. For those individuals struggling with an addiction problem and emotional or mental condition, their clinical picture becomes more complex and treatment and recovery become more challenging. While there are therapies available today, many experts agree that natural alternative treatments are badly needed, and CBD shows great promise in research.
A Brief Overview of Addiction
According to the DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), published by the American Psychiatric Association, substance-related disorders fall into ten different categories based on the type of drug being used.
They are:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Cannabis
- Hallucinogens (LSD, PCP, Ketamine)
- Inhalants (glue, gasoline, nitrous oxide)
- Opioids (OxyContin, Vicodin, Fentanyl, Heroin)
- Sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics
- Stimulants (amphetamine-type substances)
- Tobacco
- Other or unknown substances
“All drugs that are taken in excess have in common direct activation of the brain reward system, which is involved in the reinforcement of behaviors and the production of memories” (DSM 5). According to this view, addiction can be described as a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, regardless of any negative consequence or outcome. It is also thought of as a chronic disease typified by motivation, rewarding the brain and memory. The user finds relief or reward and remembers the feeling by using a substance. Addiction is also known as a relapsing disorder.
Dopamine and Glutamate: Two Important Neurotransmitters Associated with Addiction
Since addiction is described as a disease of the brain, researchers have studied the roles that dopamine and glutamate play in addiction. Dopamine is the brain chemical that makes us happy. Many forms of addiction occur due to the brain’s reward system flooding the circuit with dopamine. Drugs increase dopamine output which causes us to feel euphoric.
Dopamine also plays an important role in two areas of the brain: the hippocampus and amygdala. The Hippocampus, which is responsible for the formation of memories, imprints the rush of good feelings produced by drugs. The amygdala, which regulates emotional responses, develops a conditioned response to the substance being used.
On the other hand, glutamate has received attention as the neurotransmitter that may play a greater role in the development and maintenance of addiction. Glutamate is involved in the reinforcement and habit-development of addiction. It has a strong effect on cravings, relapse, and drug-related memory. Opioid addiction in particular has been associated with the powerful influence of glutamate, and in this sense, addiction can also be described as a disorder of both learning and memory.
It has been discovered that these important neurotransmitters, CBD and the endocannabinoid system all work together in beneficial ways.
Research Findings on CBD and Addiction
While research examining the medical uses of CBD for addiction is in its early stages, many results seem to be promising. Besides the use of CBD, researchers also believe that targeting the endocannabinoid system may become an effective way to treat people addicted to a number of substances, but opioids in particular. There appears to be an important relationship between pain, opioids, and the circuitry within the endocannabinoids system.
Here are some important takeaways from studies over the past 20 years.
- Researchers from Mount Sinai of Medicine in the United States found that CBD had an effective impact on heroin self-administration and drug-seeking behavior. They believe that CBD can become a potential treatment option for people experiencing heroin craving and risk of relapse.
- A connection between the endocannabinoid system and cocaine use was discovered by two researchers. They believe there is a dysregulation of the CB1 receptor induced by cocaine causing brain alterations and neurotoxicity in the brains of people addicted to cocaine.
- CBD may be a viable treatment to help people wean off of cannabis as well as treat cannabis withdrawal syndrome.
- Researchers explain that CBD works by interfering with reward mechanisms in the brain that are responsible for the expression of the acute reinforcing properties of opioids.
- CBD may have therapeutic properties on psychostimulant, cannabis, and tobacco addictions.
- CBD has been found to be a good treatment for various symptoms associated with addiction including anxiety, depression, insomnia and pain.
- A research report appearing in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology concluded that CBD affected stress-induced drug-seeking behavior in experimental animals without tolerance, sedation or interference of normal behavior. CBD also reduced experimental anxiety among the rodents and prevented impulsivity in rats with a history of alcohol dependence.
- Another study at Mount Sinai in New York found that CBD reduces both craving and feelings of anxiety that often accompany people who are addicted to heroin.
Final Thoughts on Addiction and CBD
These are only a few of the studies examining the effects of CBD on addiction. Obviously, for CBD to become a real treatment for any addictive disorder, much more research is needed. Having a successful non-opioid based medication would be a great addition to existing treatments for addiction. CBD may not only become an effective treatment, but perhaps it could help to reduce the enormous health care costs and loss of life in the United States and around the world.