CBD for ADHD in South Africa | Is It Worth A Try?

When people think of marijuana, they often still picture the hippie flower children of the 60’s or a Bob Marley vibe. While there are still plenty of people who use marijuana to achieve that mellow high, modern science is looking at this notorious little plant for its health benefits.

This interest has led to the creation of cannabidiol, or CBD. The use of CBD has been growing to include natural alternative treatments for conditions like insomnia, anxiety, PTSD, and even epilepsy.

Now, people who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have jumped on the bandwagon, often asking, “What is CBD, and how can it help me?”

We’ve compiled some information regarding this potentially groundbreaking treatment. This will help you understand the connections between the condition and cannabidiol and to decide whether you can use CBD for ADHD.

Contents

What Is ADHD?
CBD And ADHD Research
Can CBD Help With ADHD?
Best CBD for ADHD
CBD Dosage for ADHD
Wrapping Up CBD for ADHD
Sources

What Is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a medical condition that affects the way the brain develops and behaves. While it’s most often diagnosed in childhood, in many cases, it goes unnoticed until adulthood. It is also thought to be passed along in families.

ADHD is characterised by symptoms of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity. There is no cure, but management is often achieved with ADHD medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.

However, the side effects of these medicines are often a reason for people to seek alternative treatments. Especially when ADHD is combined with conditions like anxiety, depression, and insomnia, as it often is.

CBD And ADHD Research

Research on the relationship between CBD and ADHD is relatively new, and as such, scientific information is limited. There have been a few studies with mixed results. Many who punt CBD treatments for ADHD do so on the basis that CBD has already had good results with related conditions.

People who use CBD for insomnia have sung its praises, with marked improvements in their sleep patterns. People affected by ADHD often struggle to sleep well, so being able to sleep better would, in turn, help with focus, irritability, and inattentiveness.

Anxiety and depression are also disorders frequently found in conjunction with ADHD. Studies have shown that the chances of people living with ADHD facing another mental illness in their lifetime are very high.

An alarmingly large number of these co-disorders are anxiety and depression related. Trials have proven the efficacy of treating depression and anxiety with CBD due to it working on the same parts of the brain that contribute to the illnesses.

Can CBD Help With ADHD?

As mentioned, the studies on the use of cannabidiol for ADHD are relatively new and limited. There isn’t enough concrete evidence to motivate swapping your medication for a pack of CBD gummies just yet. However, due to its success in treating related issues, we can deduce that using CBD to treat ADHD has its perks.

Due to its effects on the hypothalamus to reduce stress-inducing hormones, the same concept could be extended to reducing similar emotions that can be detrimental to sufferers.

The action of CBD would also improve sleep difficulties and keep those anxious feelings at bay. This affords the user time to think clearly and extend their attention span while suppressing those effects.

So, nobody is saying ADHD can’t be treated with cannabis. We can say it hasn’t been ruled out and certainly has promising possibilities. It’s definitely a good consideration as a supplement to your existing regimen.

Note: Always check with your doctor before adding CBD to your regimen.

Best CBD for ADHD

CBD comes in different forms, from oils to edibles to vapes and topicals. Here are the popular options outlined so you can see how best to use cannabidiol for ADHD.

CBD Oil

Oil is the most popular medium due to its ability to absorb into the body quickly. THC-free options are also easier to find due to the method used in production. It can be ingested orally in the form of tinctures, edibles, capsules, or vapes.

Look for broad-spectrum or varieties that have been combined with ingredients that support CBD’s effects on ADHD, such as ashwagandha, linalool, pinene, terpinolene, and myrcene.

CBD Oil for Children with ADHD

The ruling on CBD oil for kids with ADHD isn’t a unilateral one. Some experts have expressed concern, but the overall consensus isn’t all in the toilet. Cannabidiol has been used in trials to treat epilepsy in kids. Now, before you buy your child a batch of space brownies (kidding!), we recommend oils if you want to use CBD for kids with ADHD.

Smoking

Some people turn to a classic joint to reap the benefits of pot. However, there are warnings regarding the effect of THC on ADHD. Memory problems, worsened concentration, increased aggressiveness, and possible addiction are risks that come with smoking due to the difficulty in filtering out THC entirely from the plant.

CBD Dosage for ADHD

The trick to using CBD is finding the dosage and concentration that works for you. We recommend starting with a low dose and gradually upping your intake until you feel comfortable.

It should also be noted that CBD is not a replacement for sound medical advice. Always speak to your doctor before you add anything to your intake so you can make informed choices.

Wrapping Up CBD for ADHD

As anyone familiar with the progress of cannabis use and legislation anywhere in the world knows, we still have a way to go in discovering how much we can get out of the dagga plant. More research is needed to fully understand the benefits of this fantastic little plant (we aren’t talking about the psychedelic effects).

The use of CBD for ADHD is becoming more popular by the day, and its positive effects on disorders that have been linked to it are promising. The adverse side effects of using CBD are minimal once your doctor gives you the go-ahead to use CBD oil to treat ADHD. So even if you just get a good night’s sleep or better hair growth to get those glam waves, you won’t regret giving CBD a try.