Currently, there is limited peer-reviewed research about the benefits of CBD when it comes to helping treat mental illnesses like anxiety and depression and other conditions like general pain and epilepsy, and much lesser for studies on Schizophrenia. Still, there’s an optimistic approach here, hoping that one day, delta 8 cartridges can be used to its full potential.
CBD and Schizophrenia According to Research
There is not enough evidence gathered that CBD can totally help with Schizophrenia, but we’ve gathered a few experiments with interesting results so far. As mentioned in a 2021 review, during observational studies, people with Schizophrenia who use cannabis have a higher chance of aggravating their symptoms and outcomes.
However, we must take note of the components present in cannabis. It can contain over a hundred cannabinoids, and most of the time, it has more tetrahydrocannabinol or THC than CBD. THC is responsible for the “high” feelings to come through, and to compare every cannabinoid’s effects on a person with Schizophrenia, you’ll need a bigger group to study.
In total, the review checked out 11 studies on THC and CBD – together and separately, and they found mixed results. For now, there’s still a lot to research to have a final say, but it’s still not widely known to use CBD in treating Schizophrenia.
Improved Cognition
There’s a promising result on cognition though. In another 2021 study, 42 people with Schizophrenia were given CBD and amisulpride (an antipsychotic medication), and CBD showed lesser side effects. So, hopefully, more will be discovered for the better.
Associations with Improvement of Psychotic Symptoms
Psychosis is one of the symptoms of Schizophrenia, and finding more ways to treat this can greatly help those who are in dire need of support and treatment. Fortunately, there is a promising study conducted in a 2021 review on psychosis and CBD.
The results showed CBD having associations with an improvement of psychotic symptoms in two out of the three trials. Though quite positive, the research is small and needs more participants. It only catered to 36 people in the smallest group and 88 people in the largest one.
Hopefully, a bigger testing group will be done soon to confirm if CBD is indeed effective in mellowing down psychotic symptoms, especially for those who are experiencing it for the first time.
Is it Safe to Use?
Since there is still research to be done, it’s better to be cautious when including CBD in the treatment plan of Schizophrenic patients. So, it’s important to let the patient’s doctors know so that they can identify medication that can interact with CBD.
This may hamper the progress of the treatment in general, so it’s best to do consultations first. Although it’s great to keep an open mind, we still have to follow standard protocols and be responsible in exploring treatment plans in the future.
