WHAT IS COMORBIDITY?
Comorbidity is a phenomenon in which one or more disorders or conditions occur simultaneously with a predominant disorder or condition. In some cases, comorbidity refers to the simultaneous presence of two unrelated conditions, but most of the situations requiring use of the term involve one causal condition and one resultant condition. In the quantitative sense of the term, a comorbidity refers to the secondary rather than predominant condition.
Comorbidities are valuable in research because quite often, two seemingly unrelated conditions will share a common root and their simultaneous presentation can lead to the discovery of their single cause. One common comorbidity exists between insomnia and mental illness. A chronic lack of sleep has head-on ramifications to baseline mental health. Mental disorders are clearly linked to sleeplessness and they include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and a plethora of others.
CBD can break the cycle of comorbidity
CBD is well-known to promote sleep and the circadian rhythm, and has been used for this purpose since ancient times (in the raw form, not extracted oils). It is thought that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a role in the regulation of sleep.
CBD may assist in augmenting the underlying system of sleeping hormones (melatonin), which might lead to overriding insomnia or its potential causes. There is increasing and compelling evidence that supplementing your diet with CBD has the ability to attenuate a variety of disorders. Since it is known to up-regulate hormones that control circadian rhythms, it especially is useful for insomniatic disorders.
CBD for depression
Insomnia and depression go hand in hand. Chronic sleeplessness can lead to a desensitization to the feeling of pleasure, one of the hallmarks of depression. This is the basic process of motivation in the human brain, and without a desire to replicate pleasurable stimuli, the mind feels no impetus to do anything. According to reports from NCBI, CBD was tested in animal models, where subjects went through a variety of experiments such as the forced swimming test (FST), elevated plus maze (EPM) and Vogel conflict test (VCT). The studies suggested that CBD has anxiolytic and antidepressant effects on the behavior of animals comparable to leading SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) drugs. Experiments involving CBD exhibited antagonization, or deactivation, of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors.
CBD as an anxiolytic
Just as insomnia can lead to clinical depression, one of the steps that leads to depression for many is clinical anxiety. This is when an imbalance of serotonin signalling leads to a constant feeling of fear and apprehension, which the mind projects onto otherwise normal environmental stimuli. Again, CBD is used for enhancing mental health by diminishing the traits of anxiety and stress through regulation of neurotransmitter release and reuptake.
Anxiety is an umbrella term used for multiple kinds of everyday disfunction. Some studies show that after consuming CBD products, participants exhibit a significant decrease in anxiety-induced behaviors. Researchers validate these reports with fMRI scans that show decreased blood flow in the parts of the brain associated with a fear response.
CBD alleviates ADHD symptoms
Dysfunctional endocannabinoid signalling leads to attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD). These are neurochemical imbalances characterized by impulsiveness, inattention, and hyperactivity. Insomnia can lead to these conditions, and vice versa: a truly unique comorbid relationship that leads researchers to believe there must be a third party causing both of these conditions, because one does not clearly result in the presence other.
In 2015 a German research team published research on the potential effect of CBD on 30 patients who didn’t respond positively to common stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall. A majority of respondents exhibited both healthier sleep patterns and increased alertness and cognition with the therapeutic use of CBD in the place of Adderall or Ritalin. This is a key piece of research, and if widely replicable, it could lead to a complete overhaul of the current treatment methods for cognitive learning disabilities with a hyperactivity component.
There is no denying the fact that insomnia can lead to additional secondary disorders, sometimes as severe as schizophrenia. More and more research shows that CBD can help to tame the underlying causes of these debilitating conditions that pile on top of one another for millions. Arm yourself with the full knowledge of what CBD and alternative cannabinoid treatments can do for you health and wellbeing. The sky’s the limit to what CBD can do for the medical community, and this is only the beginning.
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