Opioid though provides solace from chronic pain can prove to be a curse. Its addiction is not easy to get rid of. CBD helps patients by stopping the nerves to get their affective reactions. It is a clinically proven formula to fight opioid addiction. So if you or your family suffering from this issue read this article and go for the right medication.
In this article we shall be discussing how individuals can use CBD for opiate addiction, withdrawal, and recovery. The studies are remarkably promising. Without further ado, let’s jump straight in!
Table of Contents
The opioid epidemic
There’s no doubt about it, we are living through an opioid epidemic. In 2015 alone, there were more than 33,000 opioid-related deaths in the US. Opioids are commonly prescribed to help patients, but drugs like methadone and oxycodone are terribly addictive, causing withdrawal symptoms for people that never thought they would be in such position. Can alternative soltuions (like CBD for opiate addiction) work to end the opioid epidemic? Continue reading to find out.
Opioid addiction
Opioids produce a sense of euphoria that is effective in relieving pain. This effect is both wonderful and a curse, as it can leave the patient wanting more and more. It’s easy to see how people can accidently fall into a state of addiction, even if they had no previous history of drug use.
The real danger of opioids lies in the fact that tolerance to the euphoric effect builds remarkably quickly. This means that patients can often overdose by mistake, whilst attempting to get a higher high. This is serious, as an opioid overdose can potentially result in death from cardiac or respiratory arrest.
Typical opioid addiction symptoms:
- Increased usage of opioids
- Using more than is prescribed
- Negative consequences due to opioid usage
- Putting drugs first before other priorities
- Tried and failed to stop taking opioids
Opioid withdrawal
With such strong addiction properties, it should come as no surprise that withdrawing from opioid-use is no easy task. With that said, if you’re are withdrawing only from opioids and not a combination of drugs, the symptoms are not life threatening.
Typical opioid withdrawal symptoms:
- Low energy
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Runny nose
- Hot and cold sweats
- Goose bumps
- Muscle aches
- Abdominal cramping
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
Can I use CBD for opiate addiction, withdrawal, and recovery?
So, we’ve discussed the negative effects of opiate addiction on the health of those who use the drugs. What we need is a replacement for opiates – a drug that will get the positive results as opiates, but without the negative side effects.
CBD works as a solution to opiate addiction because it’s able to block the effects opioids have on the brain. This was shown in this study that found that cannabidiol interferes with brain reward mechanisms responsible for the expression of the acute reinforcing properties of opioids, thus indicating that using CBD for opiate addiction may be clinically useful in attenuating the rewarding effects of opioids.
By stopping this reward pathway that is triggered by opioids, CBD is able to act as a solution to the opioid epidemic.
CBD Vs opioids for chronic pain
Chronic pain requires consistent medication. As such, it lies at the source of the opioid crises. With that said, could CBD be used as a replacement to opioids when it comes to treating chronic pain?
There’s no doubt about it, opioids can work amazingly well for chronic pain, whether it’s from an injury or due to recent surgery. However, opioids can be extremely addictive. This means that even once the pain has subsided, some patients continue taking the opioid drugs.
CBD offers an alternative to opiates for chronic pain-relief.
This study found that CBD had a longer-lasting effect than methadone, indicating a potentially more sustainable route of treatment.
If you’re using opiates, chances are that you’re also experiencing some level of pain or discomfort. Whether the pain is due to an accident or surgery, CBD works with the endocannabinoid system to reduce pains – This is shown in clinical trials of cannabinoids in pain treatment.Â
Inflammation can also act as the root-cause of chronic pain for some individuals. Thankfully, CBD has anti-inflammatory properties that make it an ideal tool for pain management. These studies show that CBD is able to effectively reduce inflammation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s safe to say that CBD’s benefits for opiate withdrawal are clear to see. CBD for opiate addiction and withdrawal may be the most promising solution we have to curb the epidemic. As the research develops, I’m sure we will learn even more about the role of CBD and opiates. Have you used cannabidiol for opiate addiction? Have you used CBD to end chronic pain? We always love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or reach out via one of our social channels.
I have tried CBD in the past to relieve pain but found it inefficient but had not used it as a anti inflammatory, so ended up returning to using opioids for pain. Now I am trying to get off the opioids and have read your article, purchased some CBD for withdrawals, I haven’t taken any opioids today but substituted CBD instead so far so good no cravings or any other symptoms of withdrawals. I know its extremely early but if this is what I can expect going forward and using CBD to detoxify, I’m happy……
I have had similar success.
I am so very happy when people find help with natural supplements like this to move away from addictive drugs with horrible side effects.
My husband Al is 78 years old. In 2012 he had a stroke that left him with dementia and post-stroke residual pain in his entire right side. The doctor put him on oxycodone, 325 mg 6 pills per day, which were given to him FOR SIX YEARS. in 2018 I found out about CBD oil. I took Al off the oxycodone cold turkey, replaced it the same day, and Al had the same effect as Al Gaudette above ~ no cravings, withdrawal symptoms, or any sign of addiction whatsoever.