CBD for Depression with dosage suggestions

CBD for Depression

According to the World Health Organization, more than 350 million people globally are affected by depression. Sadness, grief, and a sense of feeling “stuck” are an unfortunate part of life, but when the hopeless feelings set in for a long period of time, or when you can’t shake a sense of profound numbness or melancholy, it becomes depression.

If you are struggling to cope with your depression or are experiencing self-destructive thoughts, it’s time to speak with a medical professional, but if you are looking for a way to manage and relieve (relatively) mild depression, CBD may be a great solution that is a natural – and likely less expensive – option instead of prescribed drugs, and is worth trying first.

The Myth Surrounding Depression

There’s a myth (mostly perpetuated by pharmaceutical companies) that depression is solely caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, but there’s a lot more to depression beyond serotonin and inflammation, much of which science is yet to understand.

How Depression Affects our Brains

The hippocampus is the area of the brain most heavily linked to depression, and when people suffer from depression for a prolonged period of time, or repeatedly, that area begins to atrophy. The hippocampus is responsible for memory, learning, and emotion. Fortunately, it also regenerates through a process known as “neural regeneration”.

Traditional Anti-Depressants

Traditional anti-depressants work largely by stimulating the neural regeneration in the hippocampus, as well as trying to control a large number of other factors. These other factors are often what causes side effects for the patient.

CBD Also Stimulates Neural Regeneration

Cannabidiol (CBD) is FDA approved as a cannabis-derived drug to treat epilepsy. It works by protecting neurons in the hippocampus – the area of the brain most heavily linked with depression – and can similarly aid in neural regeneration for those suffering from depression.

CBD Benefits for Depression

Neural regeneration isn’t the only benefit CBD has for those suffering from depression it also:

• Has anti-inflammatory properties, and scientists now believe that depression can also be caused by inflammation within the brain, so the CBD can reduce this inflammation and relieve symptoms.
• Increases natural levels of endocannabinoids in the brain. We have an endocannabinoid system within our nervous system, and an increase in these endocannabinoids within the brain is shown to stimulate neuron growth.
• Activates serotonin receptors which in turn control a range of neurotransmitters and increases neurogenesis (further repairing the brain).

How to Take CBD for Depression

How you choose to take CBD to treat depression is no different to taking it for its other benefits, so choose a method that best suits your preferences and needs. The only difference it makes to you is how much you enjoy taking CBD (which may influence whether or not you take it), the amount that is in each dose, and how expensive it is.

You can take CBD in any form you like; as edibles, drinkables, topicals, as a vape or to smoke, as oil, pills, and more. The best way to take it for depression is likely as a tincture, that you drop under the tongue where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel straight to your brain. Methods of taking CBD that force it to travel through the liver or lungs can reduce potency.

What Dose for Depression?

Like any other drug, CBD’s effectiveness varies from person to person, and you’ll need to build up to discover how tolerant you are. The best way to do this is to note down your dosage each day and make notes about how you felt that day, and how you dealt with any tough moments or situations. Did you react differently? Did you feel better after than you normally would? These are the kind of signs you should be looking for.

What Dose to Start With?

Below you’ll find a starting dose size suggestion. If you’re worried, start with the lowest dose and build up, but if you’re suffering and need fast relief, try the higher end of your starting dose. You can’t overdose on CBD, so you don’t need to worry about taking too much, but you should still try to dial in your dose so you aren’t using more than you need to.

Weight                         Dose

86 – 150lbs                 12 – 18mg

151 – 240lbs               18 – 27mg

241lbs and over          22.5 – 45mg

Once you’ve found your range, look on the packaging of your CBD product and find their serving suggestion (for example, 5 drops per serving) and then find the mg per serving. Your product should have this on the label, but occasionally you’ll have a product that uses a percentage (e.g. 5%) to mark how much CBD is in the product. If it doesn’t say at all, return it and buy a different product.

Next, calculate how much mg is in each individual serving. For example, the serving suggestion may be 5, but we want to find out how much CBD is in 1. If the label says there is 50mg in one serving (5 drops), we can calculate that there is 10mg in one drop (50 / serving size (5) = 10mg).

Do this for your own product. If your product has a percentage you may need to Google to find a better answer or do further calculation.

This mg per individual serving will tell you how many servings you need to meet your starting suggested serving size. For example, if you are 160lbs and you want to start with a low dose, you could take two servings of a product that is 10mg per serving for a total of 20mg, which is just over your suggested starting dose.

From there, test it daily and build up until you find a dose you feel supports you and helps you better manage your depression. If you’ve yet to select a product, our LivKind Tincture or our LivKind capsules will suit your needs, and our serving size is an easy 10 mg per serving, so you’ll find it easy to start and build up with this product. Our products are all organic, pharmaceutical grade and THC-free.  

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*You should always contact your Dr if you are already taking medications and shouldn't stop taking medications without discussing with your Dr first.  The FDA has not approved hemp or CBD for any medical purposes, and LivKind makes no medical claims about CBD or our products.