Whether you’re just starting your journey to stop smoking or are looking for an effective way to overcome nicotine cravings, CBD may be the perfect solution. It has many unique benefits and is known to reduce withdrawal symptoms.
During nicotine withdrawal, smokers experience intense cigarette cravings, irritability, stress, headaches, insomnia, sweating, and anxiety. These symptoms can be debilitating and make it almost impossible to quit smoking.
1. Reduces cravings
Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet. It’s also very difficult to quit because the withdrawal symptoms are so painful. These include headaches, irritability, high blood pressure, insomnia and anxiety.
The brain’s pleasure-reward pathway is a critical element of addiction to nicotine and other addictive substances. When you smoke, nicotine releases a flood of feel-good chemicals including dopamine and serotonin. This chemistry is also wired into memory, so repeated rounds of cigarette use create connections to positive memories and experiences. This is what causes cravings to form.
These connections are so strong that they become ingrained in the brain and create attentional bias, making it easier to respond to cues that remind you of smoking. This is why you often crave a cigarette if you’ve had a cup of coffee or if you’re anxious at work.
Researchers discovered that CBD can reverse this attentional bias and make it easier for you to ignore smoking cues. In a study, an oral dose of 800 milligrams of CBD was found to significantly reduce the salience and pleasantness of cigarette cues.
You can also help curb your cravings by substituting other things for a cigarette. Instead of reaching for a cigarette, you can distract yourself by chewing gum, using a toothpick or even having a snack.
It’s also important to keep your body healthy and energized during this time of quitting. Getting plenty of exercise and eating the right foods can help your body produce its own serotonin to replace the ones sucked out by cigarettes.
Additionally, avoiding stress can help you resist the urge to reach for another cigarette. When you’re stressed, your body produces a lot of cortisol, which is the hormone that stimulates cravings and relapse. This is why avoiding stress during this time of quitting can help you stay motivated to give up.
Lastly, a well-rested mind can help you focus on your goals. If you’re struggling with nicotine withdrawal, a good night’s sleep can go a long way in helping you stick to your plan. Taking a CBD supplement can boost your sleep and improve your energy level, which will help you get through this difficult time.
2. Reduces anxiety
Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic and non-addictive main component of the Cannabis Sativa plant, has recently received attention from psychiatrists and addiction experts for its potential as a smoking cessation treatment. The compound has been shown to relieve a number of symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal, including intense cravings, headaches, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.
CBD is also a great way to reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. This is thanks to its many anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce the flow of blood to the area responsible for stress and anxiety.
Another important way in which CBD can help is by boosting your brain’s production of the feel-good chemicals serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are involved in memory, mood, and reward pathways and they are naturally produced by your body.
However, when the body is stressed due to a negative event, the levels of these hormones increase significantly, which can have a detrimental effect on your health and wellbeing. In fact, excessive amounts of cortisol can cause a wide range of health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.
It has been found that the use of CBD can actually reduce your anxiety level by increasing the release of serotonin and dopamine in your brain. This is because it activates the 5-HT1A receptor, which is a serotonin binding receptor that has a significant impact on brain functions.
This is because it can boost the production of anandamide, a natural cannabinoid that produces happy or positive feelings and supports the normal serotonin-dopamine signaling processes in your body.
In addition, it can help rewire the brain’s pleasure-reward-memory pathways by reducing your response to triggering cues that resemble smoking. In fact, one study showed that the use of CBD can lead to a 40% reduction in your cigarette consumption! To get the most out of this gimmick, start with a small dosage and then work up from there.
3. Boosts mood
When you’re feeling low, the last thing you want to do is light up a cigarette. Luckily, CBD can boost your mood and keep you from reaching for that nicotine fix.
It can also help you deal with the withdrawal symptoms that are often associated with quitting smoking. These symptoms can be very difficult to endure and they often lead to relapse. So, if you can find a way to distract yourself or redirect your focus, it can make the process of quitting a lot easier.
Studies have shown that CBD can help to calm your body’s responses to stress, which can improve your mood. It works by stimulating specific receptors in your brain, which can lead to a feeling of calmness and well-being.
The calming effects of CBD are also great for people who suffer from anxiety disorders, as it helps to relax your mind and body. It has been known to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.
Keeping your body relaxed can also help you sleep better at night, which can help to boost your energy levels throughout the day. This makes it easier for you to feel good when you wake up in the morning and can even increase your productivity at work!
Another way that CBD can help you get more rest is by reducing muscle and joint pain. It’s not uncommon to experience aches and pains with age, but they can quickly escalate into serious discomfort that can impact your mood. Taking a CBD topical or using a CBD vape can help relieve these issues and keep your energy high throughout the day.
It’s also important to note that CBD is not a cure for anxiety, so it should not be used as a replacement for medication or therapy. If you are struggling with a severe case of anxiety, it’s important to see a doctor or therapist so they can recommend the best course of treatment.
If you are ready to start quitting smoking and looking for a safe, natural alternative, consider using CBD. It is available in a variety of forms, including gummies, tablets, tinctures, and mints. It is also easy to use and you can expect to experience its effects within 15-60 minutes.
4. Reduces stress
Stress is one of the biggest obstacles that prevent smokers from quitting. Whether it’s due to work pressure, interpersonal relationships, or just plain old anxiety, people often turn to cigarettes as a stress-relieving tool.
In order to quit smoking, you must first identify your triggers and make a plan to eliminate them. This may include a healthy diet plan, exercise schedule, and other distraction ideas that will help you focus on your goal to stop smoking.
Another important factor to consider is finding a replacement habit that will replace your smoking addiction. You need to find something that is similar to your former habit, but without all the negative side effects.
For example, if you used to smoke while drinking coffee, then switching to a healthier alternative is a good place to start. You can also try to start a new activity, such as yoga or meditation, as a way to distract yourself from your cravings.
CBD is known to reduce the amount of nicotine your brain receives when you smoke, which will help you quit. It’s also a great supplement to use while you quit because it can relieve the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and decrease your likelihood of relapse.
This is because nicotine gives your brain super-good feelings, and when you stop smoking it can be difficult to get those same happy sensations back. However, CBD helps the body to create its own serotonin levels and alleviates the need for nicotine.
There are several different ways to take CBD for smoking cessation, and some people prefer using oils or edibles. Regardless of your choice, it’s important to choose a high-quality product with no harmful ingredients.
A study done in 2018 found that using CBD significantly reduced the appeal of smoking cues. This is because CBD works by weakening attentional bias, a factor that is thought to play a significant role in the addiction cycle.
CBD also helps to increase your mood and calm you down when you are feeling stressed out. This is because it can act as a natural sedative that will relax you without the need for drugs or alcohol. This is why many people choose CBD to help them with their stress and anxiety.
