CBD for Alcohol Withdrawal

Before discussing CBD for alcohol withdrawal, it is essential to mention that alcoholism and withdrawal symptoms can be severe and even life-threatening.

So, you should always discuss this process with your doctor or trained addiction withdrawal experts.

Also, at the bottom of this post, we listed some useful resources to help you find the support you need for yourself or someone you know.

With that said, we can now get on with talking about how to use CBD oil to help with alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Related Post: How long after consuming CBD can you drink alcohol?

How to Use CBD Oil For Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

If you’ve been drinking alcohol for a long time and then cut back or stopped taking it altogether, you might experience some unpleasant symptoms.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms describe the mental and physical problems one experiences when one stops taking alcohol.

The withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Some mild symptoms include anxiety, shaky hands, headache, nausea, insomnia, and light sweating.

More severe symptoms include confusion, racing heartbeat, increased blood pressure, fever, and heavy sweating.

Some of the natural ways of managing alcohol withdrawal include exercise, staying hydrated, and having a balanced diet.

CBD has also been suggested to be an effective remedy as far as managing the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

While CBD cannot intrinsically cure alcohol withdrawal, it can help minimise various symptoms that makeup alcohol withdrawal.

CBD products come in diverse formats, which are easy to incorporate into your daily routines.

Related Post: CBD and alcohol.

4 Ways CBD May Help Withdrawal Symptoms from Alchohol

The following are some of the ways CBD helps minimise alcohol withdrawal:

1. CBD Can Help to Minimise Depression

If you’ve been taking alcohol frequently for months or years, and then you reduce or stop the intake, one of the common withdrawal symptoms you may experience is depression.

Depression is characterised by persistent low moods and loss of interest in things you previously enjoyed doing.

As this study shows, CBD may help with minimising depression.

CBD has calming and relaxant properties, and it helps you gain mental stability and calm, potentially helping you overcome alcohol-related depression.

(We wrote a more in-depth post on this link about using CBD to help with mental health).

2. CBD Can Help to Manage Anxiety

If you’re battling anxiety, you will feel uptight and nervous and might even suffer from panic attacks.

Anxiety can stop you from living a fulfilling life, as it can cause you to lose focus and diminish your ability to connect with people and develop relationships.

As this study shows, CBD has anxiolytic properties and may help with managing anxiety.

(We wrote a more in-depth post on this link about using CBD to help with anxiety).

3. CBD May Reduce the Effects of Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless leg syndrome is characterised by the uncontrollable urge to move your legs around.

This condition causes the victim to feel uncomfortable.

CBD oil has anecdotally been suggested to minimise the symptoms of restless leg syndrome.

4. CBD Can Help with Insomnia

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder where the victim struggles to fall and stay asleep.

Different things, including psychological problems and withdrawal from alcohol use, may cause insomnia.

This study shows that CBD may help manage insomnia thanks to its relaxing and calming properties.

According to anecdotal reports, CBD helps one fall asleep faster and experience deep and restful sleep.

Related Post: Using CBD to help with insomnia.

What is the Best CBD Oil to Use for Alcohol Withdrawal?

By far, the most effective and potential form of CBD is full-spectrum CBD oil.

It contains all the most potent compounds related to cannabidiol but does not contain enough THC to create any sort of “high” in the person using it.

(Click here to find out more about our full-spectrum CBD oil). 

CBD Dosage for Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Determining an appropriate CBD dosage for managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms requires careful consideration.

The correct dosage can vary significantly from person to person, depending on factors like body weight, the severity of symptoms, individual body chemistry, and the concentration of CBD in the product being used.

As a general guideline, many people start with a low dose of CBD, such as 20-40 milligrams per day, and gradually increase it based on how their body responds.

This cautious approach allows individuals to gauge their tolerance and effectiveness of CBD in managing their specific symptoms.

It’s also important to consider the form of CBD being used.

CBD oil or tinctures can be easier to dose incrementally than capsules or edibles.

Sublingual (under the tongue) administration of CBD oil can also offer quicker relief of symptoms compared to ingesting capsules, which must pass through the digestive system.

Can CBD Oil Reduce Cravings for Alcohol?

When you stop taking alcohol, you usually develop cravings for it.

CBD has been suggested to be helpful as far as managing these cravings.

CBD promotes neurogenesis, and it enhances your mental and emotional stability.

Frequent consumption of CBD may help with overcoming cravings for alcohol.

Despite being derived from the cannabis plant, CBD doesn’t have any psychoactive properties, and one cannot develop an addiction to it.

Related Post: CBD and hangovers.

Does CBD Have any Side Effects?

Many people consume CBD without experiencing any adverse effects.

However, in some rare instances, there have been reports of side effects like drowsiness and diarrhoea.

One of the factors that can predispose you to side effects is your health status.

If you have a pre-existing health problem, you should visit a doctor before ingesting CBD.

Another factor is dosage. To experience optimum effects, you need to ingest the correct dosage of CBD.

If you overdose, you might be susceptible to side effects.

Different factors, including age, weight, and sex, influence the correct CBD dosage.

Many CBD products come with dosage guidelines, and it’s critical to follow them.

Generally speaking, when you first start using CBD, it’s best to start with a low dose and gradually introduce it to your body.

You can then slowly increase your dose according to how you feel.

If you are unsure where to start, what products to use and how to use them, we welcome you to get in touch, and we can help assist you on your CBD journey.

Related Post: CBD oil withdrawal symptoms.

Understanding Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal is a set of symptoms that may occur when someone who has been drinking alcohol regularly for an extended period stops drinking.

These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can include anxiety, insomnia, tremors, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and seizures.

Alcohol withdrawal happens because the body has become dependent on alcohol to function normally.

When someone drinks regularly, their body adapts to the presence of alcohol and begins to rely on it to maintain certain levels of neurotransmitters and other chemicals in the brain.

When the alcohol is suddenly removed, the body struggles to regulate these levels on its own, leading to the symptoms of withdrawal.

It’s important to address alcohol withdrawal because it can be a dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition.

Severe symptoms like seizures and delirium tremens can occur in some cases, which require immediate medical attention.

Even mild symptoms can be uncomfortable and interfere with daily life, making it more challenging to stay sober.

Lisa’s Top Tip

As many of us sadly do, I have my own experience of people struggling with alcoholism and giving up the drink.

I always recommend that people in this position keep in close contact with their doctor and, ideally, a specially trained addiction counsellor.

But I also think that careful use of CBD to help reduce withdrawal symptoms makes a lot of sense.

Places in the UK Offering Support for Problematic Drinking

Here are some places you can turn to for help if you or someone you know has issues with drinking too much:

• This link from the NHS has some helpful advice and links to more resources. Click here…
• Drink Aware can also help you find help for yourself or someone you know. Click here…
• Humankind offers direct support for people with drink and drug addiction problems. Click here…
• Alcohol Change UK offers direct help for people struggling with alcohol addiction. Click here…

Final Notes on Using CBD Oil for Alcohol Withdrawal

CBD oil can’t cure problems related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms, but it can reduce the effect of some of the symptoms.

In particular, it can help reduce or alleviate depression, anxiety, restless legs syndrome and insomnia.

So if you or someone you love is battling alcohol addiction and the withdrawal symptoms that accompany it may be worth giving it a go.

However, please always consult your doctor if you are worried about anything related to alcohol addiction and related symptoms.