How can CBD help in treating anorexia?
Although anorexia is categorised as a diet disorder, it’s about expressing deep emotional trauma and a self-image problem. Like the majority of disorders, anorexia strongly affects the quality of individual’s life, while its treatment is difficult and long-term.
Signs of anorexia
The most common sign of anorexia is physical starvation of the body, which often leads to emotional and behavioural disorders, as well as a strong fear of gaining weight. Other common symptoms typical of people with anorexia are:
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Sudden weight loss
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Dressing in layers to cover a starved body or to keep it warm
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Constant concerns about diet, calories and weight
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Dizziness, vertigo and insomnia
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Denying a sense of hunger and common comments about being fat despite a low body weight
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Extremely rigid eating schedule and excessive exercising
Anorexia, besides a too low body weight, is accompanied by other physical symptoms, such as stomach cramps, dry skin, broken nails, hair loss, muscle weakness, cold, etc.
CBD and eating disorders
Once we consume CBD, it connects to our endocannabinoid system and triggers a number of different effects in the body. One of the characteristics of CBD is that it increases the appetite.
A lot of research had shown that CBD affects the CB1 receptors that stimulate appetite and a sense of comfort after having a meal. It’s important to know that people with anorexia not only don’t want to eat food but have developed a negative attitude towards food. An anorexic person doesn’t feel any satisfaction after eating food, only guilt.
Besides increasing appetite, CB1 receptors are known to trigger a feeling of satisfaction after eating, which encourages anorexic people to have a greater desire for food and a much friendlier attitude towards it.