Hemp For Addiction Recovery

hemp

Because addiction is such a complex thing to recover from, people have started to discover a variety of ways to help someone recover from it. Addiction is by no means an easy thing to get over; it takes a lot of mental and physical training to actually kick substance abuse. Yoga, Adventure, Music, Medical, Equine, and, now, Hemp therapy are all different kinds of therapies or coping mechanisms addicts have started to use in order to beat the odds. Today, we will discuss the use of hemp for addiction recovery. You may be asking yourself, “But isn’t hemp marijuana?”, this is a common misconception that makes many people hesitant to the herb. People tend to group hemp and marijuana in the same group. These people may think “Well because marijuana can be addictive, so can hemp.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. In today’s blog, we’ll discuss what hemp is, what’s the difference between it and marijuana, and how hemp can help benefit someone in recovery.

What Is Hemp? What’s The Difference Between Hemp & Marijuana?

Hemp and Marijuana are both derived from the cannabis family, which can be classified under two branches: Sativa or Indica. Marijuana can be apart of either of these branches of cannabis, but hemp can only be apart of the Sativa family. Though these two come from the same family, their purpose/functionality couldn’t be more different. Marijuana is primarily used for its psychoactive benefits, while Hemp contains nothing that would trigger a “high”. Hemp, instead of having THC (creates the psychoactive element in Marijuana), is filled with CBD which doesn’t have any psychoactive elements in it. To put it in perspective, marijuana usually has a THC concentration of 15%-40%, while hemp has a concentration as little as 0.3% (sometimes even less). There are also significant differences in both herbs uses. Since Marijuana is rich in THC, it is primarily used for recreational and medicinal purposes. Some patients that go through Chemo are prescribed medicinal marijuana to help ease the pain they’re going through. Others, use marijuana for its psychoactive elements. When we talk about hemp’s uses, they couldn’t be more different. Hemp is mostly used for its industrial purposes. It’s used in the production of paper, clothing, building materials, biofuel, food products, oils, and many other things. Even though these two herbs serve very different purposes, they, unfortunately, are still grouped together quite often. But why is that? Let us explain.

Though hemp is completely different in functionality, cultivation, and application, people still think it’s basically marijuana. This is because in the 70s when politicians started to outlaw marijuana, they were quick to group the herb in the same family. Because of their lack of understanding and research, hemp became illegal along with marijuana. Under the Controlled Substance Act in 1970, cannabis was criminalized. In the last couple of decades, there have been movements to legalize cannabis and legislation has started to legalize it all around the U.S. Whether the public likes it or not, hemp use around the country has started to pick up speed. There is no denying the fact that hemp can be used in ways that marijuana cannot.

Health Benefits

As we discussed earlier, hemp can be used in more practical ways that marijuana cannot. Hemp has over 25,000 different practical/industrial uses while marijuana only really has a few. One of the greatest things about hemp is it’s health benefits. The seed alone can be ingested and is rich in fiber, minerals, and unsaturated fats. This can be great for people trying to diet or lose weight, all those nutrients are very healthy for you, it’s like a superfood. Another great benefit that hemp has is it can fight bad cholesterol and blood clots. The herb is rich in essential vitamins and minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, and zinc. Hemp has also been used as an oil for its health benefits, this oil is often referred to as CBD oil. This oil has gone to show incredible benefits like reducing inflammation, chronic pain, cancer symptoms, and improve heart health.

How Can It Be Used In Addiction Recovery?

With all the incredible health benefits in mind, can this herb be applied to those who are in addiction recovery? Yes! Hemp is a great thing for anyone in addiction recovery to use. Research has shown that the herb can be implemented into addiction recovery in order to help a person fight withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is one of the most difficult things for an addict to go through; it’s when their cravings are at their peak. When a person first undergoes recovery, their body will fight to get that substance back. The can body react in some uncomfortable ways when withdrawal first kicks in. Nausea, headaches, dizziness, uncontrollable temper, sleep issues, cold sweats, and many other symptoms come with withdrawal. The amount of mental and physical toll withdrawal can take on a person can be overwhelming, sometimes too much. In order to fight off these symptoms and beat the odds, a person needs to find ways to ease their mind, body, and soul.

Scientists have discovered an excellent way to use hemp for people that need a sense of relief in life, CBD Oil. CBD Oil is derived from hemp and it can help a person relax their mind, body, and soul. Using this oil, an addict can better fight off withdrawal symptoms. CBD Oil can help an addict fight off symptoms like excessive hunger, sleep issues, lethargy, muscle pain, disorientation, nausea, mood swings, and cold sweats. Dealing with these symptoms without any sense of relief can make an addict fall right back into their substance abuse problems.

Now that you know the incredible benefits of hemp, what do you think of it? This herb has gone to show some incredible practical, industrial, and medical uses; there’s no denying the research. Hemp can be used to help an addict fight off withdrawal and achieve long-term sobriety. If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, contact us today and get the help you need.