Cannabidiol (CBD) shows promising results in the treatment of patients at increased risk of psychosis in a new clinical study. The research results were published in the journal World Psychiatry and underline the potential of CBD as a novel, well-tolerated treatment option.
Background: Risk of psychosis and new treatment approaches
Psychoses are severe mental illnesses characterized by hallucinations, delusions and thought disorders. People in the so-called “clinical high risk stage” (CHR) already show early warning symptoms such as paranoid thoughts or distorted perceptions.
Current treatment options are limited – especially as traditional antipsychotics often have severe side effects. This is why there is growing interest in alternative, more tolerable substances such as cannabidiol (CBD).
Study design
- Number of participants: 31 patients in the CHR stage
- Duration: 3 weeks
- Dosage: 600 mg CBD daily vs. placebo
Measuring instrument: CAARMS (Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States) for the assessment of risk symptoms
Important: No additional medication was administered during the study.
Results
The participants who received CBD showed:
✅ Lower total scores in the CAARMS test compared to the placebo group
✅ Reduction in symptom severity with early psychotic signs
✅ Less stress due to psychotic experiences
✅ Good tolerability, without relevant side effects
The researchers conclude:
“Short-term CBD treatment can alleviate symptoms in the CHR stage of psychosis and is well tolerated. Further large-scale studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of CBD in this context.”
Significance of the results
This study provides new evidence that CBD could play a preventive role in mental illnesses such as psychosis. Particularly interesting: CBD is not psychoactive and has a favorable side effect profile – a clear advantage over many classic antipsychotics.
Conclusion
The data suggests that CBD could be a promising treatment option for people at increased risk of psychosis. Although it is a small study, the results suggest that CBD can noticeably alleviate symptoms – without severe side effects.
Future large-scale, longer-term studies will have to show whether CBD can actually be used as a standardized therapy for precursors of psychosis.
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