What Real Health Means to Me – JB
Author: JB Wilson
For as far back as I can recall, I have been plagued with anxiety. In my youth, the mere thought of an exam or the possibility of failure would be followed with a crippling panic attack. My sophomore year of college was one of the hardest of my life. If I didn’t have to leave my house, I wouldn’t. I stayed locked in my room away from any form of social interaction. Driving my car was a nerve-racking experience that turned any commute into a nightmare. All I could think about was the car spiraling out of control or breaking down, leaving me stranded on the side of the road. I lived this way for most of my college experience until I discovered CBD oil my senior year. A few drops and twenty minutes later I could function. I was jogging, calling people I hadn’t spoken to in years and attending crowded events. A drive across town became a wonderful experience that gave me the opportunity to turn up the radio and just relax.
Through meditation, breathing techniques, and modest doses of CBD oil, I completely turned my life around. I became so productive and confident that last year I spent 6 months out-of-state. Every morning I would take a casual stroll to work, and every night I would go for a hike. Just three years ago that would have been a complete impossibility.
I hesitate to share this information because I don’t want to give the impression that CBD is a magic bullet. It’s not. The truth is that overcoming my anxiety was a lot of hard work. There were years of pushing my boundaries, learning to accept that regardless of my actions, inconveniences were going to take place. I had to learn to let go and breathe when life handed me the proverbial lemon. CBD oil was a great stepping stone, a tool that helped me overcome the obstacles in my life.
That is what real health means to me, the opportunity to live life, and genuinely enjoy the time I’ve been given. In college, I wasn’t living. I was so terrified of the consequences of reality, I never tried to reap the benefits of a fulfilling existence. After living most of my life in constant panic and paranoia, I was finally able to conquer my condition through natural medicine. Many times on my journey I considered getting a prescription for anti-anxiety medication. I was so desperate to find any Band-Aid that would alleviate my illness. It fills me with unimaginable joy that I waited until I could find a holistic, positive solution. The ability to go through my day unaltered by prescription drugs is a luxury I never anticipated.
Although the use of CBD oil is a controversial issue in my hometown of Wichita, Kansas, I can honestly say I have had nothing but a positive experience using it. Perhaps if I am open about my own personal benefits with meditation and CBD oil, it will help create a dialogue and assist another individual who is also dealing with crippling anxiety.
Each month we have guest authors write a column for our Health Hunters newsletter with the prompt “What Real Health Means to Me”. We’ve been blown away by the content, and the variety of answers, that they have provided. We know that Real Health is very personal and health goals vary. We hope that you find their stories inspiring and will share with your friends and family as well!
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If you’d like to write an article of your own, please email us at newseditor@riordanclinic.org.
