Tell us a little bit about yourself...
I currently work as a flooring specialist. Mainly selling all types of flooring but occasionally fitting carpets and vinyls.
My free time is spent running CBD based Facebook groups, looking after my sick Father and spending time with my new partner.
What's going on with you?
I've suffered with mental health issues since the age of 8, I am now 42. I suffered really bad anxiety and depression after losing my Nan. From then I'd spent most of my life self harming and have had bad suicide tenancies.
It wasn't until I was under Mental Health again, around the age of 31, that I did some research and self diagnosed as having Borderline Personality Disorder.
The relevant tests were carried out and I was marked as a worst case scenario and put into Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for a year. This didn't help much.
From the age of 8 I've been under child guidance councillor's, adult counselling, psychiatrists, mental health doctors and a therapy group. I've been on most types of antidepressants,, mood stabilisers and antipsychotics.
"I was at a point in my life where enough was enough. I was sick of how meds made me feel. I was tired of relapsing every time I attempted to wean off of them and having to go onto something stronger."
The stabilisers and antipsychotics had a real bad effect and turned me into an aggressive monster. I was full of rage. I've been on mixtures of antidepressants over the years. Every few years they would have to be changed as I kept getting immune to them. Doctors would keep adding new ones which would have their own adverse effects.
I spent many years, on and off, using alcohol and cannabis to help calm my mood and mindset. Cannabis allowed me to function more acceptably, it calmed the thoughts and heightened emotions caused by the BPD.
Did you have any reservations about using CBD?
I'd been hearing things about CBD. I was at a point in my life, around 3 years ago, where enough was enough. I was sick of how meds made me feel. I was tired of relapsing every time I attempted to wean off of them and having to go onto something stronger.
I did some research and read a few users' stories about how CBD had changed their outlook on life.
I made a decision that I WAS going to come off of all meds. I hoped that CBD oil would help with that. It was kill or cure. I WAS stopping the meds and if CBD didn't work, I was willing to let nature take its course. I couldn't carry on the way things were. BPD stopped me doing so many things in life. It puts you in a box and you spend your life hiding away from people because no one understands. I couldn't live with the torment any more.
Which CBD product did you use?
I started off with Holland and Barrett oil. I now know this is derived from Hemp seed and contains little or no CBD. From here I tried a couple of brands from Ebay. Again, one was hemp seed and the other was nothing more than a syrup. I wasn't impressed.
A friend put me onto a CBD Discussion Group on Facebook where I became a member. It was sponsored by Reverse Nature CBD. It seemed quite expensive in comparison to what I'd already tried but I had nothing to lose.
"I've done things in life, since then, that I never thought possible. My whole outlook is more positive."
Within 3 weeks, I was off all meds. I was feeling again and thinking a lot more clearly. I've done things in life, since then, that I never thought possible. My whole outlook is more positive.
I put my experience onto the group page which gained a lot of interest from the group and Reverse Nature themselves. It appears I was one of the first to use it for mental health. I started helping out in the group, took a diploma to expand my knowledge and now run the group.
I am now an advocate for Reverse Nature because of how it has changed my life and I've watched as it has helped many others with various mental health problems and an array of physical ailments.
