The Veterans that protect our country, support our freedom, help those in crisis and risk their lives on a daily basis. Unfortunately when they come back from their assignments or engagements, they come back with multiple healthcare concerns- both physical and mental.
31% of returning military servicemen develop a mental illness after service. Some of the injuries include depression, traumatic brain injuries, PTSD etc. These can cause issues in there lives and relationships during the reintegration process into civilian life.
The majority of prescriptions provided by healthcare providers for there various injuries include opioids. As a result veterans all over the world have become addicted to opioids used for pain, depression, and mental health issues like PTSD. Relying on medication given to them can be expensive, addictive and have more side effects than expected.
Some veterans lives become impacted by the addiction from the prescribed medication. Last year, the CDC reported that 66,000 Americans died in the opioid crisis. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the nation’s largest dispenser of opioids, 22 veterans commit suicide each day. VA’s over-reliance on opioids has a heavy hand in generating these unfortunate statistics.
In an effort to lower opioid intake, some veterans are turning to hemp products, like CBD oil, to treat chronic pain and PTSD. And amazingly, they are experiencing relief without being high.