Valuing Vets: Support for the many who selflessly serve
CBD School: What veterans need to know about CBD
October 31, 2020
SPECIAL VETERAN’S DAY REPORT – Stress may feel like it is a normal state – until it’s not, according to psychologists who are concerned that many American households are nearing a critical tipping point in regard to positive mental health.
The collision of three national crises — the pandemic, economic turmoil, and elevated community conflicts — are taking a toll, according to Arthur Evans Jr., the CEO of the American Psychological Association, which recently released the findings of two critical mental health surveys.
Green Roads, one of the nation’s largest and most trusted CBD brands, recognizes the elevated risks and challenges military members face. The company’s military program, introduced in 2017, offers a 50 percent discount to qualified military members and veterans and was recently expanded to include First Responders.
A number of America’s small-business owners are stepping in and stepping up to help, including Receptra Naturals, which produces premium organic CBD from its family-owned farm in Colorado.
Giving is a common thread among CBD brands. This month, Receptra Naturals’ CMO Shane Vaughn announced that his company not only has upped its veterans discount to 50%, but is launching a campaign to give back 10% of its sales proceeds of all veteran sales to Wounded Warrior Family Support.
Although Receptra has offered a military discount program since its formation in 2015, its owner and chairman Rusty Scott recently elevated its military discount rate to 50%, as well as an additional campaign that donates 10% of Veterans sales in November to the Wounded Warriors Family Fund.
“There was no question among our team. We had to do something more,” says Receptra Naturals CMO Shane Vaughan, who notes the move was a natural one for the organization staffed by a group of givers.
Giving is a common thread that binds the CBD community together in their commitment to the common good.
“The American public has endured one devasting blow after another, the long-term effects of which many people will struggle with for years to come,” says Evans.
Stress is something the majority of U.S. households could use less of these days, particularly the more than eight in 10 households (83 percent) who feel stressed out about the country’s future.
Can there be any more pressure?
There are 8 million individuals already living with the challenges of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) before the most recent wave of COVID-19 related stressors arrived.
Our service members are exposed to a tremendous amount of stress, according to Receptra Naturals CMO Shane Vaughn, who notes whether that stress is manifested in PTSD or not, it is real and significant. Photo by Daniel-Alvarez/Shutterstock
The majority of individuals with PSTD already and likely will continue to face even greater challenges as a result of the pandemic.
Experts warn that people with PTSD whose heightened stress response (often recognized as our “fight, freeze or flight” response) is already triggered are feeling overly magnified stress levels that are likely to linger longer and be far more stubborn to treat than the average population.
Sample programs, like this one from CBD Sample Hub, allow veterans to register to receive free premium CBD products. What’s unique about this offer is that the samples are shipped free too.
“Our service members are exposed to a tremendous amount of stress,” says Vaughn. “Whether that stress is manifested in PTSD or not, it is real and significant. Compounded by the additional stressor we all share – COVID-19 — (PTSD) can grow to seem overwhelming.
“The isolation we’ve all faced and will continue to face in the foreseeable future only serves to exacerbate challenges,” says Vaughn. “Those who’ve already surmounted such disproportionate stress levels deserve to have access to resources to help minimize the compounding factor that COVID-19 has in their daily lives.”
And that’s why programs that support veterans is so critical this year, more than any other.
MORE CHALLENGES REQUIRE MORE SUPPORT
Numerous research studies indicate that as many as 30 percent of our nation’s veterans face Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Of those, about half get treatment, according to health experts.
The things that challenge the average individual will become increasingly challenging for individuals with PSTD and their families, according to experts who advocate for additional support.
Why?
There are many barriers, according to experts. Chief among them are long waitlists and onerous Veterans Administration (VA) requirements as well as long-held social stigma associated with mental illness prevalent within military communities.
Less than half of returning veterans needing mental health services receive any treatment at all, and among those needing treatment for PTSD and major depression less than one-third receive evidence-based care, according to a study conducted by the RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research.
FACING ANOTHER BATTLE ON U.S. SOIL: PTSD
U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Brothers N Arms CBD co-founder Eduardo Cardoso says vets are tough. Trained to rely upon themselves and their unit, their natural tendency is to try to revolve challenges independently. That’s why support from fellow veterans experiencing PTSD is critical.
Veterans are tough, according to Brothers N Arms CBD co-founder Eduardo Cardoso who served two tours in a U.S. Marine Corps combat unit deployed in Sangin, Afghanistan.
“We are trained to deal with whatever we encounter, so when we come across an obstacle, we are more likely to want to assess and deal with it on our own,” says Cardoso.
Coming home was definitely a challenge for Cardoso. Like many veterans, he describes his return home as “more difficult than I imagined.”
“It was extremely challenging to find my purpose after my service,” says Cardoso, who was diagnosed with PTSD in 2010. “It was difficult to find my center. Vets are trained to be fiercely competitive and tough. No one wants to be ‘a problem,’ particularly when you count among those lucky enough to make it back home.”
Like Cardoso, West Point Graduate, and Army Officer Mike Tatz found himself among the many veterans who face an uphill battle following his years of service.
The co-founder of Resilience CBD, who underwent neck surgery for service-related injuries, fought daunting physical challenges largely on his own, avoiding prescribed opioids whenever he could.
“No veteran wants to be seen as the ‘weaker one,’” adds Cardoso, who, like many, also tried to deal with his PSTD on his own.
Support is central to veterans facing PTSD and other service-related injuries, according to Resilience CBD Co-Founder Mike Tatz. His company offers a 35 percent discount to veterans and first responders.
“I was massively unsuccessful,” says Cardoso. “When I returned home, I came home alone…without unit, my support system and, the collective strength of my brothers.”
That support system is something that is critical to veterans.
“In service, you are in a constant state of readiness,” explains Tatz. “To reacclimate is difficult. You’ve got to go against your training and the well-honed instincts that helped you survive.
“While your mind is screaming that you should stay on ‘hyper-alert,’ you’ve got to find a way to close it down,” says Tatz, who explains that many veterans struggle to make the transition on their own.
GRATITUDE & SUPPORT
“Service members deserve our special thanks, support, and TLC,” says Lee Sosin, the Chief Marketing Officer of Green Roads, which has offered military members 50 percent product discounts since 2017. The company expanded its program to First Responders before the start of the pandemic.
“There’s an increase in stress levels across America and, for that matter, the world,” says Sosin. “The need for consistent and meaningful self-care has never been more apparent.”
That conversation is critically important in our veteran community, which research has shown had been facing enormous stress higher than the average population prior to COVID-19.
NATURAL SOLUTION
Some researchers say that CBD may help those suffering from PTSD.
Veterans suffering from PTSD have an “always-on” survival instinct, which causes them to have exaggerated responses to everyday stressors.
When you have PTSD, the world feels unsafe, according to Taft, who says that his PTSD caused him to have vivid and unsettling memories of combat. Even familiar sounds, like the noise popcorn, makes as it’s popping, could trigger a response.
They need an “off button” or at least a dimmer switch, according to mental-health experts.
Some researchers say that CBD may help those suffering from PTSD.
Researchers at the University of Ottawa concluded that CBD’s ability to modulate fear memories may make it an effective therapy to treat PTSD disorders in a 2019 study published in Frontiers of Neuroscience.
Another clinical study, published in Frontiers, suggests that CBD may offer therapeutic benefits for PTSD when combined with psychological therapies for PTSD.
According to one study, 91% of PTSD patients saw improvement in their conditions after being treated with CBD.
CBD products that are third party-tested are more trusted, and, according to many veterans, truly transformative. Photo by Roberto Galan/Shutterstock
Animal studies, which generally proceed human trials, showed early promise for CBD’s use in PTSD cases.
Researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. report that its animal studies show that CBD may help block perceived threats and therefore be an effective PTSD treatment.
Numerous studies site CBD’s effectiveness in combination with other therapies.
A Minnesota Department of Health report says that CBD may work well with other extinction-based therapies for anxiety disorders such as PTSD.
All agree that more controlled scientific research is needed.
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS
CBD is becoming as common as aspirin in many American households.
Proponents hope that it will also be as common in military duffels soon.
It may if the recently passed House of Representative amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passes the Senate. Advocates say the provision would override the existing Department of Defense (DoD) policy enacted in February, which prohibits the use of any hemp products by active and reserve military members.
Backers also hope that CBD may help quell rising opioid-addiction rates.
Researchers at the Brightfield Group learned that 42 percent of people who use CBD gave up pharmaceutical drugs in favor of CBD or some form of cannabis in a 2017 study. While this is great, always talk to your doctor before adding or removing any supplement or pharmaceutical drug from your diet.
A growing body of research seems to point toward CBD’s efficacy, particularly among veterans who, oftentimes, want to maintain the same level of physical and emotional strength honed through years of service.
“Vets are tough,” says Vaughn, who says Receptra Naturals formulates products that uniquely serve the demands of veterans.
MAKING CBD MORE AFFORDABLE FOR VETERANS
Receptra Naturals offers veterans 50% off all of its CBD products, including its pet care products.
Today, an increasing number of CBD companies are stepping up to make CBD more affordable for veterans and the 1.3 million service members employed by the U.S. military.
Veteran discounts and validation policies, which vary by brand, are regularly updated on our website: cbdmarketinghub.com.
“It’s great when we (veterans) have a network and people to support you,” says Taft.
Editor’s Note: Veterans can learn more about Receptra’s 50% discount program here.
In celebration of Veteran’s Day, Receptra Naturals is also donating 10% of its veteran sales proceeds to the Wounded Warriors Family Support, an A-rated nonprofit serving wounded veterans and their families. Among the many efforts support by WWFS are caregiver respite, UAW-Ford supported veteran training, vehicle customization, long-term care programs, and family programs.
