Lauren’s Story: Freedom from anxiety and arrest

Could you share your diagnosed health conditions and their impact on your daily life?

In my early teenage years, I was diagnosed with both anxiety and depression. I started really struggling with my mental health around the age of 13, but wasn't actually diagnosed until I was either 15 or 16. I also have fibromyalgia, which is a chronic pain condition.

The pain and fatigue brought on by the fibromyalgia got to a point where I was finding it really hard to get through not only my workload but also my daily routine at home. Simple tasks that most take for granted were becoming increasingly impossible to handle.

Add to that the anxiety and depression, and it was a daily battle to find the motivation and energy to keep going. Some days, I simply didn't want to be 'here' anymore. To put it bluntly, I was beginning to hate life. I do still have tough days from time to time, but they are becoming less frequent and easier to handle, in large part thanks to my medical cannabis prescription.

Were you on any conventional treatment options before deciding to try medical cannabis?

Yes, I have been prescribed all sorts of different pills over the years, including painkillers and antidepressants, to try and ease both my mental health issues and the physical pain brought on by fibromyalgia, with mixed results.

The biggest and most consistent problem I have had with these are the side effects brought on by most of the options I have been prescribed. Some have been too strong, making me feel like a zombie and unable to function properly.

I have been taking one medication for quite a while now that helps with my anxiety and depression, but only to a point. I have found that the combination of this medication and the medical cannabis I have prescribed through Releaf work together great, giving me the best results in terms of managing my symptoms. 

My depression and anxiety can hit quite hard when I am by myself, but the addition of medical cannabis to my treatment plan has really helped me, especially when I am home alone.

And, why did you decide to sign up to become a medical cannabis patient?

An incident early this year is actually what led me down the path towards a medical cannabis prescription. You see, I had absolutely no idea that medical cannabis was legal here in the UK. Now, knowing that it has been a legal option since 2018 was quite a shock, and I wish that I had known much earlier.

I had found that taking cannabis was helping with my medical issues, and so I began self-medicating. But, about two months before signing up with Releaf, someone reported me to the police.

Up until this point, I had never been arrested or had any dealings with the authorities. I consider myself to be a pretty responsible person and like to keep myself to myself.

About a week before being reported, there was an incident with one of my neighbours. He came storming into my garden, unannounced and uninvited. He then threatened to assault me physically, which was terrifying, especially as I live alone and suffer from anxiety. Although he did leave my property after the altercation, I decided at this point that it was best to let the police know what was happening for my safety and as a way to document the incident.

Well, I was out driving a few days later, and the next thing I knew, my vehicle was surrounded by police cars, and I had a load of officers telling me to get out of the car. I was then arrested, taken to the police station, and processed. It was during processing that I found out that somebody had called the police and reported that I was carrying "loads of drugs in my car". I wasn't, although I did have a very small amount of cannabis on me.

The next five hours were stressful, to say the least. 

The police actually asked me if I was carrying a medical cannabis card, which I wasn't, as this was before I registered as a medical cannabis patient. I was eventually released without being charged with a crime, but this whole event made me realise that I needed to protect myself. I couldn't risk being in the same situation again, so I decided to look into getting a medical cannabis prescription.

It was the next day that I recalled seeing some ads for medical cannabis a few months prior. When I saw the ads, in all honesty, I didn't believe them. I remember thinking, "What a load of rubbish, this has got to be fake". But I jumped onto the computer and started doing some research, and what do you know, I was completely wrong. 

Medical cannabis is legal here in the UK, and it isn't some sort of scam.

How did you end up choosing Releaf as your medical cannabis clinic?

After searching through a couple of the leading private medical cannabis clinics, I landed on Releaf as the best option for me.

I was looking for more than just medical cannabis - I also wanted a clinic that offered great patient support. When I contacted Releaf, I was blown away by the help I received from the team and by how easy the online system was to navigate. I was also really impressed with the Starter Kit and the medical cannabis card that came along with my first prescription.

I am now almost three months into my journey with Releaf and legal medical cannabis, and I am extremely grateful for the process and results so far.

What have been the biggest changes or improvements you have noticed since starting medical cannabis treatment?

Apart from how it has helped me medically, the fact that I now know that I am legally covered to take and carry medical cannabis has been a huge weight off my shoulders, especially after the incident earlier in the year. That in itself has been life-changing.

It has also allowed me to live a much fuller life. Before starting with medical cannabis, I was having issues with being able to work. I have recently become a qualified foot health practitioner, and this line of work means I need to travel quite a bit, which I was finding difficult due to my anxiety and fibromyalgia pain.

To put it bluntly, I probably wouldn't be able to leave the house at all without the help of medical cannabis. The difference it is making in my life is massive. It has helped a lot with my pain, I am sleeping and eating much better, my anxiety and depression are more manageable, and I can now work without feeling overwhelmed at the time or super apprehensive beforehand.

I am back to travelling for work and able to spend time doing the things I love without worrying about my symptoms getting in the way, at least for the most part. Honestly, it has just made my life so much easier and so much better.