My CBD Journey | Cliff Johnson
May 24, 2018
Ā
Elizabeth Johnson
6Ā Ā
(Cliff Johnson)
32Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Az
Ā

Cliff is a loving father, successful business owner and active cannabis advocate. He recently started using CBD for his 6 year old daughter. Although their CBD journey together has just begun, the results have been life changing for everyone in theirĀ family. This is Cliff's CBD journey...Ā
Ā
Ā
Ā
Why does Elizabeth use CBD?
Ā
Autism, epilepsy, for seizures and bedtime. Autism and epilepsy go hand in hand --- sometimes one will develop before the other. Usually autism first from the research Iāve done. But, weāre using it to subside seizures, because they have gotten worse more recently and it seems to be helping. Thereās not enough rock solid information on it or studies that are done that say āthis is what you need to doā so dosing is kind of on us.
Ā
Ā
Does anyone else in your family use CBD?
Ā
The dogs. They seem to be calmer. They have less anxiety I would say. I have two big golden retrievers.
Ā
Ā
Ā
Is CBD (easy) for you to acquire?
Ā
No. The Internet is a miracle! There is so many options, the hardest thing is finding a product thatās true to what it says it is. Itās all about selling things online. You just kind of feel them out. I feel like I have had some instances where Iāve seen a consistent product and then Iāve seem some where itās just like, āehh this is dicey.ā
Ā
Ā
Ā
How has CBD made a difference in Elizabethās everyday life?
Ā
Days without she has more anxiety, without CBD she just has seizures randomly. With CBD I feel like theyāre just not triggered. Everyday life with it there is definitely less anxiety for her, less anxiety for us. She does dance classes and when she has her medicine she is more focused. I also think itās a mental thing for her as well because she realizes sheās taking it and she feels more secure.
Itās not in a pill form either so itās more of a natural thing she is seeing. At the end of the day she is just more relaxed, calm, cognitive --- sheās starting to talk a lot more. And I truly want to say itās all because of the CBD, but thereās just no way to tell. Is it purely the CBD? Is it her diet change as well? I wish I had a way of knowing. Her autism symptoms started after we moved here (Phoenix). Weāre originally from Washington.
Ā
Ā
Ā
How has it affected her everyday mood?
Ā
Her everyday mood had generally been more enriched. Sheās happier, less emotional, she has less tantrums. Itās frustrating for everybody, but I know whatās going on and she doesnāt. Thatās got to be harder for her. Itās not a perfect science, everyone gets frustrated for sure. Itās hard because she canāt explain and you canāt understand. Ā
Ā
Ā
Ā
Tell me about her life/anxiety before CBD.
Ā
Misdiagnoses. Her life before CBD was just a lot of unanswered questions. Why is she so fussy all the time? Why is she so irritable? She didnāt walk until she was two. We finally got her to start doing things on her own like walking and then we got the CBD. When we got it the results were almost instant. I saw more clarity in her. A child that had more awareness. Itās like it gave her a Band-Aid for her anxieties and seizures that were giving her trouble. Itās just expensive.
Ā
Ā
Ā
Does she take any other pharmaceutical meds?
Ā
Not anymore. We donāt do anything anymore.
Ā
Itās there in the medicine cabinet but itās something that is a last resort. I just feel like sheās getting so much better. And to be honest with you, I didnāt see a difference when she was taking that crap anyway. So why keep giving her something? They said it takes a year to work its way into her system⦠I mean they wanted to put her on anti-depressants; they wanted to put her on everything. I was like āAbsolutely not --- Iām not doing that!ā She would have to take those her whole life.
Ā
Ā
Ā
Do you feel there is a stigma with CBD and kids?
Ā
From our own experience itās not looked at as something thatās OK to do. I feel like people are pushing it towards kids at the same time. Theyāre pushing it towards everything right now --- I mean itās great to have to supplement any lifestyle. I just think children with issues that my daughter has or other peopleās daughters or sons with autism should at least give it a try.
It just sucks that we come from a pharmaceutical family. My wifeās mother is a doctor and her father is a surgeon. And they just look at us like, āyouāre going to give her what?!ā Thereās just a mental block for people like that. They canāt understand that itās something thatās been overlooked for so many years. Itās going to be interesting to see what happens in 20 years. All of those people will know they messed up. But medications make more moneyā¦
Ā
Ā
Ā
Ā
Explain Elizabethās CBD journey in a few words.
Ā
Not finished but making great progress. Iām not going to say she cured because sheās not but Itās an amazing amount of relief for all of us.
Ā
Ā