MEDICAL cannabis is helping a former soldier rebuild his life.
Aaron Fletcher, from Runcorn, has spoken about how the treatment has helped him cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The 30-year-old, who was medically discharged from the British Army 11 years ago with hearing loss, says he had struggled to adapt to life outside the forces since leaving.
Mr Fletcher said: "I went into the army straight from school.
"I was medically discharged with hearing loss and I also have a metal jaw.
"When I came back into civilian life, depression hit me massively.
"I had basically gone from one institution to another and found it very hard to adjust to normal living."
In an effort to improve his mental and physical health, Mr Fletcher was prescribed antidepressants and powerful painkillers.
He said: "The medication was making me more depressed.
"I was a zombie because of all the medication and was going downhill."
In 2024, Mr Fletcher began treatment at Alternaleaf, a UK-based medical cannabis clinic.
He said: "It’s been absolutely life-changing.
"I've got a quality of life.
"I feel like I've got my life back.
"I feel human.
"I may not be able to do certain things physically, but mentally I’m 10 times better than I was.
"If you were to see what I was three or four years ago to what I am now, I'm a completely different person.
"I was a shell of a man compared to what I am now."
A recent study in the journal BJPsych Open found that the treatment is associated with “significant improvements in well-being and quality of life in PTSD after 3 months of treatment and these improvements in well-being are maintained in patients with psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, or chronic pain for up to 12 months”.
Nabila Chaudhri, medical director at Alternaleaf, said: "An estimated one in 20 UK adults are living with PTSD.
"Among those with a limited physical health condition, the number is one in 10.
"PTSD can affect anyone at any stage of their life.
"It doesn’t discriminate and can be triggered by a whole host of lifetime events including serious accidents.
"PTSD is treatable.
"If conventional medicines don’t work, there is now strong evidence to show medical cannabis can alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life for people living with PTSD."
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