Dawn Fable and Torrey Benson thought they knew what to expect in life. They foresaw getting married, the joys of motherhood, and even anticipated how overwhelming family life could be. “I’m drowning in my own beautiful disaster,” Dawn remarked. She has everything she ever hoped for: three children in good health, a wonderful husband and a full-time career that she loves. However, she admitted, sometimes things can get so hectic that she needs moments to pause. She had been suffering from anxiety attacks. Aware of the potentially harmful side effects of pharmaceutical drugs, she looked for alternatives and found her way to the natural healing effects of CBD.
“My husband and I were intrigued by the health benefits we experienced by incorporating CBD into our lives. For over ten years, I suffered from generalized anxiety disorder, and at times it was consuming. I recognized it was starting to take away from being present with my family. If I’m able to provide even a moment of pause for just one person in whatever it is they are going through, this will all be worth it in the end,” said Dawn. Torrey Benson is an optimist. She lives in small-town Montana and feels lucky to have a lifestyle she loves, which includes skiing, hiking, rafting and jumping into all sorts of opportunity for an adventure. Like Dawn, she couldn’t avoid stress getting the best of her at times. It all changed when she discovered CBD. The duo met at a purse party 15 years ago. Instead of a bag, each left with a lifelong friend. They’ve had their fill of fun from their 20s until their late 30s. Both worked hard jobs and still found time to go on trips or just relax. Cannabis-based remedies eventually gave them the much-needed pause to find relaxation.
In 2011, one of their friends initiated a “one-little-word club” among a group of mutual friends. Each had to choose a word to reflect upon their lives. One of them chose the word “pause.” Torrey reflected, “And so, in our fortieth year, on a birthday trip to Laguna, we challenged ourselves to put our minds together on a business venture. A venture to share the CBD love. A venture to help our friends and family. A venture to empower others to press pause.” Neither was new to cannabis. Dawn and Torrey recalled “Sure, we had both experimented with weed when we were in high school and college, but no one would have considered us ‘potheads’ or stoners by any means.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders vary by objects and situations that cause them to trigger. All share characteristics related to behavioral disturbances. Examples include panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, phobias, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), obsessive-compulsive disorder and separation anxiety. Anxiety disorder is highest among adults 18 and older, according to data from the National Comorbidity Study Replication. An estimated 19.1 percent of U.S. adults had a type of anxiety disorder in the past year. Past-year prevalence of any anxiety disorder was higher in females at 23.4 percent and lower in males at 14.3 percent.
In general, an estimated 31.1 percent of adults in the U.S. experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Dawn was the first to use CBD treatment and one day called Torrey to give it a try. The words “Just say no to drugs,” however, reverberated in her mind. The thoughts of driving around with kids and doing daily activities while impaired scared her. When Torrey had a panic attack, Dawn found the opportunity to introduce her properly to CBD, which made her a believer. The next challenge was to tell their families. “We were nervous to share our newfound venture with our families. Would they be proud or embarrassed? Are baby boomers happy to tell all of their friends that their daughter—who is a mother and a wife—is now selling hemp oil? Funny thing is, we were so thrilled about our new venture and the benefits for our families that we let our nerves fly right out the window.” Dawn and Torrey were lucky to have support and understanding from their families. Each was all the more thrilled to spread the good news. Their advice for those starting CBD, especially mothers: “Reach out. Ask your doctor. Call us. Research. Don’t be scared! Start small. Be excited that you’re in the know about something that works!” Press Pause Project products have easily found their market with people who are now aware of this nature-based remedy. Their customers’ positive feedback just keep pouring in, from grandmothers relieved of arthritis pain, to parents regaining good sleep. Their tincture products are designed in a variety of ways, such as food additives, dietary supplements or topical healing. These contain 500 mg of hemp cannabinoid extract, fractionated coconut oil or organic peppermint oil and are non-GMO, vegan and gluten-free. Also available are balms to ease tension and inflammation. Capsules as dietary supplements are also available. Each capsule contains 10 mg of CBD, so you can plan dosing according to your lifestyle. They recommend starting with one to two capsules a day. In November 2018, Dawn and Torrey got a chance to moderate an event in Denver called Women + Weed, organized by Found(h)er. It was an evening for educating and empowering women and erasing the stigma of cannabis. Everyone needs to pause and look at life from a new perspective every once in a while. Dawn’s and Torrey’s products provide ways to assess ourselves, to reflect and, lastly, to heal.
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