--- title: "Why this Army vet ditched pills for cannabis and yoga" date: "2020-04-29" modified: "2020-10-30" authors: - name: "Shannon Corbeil" job_title: "Contributor, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/scorbeil/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-sports/army-vet-cannabis-bryan-fant/" categories: - "Mental Health" - "Veterans" --- # Why this Army vet ditched pills for cannabis and yoga ![]() U.S. Army veteran Bryan Fant was a helicopter crewman suffering from service-connected neck and back pain. After 17 years of service and three months in rehab, he was discharged from the Army and on the brink of a downward spiral. He alienated his friends and family, he was suicidal, and he was hospitalized following a seizure derived from overmedication, fatigue, and malnourishment. He decided to make a change. He quit using pain medication and switched to medicinal cannabis — and yoga. --- ## Author Shannon Corbeil has worked for We Are The Mighty as a digital video producer, writer, and host, as well as a staff writer covering military history, trivia, and valor. Shannon is a fierce veteran advocate, covering the achievements of members of the military community and volunteering in multiple veteran non-profit organizations, including Pin-Ups for Vets and Warriors for Peace Theatre. Her undergraduate degree is in Humanities and Philosophy and her Masters is in Strategic Intelligence. A screenwriter and actor recently seen on SEAL TEAM and THE ROOKIE, Shannon writes about exciting projects in the entertainment industry. She is an alum of the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, a Finalist in the Disney TV Writing Fellowship, an inaugural fellow for the STARZ/VME #TakeTheLead Program, and has performed at the Geffen Playhouse and Kennedy Center as a writer, dancer, singer, and actor. As a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Shannon supported the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and conducted Cyber Threat Analysis at the National Security Agency. Her work has been seen in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Military.com, and various other publications. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()